V Books

Insightful. From someone who knows. I don't ordinarily go for poetry (with a few exceptions: Charles Bukowski, Pleasant Gehman, Bill Shields, Dan Fante, Jim Northrup, Jack Micheline, etc.) so it's rare for me to spend money on a poetry book--but when I do, it's usually something worthwhile--and this certainly is that: a gem of a book. I'd like to see Suzanne Lummis write more. The lady has paid her dues and it shows. I don't recommend everything I read--but this is certainly a book I would recommend. Too bad it's such a slim volume. There's an old saying, though: good things come in small packages--and Suzanne Loomis' IN DANGER is certainly one of those good things. I had to give it five stars. Also, that was a moving obit the lady wrote in the L.A. Times a few years back when the late great Charles Bukowski passed on. The piece was so well done that I had to cut it out and frame it. I don't know, I'm sure others have felt this way, but there they were: tears rolling down my face when I heard that Buk was no longer with us. Thank you, Suzanne Lummis.

suzanne lummis take the femme fatale sterotype and inverts it, and as a result, witty and evocative poems are born out of her experience in los angeles; especially the dirty parts that no one wants to know about. the poems should be read while drinking a stiff one or listening to tom waits...astonishing....

Can't add much to David St. Johns' rave intro, but simply put, these poems live up to this bold title in ways intriguing, charming and stark. Though they're indelibly fringe Hollywood, they penetrate mysteries that have no address. In other words, these poems are excellent. You'll love discovering every one.

Two lines to give you a taste: "City of sirens and lowdown ways, neons wincing like nerve ends, see what you've done?" and "You were the B-movie I just had to sit through again." Equally touching and jolting, these poems are one part earthquake and two parts heartache.

Usually in Raymond Chandler (the writer whose noir Los Angeles world leaps to mind when you're reading In Danger), the women are darkly lit and shot slightly out of focus-they're alluring, risky, always our of reach. Suzanne Lummis has turned the tables. She gets inside these shadowy creatures; she's the femme whose got her weapon trained on Marlowe, a guy who's not such a prince after all. It's a brilliant conceit, and it sustains itself throughout this fascinating collection. Like her heroines, Lummis' poetry skirts an edge; it's breathless, chancy, full of juice. If only more poets wrote this way.

Eases the reader gradually through the foundations of ICA and treats various published methods in a contrasting manner. No other reference is needed while reading the book; he even gives the pronounciation of some of the greek letters in footnotes.

This excellent book introduces the reader in the field of Independent Component Analysis providing the necessary fundamentals to understand and apply the different methods. The book also makes interesting links to other techniques. The author has succeeded at writing a very didactic text, not an easy task given the complexity of the matter, and at transmitting his enthusiasm to the reader.
I've enjoyed this book, which has been not only an introduction to ICA but which has brought me into ICA, stimulating my own experimentation with the technique.

Without this book I would never have understood the basics and finesses of ICA. Even if readers ar highly skilled in math reading this book will set out mile'stones' that will enhance the understanding of the ICA- problem, -tools and -possibilities.

Dr. G. Otte

I can't stress how reader friendly this book is. It is by far the best introduction on component analysis. It is written in such a way that those with a weaker math background can understand it while those with years of experience will not be bored, at certain times it even reads like a story.

It addition to being readable the book contains an impressive amount of content for its size. This content is presented in an organized manner, and in such a way that the user can immediately apply the techniques to their own problems.

If you are interested in independent component analysis or one of its relatives I highly recommend this valuable, reasonably price book.

James Stone's monograph is a refreshing new book amongst the many other `new books' on Independent Component Analysis (ICA). The author brings his teaching experience to present the theory and practice of ICA in a highly accessible form using a duplication of words and straight-forward mathematics.

Particular attention is given in the earlier chapters to the description of the linear signal mixing process giving the Reader a good basis for understanding the fundamental assumptions upon which ICA and its application to Blind Source Separation are based.

