California Books

I have been intrigued with the idea of having a meal at The Brown Derby since the first time I saw Lucille Ball dump a plate of spaghetti (a classic Derby dish, as it turns out) on William Holden's head. Alas, the era of The Derby is long gone, but this book, Brown Derby Restaurant takes you on a journey back in time when stars table hopped and coveted having their famous faces caricatured to grace the walls of these distinctive restaurants. That's right, there wasn't just one "Derby" but many different versions of the original, which is something I did not know until I read this book. I'll let the next reader of this book discover for themselves all the different incarnations of "The Derby." That was quite interesting, because they were all so different from one another and completely different from the original. The photographs of the celebrity patrons are wonderful and its fun to see them out socializing and not in character.
In the text recipes from the restaurants are included. I found these recipes to be quite ordinary and not very imaginative, but then you have to realize the era and the clientle. Just because Gary Cooper, Myrna Loy (Native Montanians), Carole Lombard, (Indiana), Clark Gable, (O-o-o-ohio!), and Robert Mitchum (Connecticut), were glamorous moviestars, in the end they were simple folk who probably just wanted a decent pork chop. At the Derby restaurants, they could do that. I wouldn't go out of my way to reinact any of these recipes unless I was babysitting a finicky toddler. All in all, this was a real page turner though and my husband enjoyed it as well.

I have a Brown Derby "LIVE AT CHARLEY BROWN'S" ink stamp in good condition from the legendary club.
This item is circa the 1960's/1970's.
Anyone interested in this item email me at rxeno@radiox.net.

A priceless photo collection of Hollywood Stars that have never been released or seen since the 1940's and 1950's. The photos are from the late Sally and Bob Cobb's personal photo collection and some photos were taken by Geroge Hurrell. The stories are captivating, heart warming and a part of Hollywood history that is a must for movie buffs and the novice a like. Clark Gable and Bob Cobb spent many years together, hunting and fishing. One night after the kitchen at the Durby was closed, Bob mixed a salad together made mostly from left overs. Since that night the famous salad has been referred to as the "Cobb Salad". The story that best describes the Cobbs is the one story about the WWII soldier..very touching! A great gift or a nice coffee table conversation item!

Anyone who is interested in old Hollywood must read this book.It is not only filled with pictures andrecipes, but nostalgia and history ofbygone days.Robert Cobb, not only owned the BrownDerby, but also owned a baseball team.The Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League was in existence from 1939to 1957. The Los Angeles Dodgers cameWest in 1958 and the Stars were gone.The book was co-written by Sally Cobb,widow of the owner. Her personal thoughts and love are written throughout this book. I personally ama collector of old menu's and a historian regarding the Pacific CoastLeague. I certainly was fascinated andwrapped up in the book.

Who today could know anything about the Brown Derby restaurant and not immediately recall what generated its legendary fame? Was it the food? The service? The décor? The clientele? Of course it's a given that all these were truly exceptional, yet none adequately explains how any Tom, Dick, or Harry from Kalamazoo would be so well acquainted with the name of this particular restaurant. After all, they were not patrons. For us non-celebrities, the Brown Derby probably entered our world through the hilarious exploits of Lucille Ball in the television situation comedy "I Love Lucy" in which she starred along with husband Desi Arnaz. Who can forget Lucy's attempts to be "discovered" by a studio executive, or to get a closer look at William Holden, at the Brown Derby?

If you lived in greater Los Angeles at that time, you might have heard live KNX 1070 News Radio broadcasts at noon from the Brown Derby, and the question of the day would always be, "Tell us, George, who's at the Brown Derby today?" That was how Lucy knew which celebrities were at the Brown Derby. And, because Lucy knew, all of America knew: this Brown Derby restaurant was the stars' favorite gathering place.

So, what's the point of this review? Simply the sad fact that "George," the maître d', radio announcer, friend of Robert Cobb, and the central figure to all the famous patrons at the Brown Derby restaurant, is no where to be seen in any of the multitude of celebrity photographs in the book. It had to be the most deliberative, vexing, and laborious part of Mrs. Cobb's work in producing this incomplete book to find enough photographs that somehow did not show a trace of Mr. George Aguilera among the celebrity patrons. It was no oversight. Word is that following Mr. Cobb's death, major differences arose between the Head Waiter and Mrs. Cobb as to business practices, and that Mr. Aguilera took an uncompromising stand in favor of maintaining the renowned level of quality, rather than to expand the tourist element, and in so doing, risk losing the exceptional level of service of which he was justifiably proud to offer his friends. This book is testament to the bitter parting of ways that resulted. How ironic then, that Mr. Aguilera's face, commonly seen on Brown Derby advertising billboards that said, "Go see George...," appears nowhere in this book of photographs. Nor will you find any evidence that the man who announced to the world the presence of his famous dining guests, his friends, was ever there himself. I rate this book as missing at least one star.

You gotta love Stienstra,a lifetime of info on hundreds of fishin spots

This book is a must have for anyone fishing in the state of California. I wish Tom would write one for every state. I don't fish any body of water in California until I look it up in this book. However, I agree with Alex. Tom really should write more about SHORE fishing. We don't all have boats.

