Poetry Books

I was a kindergarten teacher and this rhyme was a staple during the month of October. When I saw it had been made into a book, I got it for my 2 year old daughter. It is perfect for this age. Short, rhyming text and vibrant pumpkin pictures. My 4 year old twins like it too because they are so familiar with the rhyme they feel like they are reading it themselves. Definitely a favorite for Halloween in this house.

The rhyme of Five Little Pumpkins is SO easy to read and memorize, the board book holds up very well, and the illustrations are very endearing--the jack-o-lantern faces are expressive and the colors are beautiful. This book made my 20-month-old son a jack-o-lantern fan, and I haven't gotten tired of reading it to him yet!

This board book with wipe-clean covers and pages is a delightful Halloween romp featuring the five famous little pumpkins of the familiar gradeschool song. Bright double page illustrations showing the five different jack-o-lanterns tell the tale of Halloween night that begins with the pumpkins "sitting on a gate" and finishes up with them "rolling out of sight." Simple but fun-filled witches on broomsticks, a black cat, and whispy smiling ghosts join in the fun. This book is rated for the ages of 1 1/2 and up and is basic and short enough to hold the attention of a very little one but can be used to learn reciting or singing. It is a nice touch for Halloween because there is no scariness in it and lots of smiling, bright colored action to follow. Sure to be a family favorite.

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, "Oh, my it's getting late!"
The second one said, "There are witches in the air."
The third one said, "But we don't care."
The fourth one said, "Let's run, let's run!"
The fifth one said, "Isn't Halloween fun?"

Then Woooooo went the wind
And OUT went the lights.
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.

My 2 1/2 year old just loves Halloween. It's only June as I write this and he's already asking if Halloween is coming soon almost on a daily basis. So when I saw this book at a yard sale I just had to pick it up. This delightful verse that has been around so long is accompanied by cute and spooky illustrations of pumpkins, ghosts, witches, and black cats. Just a delightful and sturdy little board book. Perfect for your little goblin.

Dan Yaccarino captures the essence of Halloween with simple, yet expressive pictures of pumpkins, ghosts and a black cat. My one year old son Ryan loves it when i read the story of the Five Little Pumpkins. He points to all the different pumpkin faces and loves their orange glow. The book wipes clean and withstands being dragged all over the house! I am a big fan of Dan Yaccarino's work, love his cartoon Oswald, so this book is a big Halloween fun delight!

"You don't have to be Jewish" to enjoy Mel Belin's poems. But, like a good rich rye bread, if you don't already know what to expect, you'll be surprised to find how sensual and complex the joys of this particualr cultural tradition can be.

The 53 poems in FLESH THAT WAS CHRYSALIS range widely--and wildly--over an astonishing expanse of family, history, ancient legend, philosophical reasoning and honest emotion.

Some individual poems stand out for memorable phrases and inventiveness: "Anniversary" with its arresting evocation of a family tragedy; "Leaf and Tree" that speculates on the moment when dying begins; or "The Mephisto Waltz," where we watch a life passing in reverse.

Poems like these transcend their author's personal history and ethnic background--a challenge that many poets today seem unwilling or unable to attempt. Speaking to strangers, those who don't necessarily share your own priorities and values, calls for a special kind of courage (or bravado) that Belin has. His best poems produce effects that any reader with a heart open to compassion and a mind alert to unconventional possibilities can relish and be glad for.

END

Mel Belin is always eloquent, often moving (great poem at end of the book on the joys of being lost), and, for me, particularly pleasing when he combines his usual eloquence with a sad-eyed, Woody-Allenish humor -- as he often does in these poems.

"Mel Belin's poems in Flesh That Was Chrysalis balance the poignancy of change or loss with a spiritual optimism that a relationship or something else of transcendent value has been maintained. The book has four distinct sections held together by their intelligence, spiritual sensitivity and respect for the traditions of culture and of poetry . . . Although I was unfamiliar with Belin's poems before reading this collection, I was excited to discover a writer with his skill, his range of subjects and heart."

