Bridge Books

If you've been finding haiku and tanka either stuffy, obscure, or dreary and are wondering why so many people seem to like it, this book will set the matter straight. Contained within its pages are dozens of truly excellent poems that engage the reader with surprising, eloquent, original, and evocative images and sensations. Covering far more than the usual range of expression, they touch on everything from being interrogation by the police to motherhood. Usually 'women's literature' tends to focus on the author's narrow view of what women 'ought' to be; this book presents a broad range of women experiencing all manner of things with all sorts of attitudes.

Unfortunately, the book shares one fault with many others of its kind: The notes are insufficient. Yes, each poem should and does stand on its own, but not all of them make them make it across the cultural divide as well as others. For example, Nakamura's 'land-locked bride / tempted offshore -- / the open sea' can be read as the straightforward longing of a woman for a broader horizon, but if the reader also knows that Japanese women often commit suicide by wading into the sea and drowning, then it acquires an intensity that lifts it from the realm of the good to the excellent.

The other thing that disappointed me is that the Japanese originals were not included in the book. For those of us that can read a little Japanese, being able to decipher even a few of the poems in their original form is a great gift. Even those who can't can still look at the shape of the poem on the page and note patterns of sound and syllable that helps to convey some idea of the original.

Nonetheless, the poetry works and works well. It is a breathtakingly beautiful work, and compares favorably to that hoary old classic, Ueda's Modern Japanese Tanka. If you're wanting to introduce somebody to modern Japanese poetry, I'd give them this book over Ueda's book any day - male readers included.

"A Long Rainy Season" is a refreshing collection of contemporary haiku and tanka written by Japanese women. The poems within speak of loneliness, and breasts, politics and menstruation. It is inspiring to see the haiku eye expressed from women's points of view. There is nothing dry or dull in this volume, and the content is as varied as the women who wrote the poems. I would recommend this to anyone who loves these poetic forms, especially those who just can't see past Basho and his poetic brothers .

The beautiful unfolding of a tradition that simply has not existed in English until now. Here, we are given an anthology of haiku and tanka by contemporary women poets tackling modern topics - feminism, sexuality, politics - with an elegant aesthetic. Hopefully, this long, rainy, fertile season will
continue with much more from these talented translators of hidden treasures.

As returning travellers will confirm, throughout the Asia-Pacific a tsunami of social and techno-transformation is unceasingly at work, directing outmoded Western notions of how Asia ticks toward the millenial trash bin. Odd therefore, how infrequently arrive the necessary antidotes to such shopworn myths as the "Asian female as Suzie Wong," and "Mother Asia as great slattern of the world," or Asia as "the inscrutable Other," etc. How welcome then comes the panache and sheer breadth of discovery to be found in this exquisite brace of new women's poetry compilations from the Japanese. Whether in English or elsewhere, only occasionally do poetry collections of such excellence come along that find immediate place of honour among readers, other poets, translators and critics alike. "A Long Rainy Season" and "Other Side River" are such books. The first major anthologies of contemporary Japanese women's poetry to arrive in English translation, they compose a brickhouse-solid tribute to the depth and strength of Japan's women poets who--until now--have remained virtually unknown abroad. And how delicious these translations are! The deeper one reads, the more absorbing becomes the enculturation provided by their poetic concerns, which begin to grow with commensurate familiarity--feminism, identity, emergence and constriction, sexuality, child-rearing, aging, existence. Lowitz and her collaborators demonstrate an intuitive sensibility regarding what qualifies among Japanese women poets, and their selections and interpreting skills are convincing. For an awfully long time, what we've had available in English from Japan's women poets has been chiefly the rough-legged classical translations of Rexroth and his disciples. With these two new books, however, Lowitz, Aoyama and Tomioka expand the canon enormously, and it is not overestimating them to number "A Long Rainy Season" and "Other Side River" among the half dozen most significant collections of poetry to arrive internationally in the past few years. That they are presented in handsome, affordably priced editions from Stone Bridge Press, a relatively new press dedicated to translations from the Japanese, makes their happy arrival all the better. Producing volumes such as these cannot have been a light task and we are indebted to such cross-cultural work in service of the muse.

This book is EASILY the best Doctor Who novel I have ever read. It is also one of the most entertaining reads--Doctor Who or otherwise--that I have ever had the pleasure of stumbling upon. Marley is obviously a big fan of Richard Lester's Musketeer films (for one obvious reason in particular that I will not here mention, and others). Much of the humor in this book is very similar to the humor in Lester's brilliant films. Further, Dashing is obviously based on d'Artagnan, and his servant is clearly supposed to be Roy Kinnear's character, Planchet, as evidenced by his constantly mumbling "Sorry sir" at comedic moments. Incidentally, some of the dialogue from the films appears in this book, as when Dashing says, "Away with you, bumpkin!"