When I first moved to California 9 years ago I picked this up and have worn out my copy. A tremendously helpful reference that has introduced me to some of the most wonderful fishing spots I've ever enjoyed. There are many more I've read about that I can't wait to try.

I've seen a number of California fishing books but this one is simply the best. Whether you are flyfishing or using spinning tackle, you want to know the lay of the land, where to fish, when to go, how to get there, who to talk to. This book answers all those things. It is an excellent comprehensive introduction to the fishable waters of California. Excellent maps, directions, and local guides/services for further advice. It breaks down all the areas of California into discrete geographic segments then gives detailed information on the area.

It is clear that Stienstra is an experienced fisherman whether it is on the fly, lures, or bait. This book is for the true fisherman and covers all the offshore, inshore, and freshwater fishing available throughout California. I cannot recommend this book enough. There are so many bad books on fishing and flyfishing, where the authors spout on and on about their theories and thoughts. This is a book that is more like a reference guide and is an essential resource. The author is very well versed in freshwater and saltwater fishing and the writing is straightforward, with opinions registered when they are needed.

Great book for the average fisherman who didn't grow up in Mt. Shasta, Calif. Tom raves about the fishing in Lake Siskiyou, not realizing that the dam ruined some of the best stream fishing I have ever seen. Of course, that was 30 or so years ago. Still, around that area, and I'm not telling where, there are still native trout in small streams located on the Mt. Eddy side. When I say native, I don't mean real native. Those Mt. Eddy lakes and streams were planted years ago, mostly by the CCC. In fact, my father, Eugene Babcock, planted the Mumbo Lakes Basin by mule train when he was with the CCC. I'm now 56 and those easy hikes into the Mumbo Lakes Basin are now hard hikes. If you head to Dobkins or Durney or Eddy Crater lakes without proper gear and physical fitness, you are headed for trouble. Otherwise, this is a great book with true fishing guidelines for Siskiyou, Modoc and Plumas counties. Tom, quit giving away my favorite fishing places.....

Cliff Babcock

California Ghosting is a fitting continuation in Mr. Hills supernatural genre. So far the trio I've read keep me on the lookout for the next William Hill release. Dawn of the Vampire, Vampires Kiss, California Ghosting. Vampire Hunters is next on my list, Mr. Hill will have to write fast to have the next book available before I have finish it.

Have already read the book twice and recommend it for readers of all ages. Mr. Hill has a command of the English language and has an exciting writing style.

A visit to Ghostal Shores is worth the price of admission. My favorite aspect was the characters. They were realistic and full of life, even the ghosts. California Ghosting is a nice twist on the haunted house theme, blending action, suspense, mystery and romance at a fluid pace that keeps moving faster and faster. I could clearly see the characters and the resort. This would make a great movie!

As the characters evolve, and the plot thickens, California Ghosting creates an entirely enchanting environment for a who-dunnit. Point Reyes has been thoroughly researched and times gone by have been totally recreated in the now. The ghostal characters can be vividly imagined, due to the extensive descriptions of each individual personna and their lively intereactions not only the living, but with each other as well. Mix these ingredients with a dash of romance amongst the living, a sense of humor, and supsense, and there exists a novel that will keep you reading.

William Hill's "California Ghosting" is a well-rounded mix of mystery, suspense and fantasy, filled with interesting individuals. Even if I wasn't pulled along nicely by the plot (and I certainly was), I would have kept turning pages just to see what the people (and ghosts) in the story would do next. I particularly liked some of the subtler elements, like the interactions between some of the "fully-fleshed" ghost characters and various two-dimensional, "real" minor characters . . .

This is our bible for all our rentals. The disc has all the forms you'll need, backed up by the part of the law that applies. If you have rentals in California, this should be your guide to staying out of trouble.

I have been a landlord for 12 years. Every few years I purchase a revised version just to be sure that laws haven't changed that I should know about. This book is a must if you have rentals in California. It is very easy to understand, it has all the forms you may need on CD and can be referred to quickly when questions come up. I feel I am a better landlord because of this book. I have also loaned it to my friends when they felt that their landlord had not be treating them fairly. They also found it very helpful. I wouldn't be without it.

I read through the book before renting my place, and it provided me with very useful tips on the legality of various aspects of renting one's place. It also had templates and forms which were very handy, in drawing up a lease, issuing a receipt or generating a checklist. I would recommend this book for any landlord, whether you are renting out one house or multiple.

If you're in the real estate rental business in the state of California you need this book to start out, survive, and thrive in this business. The NOLO books are written by lawyers for lay people.

The "California Landlord's Law Book: Rights and Responsibilities" covers all ground and gives you more than a legal or business understanding of real estate rental (rare but detrimental scenarios and important topics are discussed, such as Discrimination, Self-Help Evictions, Landlord's Liabilities for Dangerous Conditions and Criminal Acts, etc.)

This law book also contains all the forms you will need, both at the end as apendix and on a CD. The book is very thorough and every new edition stays abreast with the latest rental law changes in California. The only downside (unavoidable) is that every so often NOLO publishes a new edition thus somewhat outdaing previous ones.