The book is aimed at the Reader with a technical but not necessarily formal mathematics background. Illustrative examples and functional algorithms in MatLab are frequent and references are made to the author's available electronic resources. As such it is suitable to both the newcomer to ICA, and to the more expert engineer or scientist.

This Reviewer rates this book very highly.

When I first saw this book I had the idea that it would be beneficial to only those who are well acclimatised with the science of Internet Security. But I was wrong. This book has been beneficial to me like any other computer book I have gone through. Let me get into the facts.
The most remarkable feature of this book is that care has been taken to include even the commonest of terms which one comes accross reading technical journals but one is ignorant to the actual meaning of them since these terms donot contribute too much to the overall understanding of the concept presented in any paper.
for example we come accross the term 'firewall' so often. but one normally does'nt care to go into the technical details of it.
So I would suggest read this book and findout what firewall actually is.
This book contains both details and variety. I was personally extremely thrilled to find the illustrations in almost every page.
These illustrations helps me ot understand the concepts fast.

Also important is the abbreviation term glossary whcih removes in mind any doubt about the greatness of this book.
With this book I am experiencing a great learning experience and I would recommend this book highly to any computer and IT enthusiast.
Alltogether a great work.

When I first bought this book I was of the idea that it would help only those people who were well acclimatised with the science of internet security. But I was wrong.
Let me get into the facts and tell you that this book had been a great learning experience for me from the time I possesed it. The most remarkable feature about this book is the variety of topics covered and at the same time the details which have been looked into.
Some terms have been used which a normal reader ignores because they sometimes donot contribute too much to the overall understanding of the concept of the journal or paper.
For example everybody knows about firewall. But terms like these have been well explained and illustrated.
Illustrations are another good point about this book which require highlighting. Almost every page in this book is studded with illustrations which helps even a novice to undestand concepts.
The abbreviation section glossary adds to the feathers.
In all I ma having a great learnign experience. I would definately recommend this book for all IT and comp enthusiasts. Its a valuable possession and shall help in a long way.
A great pece of work.

I am a computer science graduate student just starting to work on my thesis in Internet security area. I need to read many papers and need a ready reference to clarify and understand the terms used in the papers. This book has been god-send; at one place it gives all the major concepts organized alphabetically so it is east to search and an index is a great help; it has a ready list of references; it is useful I think. The definitions have enough details to understand the concept and figures help.

Since the terms are reviewed by a panel of world-known experts in security I know that I am looking at reliable definitions and descriptions. The language of the book is so easy to understand that my husband who does not work in computer science, has taken to read this book; he just sits and browses through this book. Take the case of the description of a virus; after the definition, the book describes when and how the term virus was used: ¡°the first published use of the word VIRUS was by David Gerrod in his science fiction short stories which were later expanded and published in the book ¡°When Harlie was one¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.¡±, ¡°Fred Cohen first used the term computer virus in a formal way at university of Southern California¡­.¡± It gives three references pointing the reader to further information. This is a masterpiece written in a scholarly style yet is understandable with little computer science knowledge.

It is a technical reference book, perhaps not for a layman or a casual
user
of the Internet. Details and references (and citations for the
references
within the text) make it an excellent resource. If you are taking
security
certification exam or you are consulting, I suggest to keep a copy for
ready
reference.

If you connect to the Internet, then you pose a security risk to others. With the growing dependence of our global economy on computers, it is now a point of civic duty that we all do what we can to implement secure procedures on our computers. It all starts with knowing what the terms and acronyms mean, and they are all found in this book. I consider it an indispensable resource, not only for the definitions but also for the web sites with a focus on computer security.
The contents of the book are also on a CD in searchable PDF form. This is especially helpful, in that you can quickly click your way to an explanation of any term. The dictionary was put together under the guidance of an expert team of computer security professionals, so it is accurate and thorough. It belongs on the reference shelves of every academic and public library.