-- Marcia L. Hurlow, Small Press Review Nov./Dec. 2000

Mel Belin is an accomplished poet. Flesh That Was Chrysalis is an engaging anthology of his work showcasing the best that he has done to date and documents Belin as worthy of national attention. Pas De Deux: When Marguerite danced around Faust/supple and girlish, a swirl in the white/silk dress, a blush on her cheeks,/caught him in the worm of her smell--/a sachet blend of herbs, flowers---/with the hook. Mephisto, grinning/like a pitchman at some sideshow/rubes. When she flashed eyes shimmering/their moonlit lakes, and in the surrounding/brush, a savant, wrinkled, hungry/for communion,/touched him where God/was not, he signed the contract on the spot.

Masterful, hard hitting, insightful, delightful-- Belin does it all! He separates the wheat from the chaff and is on his way to immortality. Personally, I am looking forward to much, much more of Melvin Stuart Belin.

As a nature lover, I appreciate seeing the wildlife around us depicted realistically, both in words and in pictures, for children to understand and appreciate, also. Fredi is a book that does just that. When this author's cat book comes out, I want to be one of the first ones to get a copy! Mr. Anthony Jairus

I'm a librarian, and we've used this book in our Story Hour here at the library. It teaches kids not only about frogs, but the environment around us! A great book for children of all ages!

I say 'little kids' book,' but it is really an educational book for older ones as well, including myself, a retired elementary school teacher. I knew next to nothing about tree frogs until I read Fredi to my grandchildren. It has clear facts, humor, and exceptionally well- metered poetry. A fine book!

I am a day school teacher. My "children" and I loved this book, and learned a lot about tree frogs from it. The coloring book at the back also helps to impress the "frog facts" on the young mind, and the humorous rhyme telling the story is well done.

I am an Amphibian Researcher Here is a book that helps children to understand the relationship of frogs (particularly tree frogs) to the delicate balance that must be maintained in our environment. Frogs are the "indicators" of the future welfare of planet earth, and FREDI is a book that brings this out in an easy-to- understand, poetic, humorous way.

Joyce Beaulieu's book "From A Mother's Heart" is a very touching and heartfelt book for parents who has lost a child in death. I reccomend this book to not only mother's but to dad's too.

This is definitely not the type of book I ever thought I would write. However after the death of my 39 year old son to a brain anuerysm and 10 mos. later the passing of our 16 yr. old granddaughter from the flu it became apparent to me that this book was needed by so many families walking the same path of grief. The death of your child is the worst pain anyone can ever have. Your heart feels like it has been ripped out and you cannot see beyond the pain. However with a good support system and friends who have also lost a child you come to realize that you can help others by sharing your story and coping skills that helped you to make it thru "one day at a time." From A Mother's Heart is a book for everyone. Not just bereaved parents but also friends and family. Almost everyone knows someone who has lost a child and the chapter "How Can I Help?" is very useful to them in understanding the pain their relative or friend is going thru. This is a sad but faith filled book filled with hope that if the mother's who share their pain could make it so can you. My desire is to help others deal with their loss and show them they do not "walk alone". Angel Hugs,
Joyce Beaulieu.

This book is both beautiful and inspiring- Our son Andrew passed away when he was only 4 years old. Hearing from other parents who have been through this heartache means the world. This book helps us remember our children together by telling their stories. You will not regret reading this book.

I think that any book that helps people understand the process of grieving is a good tool to have. I know that having traveled this road for 4.5 years now, there are universal experiences while at the same time we are all of us different in our grief. Having met these women and men online on a grief website is significant as we all wandered to the site and found solace in one another. People helped me when I first came to the pain of losing my daughter and then I helped someone that came a few months after me. We become a circle of strength and healing. We know that those who are otherwise oblivious to the daily loss we experience are not insensitive, just luckily, not where we are. As we all find ways to best live our lives and best honor our children, I wish there hope in each parent's heart.I thank Joyce for finding this way to help us honor our kids.
Dee

I too have lost a child...My beloved daughter. Her name is Trisha and if you purchase this heart warming book you will not only read "All about Trish" and my poem "My letter to heaven" but stories and poetry from many other Mom's who have lost a child. The stories come from the inner part of a mothers heart and brought forward. The words cannot even explain the torment and grief we moms feel daily.
Joyce has done a fabulous job in putting our stories together. If you have lost a child, if you know someone who has lost a child, or if you just want to get a feel of "A Mother's Heart" you need to purchase this book. It's a keepsake. Buy it now and hold on to it. I am someone this was not suppose to happen to like many other moms who feel the same way. This book may be helpful to someone you may meet in your travels and during the journey through grief.
Blessings to Joyce in taking the time in her journey to pass this on to others.
-Paula Osipovitch...Cranbury, NJ

Robbyne Kaamil's poems, as brilliant as they are stinging, are the juxtaposition of the profound and the profane. She uplifts the divine found lurking in the shadows of vile desperation and despair. Marvel in her words; the words of the Poet Laureate of a new century.