This was the only book I needed to become a landlord in California. With the included forms on CD, I was able to easily create a lease for my tenants and feel confident that I was doing everything legally. I read the relevant sections of the book and will keep it on hand if any rental problems show up. I am very satisfied with the book selection.

Some good ideas, but it just wasn't enough for me. Seemed to be lacking, you can get most of the info online if you look hard enough.

Finally, a well-written reducing/lifestyle change plan. Dr. Logan compiles everything you need in one comprehensive book without being `way out there' or a `silver bullet'. The California Wine Country Diet is truly an enjoyable lifestyle change. It is do-able, enjoyable, straightforward and sensible. I have done many diet plans and have found them to be impracticable or impossible to follow in the real world. Dr. Logan's plan is easy to follow; so easy that any gourmet recipe can easily fit into the meal plan guidelines provided one exercises portion control. I have been able to eat well and still enjoy my Castello blue cheese, Kashi TLC crackers and glass of local Chambercin. Ching, Ching to you Dr. Logan!

Now California wine country is into the diet business. This one is for the wine lovers!

This book is fantastic! I love the recipes! I think it is great that the book provides more information than just "the diet". This book really shows how to incorporate a new lifestyle rather than just a diet. I love how it shows a way to enjoy food and have an indulgence, but still have a healthy lifestyle for a lifetime. Excellent Job!!

Make wellness and weight management a pleasure not a trial through the latest diet book to advocate a different program, CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY DIET: THE INDULGENT APPROACH TO MANAGING YOUR WEIGHT. Recipes come from some of the state's most renowned chefs and provide a blend of nutritionally appealing dishes with meal plans you can live with. Learn to eat seasonally, locally, and diversely using a diet which is appealing and diverse.

Yet again, Shriley Murphy has filled my reading world with the delight of cats. Joe Grey and Dulcie have become friends as have their human pals. Not only have I enjoyed all of her books to date, but have made certain that all of my family and friends meet these wonderful characters as well. My only hope is that Ms Murphy continues to regale us with the adventures of these marvelous cats.
The only down side to getting these books is that I find myself still turning the pages in the wee hours of the night!!!

MY WIFE AND I READ ALOUD TO EACH OTHER (THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, WITH PRINTED BOOKS). MRS. MURPHY'S CAT WORKS ARE GREAT FOR THIS USE.

WE BOTH RECOMMEND STARTING WITH "CATSWOLD PORTAL", THEN BEGINING WITH THE FIRST IN THE SERIES AND PROGRESSING FROM THERE. THIS MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO GAIN SOME BACKROUND, BUILD ON THE DELIGHTFUL JOE GREY CHARACTERS AS WELL AS THE MORAL AND SOCIO-POLITICAL COMMENTARY AS WELL AS COMMON SENSE ADVICE WHICH ENRICH THESE WORKS.

MAKE NO MISTAKE. WHEN READING THESE BOOKS, ONE IS IN THE HANDS OF A WISE MASTER STORYTELLER! WE ARE BUSY ASSEMBLING HER PAST WORKS, WHICH ARE PLENTIFUL. IT'S OUR ONLY CHOICE, AS WE'VE READ ALL 12 OR 13 JOE GREY MYSTERY WORKS AND ARE WAITING FOR THE FEB, 2009 RELEASE ON A NEW ONE.

WE READ AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, WHO MENTIONED "...CROSS THEIR GRAVES" AS PERHAPS HER FAVORITE. WE WOULD AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY...IT IS OURS ALSO.

HAPPY READING!

For any cat or mystery lover I highly recommend this book. It is written very well and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You won't want to put the book down. And when you are finished reading this book you will crave more of the Joe Grey Mysteries written by the delightful author Shirley Rousseau Murphy. She has a way of making you visualize the town and its delightful scenery and the mystery just wraps around you. If you have a cat you may find yourself looking at him or her in a completely different light as Ms. Murphy brings the cats in her stories to such believable life. And the other characters involved are charming and real weaving you right into the story right along with them.Cat Cross Their Graves: A Joe Grey Mystery (Joe Grey Mysteries)

It starts with a murder: Kit, the youngest of the three talking cats of Molena Point, discovers the body of a former film star in the stairwell of the hotel she owns. But there's more going on in the arty little California town. Joe Grey's long-time friend and partner Dulcie has a secret that's affecting their relationship: a young girl is hiding out in a hidden room in the basement of the town library, and Dulcie doesn't feel free to tell anyone about her. Then Cora Lee French, one of three senior ladies living in a recently-purchased old house on the edge of the canyon, finds a grave in the back yard. Worse, it's one of several--and even worse, the remains are those of children.

To the police, each of these things is a separate case. But Joe and his friends know there's a connection. And so there proves to be, but only a cat could draw together the threads and bring this complex affair to a satisfactory conclusion. Meanwhile, Dulcie unexpectedly learns something of her own roots. And readers who are especially fond of little Kit will be pleased to find that she plays a large part in the ultimate success, although her role begins more or less by accident. This may be the best Joe Grey mystery to date (although hints about the upcoming one suggest it will top them all). As always, there's an excellent "sense of place" in the vignettes of the town, and all the familiar cast members--Clyde Damen, Wilma Getz, Max and Charlie Harper, Dallas Garza, Ryan Flannery--reappear as well. No fan of cat mysteries should miss it.

