Reviews Books

I feel as if I have known Dave Parsons for most of my life. His poignant and moving revelations of his life stories paint an intimate and revealing portrait of a poet who is grounded in the real world. Parsons creates an ambience that invites the reader into the poets living room to share the triumphs and tragedies of lifes moments that most of us neglect. Parsons has defined poetry for us through his revelations. The world awaits the next installment of wonderment.

I found many of Mr. Parson's poems very moving. "They" is one of my favorites.

Editing Sky is a poignant collection of intimate poems that also seem universal in their appeal. They describe powerful experiences of an Austin childhood, handball, conoeing, marriage, alzheimers, the marines, historic houses, and much more. The poems draw you in and move you with their straightforward, vivid style. When you combine the intimate images, the direct style, and the pleasing eloquence and ease of the words and their arrangement, it makes for a truly satisfying poetry reading experience! I enjoy reading the book over and over and I would highly recommend it.

It's great to see Wilson get this recognition for his brilliant insights and fine writing. For many of us the writers and characters of the Twenties and Thirties hold a special fascination. Wilson who knew most or all of this celebrated cast of characters during this period is a splendid witness to these decades. It's book for dipping and browsing.

This first volume of an LoA edition of E.Wilson collects reviews and literary essays on and from the 20s and 30s.
I think they should be required reading for all Amazonian amateur reviewers. Not that I always agree with everything that he had to say. He was a snob, no doubt, and proud of it, it seems. (Look at the delightful text called Muses out of Work from the 20s, where he pontificates on poets and poetry; then he adds an afterthought when the collection of reviews was published in book form in the 50s: he includes Hart Crane's letter attacking him for being a sort of social parasite, and another letter that attacks his general poetic theory, but admits that his judgments are still good, because he manages to ignore his own theories. That's where my headline is taken from.) As time progresses, his essays become more mature and his subjects more relevant. Must be a function of age, I guess.
The collection is full of interesting thoughts on subjects like Poe, Henry James, Upton Sinclair, Dos Passos, Wilder, D.H.Lawrence, Americans and Russians in exile, American and English English, etc... The man was rather vain, as expected. He took pleasure in bashing the early Scott Fitzgerald, he was exceedingly proud in taking a small part in launching Hemingway...
Why do I read him? 2 main reasons: 1st because of LoA, 2nd because Wilson was a great help to Nabokov when he came to the US as a refugee during WW2. Good deeds must be rewarded. Never mind that they fell out later over Lolita and Nab's Pushkin translations.
Apart from his snobbery, the man had sound principles: one of the first rules for a civilization should be freedom of artist and scientist.
And he was a good polemicist: the influence of T.S.Eliot is making young men prematurely senile...
This volume 1 of the LoA edition contains mainly two essay collections: The Shores of Light, which takes about 3/4 of the space and doesn't seem to be available in print separately any more, and Axel's Castle, a collection of essays published in 1931, which I will review separately.

Re-reading these essays and reviews has simply increased my respect for Wilson. I can only say that reading Wilson has helped give me a framework for evrything I read.

I agree with you on the Elsah Landing restaurant. I drove hundreds of miles to go there for lunch and was never disappointed. Try the California Strawberry Pie with peaches and blueberries (together) if is to die for. I have the first cookbook (although tattered and torn from use) but I would love to find the second cookbook that they published. Can anyone help me on this one? This is another part of my past that I miss so much and wish they were still in business.

If you've ever wanted to have fail-safe recipes for home-made soup, bread, and pies, this is the cookbook to own. The banana chocolate chip bread is requested by my daughter in college for care packages as "the taste I can never forget." It makes a wonderful wedding present or gift to a cook who thinks she already has everything

I remember going to "The Landing" for Sunday suppers while in college just up the hill in Elsah. I can't put into words how good the food was! Imagine how excited I was to be able to bring the desserts, breads and meals home to California with this cookbook. I make the desserts and breads constantly, both for home and gifts. People can never get enough of the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread or the California Strawberry Pie. Sometimes the ingredients are hard to find, but the results are worth any effort you have to make. This is a staple for any good cook's kitchen.

Rosenthal does it again! His updated book hammers home the points and information beginning counselors need for upcoming exams or seasoned counselors need for refresher. I also bought and listened to his audio cd set for further instruction. He explains theory and techniques in such an easy-to-understand fashion. I fully expect to pass the NCE after completing reading his book and finishing the cds. I'll update this review after I've taken the exam.

I already knew that The Encyclopedia of Counseling is a great study guide. It has great questions plus the answers come with teaching information about that answer or some of the other choices so you know why those are not correct. When ordering my own copy from Amazon, I found that they offered a package that also contains a complete set of teaching CDs and the Human Services Dictionary which contains people, terms, theories, and other information. These were bundled together for a price less than buying each alone. I find the information very helpful in preparing for the NCE in that it gives me both visual and auditory in studying the information.