G.V. Gordon's book is an excellent introduction to the Old Norse Language. It explains the intricacies of Norse grammar lucidly, and is very easy to work with. The fact that one cannot obtain it here, is really unfortunate; however, on the positive side, I know for a fact that at least one other major internet site has it.

It seems like this book has been around forever. It was first published in 1927 and for many years was the only English language resource for learning Old Icelandic. But that didn't mean that Gordon made the process easy. There are no basic lessons of the "Helgi is a Viking. See Helgi loot" type that you normally expect to find in an introductory language text. On the contrary, Gordon provides the grammar and vocabulary all right--at the end of the book--but it's up to the user to apply them to the wide selection of classic Norse literature that he's included. It's not an impossible way to learn the language, but it can be confusing at first. Those who have a background in Old English will find it easier going because of the similarities between the two languages.

Gordon was the text my class used many years ago when I took Old Norse in grad school. I still remember my professor pointing out all its inaccuracies and criticizing the author. Nonetheless, between Gordon, Zoega's dictionary (now available online), and a xerox of "Gunnlaug's Saga," we muddled through. Learning a language by parsing each word is tedious, but it does give one a sense of accomplishment.

In addition to the grammar and literary selections, Gordon contains a lengthy historical introduction to Old Norse literature. It's out-of-date by now, but still a good place to start. As for the selections themselves, they provide a fairly broad overview. "Hrafnkel's Saga," a gem of a character study, is given in its entirety. There are selections from Snorri and from the Vinland sagas, among other pieces. The only complaint that I have is that Gordon is a little light on the poetry. The humorous "Thrymskvida" (sorry about the spelling) and "The Waking of Angantyr," an eerie little piece not included in the standard eddic canon, are the major poems.

Whether or not you use Gordon as your primary grammar, its selection of litearture makes it a worthy companion for the student of Old Icelandic. My copy is now battered and missing its spine, but it still has a place on my bookshelf.

Man, this book was something I'd been searching for. I am one of the self taught speakers of Old Icelandic, and it's not like there is a whole lot of Runic inscriptions to be translated in Richmond Virginia. Rather then allowing my Old Icelandic skills to sit their and gather dust on a shelf in my skull, I now have something to read!

Please don't send away 30 dollars thinking that this book is going to teach you to read Old Norse / Old Icelandic. If you're hoping for a basic grammar, with graded lessons, you're going to be disappointed. This is an excellent work, an indispensable work, but it's a reader for those who have already learned the basics of Old Icelandic.

After a brief introduction to Scandinavian history, the Viking expansion, and saga literature, the author gives about 160 pages of West Norse, normalized into classical Icelandic. Most of the selections are from the sagas, and they are well annotated, and a full vocabulary is included in the back of the book. There is also a section on what he calls "East Norse" (the Old Norse particular to Denmark, Norway and Sweden), and a small section dealing with the language of the runic inscriptions.

There is a 40 or 50 page section where he presents the grammar, but it's more along the lines of an outline of the grammar. It's sufficient for someone who already has a good knowledge of Old English, OHG, or Gothic, but my hat's off to anyone with the determination to acquire a reading knowledge of the language from this grammatical sketch alone.

There's the rub: where DO you get the introduction to Old Icelandic that will enable you to use this book with benefit? The superb learning grammar "Old Icelandic: an Introductory Course" by Valfells and Cathey is out of print. Kenneth Chapman wrote "Graded Readings and Exercises in Old Icelandic" about 35 years ago, but that's disappeared as well. Until either of those works is reprinted, or a new introduction is written, it's going to be tough.

But none of this is meant to take anything away from Gordon's work; it's a wonderful, scholarly work. Problem is, you really do need to have something of a background before you use it.

This is a very nice book and the one we used in my Old Norse class at BYU, and the selections are all very good, very interesting. However, I agree with the reviewer that this is, despite the title, hardly the best introdruction to the language.