If you love cat mysteries, read this book. It's a great page turner, and you'll be sorry when it ends. Murphy keeps you guessing, and you'll be eager to know what happens. If you've never read her before, this is a good one to start with. This is my favorite book in her series (I have read all of them) and it follows the footsteps of some of my favorite cat mystery author, Lilian Jackson Braun's books. Murphy will surely keep her audience entertained and coming back for more.

After checking out Divine Comedies at the library and reading a few chapters of The Book of Ephraim, I knew I was willing to read the entire epic of The Changing Light at Sandover. Nearly six months later, after having read and reread Ephraim, Mirabell, Scripts and the Coda (the four sections of Merrill's magnum opus) I am ready to pass judgement. This epic is great but probably not GREAT. It requires a very heavy investment from the reader, not unlike Dante's Divine Comedy, or Joyce's later work. This investment pays dividends, but not the astronomical sort that one hopes when one is flipping through an opera dictionary, trying to discover Merrill's point.

Sandover is full of allusions, contradictions, and virtoso poetry, the latter being why I highly recommend it. As the other reviews tell you here, Merrill, elitist that he is, has not made the work accessible. Which is fine. So here is my short list of writers to be familiar with before you read it: Dante, Homer, Auden, Pound, Eliot, Proust, Wagner, Merrill's earlier work, Blake and Yeats. I also highly recommend Robert Polito's A Reader's Guide to The Changing Light at Sandover, which is more of a handy index followed by a compilation of reviews (including Bloom's and Vendler's) than say, a line-by-line explication of the sort available for Pound's Cantos. Thankfully, The Changing Light at Sandover does not require that.

The Book of Ephraim stands alone and whether you like it will probably be the best gauge of whether you will like the whole of Sandover. Mirabell I found very difficult going and, in all honesty can probably be skipped, like most people skip Purgatorio. Scripts for the Pageant is much more fun and The Higher Keys is really of a piece with it, tying up the loose threads. For all my pessimism, this really is the best modern epic I've found, a thousand times better than The Waste Land or Blake's prophetic works, or even Milton's Paradise Lost. The poetry and storytelling are so overwhelmingly confident that, once you have assimilated the scattered references, it is easy to get carried away. Large questions of free will, life after death and the nature of love are tackled with wit and sincerity. I'm glad I bought it and have it on my bookshelf. Since I put in the sweat, it is now a treasure-box I can open at any time.

There was a lot of attention given to Merrill when his Collected Poems came out, so I went out and read it. (The fact that I hadn't heard of him before should indicate that I don't read a lot of modern poetry). What was astonishing was how effortlessly the poems read, how thoroughly Merrill had mastered the technical aspects of the craft. The poems read as smoothly as prose, but line after line stayed in the memory - and when you went back you realized what a complex and subtle rhyme scheme many of the poems had.

But for some reason, there was a lot I could admire but very little I could love. They didn't just feel like exercises in style, but there was something too cool and smooth about their surface: there wasn't enough humanity in them.

The same isn't true of The Changing Light at Sandover. Don't be put off by the Ouija stuff: the heart of this poem isn't some sort of half-baked spiritualism, but simply the relationship between two people that love each other - the poet and David Jackson.

Let me quote a line from The Book of Ephraim that I memorized without trying, just from reading it a few times. The same technical mastery is there, but now there's something alive in them. Enough of the other reviews tell you what the poem is about, so here's a sample of how beautiful this strange masterpiece can be in its smallest details:

We take long walks through the turning leaves
And ponder turnings taken by our lives.

Look at each other closely, as friends will
On parting. This is not farewell,

Not now. But something in the sad
End-of-season light remains unsaid.

The Changing Light at Sandover is Merrill's magnum opus. It is also the greatest example of epic poetry in modern literature. Divided into four sections (four being a mystical number [seasons, elements, etc] and possibly alluding also to Eliot's "Four Quartets"), Sandover, is, as far as I am aware, the longest single poem in the modern cannon. Yet length alone is not what qualifies this as an epic poem. Like all true epic poetry, it borrows heavily from its classical predecessors, so Homer, Virgil, Dante, Milton and even Tasso are alluded to throughout the poem.

The method behind the poem is fairly well known, and is in fact included in the poem's narrative. Merrill and his life-partner, David Jackson, would ritualistically cleanse themselves for a stipulated period, then consult the spirit-world by means of an Ouija Board. Merrill served as a kind of amanuensis, taking dictation from spirits from another dimension and translating the messages into poetry.

Merrill has been branded as an elitist by some, and there is no getting around the fact that he did consider himself and his partner as members of an order higher than that of most of mankind. He believed in a quasi-Gnostic hierarchy, wherein human beings are ranked according to their spiritual development. Unfortunately, the belief system he invokes leans more closely to Third Reich mysticism than to Buddhism or Hinduism. A great many people, according to Merrill's tenets, don't even have souls. They exist only on an animal level. One can see where this sort of thinking can, and has led.