I will not discuss the plot or many of the things I absolutely love about this book--though I would love to do so--as any such discussion would only give away some of its countless surprises. I pay this book the highest compliment I can pay a book, and that is that I am jealous of Marley. I wish I had written this book myself. The puzzle of what "Managra" means is one of my very favorite twists in any book. I actually tried to solve it before the book revealed the answer, and when it did, I was shocked that I had not thought of it.

This book suggests an excellent explanation for why the Doctor and company constantly land "in a spot of bother." The reason is that the TARDIS itself is a sentient entity, and it only takes the good Doctor where he can be of use, or where his services are needed most at any given time.

Why has this site got so many reviews for the wrong books, dragging down its rating to their level? Managra is simply the best Dr Who novel ever written. Its dark humour is hilarious, the pace cracking, and the wit sharp and biting. The story takes place in a sort of Hammer House of Horror living theme park where characters from different periods in European history jockey for position (one of these positions is that of Official Antichrist). Read it, I urge you. Marley is the Sam Raimi of Dr Who novel-writers.

(Good Lord - this book has 8 reviews, 7 of which aren't about it - including 1 from me!)

The TARDIS lands the Doctor and Sarah in the 33rd century in a place called Europa, in which live a variety of beings called Reprises, who are recreations of fictional and historical characters. But Europa is more that a stage on which these characters act out new dramas...

A book that is full of literary and historical references, but as you read it there are layers within layers within layers. Things have a way of turning out to be not what you expected. And its fun into the bargain.

Give it a go, but be prepared to pay attention - this is not a book for casual readers.

What more can one say about Stephen Marley's "Managra" than that it is a masterpiece of not only the limits to which the "Dr. Who" genre can be taken, but also an exercise in highly entertaining speculative fiction. Marley's book is set on Earth in the far future, where the continent of Europa is an insane asylum populated by the power-hungry, the undead, and cloned copies of famous historical figures. Into this milieu steps the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane...and the fireworks begin

I love Jesus. I love Sophia. I love this book. I read it alot. Lucille.

WOW! What a Book! WOW!
This book should be on everyone's book shelf in America. Sophia's childlike personality reaches her audience through her tender words of encouragement.
WOW!

Menefestation of his presence is such an awesome book. So well writen I hardly knew I was in the middle of the book.I laughed, I cried, and I laughed again. Sophia lets you enter her life by sharing all that she has experienced. She reveals how anything is possible with help from God. Everybody should read this book and give it to someone who needs to feel Gods love!!

I found this book to be such a wonderful selection of short stories. It seemed more like I was reading the story of Sophia's life. Once I started, I couldn't put the book down until I completed it. It made me laugh, cry and feel very inspired spiritually. This woman had great faith and the book shows how faith can get you through anything life dishes out!

I take a special delight in reading novels set in remote locales, far from the madding crowds and the usual suspects. MINERAL SPIRITS is a fine example. Ms. Sharfeddin's second novel, a literate and humane contemporary western, is a pure gem. Sheriff Kip Edelson is the lawman of Mineral County in Montana, near the Idaho border. He finds the skeletal remains of a dead lady. His only clue is an anonymous phone caller identifying the lady corpse as "Chris". At the same time, Kip's wife Robin decides to move to Missoula and resume her college education. Kip is lonely until he befriends ten-year-old Gray Dausman who's destined for a tough row in the foster care system. An elderly lady, Mrs. Sherwood, takes an interest in Kip and Gray. They form an ad hoc family in this bleak, frigid wintry landscape. Events carom to the pitch-perfect climax, Kip's showdown with the local bad guys including killers and dope dealers at a deserted school. Fans of C.J. Box, Craig Johnson, and the masterly Tony Hillerman should find MINERAL SPIRITS a rewarding read.

This exciting new author really hooks you quickly into her storyline. Her characters, while flawed and resistant to relationships, develop into people you wish you could write a thank you letter to for allowing you into their world. Ms. Sharfeddin captures Montana perfectly with just the right mix of one foot in the past and one foot in modern times and leaving you uncertain which way you would like to see it step next. Mineral Spirits has just the right mix of pathos, humor, possibilites and heartbreak. A gem of a book

I totally enjoyed her first book "Blackbellies" and am anxious to read whatever she next releases. 4 thumps up!