What I recommend is this: Get yourself Stefán Einarsson's fine book, "Icelandic: Grammar, Texts, Glossary", which is set up in lessons for the beginner and which you can get real cheap here at Amazon. That book is modern Icelandic, so the readings aren't about Egill Skallagrímsson or Snorri's Edda, but not only is the Old Norse spirit very much alive in modern Iceland (and all the people very familiar with the old stories), but the language has changed extraordinarily little in the last thousand years (very very minor things), so that if you learn modern Icelandic even reasonably well (which you will from Einarsson), you can easily pick up the sagas with no problem.

Then, when you've finished with his book, you can get Gordon, which will be much more enjoyable then. Alternatively, you can get the texts of lots of the sagas online from Icelandic sites and get hardcopy English versions here at Amazon to use as "ponies". (Hrafnkels saga is a good one to start with, or Snorra Edda.) Good luck!

I love this series. The writer of this comic new exactly what he was doing when he write this. If there was an American TV show of this I would watch in an instant. Alas It seems the availablilty of this comic is some what sarce where I live. You would think living near chiacgo and being next to a bunch comic stores would help right? NOOOOOOO! I can't find the second volume anywhere. (Except for here.) It seems this is a classic example of what I want to is what other people don't seem to be to interested in. I love watch the character Jan talk about food and how he can really manipulate to be just about anything he wants it to be. The only problem is that DIAMOND DIRECT DIDN'T HAVE ISSUES 2 AND 3! Comic book distributors didn't have the freakin' comics! I went to other store only to see the had all the later issues. My quest must continue!

I highly recommend this series to anyone who has even a mild interest in cooking and/or the 'Iron Chef' tv series. This is shonen but, hey, I am still hoping Jan & Kiriko will end up as a couple eventually. Maybe Okonogi should lock them in the freezer together.

This is Volume 8 in the 'Iron Wok Jan' managa series and it packs a lot of goodies! First of all, it winds up the spring roll battle where Okonogi surprisingly enough becomes a serious contendor! Food critic Otani has not given up his long-standing grudge against Jan and uses his influence to place the mysterious Gogyo in the Head Chef position at Hotel Mirage (yes, that was Dan's position . . . ). But who are the two mysterious girls bearing a gift to Otani at the all-star opening bash at the Mirage? And a hyped-up televised battle begins between Gogyo and Jan (to be continued in Volume 9).

I absolutely love this book. A must-see!!!! Its tell the story of a young hot-shot, extremely cocky chef, Jan Akiyama, working at the Gobancho Resturant as a traniee but he is extremely proud to think that his cooking is better than others. He still have much more to learn. Sure, the comic genre will blow your big mind away when he comes up with something unique and creative dishes yet strange and bizzare. Its also feature some cool little martial art moves in the competition. Jan is not the only one, but there are other new prodigy in the cooking field is Kiriko Gobancho, and Cilene Yang (Big busty girl) complete against him as well. Each of them have different cooking philosophy. This comic will sure laugh your roundy belly till you pee in your pants. This is cooking manga managed to keep the reader entertaining than the cooking television. Buy it, I recommmend it.

This is volume one of the "Iron Wok Jan" series- new volumes are coming out on a monthly basis. It's a bit shy of 200 pages, b&w, in the original Japanese format (that is, backwards). This volume introduces us to cocky young chef Jan, who cooks only to defeat his opponents! If this sounds over the top, it assuredly is- but you'll be caught up in the high melodrama and the bizarre recipes. Now that Food Network is out of new episodes of "Iron Chef," there's no better place to get that "they're eating what?!" thrill.

If you're curious about those small-format books with numbers on the spines that are taking up an ever-increasing amount of space in your local bookstore, or if you think manga are only about kung-fu psychic robots from outer space and saucer-eyed girls in sailor outfits whose magic unicorns help them become popular at school, the "Iron Wok Jan" volumes (17 and counting, last I checked) are an excellent place to see what the field has to offer.