I don`t want to infer, however, that Merrill, or this work, are in any manner political or polemical. This is a true work of art, full of imagination and of ideas. The sheer scope of creativity on display in "Sandhurst" is unsurpassed in the past 100 years of poetry, with the possible exception of "The Waste Land." It should be read and studied (and hopefully, cherished) by all lovers of literature. Whether or not Merrill existed on a higher plane than most of us is certainly debatable, even questionable. Whether or not his excursions into other spiritual realms were "real" or were delusional is also debatable. What is not debatable, is the fact that he produced a remarkable and very important poem in the process.

First of all I felt somewhat intimidated when it came to starting this epic work. I was afraid that my own background might prove inadequate for a product of such ethereal literary heights. It came as a relief when I found that I was well enough read to appreciate the majority of the literary and cultural references (at least I believe that I did.) Part of this was no doubt due to what I brought to the work, but equally part was due to the poet's uncanny ability to draw you in and connect you with the most intimate and obscure reference. I actually felt like I belonged to the circle- that I might be able to hold my own in such august company. This company included not only the poet, his partner, and their friends, but also the supposed spirits of Plato, Pythagoras, Robert Morse, Wallace Stevens, W.B. Yeats, Maya Deven, W.H. Auden, and even more.

So much for the exquisite and impressive poetic and literary aspect of the epic- the metaphysical basis was a another matter. Here I felt more than adequate. It is reported that Merrill and his partner styled themselves as metaphysical adepts. Indeed they drew the old criticism of being "spiritual elitists." Frankly, I do not sense that they were such. Such individuals exist, but they do not naively and uncritically seek out contact with the lower astral plane via ouija board. They do not take at face value the identities and messages of the beings so contacted. True, this may provide "interesting" material for the poet to run with, but it is of dubious value otherwise. In fact, some of the specific information (such as no souls escaping Hiroshima) just sounds plain wrong. As for three billion dead in the immediate future, or Mohammed being the servant of the Adversary and destined to bring about the last holy war, well, I'll let you judge for yourself. There is also something about treating the subject of spiritual patrons and the pattern of the wallpaper with seemingly equal weight in the poem that is somewhat disconcerting...

Just the fact that multiple "characters" reveal in the course of the poem that they are not who they originally said that they were (sometimes for decades) should tell you how much credence you should place in anything that they have revealed.

What irritates me is that some would equate this work with William Blake's. Yes, it is a remarkable work of art, an exquisite poem, but it is not Revelation. You have about an equal amount of gems and dross in a most impressive setting. However, it is up to you to judge which is which. You see, a true poet-prophet (such as Blake or Dante or Milton) rely on their own direct, intuitive connection with the Divine, and not upon a secondary entity to contact the Essence that will impart true immortality to their work. But then again, as far as I know, the poet himself never claimed that this was anything more than a most skilled riff of poetic art. It is indeed that.

The stage adaptation is included in the back of this volume. It is my humble recommendation that you read it first in order to make the main poem a little more accessible.

One furthur note, the "God B" refered to so often here is obviously the Demiurge- Yaltabaoth.


"Now the archon (ruler) who is weak has three names. The first name is Yaltabaoth, the second is Saklas ("fool"), and the third is Samael. And he is impious in his arrogance which is in him. For he said, `I am God and there is no other God beside me,' for he is ignorant of his strength, the place from which he had come."
---Apocryphon of John, circa 200AD

How can I start a review of the book that captured me into poetry? that led me to actually read and enjoy Dante and Milton? that even led me to reading odd epic poems and novels in verse that rarely make it into the top million rank here on Amazon?

How about "Great book - a life-changer in wholly unexpected ways."

I got my copy gratis back when I was doing occasional book reviews of the more traditional sort and not the slightest bit interested in the slender wisps of poetry that crossed my desk. There was something different about this one, though. This was five pounds of poetry ! Five-hundred and sixty pages ? One poem? How could that be? WHAT could that be?

But you've got to decide whether to spend a few bucks here, your situation is different. So the real question is what brought YOU to this page in Amazon. Needless to say, my five-star rating means that I will try to convince all comers to read "Sandover", but you must realize that you are a rather lonely explorer to have come this far. Your path reveals the nature of your search.

Maybe you've read some of Merrill's other work from the recent, rather successful "Collected Poems". Wonderful! While the critics can tell you about commonalties in all those poems, you probably noticed more of the vast range in that collection: from the tiny, surgically incisive "Little Fallacy", to the weirdly evocative "Lost in Translation" (bet you read that one more than once), to the extended, languorous narrative of "The Summer People", to the challenging and often enigmatic mythos in "From the Cupola."

This wholly different last pair, my favorites, were unexpectedly conjoined as the only two poems in the UK-published early book entitled "Two Poems." Together, they hint best at what "Sandover" will deliver: carefully crafted narrative and delight in poetic form along with intellectually challenging and sometimes cryptic layering. Expect some strangeness wrapped in a reassuring pale, cream cape, until the cape is tossed back to reveal a startlingly, spookily omni-dimensional vision. Sounds like fun ? Jump in...