I must say that this book of poetry/truth is amazing. Robbyne has definitely given the black readers something to think about no matter if it is in our relationships with ourselves, family, friends, and/or body parts. She has explored avenues that only some minds go to in quiet corners in dark places. She is truly a gifted and talented writer.
I, also had the pleasure of seeing her in person in NYC at Rose's Turn. She was just AWESOME! I recommend seeing her in person to fully feel the depths of her words. You will walk away lifted and full.

I stept off the titties and I am so happy I did. This book is a must

I've read "Get Off the Titty" and found this book to be extremely frank! Freedom of speech and the ability to deliver it openly is the greastest form of expression. I highly recommend this book to anyone who visualizes and expects an honest view of life experiences!

I happened up on this book while walking around Chicago. Had to buy it! This ain't pretty words strung togther. It's stining ideas, frankness. The words of someone who REALLY wants to talk and share and has something to contribute.

I NEEDED her perspective as a woman; as a Black woman; and urban person.

There isn't enough of this kind of wirk around. This truly give an aware reader things to think on. It'll shock the people who don't need to be reading it in the first place.

Robbyne, give us more!

Being a strong advocate of poetry and what it gives to this world, and being a poet myself, I found The Ghosts of Anne and Sylvia to be a very intimate, powerful, and inspirational book. I first read the book on a road trip from Boise to Moscow, Idaho. This trip is five hours long, and reading this book aloud to my friend while driving dissapated 45 minutes worth the the scenic ride, without either of our acknowledgement. While reading the book, it was quiet apparent that I couldn't help but stop and constantly comment on the word use, the strong metephors, or my relation to the poetry. When I returned to Moscow I had my own anthology of poetry to put together for my english class, I refered back to the last poem of this book, using it as inspiration for the title. I applaud both of these women for bringing such an powerful piece of mind and soul back to the table of the world of literature, and would recomend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry, and the pieces of our own lives that can be put together through its words.

-Mollie M.

The poems in The Ghosts of Anne & Sylvia are accessible, yet intelligent - a unique combination in a book of poetry. The poems themselves touch on recognizable themes and are filled with striking imagery - all crafted in a way that any adult or even teen reader could relate to. The book makes poetry relevant and exciting again.

i haven't read poetry since i was forced to in college, but after thumbing through this collection on a friend's coffee table, i was moved to buy my own copy. i kind of get it now. reading these poems is a visceral experience. while i know nothing of neither anne nor sylvia - this collection has ignited an interest in poetry within myself that will extend beyond watching Def Poetry Jam.

I just received your book! Your poetry is beautiful and full of honesty. I love it, and look forward to reading more. Thanks

The Ghosts of Anne and Sylvia deftly fills your senses with ardent prose. Wickedly stylish poetry woven between two authors and two historic women. It takes you on a journey of discovery thats fresh and richly honest. It was an absolutely superb read, and I look forward to much more from these authors!

These poems were terrific! I laughed, my kids laughed. The poems were goofy and gross! I just cannot say enough good things about this book. I think this would be a great book to use as a teacher of primary grades, and even older to break the ice or to break up a rough day (all you teachers know what I am talking about!!!)

My boys--ages 5 and 6--LOVE this book. Their favorite poem is "booger love" but we all laugh our way through the book. It's at the top of our reading list every night for bedtime!!!

I bought this book for my son because we have "No Jumping on the Bed" and "No More Water in the Tub" and my son loves reading them. Giant Children is so much fun to read, even for adults! We just purchased it for Christmas, and already my son has practically memorized the entire book. Ted Arnold is a genious.

This book is one of the best books you can read to an audience! The book is read from a voice. The voice is either a little sibling, kindergardener or another character. When the reader becomes that character, the story involves humor and excitment! I have seen the book performed by the author hisself and the effect on the students and staff was remarkeable. If you can become this voice and encourage your students to read, this is the book for you! The students will be encouraged to create their own poem with matching illustrations and want to perform for you!