All the ingredients (excuse the expression) of classic shonen manga - that's Japanese for "comics for boys" - are here: the grandfather whose memory must be honored, the stern mentor, the stammering sidekick, and the cute girls (who in this case are packing 42G casabas under their cooking uniforms). Then you have the stare of determination and the overcoming of obstacles. And of course you've got to have lots of gaping mouths, sweat beads and speed lines. It all adds up to a dementedly intense narrative that somehow manages not to take itself very seriously.

Volume 4, for example, has the arrogant demon-eyed Jan Akiyama fiercely competing against his proud but virtuous colleague Kiriko Gobancho and the vampy Celine Yang (who for some reason is translated as a southern belle) at the "Iron Chef"-like 1st National Chinese Cuisine Cooking Contest "to become the greatest chef in Japan". Although Jan and Kiriko have made a side wager that the loser must leave the restaurant where they both work, there is even more than that at stake. Ultimately this is a battle between the three contestants' respective *philosophies* of cuisine.

Jan, of course, insists that "Cooking is a competition". "I'll bathe you all in blood!" he taunts his rivals at one point - lolling a Gene Simmons length tongue. "Akiyama's cooking knows no defeat!" By contrast, Kiriko says that "Cooking is about heart" - and demonstrates it by choosing a dish that she invented to help kids eat their vegetables - "Coral noodles! This is my weapon!" And Celine, as befits a woman with her spectacular bust, holds that "Cooking is about abundance" - "To me, cookin's about how far you can go with flavah, aroma, and beauty."

Once the battle begins, the reader is treated to some bravura flurries of action cartooning at its best - especially when Jan pulls out the knife-shaved noodles trick handed down to him by his dead grandfather. (Who naturally appears spectre-like in the background to exhort him to valor.) Anyone who has enjoyed the original "Iron Chef" will feel right at home with the proceedings - complete with know-everything Dr. Yukio Hatori-style commentary by Kiriko's uncle as he observes from the stands filled with gasping awe-struck spectators, and Kiriko's post-battle reflection that "I did the best I could! There were no oversights."

So whose cuisine reigns supreme? Well, you would have to get Volume 5 to find out - since manga storytelling takes up vastly more pages than American-style comics. But if you enjoy food or authentic glimpses into a truly foreign culture, and don't mind some "salty" language that would never make it into one of our kid's titles, Jan will deliver the goods.

Or to put it in his own boastful words to the judges: "Got it, fellas?"

"Just Me in the Tub" is possibly the most fun "Little Critter" book release to date. This book is all about Little Critter taking a bath --- and having a really good time.

Little Critter takes a bath every night. It's a real job for him, but he loves it because it keeps him feeling warm and cozy. Little Critter has lots of toys and bubbles in his bath. But he makes sure to wash all over first.

Little Critter's Mom seems to give him a pretty free reign when it comes to letting him take his bath. This is probably for the best --- after all, this is one time when an argument is probably better avoided if at all possible. No fuss is made if Little Critter slops some water on the floor, or goes back to get some of his toys.

That said, the book also teaches responsibility. Little Critter knows that when he's done, he has to clean up after himself. His Mom might help him dry off though. Then it's into his pajamas (a pleasantly snug yellow jumpsuit) and off to bed.

How to get vital information into your kid in a painless, totally entertaining manner. Mayer covers all kinds of great topics like this book about taking a bath. Little Critter shows us how he does it and give you the chance to point out where he could perhaps be a little more careful. Almost any Mercer Mayer book is worth the money. Also check out "Just Lost" "Just Go To Bed" and "What A Bad Dream!". At around three bucks a pop these are a great value and teach great values without being cloying.

just me in the tub by Gina and Mercer Mayer is a good book that will teach kids things to and not to do in the bath tub, such as teachin them not to spill water and to pick up ther toys. In this book the character shows how to do things rite and keep it neat.

