Literature in Art Books

Collaboratively written by professional college librarians Joanna M. Burkhardt, Mary C. MacDonald and Andree J. Rathemacher for professional college librarians, Creating A Comprehensive Information Literacy Plan is a how-to manual for improving information literacy instruction as a college library meets the needs of its students and professors. Information literacy is not what it was a generation ago - the Internet and other modern developments have transformed the skills that students and professionals must cultivate to meet their academic needs. Chapters discuss how to devise a plan to suit a given library's needs, and a host of sample worksheets and references are sure to simplify the librarian's task. An accompanying CD-ROM allows users to customize and print their own planning worksheets and easily access the complete bibliography, success stories, and a list of hyperlinked Web resources. Especially recommended for librarians and libraries seeking tools to iron the kinks out of their literacy program and present it to the campus at large.

Most people, when they hear of Dorothy Sayers, immediately think of her delightful detective novels based around Lord Peter Wimsey. But she was much more than another Agatha Christie. She was also a superb thinker and committed Christian. A contemporary of C.S. Lewis and T. S. Eliot, Sayers was a first-rate thinker who had a passionate belief in the importance of Christian doctrine and theology.

Unfortunately she has tended to be overshadowed by the likes of other famous Christian laypeople from England: Lewis, Eliot, Tolkien, Muggeridge and Chesterton. But she was in many ways their equal, and she can rightly be described as one of our most important Christian intellects and authors of recent times.

Sayers was appalled at the general lack of doctrinal knowledge amongst most believers, and she wrote extensively on the need to develop a Christian mind. And she strived to make theological truths accessible to the common man. It is her theological interests that make up the theme of this important book.

Laura Simmons is well versed in the writings of Sayers. Indeed, she spent one summer reading through the 30,000 pages of letters written by and to Sayers. This book demonstrates that Simmons has a very good grasp indeed of the mind and writings of Sayers.

The title of Simmons' book refers of course to the 1940 essay by Sayers, Creed or Chaos? In that important tract Sayers demonstrates her clear grasp of the importance of right belief as the basis of right living. Orthodoxy, in other words, precedes orthopraxis. We cannot rightly live the Christian life if we do not have a right understanding of basic Christian doctrines and teaching.

Simmons examines a number of theological concerns that Sayers addressed over her important career. Sayers wrote on many theological issues, on the nature of words and language, on women's issues, and creativity and art. Simmons explores all these vital topics in depth.

The very extensive bibliography of both primary and secondary sources shows that Simmons' has deeply mined the works of Sayers, and those written about her. Hers is a first-rate treatment of a first-rate Christian thinker and writer.

Simmons deserves praise for bringing the theological side of Sayers back into the public spotlight.

THE CRITICAL RESPONSE TO ANAIS NIN is an amazing book the scholarly fan of this literary legend will appreciate. Thirty one reviews are reprinted, ranging from the early 1930s to the mid-90s, divided into five categories of, "General Assessments," "Nin's Shorter Fiction," "Nin's Novels," "Nin's Diary," "Nin Herself." They range in length from being a few paragraphs to several pages, extremely hostile (suggesting that Nin is sexist, self-indulgent, not quite literature, and an insult to feminists) to extremely supportive - such as Henry Miller's 1937 review originally published in The Criterion that predicts that Nin's diaries will, when published, take their place beside the great literary revelations of the century.

I especially appreciate THE CRITICAL RESPONSE TO ANAIS NIN because it helps me understand the era in which Nin was working. I was 2-years-old when Anais Nin died. It would therefore be easy for me to remain ignorant of how revolutionary Anais Nin was. THE CRITICAL RESPONSE TO ANAIS NIN helped me see that the very fact that she was even writing was revolutionary! Can you believe the first review of a work by Anais Nin - a 1932 review of DH LAWRENCE: AN UNPROFESSIONAL STUDY - was titled, "Femininity of DH Lawrence Emphasized by Woman Writer"? How odd to hear her referred to as a "woman writer." To me, she's just a writer. It adds a dimension of respect for her art to realize that just by creating her art she was taking a risk, challenging the world.

This book is best suited for the Anais Nin scholar. If you are a casual reader of the diaries or the erotica then this book will likely be a bit much. If you are interested not only in Anais Nin's work but also the phenomenon of her career and the varied reactions it elicited, then this book will be an amazing addition to your library. (As for the substantial price, the most I can advise is to do what I did - shop around for a substantial discount.)

Andrew Parodi

Great book! If you like Dashiell Hammett, this is the book to read. Excellent descriptive passages.

I ENJOYED THE movie, the soundtrack was bette

I did my Junior Paper on Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood," and while doing research in the NY Public library, I came across this book. It was by and far the most helpful of the sources I found. This is a compilation of various essays from literary critics who comment on many of Capote's works. I firmly believe that this book gave me a solid foundation in the analyzing of Mr. Capote's novel as well as a better understanding and familiarity with the idiosyncrasies of his works. I would recommend this book to anyone who is attempting to gain critical input on Capote, as well as to anyone who is simply interested in Capote's writing. The obvious drawback is the stratospheric price, but if you can stomach it, this book offers nothing but quality.

Excellent book, with "different" excercises that stimulates the mind into thinking in a different manner. Digs deeply into the manner into which we think, and analyzes every aspect. This book is a standard resource at all Bryant & Stratton college campuses....

I have not yet completed this little book which I received from a very perceptive friend! There are many kind of crooks from physical disabilities in ourself to circumstances that appear out of no where in our life causing great sorrow. This book beautifully declares the providence and sovereignty of God and shows us how and why we must accept what comes from His Hand, give praise and gratitude and love to a great and holy God for all that enters our life! Many biblical examples are given with the verses which clearly validate this really helpful book! This is a great book for yourself or for a friend who is going through a really difficult time in their life!

Cats belong to a supernatural world of poetency and prowess. They are the survivors, the creatures most at home in their environment, the fastest and most successful predators on earth. Since Alexander, kings have hunted them; Hercules and David conquered them and wore their skins. The Egyptians worshipped them as goddesses; the shamans and sorcerers of Central Africa and South America took on their shapes to gain entry to the spirit realm; the the dark cicrcle of witchcraft they are the envoys of Satan. Tamed, they remain free, our link with the superhuman in the wild. Between the feline and the human worlds has developed a mysterious rapport expressed in magic, in folk belief, and in the continuing presence of countless millions of pet cats as the objects of everyday worship. Wonderful color photos.

This is an extraordinary book, serious and varied and passionate; I recommend it to anyone who has encountered pain, and would be happy if all doctors had to read it in medical school. It argues that modern society no longer has any effective ways of coping with suffering - especially chronic pain -, of finding meaning in it, and explores some of the ways people in the past learned to live with - and learn from - pain, pain understood not as an enemy attack on human lives which ought to be pain-free, but as a part of life which must be lived with and which can be meaningful in itself, not just a deprivation of meaning.