The first thing that stands out about this book of poetry is Tedd Arnold's typical illustration style. The children are shaped like sausages with arms and legs with HUGE bug eyes. However, they are expressive little children who do things that kids will laugh at. If you get someone to read these poems aloud with a lot of expression, then it is a riot. My favorite one for gross-out factor is "Booger Love." I was the aide to a wonderful school teacher who read these poems to her kids during a free moment, and they LOVED them. Try it on your own kids today!

Storoems and Poems is another outstanding book by Harry. I also had the pleasure of reading, "Poetry for the Common Man," and was pleased by this follow-up. This is not a one-time read book, but something that should be read and reread many times. Once again Harry, in no particular order, takes us on a journey through his life. We are invited to feel his love for family, wife, and the world around him.

Great insight into current events, and his past and present, in a great style.

Awash with Words

Gilleland Poetry: Storoem and Poems
by
Harry E. Gilleland Jr.


Reviewed
by
Ameasha Brown, Book Reviewer

Harry E. Gilleland Jr. has done it again. Gilleland Poetry, Storoems and Poems is such a amazing piece of work and I was sad that the book ended. It left me with the feeling of wanting more. There are one hundred and ninety - five page of sheer enjoyment as he pens moments and events in his life, as well as life itself. Harry E. Gilleland Jr. writes of fantasy, his canine children Rusty and Pepper, his perspective of all that surrounds him, nature good and bad, war, people, inner turmoil, victory and especially the loving thoughts of his wife Linda and how he cherishes her. Each and every page holds a treasure and lesson of life. He made me laugh, giggle, ponder, and he definitely caused me to wipe several tears away because some of his poems were a reflection on my life. He touched my mind as well as my heart. If I were to pick favourites from his pages, it would be very difficult, but I would list Wasted Life, Family Tradition, One Night Early In September, Angel On Earth and A Friend No Longer, where he actually asks the reader a thought - provoking question. I have many more I could list, but I will leave it to the reader find their own. I can now place his book on my bookshelf where it rightfully belongs, alongside other prestigous authors. It was a fabulous read and I strongly recommend Gilleland Poetry, Storoems and Poems to everyone. It was an excellent read!

Gilleland Poetry/Storms and Poems is an awesome book of poetry. This book is filled with poems that anyone can relate to in any stage of their life. You will want to read and reread this book many, many times. Poems such as "Lost In Guilt" and "Living Life To The Fullest" are among the many treasures found in this book. Get a copy and find your favorites that you will want to read again and again. This collection should make a great addition to your personal library.



(...)

Poems are not grouped by subjects, rather the table of contents is used to stimulate readers toward searching for engaging titles and subject matter. That poet Gilleland loves and understands words, their flow and meaning is obvious. His works are filled with purpose, feeling and charm without sounding stilted or `poetsy.' Gilleland Poetry : Storoems and Poems is an excellent addition to the home reader pleasure library, the school library as required reading for students and for the home school curriculum to be used for introducing young people to interesting, worthwhile poetry.

Gilleland Poetry : Storoems and Poems is a volume to be reached for often. It is as an excellent a choice for a lazy afternoon spent sitting on the porch, swinging, reading while sipping lemonade as it is for a cold wintry evening spent before a cozy fire with a good hot cup of chocolate.

