Authors Books

Some of us like it rough. This dame plays the way we used to play in the streets of Philly. There is elegance, there is subtle intelligence, yes, all that, but the best part is that when the ball hits you, it stings like hell. She writes of life and living, but also of eternity and death. She is somber, but never depressing. The language itself is encouraging, even when her message is not. This is a 20th century poet who has seen it all and isn't afraid to remind us of what man is capable of. The techniques are modern, too, but the love of language surely belongs to the old world. This is the kind of poetry we all used to love to read. She plays hard ball.

Wisala Szymborska's poetry passes the test of intelligibility which is important to me. Virtually all of her poems are self contained in that they do not make arcane literary allusions. In other words, her poetry can be appreciated by the average reader which I consider myself to be. She does not limit herself in subject matter so her poetry contains something for everyone, and also with a subtle humor and an obvious understanding of the human condition. She does not require a lot of words or a lengthy poem to share her own unique insights. Reading this Nobel laureate one thinks how nice it wold be to meet this great lady. Although I devoured this collection the day I received this book, it is one which I will certainly read again.

This book was and still is my first poetry book; not because I haven't read anyone else's, but it's the first compilation that I was really willing to pay the often outrageous prices for. (LOL) I am not an avid poetry reader, nor am I familiar with the current favorite contemporary poets, but I find that she really does succinctly portray "life's improbability as well as its transient beauty" quite well.

As a younger reader , I do have a bit of a problem identifying with the poetry that she writes pre-1972 (that is, the first few sections before the 'Could Have' section), because I don't really know much about it. As a note though, I probably should say that 'Nothing Twice,' which is about the probabilities of chance, from the pre-1972 section has been a real gem. Anyhow, the travelogues, the places, the books are things that frankly, I'd ask my parents and they probably wouldn't know either, or know very little about. I suppose if I researched enough, I would have no trouble understanding her message, but the stuff I really bought this book for was the pro-1972 sections. I can identify the issues because they're fairly general knowledge and have a certain mocking humor to some of them, but the words do just pull you in. The poems are addressed to one, and to all, and you feel like you're part of the whole. There are instances in which you feel like she's writing about you and the instances you've gone through, and that's what makes you feel amazed at the depth of understanding she has on these matters.

I first discovered her poetry in my high school English class and was surprised to find this book as the only book available in my favorite bookstore (and costing almost triple the cost of a volume of poetry that must have been 600 pages long, with of course long-dead, long-cherished poets). Oh, wait--I did find another book containing her work (that I don't remember the name of) but I bought this one because there were simply more poems that I liked. After a month or two of muddling around and waiting for the price drop (which it didn't), I just gave up and bought it. I can't say that I've regretted that decision.

And...if you still have trouble deciding, the Nobel Prize for Literature she won should be more than enough of a pull to help you decide. It wasn't as much of a deciding factor for me, but it's always nice to know that somewhere in the depths of the blackhole that is my room, I actually have nobel prize literature that I understand and can recommend to others...

My favorite poems from her have been 'Could Have,' 'The Onion,' 'Discovery,' 'True love,' 'Under One Small Star,' 'Pi,' of course 'View with a grain of Sand' because of wordplay, but I find that every time I re-read it, I uncover more about the poems and so that favorites list keeps on getting longer and longer.

It may sound a little strange, but I keep it with me when I travel for long periods of time away from home and turn to it when I have that rare solitary moment to really think about life and what its inner workings are because it just gives such a realistic criticism that you sort of go...wow. Never really thought about it like that before.

The Nobel Laureate in Literature of 1996 was proudly bestowed on Wislawa Szymborska, the first Polish woman to receive the prize for literature. While they are other Polish recipients like poet Czeslaw Milosz, Wladyslaw Reymont, and Henry Sienkiewicz to have received the honor, Wislawa is the first woman. While she writes poetry mostly, she has written prose. My biggest problem with poetry is that when it's written in another language, I believe it gets lost in translation but rather the meaning is not lost among its readers. The translators have the arduous task of translating from Polish to English. If you anything about Polish, it's not an easy language to translate from especially to English. But Wislawa is worthy of receiving such top honors because she is now well-known, highly regarded and respected. She has not changed much since she was awarded the NObel prize. She still lives in the same three room apartment in Cracow, she still smokes, and she is still the same humble person who despite her own feelings is quite worthy of such a prize.

