Black Books

Keillor is probably best known in the Midwest where his tales of the imaginary town of Lake Wobegon are heard on many radio stations in that region. This book is set in a variety of real Minnesota towns and depicts life in the rural Midwest. Those from these stomping grounds will easily relate to the short stories contained in this book. But even if you dwell in a California metropolis you will still find a warmth, perhaps uncommon, yet very appreciated. Take, for example, the following exerpt quoted from The Notebooks of Carl Krebsbach:
"It was the annual January thaw, nature's way of arousing false hopes and tempting the good people of Lake Wobegon to let lown their guard and not wear a scarf so that nature can kill them. A form of natural selection to reduce the optimist population and promote the survival of embittered stoics who believe that fate is against them. Which it is.
The thaw means that snow on the roof melts and freezes on the overhang of the eaves, forming a dam to back up the water so it can get under the shingles and freeze and gradually rip our house apart, which is nature's goal, to obliterate us. Nature is not benevolent towards us, it wants us out of here. It's good to know this. In summer, you can almost believe otherwise.
Luckily, summer is soon over. As it turns cold, our mood improves. we're excited. Cold is a stimulant. So is danger. It's good to have nature to deal with. That's why self-pity declines in the fall. People don't sit around and anguish over what to do with their lives. Instinct tells you. You're a mammal. Stay warm. Stay close to the food supply. Shovel the roof. Make babies. Make a few extra in case the wolves get one. And then on a cold night in January, you walk out in the moon light and agsinst all reason, beyodn all expectation, you're utterly happy."

In addition to Keillor's down-to-earth story telling this book contains wonderful photography by Richard Olsenius. I actually bought this book because I am a fan of photojounalistic photograghy. Great writing and great photography, a bookshelf is incomplete without this volume.

I was what you would call a "Noobie" to all of Garrison's work until recently. I picked up this book at a college library after speaking to my mother about the Minnesota author project I was recently assigned. She was familiar with his work and suggested that I look into it....so I did. I never thought that this would open up such big can of worms, and I mean this in a good sense. After reading the book from cover to cover, I went on the internet to find out more about Garrison's work and turned up some very interesting search results. I then read it again and now I guess you could say that I'm hooked on the Lake Wobegon saga and I am planning on picking up a couple of his earlier writings related to Lake Wobegon.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend this book to anyone who has vast, little, or no knowledge of Lake Wobegon.

I was what you would call a "Noobie" to all of Garrison's work until recently. I picked up this book at a college library after speaking to my mother about the Minnesota author project I was recently assigned. She was familiar with his work and suggested that I look into it....so I did. I never thought that this would open up such big can of worms, and I mean this in a good sense. After reading the book from cover to cover, I went on the internet to find out more about Garrison's work and turned up some very interesting search results. I then read it again and now I guess you could say that I'm hooked on the Lake Wobegon saga and I am planning on picking up a couple of his earlier writings related to Lake Wobegon.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend this book to anyone who has vast, little, or no knowledge of Lake Wobegon.

Fans of Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" are already an imaginative sort. We know what Arlene Bunsen looks like, or Pastor Inquist. We've got a good idea how Roger Hedlund has been rotating his crops, and the main goings on on Main Street. We don't need pictures of this area because we already know it by heart--we've seen it on the radio. This book does exactly what it should...it doesn't dispel our images of Lake Wobegon, but gives us pictures of its neighbors and people living their lives in rural Minnesota. All the images are sepia toned. With a few exceptions, the subjects are unposed and candid, getting ready for the prom, or readying the field for corn.

The composition of the shots are superb. The short prologue gives a first person retelling of how Keillor invented the town that "time forgot and the decades cannot improve." That introduction, however, is so short that it's almost unfair to say that this is a Garrison Keillor book. He essentially wrote the foreword (although it's not titled that way), and the pictures tell the real story.

My only disappointment is that there isn't any color. Certainly sepia tones give us nostalgia the way we'd like to remember it, but sunset on a farm is something you can't appreciate in shades of brown. Rural life has its monochromatic moments, to be sure, but there's enough color and life to help us remember that not everything is nostalgia.

This gripe doesn't detract from the beauty of this book, though. Thankfully we never see Lake Wobegon, only hints and shadows. It allows us to preserve our preconceptions, but gives us a deeper feeling of connection with the area. If you're a fan of APHC, you probably already own this book (or you should). If not, take a look at a lifestyle that might be foreign to you.

