Authors Books

Oh my goodness, what a great book about the tooth fairy and other traditions around the world. My 6yr old just lost her 1st tooth, but we purchased this book before she lost it so that she could read about other kids and what they do with their baby teeth. She loves this book, and I love this book because it teaches her about different places, people, and traditions from around the world with a subject that she can totally relate to!

This is a fun book for all children. It raises awareness of traditions from different cultures. With older children you can look at themes behind the custom.

Am a Dental Hygienist and enjoy this book for the entertainment of my patients.

My 6 year old grandson, Evan, and I took turns reading, questioning, and laughing as we turned the pages of this interesting and enlightening little book. We had some light conversation and lots of laughs about what parents (and grandparents) in our culture and parents in other cultures tell their children when the first tooth is lost. Evan wanted to know why such a "common" experience caused such a variety of responses. And, why parents had to make up stories in the first place. Well now, that's a good question!

What an awesome read! It had never occured to me that children in other countries may not have a "tooth fairy" experience. I purchased this book for my pre-K class (none of the kids have lost any teeth yet, but are really looking forward to it!) Children in many countries around the world are visited by "El Raton" a rat or mouse who comes during the night to take away lost teeth and sometimes replaces them with money or gifts. My favorite country in this book was Brazil. In Brazil, the birds come to take lost teeth- but only if they are clean. Dirty teeth mean no money is left for the child. This is a great encouragement for Brazilian children to brush their teeth every day! Great for 5 to 12-year-olds.

Not only is this second novel a poignant, heartfelt tale; it is great fun to read. Living in the SC Lowcountry it "spoke to me" in many respects. But, for those living elsewhere it serves as an enticement to visit our beautiful shores and marshes and learn more about the Gullah. The author did a splendid job in portraying love between sisters, love between friends, illness, and the fact that no woman is an island.

I look forward to her next book.

In her sophomore stand-alone novel, TROUBLE THE WATER, Nicole Seitz takes on the grim themes of terminal illness, divorce, alcoholism, suicide and sexual abuse, but leavens them with quirky characters in a story that will engage faith fiction fans.

Like her debut novel, THE SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS, Seitz sets TROUBLE THE WATER in the South Carolina low country --- this time, St. Anne's Isle. The book jumps back and forth in time, mostly between June and December of 2006 and includes several first-person points of view. It's an ambitious undertaking and can become confusing until you get used to it. But the characters are interesting enough to hook you.

Honor Maddox is an amateur painter in the grip of despair, trailing a string of broken relationships behind her. When her attempt to end her life is foiled by some Gullah nannies, she ends up bunking in a crumbling pink mansion with "Duchess," an elderly white woman who has problems of her own. (Gullah, for those unfamiliar with the term, refers to African-Americans of the low country of South Carolina and Georgia).

Duchess is a hilarious character. She has a passion for running around naked or donning only one or two pieces of apparel (a fur stole, for example). Honor wonders how she ended up with a crazy woman whose mansion is as filthy as she's ever seen. However, Honor finds purpose in cleaning it from top to bottom, symbolic perhaps for her own need to be free of a past full of shame and disappointment. For Duchess, Honor is "like a floating lifesaver sent from above to haul my flabby white rear back up on shore again." She has her own "dirty secrets" from the past and "stink might can be covered up, but it doesn't ever go away unless it's aired out proper."

Both the Duchess and Honor are mourning their pasts in different ways; together, they help each other heal. Soon, Honor is painting up a storm and discovering her natural talent. By helping Honor, Duchess pulls herself somewhat together (she still likes running around in the buff) and begins to socialize again.

Honor's beloved sister Alice wrecks her car, and it sets in motion a chain of events that spark a new realization of Honor's past and the tremendous load of guilt and shame Honor carries. Reading Honor's journals also causes Alice to face her own problems, especially an alcoholic, abusive husband, and determine what she wants to make of the rest of her life.

The frequent point of view shifts, as well as the aforementioned time jumps, are challenging for the reader. The characters are the strength of the novel, and keep things cooking. The storyline relies on the rather often-used breast cancer theme (a favorite of faith-fiction novelists) although of course, the issue of breast cancer is no less important for being used so much. I was disappointed, however, in the way Seitz tied up Duchess's storyline. It seems contrived and less believable than the rest of the plot. And the plethora of problems --- cancer, suicide, sexual abuse, alcoholism --- seemed excessive.