...Containing over eighty poems from seven original collections, this book serves as a well-rounded and pleasant introduction to Szymborska's work. This is a good choice for anyone interested in good poetry, women under communist regimes, or Polish literature.

I loved this book!It is a beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations. Having kept pet rats for years, I was thrilled to find such a lovely tale with a rat as an endearing creature.So often they are portrayed as evil,dirty animals. Refreshing and brilliant!

Long before a gourmet rodent named Remy stole our hearts in "Ratatouille", a bookish rat named Walter scampered into existence courtesy of author Barbara Wersba and Donna Diamond. Walter is special because - unlike any of his friends or relatives - he discovered at a young age that he knows how to read. And as any of us who truly love books can easily attest, once you start reading, it is impossible to ever stop. Fortunately, Walter has taken up residence in the Long Island house of Miss Pomeroy, a lonely woman who just happens to be an author. Over the course of 60 pages - combined with a smattering of priceless pen and ink drawings - the author weaves a gentle tale of friendship in which these two unique souls come to be aware of one another. I started reading this enchanting tale myself one evening at the dining room table while my husband was cooking dinner and I kept interrupting him so often with the charming turns of phrase that he finally suggested I read it out loud to him. To date, it remains a favorite story to both of us and I have subsequently bought many copies for young people - and adults! - who would appreciate Walter's honesty, simplicity, curiosity and kindness.

Christina Hamlett
Author of "Movie Girl"

This book is lovely and deeper then one would think for such a small book. I find that I would like to know more about their relationship and wished that this sweet tale would continue...

So simple, yet not. This lovely story presents a one of a kind opportunity to share many important topics with a child in an way that he/she can be easily relate. There are so many themes and underlying nuances. What a wonderful way to explore the fragile nature of human insecurities and prejudices - this book should be on every 5th grade teacher's reading list. I can't wait to share it with my niece Allison.

A beautifully written story about a very special friendship between two lonely souls that will touch your heart. Barbara Wersba proves little words can express deep emotions.
Wonderful illustrations!

I found this collection of letters written by Laura Ingalls Wilder (author of the "Little House" series) to be fascinating. The letters were written to her husband when Mrs. Wilder went to San Francisco to visit her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, in 1915.

The reader gets Mrs. Wilder's description of a San Francisco that is recovering from the earthquakes and fires that took place earlier in the century and is now hosting an International Exposition. Mrs. Wilder's description of her first encounter with the Pacific Ocean is wonderful.

The reader also gets a glimpse into the life of Mrs. Wilder. She is very concerned about finances and things back on the farm. She has yet to write her first "Little House" book, but her daughter, who is already an accomplished journalist, is helping Mrs. Wilder get a feel for writing.

This book will be a treat for readers interested in the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder and those interested in a portrait of San Francisco in the early 20th century.

I love all the little house books. I am buying these so I can read them again and also to build up a library for my grandchildren.

Laura Ingalls Wilders makes a trip by train to visit her daughter, Rose, in 1915 in San Francisco. It was during the 1915 World's Fair. Laura visited for two months and wrote interesting, detailed letters back home to Almanzo about what she saw and did.
Some of her descriptions were captivating in their detail. The book fills in gaps and answers questions about the years following the events of the Little House books. The reader meets Rose, the daughter, as an adult, and begins to learn about her amazing life as a successful writer.
It was during this visit that Rose begins to help Laura learn how to better write for publication, such as how to block-out a story.
The reader gets an insight into Rose's fierce loyalty and sense of responsibiity to her parents.

In addition to Laura's detailed letters to Almanzo describing her adventure, this book includes over thirty photographs featuring Laura, Rose, the Pacific Ocean (ships, beachgoers, etc.), San Francisco, and many scenes of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition including an air show and night-lit festivities. Though in black and white, this pictorial insight into what was behind the letters is wonderful.