Sharfeddin's latest book kept me turning the pages until the wee hours on a work night. I enjoyed the intricate plot, the beautiful descriptions of rural Montana, and the fast-paced action. Kip Edelson is a complicated man--tough sheriff on the outside, yet complex and emotional in ways he tries to hide from everyone, including himself and those he loves. A satisfying ending and a great read. I can't wait for Sharfeddin's next book.

This is 2 for 2 good novels from Heather Sharfeddin. I recently read Blackbelly which I really loved. The imagery was fantastic and the detail made it so real. I was not disappointed with the next novel, Mineral Spirits. This book follows one of the more likable characters from the first book, Sherriff Kip Edelson to a new location in Montana (Mineral County). Kip's character is well developed here and is given more depth. He becomes emotionally entangled with a heartbreakingly trusting but neglected young boy in the course of the investigation into a skeleton unearthed by the young man. Kip is drug through an amazing range of emotions during the course of this book, tenderness for Gray, the young boy, and for the sweet old lady who needs them as much as they need her; hurt and betrayal from his wife with a good dose of confusion; terror and measured response upon meeting up with members of a drug ring and sadness at the way people (including himself) can treat each other. Thrown into the mix is an almost school boy giddiness at meeting an intensly interesting but unapproachable woman who he continually devises ways to approach. On the periphery and intertwined in the story are other characters who are equally interesting. The tavern owner with his secrets and occasional glimpses back to the romantic wild West Montana is captivating. I highly recommend this fast read and can't wait to see what's comming next.

This is honestly a great book, it helped me. Im fairly new to model railroading (only about 4 years) and it has honestly made me into the goto guy (within my model railroad club) for bridges and tunnels. It covers all sorts of wierd and wonderfull ideas for your layouts. A GREAT resource and addition to any model railroaders libary.

This book is an excellent guide to model railroad bridges, trestles, and tunnels. It presents all types of construction including wood, stone, iron, concrete, etc and all era's from the early 18th century to the present.

Many prototype photographs and illustrations are used to show the different types of bridges. You don't have to be a civil engineer to read the book, but it will give you a very good detailed view of each type of bridge.

Each section in the book ends with information on how to model these structures. This includes construction details including sources for the needed products. Information is also included on how to finish the products.

When I now see a bridge while traveling I have good knowledge of why and how the bridge was constructed.

I am not a modeler (at least yet) but I think this book will appeal to both novices and more experienced modelers. I have two other similar books and this book is by far the best of the three. I highly recommend it.

As a 28 year veteran of professional railroading, with 18 years in the bridge department, Jeff has indeed managed to bridge the gap between prototype and modeler. He explains in great detail the "why" that goes into selecting the proper type or size bridge for a particular location. Many beautiful bridge models are spoiled because they would just not be practical in the real world. Jeff did an excellent job of researching the subject material and has made it easy for a modeler to build a very nice, prototypical bridge for a given geographic location.

The Model Railroader's Guide To Bridges, Trestles & Tunnels is an in-depth hobbyist's guide to adding minutely detailed, realistic bridges and tunnel portals to a model railroad layout. Chapters include overviews of the construction and purpose of bridges, trestles, and tunnels; historic and contemporary prototype photos, in black-and-white and color; strategies for modeling, painting, and weathering scale replicas; listings of bridge, trestle, and tunnel kits in HO, N, and O scale, as well as excellent suggestions for modifying kits and scratchbuilding; and so much more. An in-depth guide that combines an appreciation of railroad history with solid how-to tactics for bringing said history to life.

WOW!!!!! what imagery, heart and beauty..Tess Gallagher's tribute
book to her deceased husband Raymond Carver,is the words of a grieving angel.."Deaf Poem" is my favorite.moon over bridge will
go down in history as one of the great book of poems dealing with
love,lost and renewal again..and i couldnt help thinking after reading it,how truly blessed Mr Carver was to have a love like
Tess in his life..and every man would be blessed to have a lady
love them just a tenth as much as she did..and does..pick up
this book!!!!!you wont regret it..

This is a great book of poems written near the time of her husband's death. I read the review of this book and purchased it for a friend whose husband had died. Now, 5 years later, she still tells me how much she loved this book and how much it meant to her. This is a great book. It is particularly wonderful for someone who has lost their husband.

The passion and imagery contained in this book of highly personal poems astounds! I hope Ms. Gallagher's book will gain the recognition it deserves. To allow us to come so close to the poet seems to be a rarity in much of today's poetry. This incredible sharing will grab you and not let go. Our thanks to Ms. Gallagher . . .