Welcome to a second serving of Gilleland Poetry! Those of us who've read Harry E. Gilleland's first book, Poetry for the Common Man, were much expecting the author's second collection of poems and storoems. Those ready to discover the wit and humor of Gilleland's writing are in for a soul-searching trip that, quite possible, helps them revisit their goals and ideals, and redefine their purpose in life. ...As for those who may wonder... a "storoem" is, as the author explains in "Introduction" to his second book, a term he coined as a "hybrid between a story and a poem, [such as] a story told with poetic techniques."
The verse of Gilleland Poetry: Storoems and Poems tackles contemporary, fresh topics, painting with words a poetic replica of our mundane, everyday existence. The verse offers us those unforgettable "a-ha" moments that make us laugh, sometimes cry, and, mostly, bring to life our own memories. As readers, we identify with many of the characters and their stories. Why wouldn't we? After all, their lives resemble ours and the characters remind us of ourselves or of everyday people we know-the boy next door, or the hero, the lover, parents and children, or the activist who fights for human and animal rights, for freedom and peace.
Some poems talk about contemporary events like the war in Iraq ("Returning Disabled") or Tsunami ("TSUNAMI!"). Other poems tackle timeless subjects like love, friendship, loss, and hope. In "WAR," for example, the poet captures the heroism, sorrow and loss we experience in any war, no matter its time, setting, or reason.
The idea of happiness-and love, in all its forms-appears in several poems as our goal we continuously pursue... but what kind of happiness are we striving for? Is it a tangible, achievable one, or just an illusion? To find out read poems like "In Search Of Paradise" and "Happiness Is Ephemeral."
Some verses celebrate the perpetual change of seasons through family events and holidays. From this group of poems, the ones expressing the author's perspective on life are especially significant, and, from those, maybe the most special praise for life comes to life in the author's autobiographical poem, "Today Is My 60th Birthday!."
Looking back at our time spent here, on Earth, we also look forward, to what awaits us. We usually tend to come to terms with our existence especially when we find ourselves facing our mortality straight in the eye. This is yet another subject of Gilleland Poetry. Many of its poems talk about life and death, creating bridges between the two worlds-Life and the Afterlife. For example, "The River Of Life" gives a poetic definition of life, one that will stay with us beyond the covers of this book. I personally found "The Interval Between" especially interesting. It talks about the interval-between our birth and death-that defines our life, as we know it, in all its beauty.
Verses create bridges not only between Life and Afterlife, but also between generation, thus, allowing us to learn from the past in order to better model our future.
Although all Gilleland's writing provokes thought and enriches our connection with our inner selves, many of his poems accomplish this task using humor and leaving us smiling long after we finish the read. Poems in this category deal with subjects like healthy living-our personal relation with the human vices (like food/overeating, for example). Some of my favorites are "My Morning Battle"-describing our daily, dreaded morning moments when we have to face (and step on) the scale-and "True Lust," initially published in Poetry for the Common Man, that offers us a peek inside our relationship with food.
Gilleland Poetry: Storoems and Poems gives us a reason to meditate on our existence and better understand the Universe in which we live. Gilleland Poetry enchants with its verse, surprises with its stories, and helps us recognize real happiness and love.

I was in the book business for ages, so I actually remember when Go To Bed Fred was controvertial. Why? Because Fred was the first post-Jim Henson Muppet, which, at the time seemed almost a scandal.

But I love Fred. I actually got Fred from my Scholastic rep WAY back in the day and he has remained one of my favorites. His story is cheery, and he is a delight to play with. And, unlike many storybook puppets, my hand actually fits him.

So yes, buy Fred. Love Fred. I am grateful that after so many years his book is back in print...and more importantly, that Fred is, too!

We were given the book, Go To Bed Fred, and the puppet before my daughter was born. I thought she'd be frightened of the puppet so I'd put it away for the time being, but one evening when a babysitter was with our, then, 6 month old, she brought out the puppet and later told us what a huge hit it was. Fred, both the book and the puppet, provided hours of great fun and many smiles for many years. Though my daughter is now nine and has outgrown the book, she still smiles at Fred when I get him out. I bring him out periodically because I am a professional photographer and whenever I shoot photos of younger children, Fred is always the ice breaker. Tears stop and smiles start!

Buy this book only if you love the silly little sayings that make your children laugh because the wonderful rhymes in this book will definitely be repeated over & over & over & over. My three year old's favorite is "Take off your Socks, Mr. Fox." and we hear it almost every time he changes clothes. It is a very simple book and very funny. We usually save it for the last story of the night because it is so short.

You'll find yourself saying "See you later Alligator" to all your work collegues and making up new rhymes with your child.

You don't need the hand puppet for this to be a fun book, so a used copy is a good bet!

I read it over and over and over to my son - who's 11 years old now. He would crack up laughing every time I read it and of crouse had it memorized in no time flat! I think he was really into this book until he was about 3! We saved the book for all those years and were delighted to introduce it to his little sister 2 years ago! She has proven to love the book just as much but she is a little more rough and has torn the book already! :-) so we are ordering another copy and hope to save it for child number 3?? or grandchildren in MANY years to come

Robert Graves simply and elegantly recounts his experiences as a young, (initally) idealistic officer in the British Army. A friend of Sigfried Sasson and Wilfred Owens, Graves, in my opinion, is the better writer of the lot. His writing is so lucid, we feel the impulsiveness as he enlists (and receives a comission, as was his due to his place in Edwardian society), and we also gradually come to understand the pointlessness of the carnage and the horrors of the war.