The book also includes an introduction telling how and where the letters were found and a lovely description of San Francisco at the time of Laura's visit. The letters themselves beautifully showcase the art of letter writing: Along with Laura's vivid descriptions of the technological marvels of the expo, her words are full of charming details to make us smile such as the price of eggs, hat shopping, and her favorite foods of the expo. Laura's expertise in writing compositions, as portrayed in the original Little House books, is very much evident even in these personal letters.

This book is a must have for Little House enthusiasts. Also recommended: On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894.

J.H. Sweet, author of The Fairy Chronicles, and longtime Little House fan

This is a very sweet and interesting book. Laura is visiting Rose in San Francisco for a few months and writes letters to Manly to fill him in on all she is doing and seeing.

The letters are detailed and filled with much information about San Francisco at the time. This is very interesting since it was 1915 and the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition was in progress.

I was thrilled to read it as I can't seem to read enough about Laura and her entire family! This is another wonderful and interesting book with the spirited Laura Ingalls Wilder as the star!

What a find! This book has beautifully drawn, believable characters, gripping plotlines, and clean, elegant prose. And it begs to be a movie--great female characters, the whole story about Maddy as a woman driver in the early days of NASCAR, Holly's relationship with her grandfather, etc.

This novel will leave you thinking, as it does what good writing should: its characters seem even more real than the folks next door. Allison tells his story--and it's a good story--through multiple viewpoints and styles. This might muddle things in less capable hands, but in Allison's it only deepens the experience. His writing stays clear throughout, almost breathable. It made the getting to know his people all that much easier and enjoyable.

Novels that stick with me produce one commmon effect: I recognize I've reached the end of the story (because of that feeling that this particular ending is the only way it could end), but nonetheless want to know what happened to the characters afterwards. I've been thoroughly involved in what's happening to them, a top-shelf experience to have as a reader.

What You Have Left is like a perfect pop song. The kind that you crank up on a bright summer day as you roll down the windows, step on the gas, and see what that baby can do. Like those summertime songs, this book is infectious, with no fatty in the patty.

The characters are vividly drawn, but the prose is so smooth as to be invisible. It's like I didn't read the story at all; I mainlined it. But don't confuse "pop" with "simple." This book is smart. Complex as the human heart. And that's Will Allison's best trick. Making this whole writing game seem easy as ice cream.

THE book of the summer.

Allison's writing is so clean, precise and unobtrusive that I nearly had the first chapter read before leaving the bookstore. I most enjoyed the shifting perspectives from one family member to another as the story unfolded among multiple family members.

Will Allison's style of writing is simple yet smart. I immediately fell for his characters and found myself engrossed in their lives, unable to put the book down until I finished it. Each chapter is strong enough to easily stand on its own as an excellent short story, but together, the chapters also embody a phenominal work which is funny, emotional, and very human.

A collection of eight stories! Each story is unique and the writing is very, very modern. Throughout the book, he mentions things like Sam's Club, Pearl Jam, etc., and many other places/things that actually exist! No one story in the book is overly long or drawn out, each one seems to be the perfect length to explain the story completely.

"When the Nines Roll Over: And Other Stories" is one not to miss if your a fan of Benioff and/or witty short stories! The writing is excellent, very vivid descriptions and characters. Unfortunately this book is out of print, but it is very easy to find elsewhere online.

The eight short stories are:
(brief descriptions without giving anything away)

When the Nines Roll Over~
(the story of a punk band's lead singer and her boyfriend and a business savy talent scout that wants to sign them)
4 out of 5 stars!

The Devil Comes to Orekhovo~
(the story of three Russian soldiers, sent out to occupy a supposed empty house in enemy territory)
5 out of 5 stars!

Zoanthrophy~
(the story of a lion hunter in New York City, his son and the worlds greatest lover)
4 out of 5 stars!

The Barefoot Girl in Clover~
(my personal favorite, the story of a high school football star who steals a car and sets out for California, but only makes it to Pennslyvannia and meets a girl he will never forget)
5 out of 5 stars!

De Composition~
(the story of a man who makes an elaborate bomb shelter in his backyard, he thinks the world is coming to an end and locks himself inside)
3 out of 5 stars!