I guess it's possible that you came here after reading Alison Lurie's recent lurid little "literary memoir." If so, congratulations for stepping over that indelicate little pile to consider the man's most epic work, instead of a shrewish listing of his peccadilloes. Of course personality and autobiography inevitably fuel poetry, and Merrill's "Sandover" is no exception. You might even, legitimately wonder, as I did, how the poetry of a rich gay man, who sounds suspiciously like an aesthete of the flightiest sort in Lurie (and apparently had a weird, mystic streak) can do anything more than entertain you. And how is that possible for 560 pages ?

You won't find the glib and thoughtless dilettante of Lurie's portrayal lurking beneath "Sandover." Merrill was not an overtly autobiographical poet, but he collected the pieces and wrote the tale of Sandover through 20-odd years of his life, In doing so he revealed the reality of privilege without arrogance, mysticism within a wry skepticism, and appreciation of love and beauty in all their forms. "Sandover" is actually a fine place for one who is neither gay, nor rich, nor mystical and, perhaps, like me, aesthetically-challenged, to get drawn-in to a world that twines these elements together in an endlessly interesting and attractive way. If you've read Lurie, I think you will find "Sandover" an especial pleasure - a much more graciously framed journey toward much more extraordinary horizons.

I suppose you might be here because you have developed a taste for the long poem: the epic or the novel in verse (maybe from my own `listmania' list of such works right here on Amazon). If so, you face a more interesting challenge. "Sandover" will offer many things that are familiar but probably some quite different. If the story in Vikram Seth's "Golden Gate" captivated you, you will find a quite compelling story here - but not one quite so down-to-earth. If the different cultures circumscribed by Walcott's "Omeros" or even Budbill's "Judevine" intrigued you, you will find other worlds here - otherworldly locales, indeed.. If Merwin's "Folding Cliffs" satisfied while it challenged you as a reader, you will find "Sandover" to be a surprising combination of the eminently readable and the multi-layered and re-readable. If Dante's, Milton's or even Frederick Turner's epic reach inspired you, you can count on "Sandover" to take you to the inner and outer reaches of the universe.

Finally, of course, you might be here just because you've heard that James Merrill was one of the finest poets of the 20th century. He was. In "Sandover" he combined many, many talents - as a formalist and as an experimenter in form and as one of the last poets to show a pure delight in words and their infective enlodgement in the human brain. The atomics of the poem satisfy and surprise no matter what magnification your readerly microscope is set on. Over and over you will find yourself startled at a just plain perfect piece of short verse - as tersely powerful as William's "red wheelbarrow." Then you will find yourself so captured by the narrative of the story, that only part-way through will you realize that you are in the midst of two pages of elegant "terza rima." Even the largest structural elements partition, loop-back and break off in ways that build a magnificent whole that is as captivating in its large-scale structure as in its single word choices.

Sandover is an endlessly captivating work - I've read it, all 560 pages, four times in ten years, and still pick it up and read a section or two every few months.

I caught this exhibition at the Indiana State Museum while it was on a nationwide tour. It was so interesting that I took full advantage of my museum membership and came back and saw it several times while it was here in Indianapolis. I picked up the book as the exhibit was winding down but only recently read the well-written introductory essays that make up the first 35 pages or so of the book.

Cheech Marin has created a high-quality full color text of this travelling show which is mostly comprised of pieces from his own personal collection. Marin's taste tends to run towards political art, but there is plenty that speaks of life for artists who are both Chicano and American, as the exhibition title (also the book title) imply.

Artists that grabbed my attention include:

Carlos Almaraz - his car crash paintings were gigantic attention getters in the gallaries. His other works are great as well.

David Botello - his Monet-like style is fascinating.

One of the best paintings may well be "Janine at 39, Mother of Twins" by Margaret Garcia. Cheech Marin's comment on page 67 hits it on the head: "If there is a visual definition of the lushness, the strength, and the beauty of women, this painting is it."

Cesar Martinez's "Hombre que le Gustan las Mujeres (The Man who Loves Women)" is funny and a sadly realistic portrayal of the ways that men see women.

Patssi Valdez was the painter that stole the show in Indianapolis, at least from the comments I heard. Her pictures are so bright and have the power to mae the viewer feel as though he or she is being drawn in to the canvas, especially with works like "Room on the Verge." Another painting of hers graces the cover of the book.

I did not care for the works of a couple of established artists: Gronk and Mel Casas. The Casas pieces in this show seemed less like a work of art and more like very large, not very clever political cartoons. That being said, it was entirely appropriate to include their works considering their standing in the Chicano art movement.

I bought this book for my brother (artist) and he loved it! it had a great collection of chicano art throughout Los Angeles. Any 'Chicano artist' would like to take a look at other inspiring work.