However, what works well is the relationship between Dutchess and Honor, and the portrayal of how the best emotional healing sometimes comes through helping someone else. As Honor reflects, "I knew for a fact that Duchess wasn't playing with a full deck, but this was my task...Like her or leave her." And as Duchess says, "...When you meet a true angel, you're never the same."

Seitz is an excellent writer, and her portrayals of the Gullah culture in the low country of South Carolina will engage readers unfamiliar with the area. I especially enjoyed how she wove healing techniques and traditions into the narrative. Painting your house blue, for example, helps keep the "haigs" (ghosts) out of your house. Propping brooms outside your doors mean that a "hag" (an old woman who can shed her skin at night) will have to stop and count every piece of straw before coming inside. Otherwise, a hag might ride on someone's chest all night "till they can't breathe anymore."

It's these sort of fascinating tidbits that enrich the story, and make TROUBLE THE WATER an interesting read.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

This was one of those stories where you just wanted to be there and talk to the characters! I began reading on a weekend morning (when I was supposed to be doing my chores) and ended up reading all day. Read a chapter (or two or three), do a chore, read a chapter..... Really excellent read all the way through!

I found this book to be very well-written women's literature. And you'll notice that I used the term "women's literature" rather than "women's fiction." That's because this book is definitely character-driven; that is, the characters are more important than the plot. And I've had the privilege to meet Nicole Seitz, a woman with a gracious and humble spirit.

When you play a stringed instrument, there are certain types of chords called harmonics. When this type of chord is played - although it is actually several notes - it sounds like a single note. It actually sounds as if it played itself - almost otherworldly.

In literature, you may call the same concept resonance: when characters in a book come alive to produce a prolonged response in the reader. TROUBLE THE WATER is that type of book. As you are reading, you realize that the characters have struck a chord in your soul - a chord that resonates long after you've finished reading.

Nicole Seitz is an artist. Literary fiction lovers might want to check into her further.

Through a group of Gullah women, Seitz reveals the fascinating spirit, superstitions and cultural richness as she revisits the Low Country once again. Though Trouble the Water is not a sequel to Spirit of Sweetgrass Seitz revisits settings that are obviously as fascinating to her as to her readers.

This is the type of novel I love to curl up with and savor. Seitz brought three first-person point of view characters to life as they relived sorrow and shame, choices and consequences. Honor, Alice, Duchess and The Nannies live and breath through Seitz's words. And what stories they tell.

This is not an easy read. Christian fiction, yes, traditional, no. Seitz writes with realism including sin and consequences, hypocrisy and the damage done through it. There is no salvation prayer at the end and very subtle gospel sharing, so those who expect a strong gospel message within their Christian fiction may be disappointed. In addition, the superstitions and beliefs of the characters may stomp on some toes.

However, those who are hungry for honest, transparent stories about tragedy and sorrow, and hope and restoration need to look further into Seitz's novels.

A friend handed me a tattered copy yesterday. I finished this afternoon. It was superb. Rarely have a read a collection this compelling. Buy it, read it, and pass it on.

I read this book upon the recommendation of a clerk at Books Along the Teche in New Iberia, LA. J.L. Burke may be New Iberia's favorite son, but Tim Gautreaux offers much more to the reader. His dialogue and characters ring authentic. Each story is one you are glad to read, and "Easy Pickings" is a story you will remember with a smile and a chuckle for the rest of your life.

I just finished reading this book, and could start all over again. Gatreaux has a wonderful way of crafting a story with believable people. No matter where the reader is from, because of his character descriptions, it is easy to identify with these folks from Louisiana. Gatreaux's short stories evoked all kinds of emotions, but there were many places where I simply laughed out loud. The best thing about this book, is the ability of the author to depict flawed characters living flawed lives, who nonetheless experience redemption in various ways. I will be looking for more books by this talented writer.

This second collection of short stories from Tim Gautreaux is, perhaps, even better than the first. Of course, if you look inside the book and see who published the individual stories, it's obvious that they must be good; The New Yorker, Atlantic, and Esquire are not noted for publishing bad fiction.

While these are fiction, the stories ring so true to life and the lives of the characters, that we can all see ourselves in someone in this collection. Most of Gautreaux's stories have a touch of humor, but all show the depth of character that draws readers into the stories.

Anyone who reads these stories and enjoys them, should also read his novels. You'll find that same voice and an author you can trust, who will not betray your empathy for his characters.