Garden of No~
(the story of an aspiring actress who is about to get her big break)
5 out of 5 stars!

Neversink~
(funny story about a man who meets a girl that talks endlessly about her amazing deceased father, who she happens to have cremated and keeps his ashes in her apartment)
5 out of 5 stars!

Merde for Luck~
(the story of a man who has a very awkward bathroom accident while aboard a plane, he flashes back and tells the story of how he got to this point in life)
5 out of stars!

*****
Author David Benioff is married to actress Amanda Peet(Martian Child, Griffin & Phoenix, The Whole Ten Yards, A Lot Like Love, Saving Silverman), his first book, "The 25th Hour" was a huge success and was turned into a movie with Ed Norton! His new book "City of Thieves" has gotten great reviews and is on my list to read soon!

Short stories, by their very nature, do not often lend themselves to detailed character development or complex plot. This book of short stories by David Benioff is no exception. Most of the stories provide brief glimpses into fractured pieces of lives: "Zoanthropy" is the story of a young man whose father, a fabled big game hunter, has come to Manhattan to dispatch one of the lions that periodically roams the city; "De Composition" has as its main character a man who has built a bomb shelter in his backyard and is now in residence, pending the destruction of civilization; "When the Nines Roll Over" concerns a rock band, its drummer, and a female singer.

One story in the collection, however, "The Devil Comes to Orekhovo", is a stand-out. Set in Chechnya, it centers around three Russian soldiers, sent to secure a mansion thought to be an outpost for Chechen rebels. At thirty-six pages, it is the longest, and most developed, story in the collection.

The short story is underappreciated in our culture so I am always glad to see a new collection published. They are efficient, enjoyable and quickly concluded - intellectual "self -pleasuring," of sorts. Benioff seems to understand this and his stories provide maximum punch with minimal effort by the reader. And like all great short story collections a central theme threads itself across all the stories, creating an illusion of continuity without the 350-page commitment. Whether it's a rock star in search of fame, a man in search of love, or an actress in search of an identity all of Benioff's characters live exactly in the frayed edges of life; the blurred line between reality and fantasy. His stories have the quirky quality of Augusten Burroughs without the homosexuality and the surreal quality of Andre Dubus without all that boring Catholic guilt.


My favorite is "Zoanthropy." The story of a father and son, a sick lion roaming the streets of New York City and the "Greatest Lover on the East Coast, not counting Florida." The plot in the hands of a lesser writer would seem implausible. But Benioff's straightforward, unapologetic writing style carefully glides the reader along until you are left wondering in the end if the lion really does exists or, as the title suggests, was simply a metaphor for the boy's dysfunctional relationship with his father and his own lack of sexual prowess. Good writing allows for interpretation. So, either way, the story works brilliantly.

So for you who are commitment phobic, who look at a novel and see a long-term relationship, the short story is your salvation. The literary equivalent of the perfect one-night stand. I recommend buying this book and keeping it on your bedside table - you won't be disappointed.

I generally do not enjoy short stories and abhor authors who write a collection of short stories after sucess with a novel. However, David Benioff's When The Nines Roll Over is an excellent collection of short stories. I couldn't put the book down and it is the only book of short stories that I own! Benioff is a master story teller who tantalizes the reader and intrigues you so that you have to finish the story in one sitting. Each story provokes some thought as well as discussion. Many authors short stories are a collection of the same themes and at times seem as though they are the run-on thoughts of the author. This is not true in When the Nines Roll Over, as all the stories vary in theme, setting and have a great diversity of characters to keep one entertained for hours. My personal favorite is The Devil Comes to Orekhovo and I still mull over it now and then! Each story is diversely entertaining and I give this work two thumbs up!!

A writer friend of mine has a completed novel and a collection of short stories to his credit. He believes the novel is "not bad" but his heart and soul can be found in his short story collection. While he believes his novel will not have too many problems being published, he has less hope for his short story collection. The popular theory in the world of publishing is that short story collections do not capture the reader's attention and the market is very limited. Short story collections do not get the attention or press they often deserve and David Benioff's WHEN THE NINES ROLL OVER & OTHER STORIES is a case in point. This is a great collection of well written and captivating stories but it has hardly received the attention it deserves.