This is a great book!It reminds me of when I was little and how i used to take everything I could in the bathtub with me. It's a funny book and could make anyone no matter what age laugh.

'Just Me in the Tub' is a fun book for little ones. Told from a toddler's perspective gives it so much flare that even adults can't help but laugh. Join in the fun as Little Critter takes you on a tour of the "how to's" of bathtime. Finding the frog in each page adds even more enjoyment - so try to stay dry as you join in the adventure of bath time!

The book is EXCELLENT by Catedra which analyzes the 'obra' in detail. Excellent book and great story by Rojas and his crtizers.

A classic Spanish literature story written in the Old Style Spanish by fernando De Rojas. Excellent reading and an excellent story with modern applications.

Celestina is amusing, ironic, and while the prose and dialogue is long and descriptive, it is never boring- I really enjoyed this play. A note to the person who claims to be the author: Celestina was written in 1499, and it is widely assumed the author lived circa the same time. So, congratultions on your 500th birthday. :)

Celestina is amusing, ironic, and while the prose and dialogue is long and descriptive, it is never boring- I really enjoyed this play.

Ante todo resulta incómodo ver valoradas con estrellitas (de 1 a 5) las obras maestras de la literatura universal.
La Celestina forma parte de esa veintena de obras maestras que forman lo más destacado de la literatura en cualquier idioma y de cualquier época. Sin lugar a dudas, la más fascinante, moderna, entretenida y asequible de su época. Una auténtica novela (dialogada) moderna.

Entre sus mejores momentos: la comida en casa de Celestina con los criados y prostitutas, el primer encuentro de Celestina y Melibea, Melibea esperando a Calixto en el jardín, y un final que te deja un nudo en la garganta. Ah!, y por supuesto la sabiduría popular de Celestina.

La comparación con Romeo and Juliet de Shakespeare no tiene sentido. Las dos obras son opuestas. Por otra parte no cabe duda de que La Celestina es muy superior (más compleja, densa, apasionada, humana, personajes más solidos y destacados...)

Cito a Riquer en su extraordinaria Historia de La Literatura Universal:

Cuando Calixto llega al jardín de Melibea por vez primera persiguiendo un halcón y queda herido por la belleza de la joven (escena de caza frecuente en las novelas cortesanas medievales, por ejemplo en el Cliges de Troyes), se levanta un vendaval que lo arrasará todo, lo bajo y lo elevado, el afecto más gratuito y la codicia más interesada. Y el lector tras tanta belleza, tantos primores, tanta poesía, tanto realismo y tras una tan bien conducida historia de unas almas en desasosiego, ve que la tragicomedia de Rojas, a pesar de su declarada intencion moralizadora, cae en el vacío, como Melibea al arrojarse de la torre, porque después de la muerte de los dos jóvenes Rojas sólo deja entrever un "infierno de enamorados"

Love Lachapelle, pretty much an insane genius. His work is sexy, provocative, alluring, disturbing, insane, kinky, risqué, all while being too hot to handle... the book is so chock full of fun that a normal person can't look through the entire thing in one sitting without their head exploding. If only one day I can become him... Lachapelle if you are reading this, let me be your apprentice!

I got the book really fast! And it was perfect. Just a small scratch in the hard box.

Mr La Chapelle does it again with tongue in cheek dark humor. I bought this for a friend who collects wild and bizarre photo books...For me, it's a collector's item but not for the faint of heart or a coffee table book for a young family with children. He is an amazing photographer but more, an amazing imagination along with obvious sexual undertones,skills to stir it it all up and produce a unique statement through photo collage. My friend loved this book.

Lachapelle is great. The book has an incredible edition. Pure quality. Enjoy this fine piece of contemporary art.