Tim Gautreaux's writing is simply amazingly good. His characters are sublimely human, and he has a knack for finding the good in all of them - even those who might be a bit unsavory. He places them in situations that are ordinary and unique at the same time - and in those situations he finds ways to reveal things to us that allow us to learn more about ourselves. The characters learn about themselves as well, and this is a treasure to observe. The stories here deal with joy and sorrow and all of the areas in between. The people here are struggling to come to grips with their own families, with their work, with the people around them - and with the world in which they live.

In the title piece, a man attempts to assert more of a guiding influence on his grandchildren, and in the process winds up changing several aspects of his own life as well. His trials in striving to accomplish a task given him by his wife, while sitting with his grandchildren at the same time, is presented with some of the most genuine humor I've read in a while - but it's a gentle humor, and it never belittles the characters or the situation (and this finely-tuned humor is used to good effect in several of these stories, even the more `serious' ones.

`Misuse of light' is a moving portrait of a man who works in a camera shop learning about the lives of his customers through the small areas where their lives intersect with his. When someone sells a camera to his shop and he finds a roll of film in it, he develops it in order to get a glimpse into other lives. Opening this door can, as he learns, have jarring effects - on him as well as on the lives he enters. When he uncovers information that causes pain to the young woman who has sold him the camera, rather than abandoning his `study', he probes a bit further in order to get to a level in this past wherein she can find a bit of peace. It's something that makes the character endearing - it's a story to restore faith. Another story dealing with faith it `Good for the soul', in which a parish priest with a bit of a drinking problem, attempting to do a good deed (against his better judgment), runs afoul of both the law and his community.

`Easy pickings' details a rather inept thief's attempt to take advantage of a solitary elderly woman - rather than being a cakewalk, he finds that he's definitely bitten off more than he can chew. There's a great deal of the above-mentioned gentle humor in this tale - and Gautreaux delivers it with tender respect, never ridiculing his characters. `The piano tuner' is, like `Misuse of light', a finely-crafted work in which one character sets out to help another cope with the world - and does so with no expectations of any sort of reward. It's a good example of how those among us who are a little `different' can find their niche - and a gentle lesson in showing such folks more tolerance.

`Resistance' is another case of one human helping another - in this instance, an elderly man, a widower, sees a need and fills it. The little girl who lives next door is very obviously the victim of an abusive, drunk father. When the neighbor learns that her parents are unable/unwilling to help her with her science project, he takes on the task himself - and the light he creates shines not only into her dark life, but also into his own.

`Sorry blood' and `Sunset in heaven' both deal with aspects of growing old. In the former, an Alzheimer's patient is victimized by one of the lowest low-lifes you're liable to meet (and hope that you don't). In the latter, the plight of an old man similarly afflicted opens the eyes of a middle-aged man to the possibilities in his own life.

`Rodeo parole' is a frightening, surreal look at a desperate attempt by prisoners to be viewed in a more favorable light by the parole board - by making themselves sitting targets for a bull enraged by repeated electric shocks from prison guards. Its few pages explode with action.

My two favorites in this collection are `Dancing with the one-armed gal' and `The Pine Oil Writers Conference'. In the former, a man on the run from (or is it `to') himself meets a woman hitchhiker as he travels west from Louisiana. They're both looking for something - and neither is sure just what, although they think they know - and the `answers' they find aren't the ones they expect. It makes for a very interesting and revealing encounter - both for the characters and the reader. `The Pine Oil Writers Conference' is, for me, the gem of this book. Gautreaux has created the classic `riddle wrapped in an enigma' with this story - an aspiring writer (a minister) attends the conference, hoping to find out if writing fiction is `the thing he does best'. The short excerpt included in this story produced by the character for a conference workshop is so well written than it made me sorry there wasn't more of it.

I've never read anything by Tim Gautreaux before - but you can bet I'll be looking for his other short story collection (SAME PLACE, SAME THINGS) as well as his novel (THE NEXT STEP IN THE DANCE). This little book was a great discovery.

Sit back and relax with this read because W. A. Heisler exhibits a truely remarkable understanding of what Christmas is all about. His storytelling will fill your heart with the love and peace we all need to feel. I'd recommend this to all those who are looking to get away from the hustle and bustle that Christmas has become.

Wow, what a journey An American Christmas will take you on. From the first story "The Tradition" it touched my heart and I could not put it down. This book is an emotional, heartwarming and inspritational read. So enjoyable. I have actually read it twice. I have given it for gifts and encourage everyone to read it. You will truly feel the power of the words.