Benioff, who is known for his novel THE 25TH HOUR, his adaptations of books for film (he is currently working on a screen version of THE KITE RUNNER), gives us eight short stories that can engage a reader. The stories are varied and include tales about a recording exec who falls in love with a punk rocker, a man who searches for a girl he met briefly who mesmerized him in high school, a man who is battling AIDS and the moral implications of being a part of a research study as well as other beautifully told tales. Benioff's gifts as a writer are evident throughout, but his ability to create distinct voices in his main characters and tell eight very distinct stories is amazing.

Since Benioff is a young writer, we are certain to be hearing more from him in the years to come, or at least I hope we hear more form him in the future. He has a gift for writing and a voice that is certain to entertain and challenge readers.

I've just completed reading Whiskey Nipple, ( I'm familiar with that old practice). It is a delicious easy read. A bit deceptive in its easyness, enticing you to read and reread passages to savor the full flavor. Emotions simmering raw barely beneath the surface of "every-dayness" are cleverly and vividly sculpted by this talented wordsmith. They stay with you long after the whiskey is gone. I'll have another, thanks..

Stunning cover art by Wolff is the ideal adjunct to Doug Frelke's short stories. His style is haunting and wrenching, his words whittled precisely to reveal humanity's frayed nerve endings, shattered synapses, and raw imperfections. Forget all preconceived notions of life, death, love, and human
interaction while reading Whiskey Nipple. Frelke's voice as story teller stuns, soothes, surprises, and shocks. His characters are skillfully crafted and unforgettable. Another excellent book of short stories from Press 53.

I found these eight stories extraordinary in their ability to stay with me long after I'd put the book down. Like other great storytellers, Frelke manages to take universal themes-most often, the need we all share to love and be loved-and thread it through stories that manage, in turn, to shock, to inspire, to make you laugh, and to make you cry. But in the end, Frelke seems to be telling us that despite the vagaries of life and love, there is hope, no matter what. I have come back to read several of these stories over and over. I think anyone who reads will do the same.

As I finished reading Doug Frelke's "Whiskey Nipple" I felt two distinct emotions. First a sadness, the kind that you feel when a great summer vacation comes to an end. And second appreciation, the kind you feel for having experienced it in the first place. This collection of short stories has left me stealing moments of introspection throughout my days since I turned the last page. Although the book itself is slight, Frelke's cast of characters certainly is not. From a young naval officer's unenviable tasks of delivering folded flags to next of kin; to a teenage girl faced with caring for her dying father's every need; one can't help but find themselves doing a little soul-searching in the process. Frelke's characters are honest and unflinching as if I were catching glimpses of their diaries. I can say with equal honesty that I will look forward to reading future works by this sharp young author. And in the meantime, read "Whiskey Nipple" again as should any of you. A great read indeed.

When I was in college, the Dave Matthews Band was just starting out, playing at private parties, fraternity houses, and small clubs around Virginia. There was an electricity in the air--the sense of being there at the beginning, getting the chance to watch the birth of something astounding and grand. Reading Frelke's first collection of stories is like that, watching as a new, extremely talented writer wrestles with grief, sex, faith, and comedy in a stunningly original style that echoes Ford, DeLillo, and O'Connor. Don't miss this rare chance to watch the birth of an important voice.

I came upon this purely by accident, but wasn't disappointed. I loved how each story was a completely different theme. I prefer author's that go outside the box, and Perabo does that!

I read Susan Perabo's collection after being her student over Christmas. Wow.
These stories amaze me. Well written, she does so well what she has taught her own students. The gears in my head turned, and I finally understood all those things she wrote on my stories or tried to explain in class.
I love her characters. The data processing woman with the Diana dress. The pot smoking music teacher father. The woman whose baby just died. The actor whose marriage is ending so he invites a klepto father to stay with him. On and on they go, so confused, so much in pain, but she makes their lives and situations funny. It's a bittersweet pain, but Perabo has one of the most original ways of communicating pain I've seen since the writers she told us to read.
I still can't get out of my mind the one called "Explaining Death to the dog". The pain the woman feels when showing the dog the book of Time photos or showing her the dead animal, wow. I read it three times in a row the first night I read it. I am still in awe of it.
As she told my class so many times, "Show, don't tell."
Perabo shows. I can't believe I was lucky enough to have classes with her. I just wish I read these sooner.