You will never find a fashion photography album like this. LaChapelle is credited to be the greatest fashion/celebrity portrayer and for sure this book attemps to encore his amusement with fame addiction, pop culture, iconography and some tendency to celebrate sex in a lush, ethereal way. I must confess tho, I was expecting to be more surprised with LaChapelle work than Pierre & Gilles, for instance, I was suddenly hit by the full throttle opposition. LaChapelle is kitch-religious kitch chroma extravaganza blasphemous, and all the same at some point. He is an imagery magician, but he also knows the limit of what he wants to document and that point of no return regards consumerism, the hero identity, the fame, the vanity, the modern idolatry to fame and money. The most important Pop artist. The Andy Warhol of the 00's. I see Warhol sparkling his influence, LaChapelle is a sort of heir of his philosophy and ideology. It's a important book whatever sexual orientation you shall follow.

It took me awhile to get into this book but it was worth it in the end. Serious book about a very serious issue. Good read and a very deep story.

Stunning. Poetic. Mr. Bernard did not merely "scratch the surface" but more like savagely clawed the surface (smile).

This book exposes or has the reader examine the whys and whats of what we, as humans, do, in all aspects concerning the way we live our lives.

There were times when it got to be to much as I was like "I'm going to read something else as this is too deep even for me," but by saying that it made me want to read more as I became addicted to this book. This book similar and different than when I read "The Darkest Child" was intoxicating.

This book, the characters, all became real and I recognized that this was fiction, but Mr. Bernard wrote this in such a fashion that made it real.

If you want a book that is and will take you on a trip that delves into the human psyche then I stronly recommend "The Last Dream Before Dawn" as it will truly rock YOUR world and have you examine yourself and others more closely.

D.V. Bernard presents a fresh viewpoint of the rising violence and scandal in America in his debut novel, THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN. Twenty years ago, Roland Micheaux's innocence was shattered when his father was executed for heinous crimes. Now, as a successful New York attorney, Roland finds himself face to face with the very thing that he has tried to put behind him. One night in a parking garage his father's persona comes to haunt him as Roland makes a calamitous move that will send his life into a tailspin and cause him to question reality. Roland then meets Jasper Kain, a seer of sorts, who tries to convince him that the world is coming to an end and that madness will take its reign on the city. Kain's prophecies defy rationale, but Roland soon sees that these ideas should not be so easily dismissed.

THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN is a flurry of characters, scenes, and plots, but somehow, Bernard coheres it all together into cerebral fiction that challenges reality and sanity. A distinguished entrance into the literary arena, this novel is splendidly written and brilliantly executed.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book was a great departure, from what I normally read, which is black fiction, based around romantic relationships. These books are more commonly known as "sistagurl" books. This book was written intelligently, and dealt with issues that we can all relate to in society. This book was a page turner, filled with mayhem, suspense, love, hate, violence, peace, and introspection. This novel makes the reader feel as though they are a part of the story, and I hope it will go on to be a best seller.

Roland Micheaux is no stranger to violence and holds a secret that he hopes will never be discovered. He is sitting on top of the world working as a successful attorney with a top law firm in New York City. Then one day he commits an unspeakable act and his world is turned upside down; and he is left pondering the question of who and what he has become. Leading him down this path of self-discovery is the unusual and elusive Jasper Kain.

Jasper Kain is a mysterious man who seems to just appear out of no where and feeds on evil and chaos. He is one of the most important characters in this book because he seems to hold some influence over all of the major characters.

Alexander Randolph is a Black Republican and Mayor of New York City. In his mind, he is one of the most important men in the world. Even though he has all of these things going for him, Mayor Randolph is not immune to madness.

The paths of these three men cross continuously throughout the book as each of them is touched by the madness and evil of the world. In reading this book, just when you think things can't get any worse they do. THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN is an unusual book.

Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

With equal parts Loony Toons, light romance and Pin-Up poster, Frank Cho has created a brilliantly original notion here. "Creature Comforts" is a grand addition to a series that will certainly keep its following happy for years to come.