I used Rosenthal's Encyclopedia and his tapes (I was given an older version by a friend who was already licensed) to study for my NCE. Many of my friends found themselves having to take the exam a second and third time because they could not pass what they said was an "impossible exam." I, on the other hand, passed on the first try and got a very high score. I even had whole sections where I got ever answer correct! I credit my success to Rosenthal's study materials. They are clear, easy to use, and Rosenthal's tapes/CDs are intersting to listen to. Rosenthal uses a number of pneumonic devices and little tricks to help you remember things. I recommend these materials very highly to anyone who wants to pass the NCE--and remember, whatever you spend on these materials will be far cheaper than taking the exam a second time!

For a book that covers so many disparate types of daytime programs (game shows, soap operas, sports, cartoons and kids' shows, and so on), the volume is remarkably accurate, well-written and heavily researched. You'd think the author was an expert on every genre. Maybe he is, but more likely, he just cared enough to get everything right. How refreshing.

found the book to be very thorough, reads well. Loved reading about the creation of these great daytime tv shows there casts and from the time they aired to the time they were cancelled

This is the must have reference for all you TV buffs. Very interesting reading, not just a boring refernce guide. I read it cover to cover.

A great book for the medical student. Easy to find desired information, tends to focus on the fundamentals. The book addresses topics that seem to come up in questions asked of the medical student. Used copies are easy to find therefore it's a more affordable resource than some of the alternatives.

This book is written very well and is totally up to date. Only useful if you want to go into ENT. Way too detailed otherwise. I've seen lots of 3rd year students who want to go into otolaryngology carrying it around in their pockets on ENT rotations. It is not the place to review anatomy. You will need a separate source for anatomy.

Excellent review of otolaryngology, many quick read chapters with tons of facts!

Awesome book that's great for medical students for a great overview of the different surgical specialities. Also includes chapters on anesthesiology. I used it many times throughout my clerkships just to brush up on the procedures and indications for specific surgeries for the different medical problems seen in pediatrics and internal medicine.

Although Essentials of General Surgery is excellent of it's own merit. It is just that "GENERAL". It has limited info about specifics related to procedures. However this book, "Essentials of Surgical Specialties" is much more detail oriented.

This is a great book for third year clerkships and board prep. Covers a perfect amount of detail with simple (not layman) terms. Great corresponding imaging pictures and explanations (Xray, CT, MRI etc). This book assumes a basic knowledge of USMLE step 1 material with pertinant reviews of clinically relavent basic science things. Covers Peds surg, anesthesia, Plastics, optho, ENT, CT, ortho, neuro and urology.

Franz Kafka wrote "A book ought to be an ice pick to break up the frozen sea within us." Indeed, Hurka's journey to honor his father, learn of his father's heroism and suffering, and to learn about himself, was a journey into the interior chambers of the human heart that possesses vulnerability and passion. It is a book that is capable of thawing the frozen parts of us. I learned about the valor and pride of the people of the Czech Republic during the Communist reign, as well as the story of one man's heroism. The author wrote so beautifully, I am enticed to someday visit this part of the world.

Joseph Hurka has written a very touching memoir of his father's valiant fight against fascism in his home country. This rings especially poignant in the troubled times now facing America. I purchased this book the Saturday before the vile terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. I began reading it, thinking it was a wonderful memoir of a bygone era. Now, post-attacks, upon my finishing this book I have a renewed sense of just how precious freedom is and what so many other people have been willing to do to secure it. Bravo to Hurka Senior, for all the proud fighting he did to do his part to keep the hope of freedom alive; we owe him and all those like him a great debt of honor. And also bravo to his son, this book's author, for writing such a powerful story of real heroism so well and so vividly. Truly, a joy to read, and in times such as these a must-read. I highly recommend this book.

Mr. Hurka tells the story of his father, a hero, with the rhythm of a poet. Unlike many sons who have written about their fathers, this isn't about that author. Mr. Hurka allows his father's amazing life to shine through his own talent as a writer and lets the reader get to know a true patriot hero. With his lyrical tones, the reader can only hope they will be allowed to know more of Mr. Hurka himself in a future book.

I spent some time this summer reading Eagleton, beginning with After Theory. This was a long time after his Literary Theory: An Introduction, which was a must-read back when I was in college. Yet, other than this one must-read, I really didn't read any of his books, which, I was surprised to find out, now total over 30 titles. Solely on the basis of Literary Theory, Eagleton didn't seem a particularly witty writer to me, so I was delighted and intrigued by his way of making light of heavy topics with humor. With this discovery on hand, if you go back to his early books, heavy-handed seriousness toward a subject was indeed rarely his way from the beginning. There are many passages in Literary Theory (or Against the Grain, and other early titles) where his deeply ironical stance toward the topics obviously of great importance to him, or at times surprisingly savage wit, makes you laugh.

Quite a few reviews in this book have hilarious one-liners or otherwise laughter-provoking comments. One of my favorite is one written for Harold Bloom and his How to Read and Why. Bloom is a "figure of dissent" in his way, who, according to Eagleton, was "once an interesting critic" when he came up with a theory of literature as an oedipal drama, and then much later, after his "critical wheel has come full circle," began distancing himself from the US academia by "preaching the unversal humanity in a New York accent." Eagleton's concluding comment, that "if there is Bloom the self-therapist, there is also Bloom the American TV evangelist, full of windy moralistic rhetoric about how to 'aprehend and recognize the possibility of the good, help it to endure, give it space in your life'," is so very correct.