Barring a very few exceptions, the stories presented here are top-notch. I finished this book in half a day, and wanted more when I ran out of stories. I would love to see more stories about the characters here!

I found this collection by accident and didn't know what to expect. Short stories can be so good, or so bad. These stories are very good, and consistently good. These are stories of people searching for something missing in their lives, well told stories with humor and heart. Enjoy this collection.

Should be 'nuf said -- but I want to add that the author's voice is completely true! (i think this a book for older people -- ie, over 40 -- who understand about disappointment, and transformation). What a read!

Dagoberto Gilb is too sexy and handsome and the book's drawings are very sexy as well. I bought the book several months ago and when I got home I didn't read it. I thoght I bought it as an impulse buy, because wanted to have him sign it to me at a lecture he gave. Now that I read it I'm only disappointed that there aren't more stories and it all had to end. I have been reading Latinas almost exclusively before, and as much as I love my comadres, this one is by far my favorite (joking, he says he is a Chicana writer) and I, like Columbus, feel like I've discovered a new writer.

I've become bored with much of our contemporary fiction in the past few years. When I picked up Woodcuts of Women, I took it for a light read about sexual prowess and conquests by clichéd Latin-lovers. Neither did I particularly like the writers who had blurbed this author - Cisneros, Alvarez - and Proulx is too much research for my tastes. However, since I did love Jayne Anne Philips's Black Tickets, I pushed forward on the basis of her rave.

I had to make sure, but once I read all these wonderful stories a second time I thought I should speak up and say that I found this was one of the best books I've read in many years. What marked it for me was not only the originality of the stories (read "About Tere in Palomas", "Brisa", or "Mayala One Day in 1989"), smart ("A Painting in Santa Fe", "The Pillows"), out loud funny ("Maria De Covina", "Hueco", "Bottoms"), and dramatic ("Shout", "Snow"), but they have......let me call it "huge guts" instead of what I could say. Here's an author, who seems very much a man, who is writing about women, and he's doing so honestly and energetically. Here are stories intellectually charged and entertaining, both.

If any awards are left (that the Jonathan Franzen didn't already win), I nominate this book. I hope people don't miss it like I almost did. Kudos to the author!

WOODCUTS OF WOMAN took me a long time to have time to read it (ok ok) but it is sooooo good!!! Really I didnt know books like this could be printed unless it was like for penthouse (joking, its not like penthouse tho the book is a lot about sex). I read the stories in bed and thought of him!! He came to UCSB and we saw him and all my girls were oohmygod. No really this is a great book to read and I recommend it to everybody. The best and funnest story is the one Hueco and the one Bottoms about the amazon woman was my second favorite. There is this one about El Paso called Mayela One Day in 1989 that is so good I read it again right after I read it the first time. I agree that it is like reading a novel. I know the book it is a collection of stories but for me each story was more like chapter. For me I don't always like to read but I couldnt wait to read it at night. Its my favorite book now by a Chicano writer. So much of what people read by Latinos is only about our identity and only being different and some times that is boring. Its about time!! Maybe it is suppose to be about women but the author writes about being a male and not just a Latino. I felt like he was being honest. I am proud that I own the book and I would tell everybody to buy it.

Gilb wins me over every time:
"Night was not the synthetic black of the vinyl seating in the backseat of a taxi, not a gray of shade in a hot desert, but the pale fuzz of shadow, of whispered deals, of squinting visions he couln't attach words to, and sneaking into fantasy places he didn't have the ability to imagine." --'Snow'
His short stories are a fast read and quite the marvel.

i am a new fan of this author. i just finished the stories in woodcuts of women and loved them even more than the ones in magic of blood. the person (a guy and probably not a latino) who wrote the review below is right about how good this book is but he is not about sandra cisneros or julia alvarez who we all have loved very much too, just like i do this new book of dagoberto gilb.