I liked this book a lot. My favorite stories are "Stille Nacht" (set during World War II) and "These Four Walls".

The author has a good sense of humor and it's most evident in "These Four Walls" (the story about the kids and the 'witch').

There's also some suspense in "Stille Nacht" and "The Long Road Home." (That surprised me even though I read and liked a few of the author's uncollected suspense stories.)

Three of the stories have spiritual elements. I normally wouldn't enjoy stories like that (outside of the horror genre), because I'm an atheist. It takes talent to make an ornery guy like me appreciate a sentimental and spiritual Christmas-themed story.

I'm looking forward to a book of Heisler's suspense and horror tales.

W. A. Heisler does a magnificent job with these five spiritually uplifting and inspiring Christmas stories that will touch and warm your heart. Heisler is able to quickly pull you into each story and connect you personally with each character. His ease and humor keeps your interest. A great holiday gift idea for someone you love.

What a great way to spend your christmas vacation! The Christmas memories shared in the short stories of this book offers such a variety of characters each with a feel good theme that offers an uplifting solution to the commercial driven christmas it puts the focus on the real meaning of christmas and the importance of the memories we make during the holdays. I laughed, cried and really enjoyed An American Christmas.

Eduardo Gonzales Viana speaks to each of us with convincing clarity, beautiful prose, and deep and thought provoking messages about life and its dilemmas. His gift of expression and the ease with which he presents his characters and shares his story is a gift to us all.

This is probably the most creative and far-reaching book of short stories I have read in many years. It is also the first book published in English by this extraordinary Peruvian-American writer. It says a great deal of what we can expect from Gonzalez Viaña in the future.

Gonzalez Viaña writes with the Borgesian power to reveal the mystery of man and the universe. You can practically hear his characters breathe. What prose! Complete and poetic.

Arte Publico's translation reveals to us a superb author. The characters and situations offer stories of Biblical dimensions. Fascinating!

Living in Oregon is a great Latino writer whose dreams are America. Amazing grace! Absolutely perfect from opening word to closing sentence.

i bought this book when it was first printed. i wore the pages right out of the book, and bought a second. this book inspired me to write poetry of my own.

I have this book, which I got in 1995. It is Wonderful! I have read it many times and still have not lost intrest!! It is SO good, that I can not believe that it went out of print. I have also read Kevin's new book: Unfinished work. Which came out on Nov. 6. This book is beyond describing. Read it for yourself!!
Kevin Max Smith has a beautiful, amazing, God-given talent, that VERY few people have! He is wonderful at writing. And his poetry is deep and moving. I hope to see many more books from Kevin. Also , look for another coming out (sometime soon, I hope) : The London Cowboy Choronicles. These are all wonderful works of poetry!!
I also hear he
is (possibly) starring in a movie coming out some time next summer. Be sure to check that out as well.

This book was a awesome encouragement of how beautiful God can really work through just one man. Kevin is sincere and personal and his style is very beautiful.

This is an amazing book. When it was originally published promises were made that a second book would be forthcoming. So, Kev - where is it?

Most artists have to die before they're appreciated. Thankfully Kevin Max Smith of DCTalk fame didn't have to die, his book just had to go out of print before everyone scrambled the ends of the earth trying to get their hands on a copy. The poetry is pure delight (my favorite is "Captured") and I love his poems for their sheer simplicity. The artwork by Jimmy Abegg sets off the collection nicely making it something that you want to pass down from generation to generation.

Diane Chamberlain is one of my favorite authors, and BEFORE THE STORM is one of her best books. Since others have synopsized the story, I won't. I will just say that what made this book so special for me is the complexity of the characters. Although they are filled with human frailties, they are correspondingly filled with great heart, warmth, and generosity of spirit. Chamberlain really understands people -- how even the best person can do bad things under certain circumstances. I highly recommend this book . . . and anything else Chamberlain has written.