In "Liberty Meadows", two vets (one: a short, bespeckled, star wars geek. the other: a broad-beamed, voluptuous beauty) take on the dubious honor of caring for and looking over a host of quirky, maniacal anthropomorphic creatures. This includes a midget circus bear who fancies himself an inventor, a lunatic frog, and a sweet, naive duckling. Along the way, there are laughs, blunt trauma humor, and a little romance.

Cho's artistic talent for the toony style of, say, Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck is impressive, but nowhere near as incredible as his style of creating Brandy and other female characters. His ability brings to mind the glorious age of the pin-up girl: artists like Alberto Vargas come to mind. Cho's females are buxom, and beautiful, but also fairly reubenesque- nothing at all like the waifish glamour girls we see in magazines today. This is part of his appeal.

Artists and writers could learn a thing or two from Cho, who has created "Liberty Meadows", a hysterical and beautiful comic so flawless that he makes it look easy.

I have discoved Liberty Meadows by accidentally. Since then I have become a big fan of Brandy and all the animals. Just enjoy the spririt and the drawings of Frank Cho!

Get Volume one and then get this one. Well written, well drawn, great story arcs... the Liberty Meadows series is simply the best.

This hardcover trade paperback is an excellent bargain instead of buying the back issues. Again, one of the few comics I would lend to friends, even girls. ;-)

Being a great fan of Frank's strips, just from seeing an ad for his old strip collection 'University squared,' I am now a big fan of this current incarnation and even have his entire comic book series. So why should I even buy these books? For the extra scenes, redrawn strips and colored versions of Brandy!

With Frank's drawing mastery of beautiful women and hilarious images, plus a great sense of humor and timing, this book is a good place to start if you're looking for a good thing to read if you're having Calvin and Hobbes withdrawals.

Frank Cho's "Liberty Meadows" was one of the most original comic strips in years, with its hard-partying, gun-wielding animals and often insane storylines. And things get even stranger with the second collection of strips, "Creature Comforts."

The animals (and people) of Liberty Meadows are still up to their strange hijinks, including Leslie getting A flea (big one), Frank being set up on a blind date, and Ralpha having some problems with a hair growth formula that includes female hormones ("Gimme a kiss, sweetie." "I'm a man, Dean").

But all those disasters pale when a spark ignites the forest around Liberty Meadows, and the inhabitants have to flee a raging fire. The animals escape in a boat, while Brandy ventures back into the fire to find Frank. And Death himself comes to claim Frank... while a hapless copilot accidently looses the experimental H20 bomb on the sanctuary.

Okay, enough seriousness. In the wake of the fire, Frank and Brandy have to room with the animals, and deal with their craziness. Which means coping with Truman's hatred of Thanksgiving, spiked punch, offended supermodels, poison ivy, Oscar getting "fixed," savage beavers, Dean's pig porn ("Miss Piggy's dungeon of delight? Hold it!"), and a techologically advanced toilet that sucks Ralph in. Literally. And of course, a highly competitive wiener dog race that Oscar is training for.

No, it's not your ordinary comic strip. Not only did "Liberty Meadows" stretch the boundaries of what syndicates would allow, but it also was a lot more self-mocking and intelligent. Even in the most absurd situations, Cho can throw in an artistic namedrop ("We're outta anesthetic, Frank. All we have left is this can of Bud and a copy of "Ulysses" by James Joyce!")

Not that most of the humor isn't pop culture related, like driving out the beavers with Barry Manilow, or physical, like Dean getting thrashed by the attractive women he hits on. Artistically, it's sort of the love child of sophisticated graphic art and Looney Tunes.

And the characters are as lovable as ever -- hypochondriac frogs, midget bears, chauvinist pigs, and timid ducks. Frank and Brandy continue their sweet romantic angst, with the dorky Frank feeling that he has no chance with his gorgeous coworker, especially when her sharp-tongued mother and hunky ex turn up.

"Liberty Meadows" only got funnier with the addition of "Creature Comforts," more hilarious hijinks from the animals (and humans) of Maryland's best animal sanctuary.