Cheech Marin has collected some of the most amazing, enthralling pictures (paintings, drawings, etc.) by Chicano artists that I've come across! This book is such a rich collection to own because some of us can't afford to buy art, but we can look again & again at the copies he's put together. There are well-known artists, unknown artists, and people I'm thrilled to have found out about because their work is so brilliant. Some places where I've seen "Chicano" art collected before have stuck to one style, very pastely, very soft colors, a certain women's painting style that has its place but isn't representative. This book isn't like that. Marin has collected paintings of incredible scenes, showing car wreck victims, cholos, lovers embracing, a drive-by shooting in progress, a freeway accident, & a police shake down to name a few. The "realist" aspect of these pictures is so entertaining that it will provide owners of the book hours of transfixing study & discussion! Buy it!

Absolutely breathtaking. A great addition to my collection.

I am insanely jealous of Cheech Marin's art collection, or at least those pieces that are featured in this book. A true artist is one who can make the ugly beautiful, or at least make you look at it with a different perspective, such as David Botello's "Alone and Together Under the Freeway"

Frank Romero's "Arrest of the Paleteros" is tragic and funny at the same time, with the hapless ice cream sellers lined against a wall in front of robot-like cops.

Adan Hernandez' "Sin Titulo II", while not owned by Marin, is included in this book, and gives a peeping-Tom's eye view of a family's living room-it is stunningly beautiful and menacing at the same time. Other works in this book are excellent, and it is inspiring for any artist in a rut, who needs a fresh look at some unusual talents.

"Chief Bender's Burden" by Tom Swift is a great story, well written about a Native American baseball player turn of the century into the middle teens of the 20th century. He played for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics and they were world champions for a number of years. Bender was a big game,money pitcher who was at his best in pivotal late season and post season games, ie ( Lew Burdette, Milwaukee Braves; Curt Schilling Arizona d-backs, Boston Red Sox). Baseball was truly a national pastime then, where every community with enough people to field a team, had one. Swift does a great job trying to be accurate in every detail. However, it was the era of Grantland Rice and other great writers whose descriptions were the only reports, other than box scores, of the games. Swift includes fantastic examples of their writings. A compelling read about baseball and society during that time in our country.

This book was a delight to read. It is both informative and entertaining. Although it is a work of history it is a very easy and interesting read. Tom Swift has done his homework as the book is filled with many details describing the life and times of this hall of famer. I recommend it to all fans of baseball history and eagerly look forward to his future works.

A great book on an early 20th Century forgotten Baseball pitcher who is in the Hall of Fame. "Chief" Bender was one of the mainstays of those early great Philadelphia A's teams. This is a about a native American player who excelled in Major League Baseball in spite of all the racial comments, taunts and low expectations of Native Americans. There is information about his days at the Carlisle School. Tom Swift also uses the racially charged quotes from the papers of those years to demonstrate what he had to live with. His real name was Charles and like Baseball in those days everyone had a nickname some weren't too flattering like "Chief", "Rube" and "Dummy" While this is not a movie where the character has flashbacks of his past, Tom Swift starts with the 1914 World Series game 1 in which the "Chief" lost and continues to go back to that game leading off of many of the chapters of the events surrounding that game. I don't understand by discussing all the racial sterotypes on the man why then does the author keep going back to that same unsuccessful game? To me it is slamning the man all over again. If you can get past this stupid movie technique then the book is a worth while read.

This is the best biography I have read. It provides important details about an player important in baseball history, and also illuminates the history of many Native Americans and how they were assimilated into society in the late 19th early 20th centuries. This is one to purchase and keep.

When I saw there was a new biography of the great Chief Bender, I grabbed it up. Tom Swift has done a great service by bringing the life of Charles Bender to print. He is one of the all-time greats and should not be overlooked.

Swift also lets the reader get to know the man behind the legend, and the Chief was a Hall-of-Famer in nearly every aspect of his life. He was a great man and a great pitcher. Connie Mack said that if he had to win one big game, there is no one he'd rather have on the mound. And Connie Mack saw them all, from the 1880s to the 1950s -- from Cy Young to Walter Johnson to Lefty Grove to Whitey Ford.

There are a few problems with the book, which keeps it, at least in my mind, from meriting five stars. Swift begins his book with the opening game of the 1914 World Series, and then he keeps coming back to it throughout. This doesn't work for a number of reasons, especially since this is the "big game" the Chief lost (the A's were swept in the series by the "Miracle" Boston Braves). There are also occasional problems with Swift's prose. He uses sentence fragments to good effect in some cases, but in most instances, they just confuse the issue and make it seem as though he doesn't realize that a fragment is not a complete sentence. I also felt that many of his similes were weak.

Lastly, a book about a baseball star should include that player's career statistics, but this Swift fails to do. I found myself going to a web site to view the Chief's stats.

Overall, however, I enjoyed getting to know the great Charles Bender a little better.

Juno meets real life.

This book is a great read, its very real and down-to-earth.
Its written very well and very emotional.
I loved it!

Reviewed by Tabytha Joy (age 15) for Reader Views (8/07)

"Choices" is the story of a teenage girl, Kara, who wants to be more like other girls her age. She wants to go out more often and go out at night, but her parents won't let her. They are strict and give her an early curfew even though she is fifteen. Kara decides to sneak out her bedroom window to go to parties with Jake (a popular boy she meets at a basketball game).