The book is at its most moving, however, as Graves re-tells of his leave back to England - the comparisons to Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front are erie - I was particularly moved by part where Graves remembers the family of a deceased friend he was visiting, the mother pacing the house at all hours of the night ... it really made the human costs of the war feel suddenly very personal.

As other reviewers have mentioned, it is an excellent memoir of the war, and in my opinion, the best first - hand account of the war in the west.

A sad commentary on our society that only the audio versions of this book are available. With the increase of interest in the First World War recently it is to this book that many people should turn for a gripping, factual account of life before, during and after the Great War. Mr Graves documents the pastoral quiet of England in the early part of the twentieth century and abruptly descends to recounting, in cold detail, the dreadful slaughter of the trenches. Through some of the most famous battles in history he survives, physically more or less intact but from the dry words; modest, English, reserved, we glimpse the true weight of the burden that such memories impose on their carriers and understand better the terrible toll that the War levied on all the nations of Europe.

I have been aware of this book with its' familiar title since childhood but I only recently read it. I feared it would be a dull dry-as-dirt retelling of war stories of forgotten dead men. I was pleasantly surprised. The book is not at all dull but
presents Graves war experience in an exciting fast pased way. I had to skim the first part about his childhood. Every biography has a dull childhood section dealing with the subject's juvenile trails and tribulations and conflicts with family members. I find these universally uninteresting.

Graves was 17 when the war started and volunteered for officer candidate school within days. He became a lieutenant in the Royal Welch Guards and eventually was promoted to captain in charge of his own company of infantry by age 21. Unlike
our present system where college is mandatory prerequisite for a young man seeking to become an officer, social standing determined that Graves would become an officer rather than an enlisted man.

Graves participates in several trench warfare battles. Trench warfare as Graves describes is a monotonous and dirty business. Rats are everywhere. Groundwater seeps relentlessly into living and fighting spaces. The men live in warrens of chambers cut into ground branching away from the main trenches. To break up
the monotony and to show that he's not a coward, Graves often volunteers for scout duty. He sneaks into no mans land at night to assess the enemy. On occasion the senior officers order suicidal attacks in which every man of the company must go over the top and charge fortified machine gun positions. Graves
tells of one attack in which his company was ordered to take part. Three companies go before his and each is destroyed with 100% casualties wounded or killed. Graves and his men are crouching poised at the top step of their trench waiting for their turn to attack when the attack is suddenly called off. In a later attack Graves is wounded by shrapnel and left for dead for over 24 hours before receiving medical attention. He recovers fully from these wounds but is assigned to training duty after his recovery.

Later parts of the book deal with Graves' first marriage, his education at Oxford, a failed attempt at shopkeeping and a post war teaching position in Cairo. I found these of less interest than the war scenes. Graves lived to age 90 and went on the write the immensely entertaining I, Claudius and over a hundred other books.

Along with Sigfried Sassoon's "Memoirs of an Infantry Soldier" and Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front", Graves' personal account of poetic inspiration in a background of horror is World War I's best first-hand chronicle ever compiled. The realism and power behind this book are electrical. Graves' coolness in the trenches while composing sonnets and seeking a blissful state of mind is almost disturbing when contrasting it with the demonic state of destruction and death. His unnerving pace and tranquil descriptions seem to underline an innocence lost in years past.

I came upon 'Goodbye to All That' relatively late in life. I had enjoyed his fictional biography of Claudius, but here was Graves, speaking to me of his own youth, across a gap of more than seventy years, with a candour one hardly dares hope for in contemporary autobiography. Yes, he had loved, both men and women, and he dared admit it. He writes, not just with courage but humility, of his harrowing years on the Western front, which saw the wholesale slaughter of most of his generation. Along with fellow poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, he gave the lie to the 'honourable death' for King and Country. Despite their valour, the friends he lost had been slaughtered like cattle led to an abbatoir, and he spares us nothing of their suffering. A truly courageous book in every sense. I can't speak for the audio rendering, but its disappearance from the bookshelf would be a tragic 'Goodbye to All That' indeed.