I found Before the Storm, by Diane Chamberlain, enchanting. Diane Chamberlain is an award-winning author of seventeen novels. She resides in North Carolina.
Laurel Lockwood, due to post-partum depression and alcoholism, lost her son to the system. Returned at a year old, Laurel spent the rest of her life making up for her mistakes and being the best mom she could be to them. Her son, Andy has special needs and she hesitated to let him go to the church lock-in social. The church that night is consumed by fire, trapping the children and chaperones inside. Andy survives and manages to save others, as well. But the hero of the small town quickly turns into a suspect when some witnesses step forward and evidence is found tying him to the arson. Her daughter, Maggie has secrets of her own as the plot unfolds in this twisted investigation. Laurel finds herself asking how well she really knows her kids and how far she was willing to go to protect them.
Taken in first person point of view, from several different sources, makes this book a compelling read. Normally first person is very difficult to make secondary characters stand out and be heard. But this book almost had no secondary characters, as each had a voice. The book also jumped from past to present, seeming as if you are reading two different stories at once. Typically when this is done, it makes the book drag out, but it only engaged me further. Doing this style also can be harder to follow, but that wasn't the case either.
Diane Chamberlain is a mastermind at crimes of the soul. Before the Storm breaks your heart again and again with each chapter. Amongst this, the investigation is alluring and not at all predictable. There were a few twists the reader will see coming, but the way it was written you can't help but feel surprised anyhow. And whoa, the ones you don't see...watch out. The characters were believable and relatable. It's hard to imagine they are fiction. Even down to the flaws you loved them, rooted for them. The plot flowed well, both the past and the present. I think most of all, I liked that the book was written without giving you a whole picture of the history of the characters or events. You had to learn both in pieces. Very intriguing. Before the Storm is a haunting, powerful, and mesmerizing story, sure to win the hearts of any audience.

Kelly Moran
Author and Reviewer

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes was my first Diane Chamberlain novel. I sped right through that one, and moved on to another..that being Before the Storm. I absolutely could not put this book down! I was so enthralled with it, that I literally almost read through it in one night.

Diane Chamberlain seems to have "the knack" for creating memorable characters that readers become attached to. The ONLY reason I was not going to give this book five stars is because I felt there were a lot of loose ends that weren't tied up in the end of the story. However, after reading other reviews, I realize that it was meant to be that way, and can't wait to read the sequel. I loved this book, and this author is quickly becoming one of my favorites!

This is the first book I've read by Diane Chamberlain but it won't be the last. I loved the book because it was complex and the story was told from the point of view of a number of the characters and each character had a very different point of view. The best part of the book, however, was probably the ending which, to me, was a total surprise. Another great southern writer! Reminds me of a southern Jodi Picoult in tone. If you like stories of dysfunctional families, this is for you.

This was the third novel by Diane Chamberlain that I have read, and I was not disappointed. I can't wait for the sequel! I highly recommend it!

Very nicely writen, warms the heart and reminds me to follow my heart regardless of the outside pressures.

Love isn't supposed to hurt. A sage's perspective on the matters of real love.

This book was ok, but didn't touch me as much as "the prophet" did.

For Khalil Gibran, love was a way perhaps a supreme way of achieving self-realization and completeness as a human being. Anyone can live their life transformed by the all consuming power of an encounter with "The Beloved". Particularly in the Eastern cultures there are people trapped in joyless or organized marriages; their passions sacrificed to convention. It is these segments of people that Gibran has brilliantly targeted. Gibran can write very complex social issues in quite simple terms. He can make these issues in a way that can make the reader feel one is taking a walk in a quiet wood, or bathing in a cool stream.

During the course of his reading one can observe that Gibran is a fervernt and outspoken champion of the cause of human rights. He has waged a struggle to strengthen the recognition of youth's freedom of action in love, and abolish from the social structure some of the prevailing ancient marriage customs. He has a strong condemnation of traditions of pre-arranged marriages of children by their parents, in complete disregard of the wishes of those so betrothed.

The ill-fated story of Lyla in `The Brides Bed' is an eye witness account recorded by Khalil. Lyla with courage, anguish and heroism broke in fury from this custom. She brought as a result on her self consequences extremely tragic. This is best described in Khalil's prose:

"... Come you cowards! Fear not the specter of death whose greatness will refuse to approach your littleness and dread not this dagger, for it is a divine instrument which declines to touch your filthy bodies and empty hearts. Look at this handsome youth, he is my beloved and I killed him because I love him. .... We sought a bed worthy of our love in this world which you have made so small with your ignorance and traditions. .... Then the bride lifted her dagger towards the sky, and like a thirsty person who brings the edge of a drinking glass to her lips, she bought it down and planted it in her chest..."

In the `Vision' he describes the social convention issue faced by one:

".. I am a lost human heart, imprisoned in the foul dungeons of mans dictates; tied with chains of earthly authority, dead and forgotten by laughing humanity whose tounge is tied and whose eyes are empty of visible tears. ..."