Works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Includes Capital (Das Kapital) and Communist Manifesto. FREE Authors' biographies and essays in the trial version.

This ebook contains essential works of Marx & Engels. Great digital item!

then this is really the volume to get. Besides it's Norton: headnotes, footnotes, delicious paper, quality binding, good selections, a good look at Marx as far I can see.

This is an excellent compilation of Marx and Engels's works. Tucker's version is one of the foremost used by scholars and educators in the academic setting and is considered one of the best. Although I admittedly have not read all of the works in the reader, I was consistently impressed with the classics such as Capital, Crisis Theory, and the Communist Manifesto (most of which were actually written by Engels, not Marx).

The Marxist legacy lies not in his theories, but in the questions and concerns that he raises regarding other Enlightenment theorists. Indeed, Marx continues in the Enlightenment tradition in that he is deeply committed to science and rationality as a basis for legitimating a certain governmental regime and he has an intense regard for individual rights, which he believes can only be ensured if class differences are eradicated through the elimination of exploitation. Marxists believe that the role of government is to prevent exploitation, although more contemporary theorists such as Roemer have argued that exploitation theory is little more than a distraction from what they should actually worry about--which Roemer believes is domination. Anyone interested in exploitation theory should read Marx and Engels alongside Roemer's "Why should Marxists be interested in exploitation theory?" which is a great companion in helping you scrutinize Marx and Engels's argument.

Although the communist utopia where distributive justice is defined as, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" (as opposed to the transition state between capitalism and communism, socialism, has distributive justice defined as "From each according to his ability, to each according to his work") never does emerge as Marx predicts, Marx and Engels do raise some interesting arguments that everyone interested in political philosophy should be familiar with. Although their belief in their own infallibility and the failure of their theories--notably, the crisis theory--to hold up empirically have been used to downplay their relevance, Marx and Engels left behind several important tools with which to critically analyze all other political theories. The concerns they have with the existing system are not altogether irrelevant.

This book was used in one of the classes I took as an undergraduate. It seems to be a thorough and well chosen collection of the writings of Marx and Engels, with some insightful commentary by the editor, Robert Tucker. I'm not a scholar of the work of these two men, but reading through this again I'm struck with the notion that their ideas are still very much alive and relevant today. Marx is much maligned in the United States, but in many ways he was a humanitarian who wanted to change the world into a better place. And, as he argued, capitalism (including how it is practiced today) is deeply flawed in many ways. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.

Whether or not one is a Marxist, knowledge of Marx' work is important in understanding the variety of political philosophizing over the millennia. Marx' political thought is sometimes difficult (think the "Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844") and sometimes transparent (e.g., "The Manifesto of the Communist Party," more popularly referred to as the "Communist Manifesto").

This edited work is one of the best introductions to the works of Marx (and Engels). The volume begins with the early Marx, which includes the "Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844," excerpts from "The Holy Family" (in which he attacks some of the other socialists of the era), "Theses on Feuerbach," and the first of the truly classic works that Marx and Engels co-authored, "The German Ideology." It is interesting to note that "The German Ideology" covers much the same territory as "The Holy Family," with the major exception that Marx now addresses the intriguing and offbeat work by Max Stirner, "The Ego and His Own." In the process of addressing Stirner, Marx and Engels take the philosophical edifice to a more powerful level, creating a new perspective with a move away from idealism and toward materialism.

Other major works included are excerpts from "Das Kapital" (fairly turgid reading, I fear), the "Manifesto of the Community Party" (which ends with the famous phrase [page 500]) "The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains."), the "Critique of the Gotha Program," and "The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte" (with its great introductory phrase [page 594] "Hegel remarks somewhere that all great, world-historical facts and personages occur, as it were, twice. He has forgotten to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.").

The final section of the work features the work of Engels, including "Socialism: Utopian and Scientific," "Anti-Duhring," "The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State."

If one be interested in learning more about Marx (and Engels), this is an accessible edited work that provides some of the key works.

I really like this book. I have written short stories before, but I am actually writing my first novel. This book has been very helpful as far as style and writing. I was stuck on POV, and it really helped me through it. And then the fact that it is also written by a publisher is great for when I get to that stage. Most books for writing I don't like, but I recommend this one.