Gallagher, whose decade-long relationship with the great short story writer Raymond Carver ended with Carver's early death to cancer in 1987, has written a masterpiece. Largely underrecognized, Moon Crossing Bridge has yet to receive its full due as one of the most deeply thoughtful and passionate poetic works on the subject of loss to emerge in recent memory. Gallagher has allowed the language that rose from her grief to carry her into the mystery that constitutes the borderland between the dead and those left behind. Her words sway like the tough threads of a hammock strung between the two worlds, holding us aloft as we allow ourselves to risk belief in paradoxical truths: that in the poetic universe to which Gallagher holds fast, a loved one can be truly with us and truly not with us at once, and loss and horror and delight can coexist in a strange harmony. In Gallagher's extraordinary book, the dark basin of terrible loss is not only inhabited, it is rich in hues and textures and possibilities. Using images culled as much from her travels around the world with Carver as from her years spent both with and without him in the Pacific Northwest, with this volume Gallagher has given a rare gift to those of us with loss in our backgrounds. She has journeyed as a shaman does, to map that enduring human trek from overwhelming pathos to multidimensional, even joyful, insight -- with unfailing courage and honesty. One day Gallagher will be seen for the unparalleled talent she is. For now, we who read and do the work to understand her words can be among a privaleged group of fierce and well-rewarded fans.

Moving Lila is a fresh and engaging novel that manages to be simultaneously moving, funny, and thoughtful. A wonderful read, enjoyable on every page.

This novel had me intrigued at page one. The entire concept of moving a house, moving a memory, moving a life resonated throughout the novel. It is a journey, one that the reader feels a part of, one that the reader cares about. Mira, Kat, Ray, Wesley, all visable characters. And the house, it has a life of its own, filled with happy and sorrowful memories. Fleming shows that houses are not just objects, but homes, for good or bad, they are homes. A great read.

A very fun story. There are a lot of memories here that are shared and there's even a little bit of information that some of the family members try not to share. What a unique story.....moving a house because of a last request from a father who has passed away. Truely a fun, quick, unique read. Read this book, it's intriguing as well as fun and will give you a lift.

I guess the true power of this novel lies in its ability to be interesting on every single page. A rare feat. The writer treats her characters tenderly and with compassion, and though perhaps not its main design, Moving Lila leaves a reader with the feeling they've just taken a life-affirming ride through the Deep South. Here's to Lila getting the attention she deserves.

I heard of the name of the author because this year Japan is coming out with a tv drama serie about some of her hidden letters. This is a passionate observer/participant of life who articulates prose with clarity and ingenuity of an accomplished writer, and with subtle modesty representing a women of the last century.

Reviewed by Deb Shunamon for Reader Views (7/06)

"The Name of the Flower" by Kuniko Mukoda is a wonderful book that would be of particular interest to those who think they know and understand Japan. While I can envision a Japanese reader nodding his or her head and muttering over these brilliantly translated snapshots of male/female relationships, a lot of "gaijin" will likely be quite bewildered as to what is going on much of the time. The reader quickly learns that this is not going to be an easy read. That's exactly what makes this book such a delight - it's a great, emotional reading experience that will show Westerners how little we truly understand Japanese society.

Kuniko Mukoda was a prolific scriptwriter for Japanese radio and television, and at the time of her death in a plane crash in 1981 she was well into a career as a popular essayist and short story writer. The Afterward by translator Tomone Matsumoto is an interesting piece on just how popular and hard-working Mukoda was. So much can be learned and enjoyed from this collection, the least of which being that Japan is now, of course, a very modern, westernized society. That this modernity can be unrecognizable when it concerns human relationships, or that Westernization does not necessarily mean the North American way, is repeatedly revealed in Mukoda's book. In addition to outright bewilderment, feelings of being insulted or angry can be indicators that you've encountered a cultural difference, and these strong emotions are evoked by many of the stories. "Small Change" is guaranteed to make any independent, Canadian woman scream in frustration. "The Carp", "The Fake Egg", and a few others still have me puzzled, while "Half-Moon" and "Otter" will break your heart.

What will non-Japanese readers take away from this book besides knowing that they may never fully understand Japanese society? This will likely be answered differently depending on whether the reader is male or female, and could be the start of some great discussions. However, seeing the familiar importance of marriages, families, and lovers in these stories, as well as the struggles we all go through to understand our own lives, keeps you riveted to this cross-cultural reading encounter to the last page. Modern works such as Kuniko Mukoda's "The Name of the Flower" will leave all readers with a great deal of respect for how similar relationships are between men and women around the world, yet how truly different.