"His power came from some great reservoir of spiritual life else it could not have been so universal and so potent, but the majesty and beauty of the language with which he clothed it were all his own." -- Claude Bragdon



Kahlil Gibran, on Love:
Love was the central theme of Gibran's life which he expressed in prose poems, and drawings; "Just reading the English translation for this collection of his love-related Arabic works makes my bones ache with the amazing insights he portrays through moving language." ankh fire

"Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart,
and a song of praise upon your lips."
G. Khalil Gibran

The Beloved:
For Gibran, love was the eternal way for any human being to reach completeness, in self realization transforming their life by the power of the encounter with the beloved;
"Who among you would not cross the seas, traverse deserts,
go over mountains and valleys to reach the woman whom his spirit has chosen?
What youth would not follow his heart to the ends of the earth
to breathe the sweetness of his lover's breath, feel the soft touch of her hands,
delight in the melody of her voice?"

The Arkana Edition:
This Penguin Arkana edition of the unique selection of Gibrans writings on the mystical union in love and marriage which he dedicated to the spirit that embraced his spirit and the heart that poured its secrets into his heart, will kindle a fire in the emotions of poetry responsive readers like Ankh fire.
The introduction by Robin Waterfield is concise but eloquent and informing. The translator John Walbridge of Indiana University, who lived and studied in the Middle East introduced G. Khalil Gibran, in a nice biography analyzing his thought, and how he liberated traditional Arabic of his time, writing in a simple diction of modern new form. He compares the passion expressed in his early writings, with the its Lebanese setting and American influence. This new translation of the gifted poet's early Arabic composition is a contemporary fresh one which reflects the original text more closely.

G. Kahlil Gibran, 1883-1931:
I encountered Gibran before appreciating Arabic poetry, as a young kid I was amazed by the beauty of his art and the romance of his expression, in 'The Prophet.' Later, I read him in Arabic, before I found out how the Libanese emigrant poet has touched the Western hearts. This collection of Gibran's early stories, parables and poetic prose, were written in Arabic before his works were translated into English, earning him the nickname 'the Shelly of the Orient.' Many Arabic speaking intelligentsia, including my dad thought he has qualified to have been a Nobel Laureate!

BOOK ARRIVED IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, AND THE SELLER DID SEND THIS BOOK ONE TIME.

Many people praise the poetry of Langston Hughes, but I believe that his prose is just as relevant in regards to social criticism, and as magnificent in form. Reading Simple's tall tales, and his anecdotes as he experienced Harlem reminded me of the stories my Grandparents told of how Chicago was during the great Northern Migration. This collection is a wonderful introduction to Jesse B. Simple

I love this book. Simple reminds me of all the men I know where there is that thin line of love and hate but you just can't help but love them and their wit. For anyone who needs a few good laughs and enjoys Langston Hughes you won't be dissapointed because Mr. Hughes truly does it all!

This is one of my favorite Langston Hughes books. His character Simple reminds me of one of my friends. Always bumming money for his vises and having women problems seems to be Simple's lot in life which he bears with hilarious results. Langston Hughes is funny as his put upon friend dealing with Simple's strange but oddly common sense philosphies about just about everything from feet to cops to women. This book is worth reading if for no other reason than that you will find that one of your friends is Simple in disguise.

Collected here in this book is some of the BEST OF SIMPLE (Semple). Simple was a character first introduced in the Chicago Defender and one who quickly won over a diverse group of readers. Here you will find his talking buddy at Paddy's Bar, varying female characters who function as both pleasure and the occasional headache for Simple, and a generous offeringing of black country folk wisdom on a variety of topics, a few still with us today as when Simple first offered them up for thought. The reader piggybacks Simple through all his trials of life as a black man in Harlem and the U.S. Throughout it all, there is this inescapable sense of lonliness and despair which in the end is buoyed up with laughter, perseverance, and an eternal hope for better times to come.

James Baldwin said he could understand his father's rage and anger at whites, and, his mother's desire to build bridges of understanding and tolerance with whites through the character of Jesse B. Semple (Simple), Langston Hughes' most endearing character who is often called the black Aristotle. Baldwin's comment was perceptive because these two divergent views were embodied in Hughes himself and much of his body of work. (Hughes said that in the Simple stories it was often him having conversations with himself.) Hughes didn't hold a favorable view of whites in general as critics and others have already noted. He had too often been at the stinging end of injustice for being a proud African American while at the same time not being given the same treatment as less talented white writers within the same publishing house as himself. At the same time, unlike the rise of black militants he witnessed toward the last years of his life, he always understood that some whites where allies in a shared humanity and fight for justice with many blacks and should not be lumped into one large catagory as instigators of intolerance.