Laughter aside, the book contains a lot to learn from. To me, this can be a field manual to book reviewers, and those who want to be good readers. In some reviews, for example the one done on Rolf Wiggershaus' The Frankfurt School, Eagleton seems to spend almost the whole of the space in discussing what *he* thinks and knows about the subject the reviewed book deals with, giving the book in question a space of just a paragraph or two toward the very end. In the end, such an approach is always a well-taken one, since it gives the book a more precise location in not only the cultural/intellectual climate where it appeared but also the personal context where it's read and appreciated.

Terry Eagleton is best known as an, albeit unorthodox, Marxist writer on literary theory, so one could well expect a collection of some of his best literary reviews to be chock-full of impenetrable jargon. But looks can be deceiving: this collection, titled "Figures of Dissent", is in fact quite entertaining, even for those who have no particular training or interest in high-minded lit-crit. The title is somewhat odd, as the subjects under review have nothing in particular in common (except their works being published in English at some point), least of all some sort of status as 'dissenter'. The authors involved are on the other hand all interesting and varied, and this makes the book in fact rather a page-turner.

Most appealing about the reviews is Eagleton's unsurpassed mastery of both style and content. He pairs erudite literary insight with a sharp wit and a strongly developed sense of irony, which makes his reviews both informative as statements on literature and highly effective as polemics. Moreover, in contrast to many collections of such essays by famous theorists, the vast majority of the reviews involved can be considered to be overall 'positive', and Eagleton deftly avoids the grumpy predictability of the entrenched newspaper critic.

Admittedly, one could complain that the collection is rather unduly focused on British literature, and there are many references to literature theorists as well as writers who are not likely to ring a bell with anyone outside the Isles, but this is easily forgiven as Eagleton is the best guide to the subject one might wish for. It does help to have a particular interest in Anglo-Irish literature, as this is Eagleton's specialty and a recurring theme in the book, and perhaps choosing this as the subject of the first two or three reviews in the book was not well-chosen. But the reader discovers soon enough that Eagleton has something intelligent to say about pretty much any subject from Dario Fo to Bill Gates, and his short-and-to-the-point criticisms of ideology hit home like so many arrows of Artemis (one will find the book very quotable). The high point of this collection as well as his artful irony is when Eagleton reviews David Beckham's autobiography, which is mercilessly dissected in a very comical dry style without ever becoming condescending to its subject.

Much recommended to anyone who enjoys English language literature.

Terry Eagleton is perhaps the best-known academic literary critic writing in English today. Author of nearly 30 books on topics ranging from critical theory to Wittgenstein, Eagleton remains the political conscience of modern criticism and (with Fredric Jameson) the foremost Marxist theorist of our time. His deep literary and philosophical erudition and commitment to a more humane approach to looking critically at our culture have made him an important voice in academia since the mid-1960s.

In "Figures of Dissent," Eagleton turns his penetrating gaze to topics ranging from Lukacs to David Beckham, and his wit, learning, and elegant prose make this his most accessible and diverse collection of essays yet. Unlike such earlier essay collections as "Against the Grain," this book contains many of Eagleton's mainstream writings. While it includes reviews of critical theorists like Gayatri Spivak, Paul de Man, and Stuart Hall, there are also examinations of popular history, fiction, and the culture of late capitalism. Those with little interest in the abstract world of literary theory (Eagleton's academic specialty and principal interest) will find essays on other topics to entice them.

Overall, this is a fine collection from Eagleton, who remains an indispensable and passionate voice for Leftist thought in our tumultuous times.

You may think that Bobby D is the man, and you'd be right. But do you really understand WHY he is the man? Douglas Brode does, and in this project, he lays out all of the reasons De Niro has become one of the most prolific actors of his time. Informative and entertaining, The Films of Robert De Niro is a must read for fans of the actor and his movies.

This series of books is always outstanding for the bunch of pictures it contents. But the text equals the image, there's a lot of research for each movie De Niro's done -critic-guru Pauline Kael's comments among others-, and a few insights on the flaws of some of his movies, that may give you the right impression that this author knows some things about craftsmanship.

Robert De Niro is without a doubt one of the best actors of all time. This wonderful in-depth book covers his film career, from his early student films of the 60's with Brian De Palma through 1998's "Ronin". It briefly mentions his roles after "Ronin" and ends with "Meet the Parents" and "Men of Honor". As this fourth edition was published in 2001, an updated fifth edition is badly needed. But, even the most hardcore De Niro fans like me must admit that he hasn't had many memorable roles since "Ronin", although "Analyze This" was very funny.

When looking through this book I'm surprised at how many De Niro films haven't been released yet on dvd. With each of his movies, the author lists the cast, gives a plot summary, and tells how the critics and public reacted to each movie upon its initial release. There are hundreds of great photos from his movies (including a nice color section in the middle of the book) that fans will appreciate. I was already a major Robert De Niro fan before I bought this awesome book, but reading it helped me discover many more of his great movies. This book is an absolute must for any De Niro fan!