There is a fairly silly comment in the Publisher's Weekly review above that Kuniko Mukoda's stories "mix Eastern tradition with Western values." Another reviewer on this page states that this short story collection will demonstrate how little Westerners understand Japanese society. I couldn't disagree more. The late Mukoda wrote closely observed stories about domestic dilemmas set in Japan of the 60s and 70s. Although there are naturally references to Japanese traditions and cultural practices, I did not find them a barrier to understanding--and I don't think that's just because of my long acquaintance with the country. Mukoda's characters are typically experiencing a crisis in their family life that is illuminated or complicated by memories of past events. These characters, their emotions, and their struggles are very recognizable to Western readers, not because Mukodas wrote about "Western values" but because she is a talented observer of human nature, which remains a constant everywhere.

I picked up this book for some light reading over the weekend. I am doing research for an essay and I wanted a book of short stories to read while I was in between sections of the books that I am supposed to be reading. Unfortunately I found this book so interesting that I finished it in a couple of sittings. I am pretty sure that this book gets lost between the cracks left between the works of Mishim, Tanizaki, and Kawabata and those of Yoshimoto and Murakami. I'd certainly had never heard of the writer and when one reads the bak of the book one learns why. Kuniko Mukoda only wrote prose fiction for a very short time because soon after she started writing her short stories she was killed in a plane crash, before that she wrote radio and television dramas. The translator points out that she wrote over one thousand radio dramas.

The stories in this little book seem to follow under one main theme infidelity. The reader gets to see both sides of the relationship. We see the husband who is being eaten up inside because of his outside relationhips, and we see the wife's side in which wonders if in fact her husband is cheating on her. Interesting stories of daiily life that makes one wonder how Mukoda made such mundane things so interesting.

I have gone back to previous moves of God to gain insight into the difficulties we are facing today. This book reminded me that God still heals and was an encouragement.

Great book for people that have lost hope in God Healing power.

"Never Too Late" is an inspiring story of a woman's struggle to know the 'ultimate' power (physical healing) of Jesus Christ. While we cannot fathom the power of God or understand why certain situations occur, God has a way of taking us through some valleys so that we may focus on Him and not our illness.

I read it without stopping...great!
Received amazingly fast and in good shape.
Thank you,
Martha

Helen Hamlin's shared experiences in the Maine woods brought me back to my childhood. I spent most of my youth in and around the Allagash and St. John Rivers and many summers in the Chamberlin waters; Churchill, Eagle Lake,etc.
Helen's writing is authentic, amusing, and filled with typical Maine philosphy. Loved it!!

I almost hate to share one of the best kept secrets regarding a piece of heaven here on Earth, that being the North Maine Woods. Luckily I have found this place! Many of my friends know that I have enjoyed this amazing spot so for Christmas this past year I received a first edition copy of Nine Mile Bridge. In it, Helen Hamlim writes such a wonderful narrative of her three years living in these woods.

As a reader it was so good to be able to visualize what she wrote about as I have experienced, albeit in a VERY small way, some of it too. Her writing is folksy, campy, but most importantly genuine. What a gutsy woman she must have been!

I know that my next trip into the "woods" will be even more profound having read this novel.

READ IT TOO-- and don't be afraid to visit the "woods". I know you'll feel the same way I do about them-- a piece of heaven here on Earth.

Living in the 'wilderness' early in this century was a daily adventure. Much different from 'backpacking' as we know it. Folks like Helen Hamlin set up camp and lived and worked miles from any sizable town, with only a small number of neighbors, if any. Life was difficult and hard, but never dangerous, if you prepared properly. Ms. Hamlin is a first time author and, as such, is not to be compared with modern, well practiced authors of our time. Still, her story is fascinating reading of a life and times that is part of the wonderful fabric of our country. Highly recommended for those with a bent for real-life perspectives of a different America.

This is a time capsule of life in the Northern Maine woods through the 1920's-30's and into the early 1940's. My grandparents (briefly mentioned in the book) were French Canadian lumber workers who lived and worked the woods in the operations based around Jackman, Maine. (The Jeans and the Veillieuxs, respectively, my grandfather and grandmothers family).

A great read for people curious about the lives of those who worked in the lumber camps of Northern Maine in the early 20th Century. I've heard countless stories my late grandmother told of those days, and this book adds immensely to that rich experience.

This is a part of American History that will never occur again, the way of life in such remote locations, the teamwork, effort and work ethic and fun ethic of these folks was astounding. A true Gem worth buying.