I am so glad I bought this book! I write as a hobby and my goal is to become an author. A few years ago I quickly wrote a story, randomly picked a publisher off the internet, and sent it off with dreams of success. I thought it didn't need to be absolutely perfect--that's what editors are for, right? Won't they help me develop my story into what they want? After reading this book, I now know why 6 months later I received a cold, generic rejection letter. (I was probably lucky to even get that!) I unwittingly sent in a rough draft and an awful query letter that publishers/agents despise and toss in the garbage minutes after it hits their desk. Left to my own devices, I'm sure I would have sent another quick rough draft to yet another publishing company or agent and wondered why no one seemed interested in my work.

The truth is, publishing companies and agents are swamped with desperate pleas from new writers and piles of awful manuscripts, and they aren't going to look at anything that isn't the best. This book shows you, step by step, how to develop YOUR skills to write a terrific novel and revise and polish it to perfection. Lots of reviewers said they skipped this section, but I encourage any writer to read it. What writer doesn't appreciate great advice from another writer who has achieved success? The second section of the book actually left me scared and ready to give up in despair! So few manuscripts are even looked at by publishers, let alone go on to become a best seller, that it seems hopeless. However, the agent gives you valuable (and sometimes harsh) information that every author mailing out large envelops stuffed full of sloppy, rushed chapters and dreaming of the day they are rolling in royalties needs to know.

I feel like I now have insider tips into the world of publishing, my blinders are stripped off, and my novel will stand out from the others laying on an agent's desk. This book is invaluable to me, and I expect it to be worn thin as I write and attempt to publish my work.

Finishing my first novel was a long, often painful, often exciting journey. But when it was done, what came next? I really had no idea.

Having accomplished one of my life's major goals, I was thrilled just to complete the darn thing. But would it ever get published? Would anyone ever read it?

I felt like Peggy Lee singing "is that all there is?"

I needed help. After taking a look at many of the resources out there, I settled on Ann Rittenberg's and Laura Whitcomb's excellent Your First Novel as my primary guide.

I'm so glad I did. Now, to be honest, since my book was already done, I didn't read Ms. Whitcomb's chapters, which focus on the writing process. Instead, I hungrily jumped to Ms. Rittenberg's sections on how to sell it.

And sell it I did. Following Ms. Rittenberg's very clear and logically organized advice, I was able to obtain an agent and a publisher. I knew what questions to expect, what objections I'd have to overcome, and how best to package and present my work.

I've looked at many books of this sort, and Your First Novel was the most helpful for me. In fact, now that I'm writing my second novel, I've started to read Ms. Whitcomb's writing advice. Hopefully, it will be as rewarding as Ms. Rittenberg's contributions were, and it will help me avoid the dreaded sophmore slump.

Good luck to you in your journey!

Scott Sherman, author, First You Fall: A Kevin Connor Mystery

This book is a great way for those who are struggling to even get started writing their first novels to sit down and map out the process. It is a step-by-step guide that helps give you ideas and resources about how to go about writing a novel. Be prepared to want to buy some of the recommended books the authors discuss!

This book was very helpful. I have just finished my first novel after a year and a half of work. I only wished I had read this book before typing out over 250 pages. Depending on your reason for writing, this book could either be a help or a major discouragement. When I read the second half of the book which was written by a literary agent I was shocked by how hard it is to even get a book considered, let alone published. She describes one agent who decides whether to read a manuscript by how much dialog is in the work. If there is too much empty page or not enough the manuscript gets tossed into the slush pile. One wonders how many great works of art have been passed over by such approaches. However, you can't hold the agents too accountable. Do you actually expect them to read each of the 20 manuscripts they get a day. So first and foremost, if writing is not a passion you would endulge in whether you became rich and famous, then proceed. If you think it is a quick and easy way out of your dead end job, you might find another hobby. According to these authors, the writing field is one litered with broken spirits and rejection. Nonetheless, there are a great many tips on both writing and manuscript submisssion that are very very important. You owe it to yourself to invest in this book. Good Luck!