Like Simple, Hughes wanted to keep hope alive for better times ahead. The poem I DREAM A WORLD is a good example.

Brendan Behan's memoir of his time incarcerated in England , is a comical, sympathetic and humanistic work of art. As a young IRA member arrested in Liverpool at the age of 16 in possession of explosives he demonstrated a remarkably fatalistic viewpoint for someone so young and seemed to take in the experience as an observant participant in a human drama without a hint of self pity.

As he begins in a remanded prison before his transfer to London and ultimately to a Borstal (reform school) he meets with a variety of characters both fellow prisoners and "screws" or guards and they populate his story that also includes incredibly detailed descriptions of the routine of a life behind bars.

Behan became famous as a playwright and notorious drinker in his later years and died tragically young apparently from years of heavy drinking. He is a writer of great insight and power and should not be missed by anyone interested in Irish literature.

I was epecting something a little more politically polemic or bleak, but this account is hysterically funny and inspired. Behan's writing is always vital, his grasp of dialogue perfect, but this novel enjoys a pacing brilliance I dared not hope from a playwright. Most dramatists have trouble with narrative prose because the rhythms are different, but not so with this account of his jail time as an adolescent in England.

I'm an avid reader and can't believe I overlooked this book for so long. Perhaps I dismissed Behan as a professional Irishman, known more for his carousing than for his writing. What a mistake! This memoir is profound, profane, funny and, ultimately, humane. Read this book now; you're in for a treat.

This autobiographical account of Brendan Behan's arrest and imprisonment from 1939 until around 1943 in a British Borstal (youth correctional facility)is an outstanding piece of literature.

There are four primary strenghts to this great work.

First, the language is witty, charming, and creative. I found the mixture of Irish and British male adolescent working class slang to be musical and amusing. Behan had a wonderful sense of dialogue and the manner in which young men verbally duel with each other, striving for rank and dominance and friendship.

Second, the story is unique. A 17 year old IRA terrorist is arrested and sent to a youth facility full of adolescent petty criminals. The worlds of incarcerated vs. free; adult vs. adolescent; Catholic vs. Protestant; Irish vs. English: and criminal vs. political prisoner are just a few of the wonderful tensions and juxtapositions that Behan creates.

Third, is Behan's slow pace and ability to observe the most remote details, describe them uniquely, and then weave these streams of images together to create a world and to populate it with characters that ring true with every word.

Fourth, the story is a tremendous testament to the goodness of mankind. Underneath the tensions, the rivalry, the ideology, the story reveals the simple common kindness of mankind. Brendan Behan may have evoked this kindness through his own exceptional openness and acceptance of his fellowman or he may have observed this kindness through this insightful but possibly biased vision of the innate goodness of mankind; but, none the less, his faith in our sometimes distorted and crippled species shines through the autobiography like a beacon of hope.

I wish I could have given more than 5 stars to this superb work. Don't rush through this book. Let Behan take you into his experiences and his kind view of the world of man.

There are several excellent reviews for this title, so I won't attempt to reinvent the wheel with mine.

The best I can say is that with each page of this incredible book, I find myself closer to a person I never thought I'd like, let alone truly love.

When all is said and done, Brendan Behan is not about The Cause or The Revolution or liberalism or conservatism or anything. Brendan is a human being, in it for Brendan and his best interests. But don't let this make you think that he is a selfish being. Quite the contrary... Brendan finds the humanity in others, far away from the propaganda and agendas he's been fed since infancy. And in that, Brendan finds the humanity in himself.

He's been gone now for... well, longer than I care to believe. But in this, his most powerful and insightful work, he speaks to an audience that is far from outdated, saying the things he feels and believes, with an honesty that most of us wish we had, but work far too hard to conceal. His candidness speaks to our deepest secrets, and opens up a self-awareness in those who wish to explore it.

I am an avid reader, 40 years and going... and I count this as my single favorite book. That is not a distinction given lightly.

Brendan Behan may not be here now, but his message of humanity and humor and growth is ageless. I can only hope that more people take a moment to read it.