Ohio Books

Normally I am not big on poetry but Larry Smith has the ability to grab and hold my attention with his poetry and I am thoroughly enjoying reading this book. It was also quite a pleasant surprise to receive this book with the author's signature inside.

Larry Smith (no relation, though we have the same rare last name) is an honest observer of life. His poetry provides a window on life, work, family, and the passage of time. As with any collection of poetry, certain poems strike more of a chord in me more than others. There is a lot of food for thought and opportunity for reflection. A River Remains is a place to return to over and over again.

Checked this book out from my library just by chance --- so glad I did. She writes so well!!! Can't believe she is not more well known. Do hope she is working on a novel...the emotional depth of characters and the lovely thoughtful intelligent writing...talented author.

I'm generally not an avid reader of short fiction, so I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed this collection. Welch has an extraordinary eye for the subtleties of human interaction and motivation. The stories are clearly political in their incisive examination of the destabilization of working class lives with the flight of capital, investment, and stable work from Rust Belt American communities. Yet the stories are often as funny as they are poignant. Throughout Welch shows a keen understanding of the stories that we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives and to make life bearable. Highly recommended.

I just started collecting Royal Ruby glass, and this book has been a tremendous help to me. The pictures are wonderful, as well as the descriptions and information about various pieces. The occasional comparisons of similar pieces were very helpful to me in finding exactly what I was looking for. I am very glad that I bought this book, and I recommend it highly.

Finally, a glass book where you don't have to guess what the picture is!!!! Each illustration has a caption, telling what the item is, along with the vital statistics. No more flipping from page to page to find out what it is, or worse yet, a picture full of glass and no list or caption. The illustrations are incredible. Not only has the author researched his subject thoroughly, the photography will dazzle you. Thank you Philip Hopper for one of the best depression glass books I've seen yet!!!! I sincerely hope you will write more of these high quality glassware books!!

First, read this:

I think the dogwood sprays are antenna dishes,

they are receiving something in the coming dark.

- and this -

blanching like the nausea

when you see the smile

of the wound, your blood spurting

to the rhythm of your hard-working, imbecile heart,

beating itself to death.

- - -

These are two selections from a single poem, chosen more or less at random from this collection. This is the first collection from Michael Chitwood and it shows the power that's exhibited in his second book, The Weave Room.

There is a sense of the Virginias and the Carolinas here that will seem obvious to those who live there, but the settings will not seem strange to others. The book contains some good prose poetry in addition to free verse and both hold the clarity of the author's images, presented in plain language that suddenly seems to have much more power and life than we might normally consider it to have.

First, read this:

I think the dogwood sprays are antenna dishes,

they are receiving something in the coming dark.

- and this -

blanching like the nausea

when you see the smile

of the wound, your blood spurting

to the rhythm of your hard-working, imbecile heart,

beating itself to death.

- - -

These are two selections from a single poem, chosen more or less at random from this collection. This is the first collection from Michael Chitwood and it shows the power that's exhibited in his second book, The Weave Room.

There is a sense of the Virginias and the Carolinas here that will seem obvious to those who live there, but the settings will not seem strange to others. The book contains some good prose poetry in addition to free verse and both hold the clarity of the author's images, presented in plain language that suddenly seems to have much more power and life than we might normally consider it to have.

The Sands of Rhyme is an easy to understand book of inspirational poetry. It offers hope and comfort. There are some poems that apply to the present catastrophic situation since Semptember 11, 2001. Poems of peace and character and morals. It's a great read!

If you love poetry, this book is for you! Floriana is a natural at writing poetry. Her poems are very inspirational, about every topic imaginable. Once you begin reading the poems, you can't put the book down. Enjoy!

Dr Philip Blosser of Lenoir-Rhyne College has truly arranged a definitive study of Max Scheler's critique of Kantian ethics. Not only does this book elucidate Kantian formalism and Schelerian axiology, it also provides a necessary historical context for the Kantian legacy and Scheler's assessment of Kant's formalism. Moreover, Blosser's expertise in phenomenological thought and value theory shines through in this distinctive and peerless work. I have read the book twice and still often consult it in my studies when trying to comprehend Kantian ethics. Pick up this monograph and add it to your library. It is a phenomenological event!

The pure and awe-inspiring brilliance of Dr. Philip Blosser bursts forth from these pages like academic napalm. This book is a true gem penned in excellence by one of the greatest minds to ever grace the realm of philosophy. It should be thankfully discovered by one and all.

Richard Altick's book was required reading for a graduate school course I had in the mid 70's. This was my first introduction to the world of "detective" work within the framework of literature and I found all the stories fascinating. I kept the book for many years, loaning it out to friends for their enjoyment.

Not until a friend recently asked me about the world of the bibliographer (via reading John Dunning's books about the world of book collecting) that I remembered Altick's book and, when I looked for my copy, discovered that I had loaned it once too often and it hadn't been returned. I was delighted to find that the book is still in print and I look forward to re-reading it once again before I loan it out.

Altick's The Scholar Adventurers is a book full of adventure and detective work. When I first read it in the early 80's (the first edition), not only could I not put it down, but I immediately bought two more copies as gifts. Very soon thereafter, the book went out of print. Today I thought of The Scholar Adventurers again as I wondered if I could part with my copy: a scholar friend recently fell off his roof, breaking multiple bones. His hospitalization means a meager Christmas for his family, so I've been deciding what books I could pass along to make the holiday brighter. I decided I could not give up this book, however, even under these circumstances, unless I had some assured way of replacing my copy. Happily I do. So, after you've finished calling me selfish, check the book out for yourself. It's a great read.

A very readable memoir of challenges faced with courage and willingness to change lifestyle behavior. A gift for anyone coping with middle age and wanting to embrace "second chances" and choices! Upbeat!

Great read and very insightful and believable--would be a joy to know this woman personally as she appears to be most real.

In Seeking the One Great Remedy, Lorien Foote offers a compelling picture of nineteenth century reformer, Frank Shaw, and reveals the antebellum roots of late nineteenth century reform movements. Challenging the epistemological contours of traditional scholarship, Foote argues that the complex partnership between Shaw and his associate, Henry George, demonstrates the link between mid-nineteenth century reformist tendencies and the radical movements of the 1880s and 1890s. Foote's careful scholarship, masterful prose, and evocative style, make Seeking the One Great Remedy a necessary read for anyone attempting to understand post-Civil War reformist history.

This is the most immediately accessible work on history I have ever read. Though comprehensive and innovative enough for connisseurs, it is equally enlighteneing and enjoyable to the layperson. In talking about reform, Foote also touches on many fascinating aspects of 19th century life - such as contemporary issues facing women, interracial relations, and the intricate relationship between the north and south. Foote's writing is excellent and her explanations and analyses of her topics clear. She will also personally engage and move you in her chapter on the civil war. A must read for any history or biography lover.

It's hard to believe that Howells was a contemporary of Mark Twain. They seem to belong to different centuries: Twain to ours and Howells to Abraham Lincoln's. Howell's voice sounds necessarily a bit strange to a modern reader, but that strangeness gives him a special power.

He is inclined to narrate things from a distance. Even the agonies of a woman who has lost her lover in a war are told at a remove. In extreme cases, the narrator is telling the story as it was told by someone else who is relating events in the past. This style costs some immediacy, but it also keeps us from being totally distracted by personality. We don't root for these protagonists, but we listen to them.

And these are stories that are meant to get our ears. They demand our attention by their lack of polemic and the graceful nature of the narrative. Howells is a master.

Lynn Hoffman

This is a good book. Please buy it! (Christmas Every Day is good as a read-aloud for children)