Many difficult consequences result from Kara making this choice. After going out with Jake several times, Kara overdoes it with Jell-o shots at a party and ends up getting raped. She does not tell anyone what has happened until she discovers she is pregnant. Kara lives in Colorado where you must have a parent's permission, if you are under eighteen, even to get birth control.

After this happens, Kara blames herself for everything. She becomes depressed and hopeless. She thinks because she made bad decisions that she must suffer for them. But as the story unfolds, Kara learns a lot, and she grows.

I really enjoyed reading this book and it taught me some very good lessons. One of those lessons is that your parents tell you "no" because they want to protect you in every way possible. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way to understand why your parents are the way they are.

Anything can happen to anyone, at any time. But, if something happens to you, it is not always your fault. Sometimes you are a victim, and sometimes, just talking about it and getting your feelings out can help you begin to feel better.

"Choices" is a must read for everyone! We can all relate to something in this story. Great job, Kate!

Ever felt like the really tough decisions you face as a young adult, or parent of one, are just too complicated, painful and ultimately not worth facing? Then you should read Kate Buckley's "Choices." In a story of Kara, a young woman who gets pregnant in high school and sees her whole world unraveling in loneliness, fear and rejection, author Buckley reaches deep down into the humanity of Kara herself, her best friend Mel, and her parents, and shows us how their seemingly daunting circumstances turn into a profound wake up call to be courageous, face the truth and discover one of life's miracles: that people deep down inside really do care for each other despite circumstances that may seem impossible.

Written with ease and a compelling sense of "I can't put this book down", "Choices" will help you see your way through and shine new light on the choices you face. And for everyone, by the end of the book you'll feel like you are better person. Thank you Kate Buckley for a wonderful gift.

I recently read the book Choices I was not sure what to expect just knowing it was geared toward teen aged girls. As a mother of a 16 year old girl Choices is a wonderful catalyst for parents and children to have this sometimes "unapproachable talk" about the pressures of drinking, sex, social life and the importance of education. Even as a means for the girls and boys to talk and find out more about each other ...or just to give it food for thought.
What would you do if you were in her shoes at what point would it have become different for you? Would it have played out the same?
My daughter is dating a boy for a year now. I think it is important to know that there are consequences for every action. Some aren't earth shattering and some change you forever.
Just have some forethought.

In this novel for young adults--with something valuable to say to older adults, as well--Kate Buckley has had the courage to take on subject matter few will touch. As evidence: after a long search for a traditional publisher, Buckley had to self-publish for her story to see print. While none of the traditional publishers denied the quality and value of Buckley's writing, all were squeamish at backing up a topic that continues to ignite a furor among those who are pro-life and those who defend a woman's right to make choices about her pregnancy. Only after Buckley's book saw quick success and critical acclaim (Kirkus, Ms. Magazine, and others) did traditional publishers consider her work, and Choices may yet see the imprint of one of these on its title page in a second printing.

The author comes to her writing with substantial experience. A Santa Fe, New Mexico resident, Buckley holds a master's in human development with a concentration in women's studies. She has facilitated support groups for girls in California and New Mexico. An activist for women's rights, she has worked as a teen advocate in the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women's Teen Abuse Prevention Project and has trained for the LA Commission's Rape Crisis Hot Line team. Buckley has administered a three-year, science based drug and alcohol abuse prevention program in public middle schools of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

When Buckley wrote Choices, she meant it to be read and discussed not only by teen girls, but to open lines of communication between girls and their mothers, equally their fathers and brothers, even an entire community, for it takes a village to protect a young woman. Indeed, this is the line running through the novel. When 15 year old Kara MacNeill finds herself pregnant after being raped by a school jock at a party, she must confront her every fear in dealing with a moral and ethical dilemma. There is the rape itself. She must cope with the violation of body, mind and spirit that a person undergoes after a rape. To complicate matters, Kara's mother is an impassioned pro-life activist who often has her daughter help in passing our flyers and joining in protests against abortion clinics. Surely, Kara will not find help in her dilemma at home. Time is of essence, however, as Kara searches for support in various places with varied results. The young rapist adds pressure to abort the fetus, for, as it turns out, she is not the first girl in school he has raped. The complicit and shamed silence in his female victims is something he has come to rely upon.

Choices addresses all variations and possible solutions to a problem too many adolescent girls and young women face. Is Kara in some manner responsible? Is a girl at a party who drinks too much accountable for what a boy does to her? Will a parent who has strong pro-life views feel the same way when a daughter has been raped? As simple as it can be to hold firm views when they apply to others, the insights Kara's parents experience when the results of rape hit home are fascinating for the reader to witness.

This is a story about growing up, about being accountable and taking responsibility, about taking risks and being honest when honesty becomes a matter of life and death. This is a story about what it means to be a young not-yet-woman in a society that often puts the blame and the shame on the female (in no small part due to the views of women themselves about being "nice" and that "boys will be boys") when sex becomes an act of force. Kudos to Buckley for speaking up.

Author interview in the Summer 2008 issue of The Smoking Poet.


~Zinta Aistars for The Smoking Poet