From the Central Minnesota prairie, in beautiful black and white pictures and picturesque prose, here is the Genesis of Garrison Keilor's magical mythical Lake Wobegon, site of "A Prairie Home Companion." Here we get to *see* the strong women, good-looking men, and above average children of and for whom he speaks on Saturday nights. Accompanying Richard Olsenius' stunning photography (how can the viewer not be deeply moved by the picture of the veterans at the St. Wendell cemetery on Memorial Day?) are excerpts from the Radio Show, interviews with inhabitants, and essays and musings from Keilor - like this:

"Culture isn't decor, it's what you know before you're twelve. It sticks with you all your born days. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. You can try to wrestle free of it, like those geese who trail the V-formation, trying to look as if they aren't part of this bunch, as if flying south were a personal decision on their part, but your feint towards independence only makes it clearer who you really are. Some people like hot dish better if it's called cassoulet, or pot roast if it's pot-au-feu. Fine. Suit yourself. Same difference."

Whatever you call those culinary delights, you'll like this book. Come see Father Kleinschmidt's Annual Blessing of the Snowmobiles. Ja, you betcha! Reviewed by TundraVision.

This memoir written by the daughter of a woman that had polio and a history of polio is an excellent book. I really felt like I knew the author, her mother and the whole polio experience much better after I read this book.

As a polio survivor myself, I am fascinated by the biographies of others. I am very much reminded of TO CATCH THE SNOWFLAKES, another survivor who did not allow himself to be a victim.

Kathryn Black's journey to understand her mother's struggle with polio is well written and poignant--a definite contribution to appreciating the human condition. This book is worth every penny.

As a daughter of a polio survivor, I found this book to be an excellent resourse. the excellent research and doucumentation of a social and scientific phenomena of this century.

The book was inspirational and taught me a lot about the disease- things I never knew; but when I read the summary for this book, I thought it was going to be a story, not a research paper. Yes, Ms. Black does tell snippets of her mother's story every other chapter, but there is so much nitty gritty info in between- unless you want to know the entire history of the disease, don't buy this book. I did, thinking I would get an in depth view into the life of a family affected by polio, and instead got, for the most part, an essay on the history and effects of polio. Please don't be mislead by the title- it's a good title, but it conveys a personal and intimate sense which is not entirely present in the book itself. I hope my experience with this book helps you in the future.

INTO THE MIRROR BLACK IS OVER THE TOP, I GIVE FRANK'S BOOK FIVE STARS AND NOT JUST STARS THEY ARE FIVE STARS THAT SHINE SO BRIGHT, I AM LEFT FEELING VERY IMAGINATIVE AS IF I AM IN MYSTIC, INTO THE MIRROR BLACK PUTS THE CAPITOL C IN CLASSIC HORROR CHARMING YOU WITH TURN OF THE CENTURY DELIGHTS, TO ALL YOU BOOK LOVERS OUT THERE GET GOOSEBUMPS WITH FRANK E BITTINGER NOVELS, I AM GETTING GOOSEBUMPS JUST THINKING OF NOVEL TWO "ANGELS OF THE SEVENTH DAWN" WHICH I WILL START READING TOMORROW, UNTIL THEN NIGHTY NIGHTY SLEEP TIGHT DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE!

Into the Mirror Black was one of the best gothic novels I have ever read. I cared about the main character immediately. I loved the home his relative leaves for him. I really loved the idea of a graveyard on the premises. That is my idea of a dream home!
The alliteration to Rosemary's Baby was FANTASTIC!!! I half expected the old lady to offer Storm a blue drink and say, "Go on, it's good for you."
haha. This is a must read!

As a native Western Marylander I was both skeptical and curious about how well Bittinger would work the area into the book. I must say he did a wonderful job. His character descriptions and humor will leave you wanting more. I look forward to reading more of his work.

Into The Mirror Black

This story roped me right in, from the first page of the prologue. The description of the time-frame of 1900, transported me there immediately. I could close my eyes and see the dwelling in which the Ritual was taking place and then gracelessly interupted.
Soon I was traveling back to present day in the first chapter. I saw things in each character I could identify with. The main character in the story is (other than the Mirror) Storm. Poor man seems almost lonely, except for his co-workers and his assistant, Nannette. The exchanges between Storm and Nannette, made me laugh out loud! I believed that Storm's existance was work, and commute, home and sleep. No socializing, he didn't seem to have time. I could feel his depression seeping thru the pages. The shock of finding out about Lila's passing, and then learning of all she left him, pushes Storm to delve into his family's history and secrets in a small Western MD town, where he meets some people that become very important in his life. Vanessa Archer is one of these such people, the kind of person we all would like to have as a friend. The more he learned, the more questions arose. Who are these ghosts, what do they want?
I had to make myself put the book down, so I could function in my daily life, or to sleep. The closer to finishing the book I got, the harder it was to put down.
I am so very ready for the next book, and June 2007 can't get here fast enough!

"Into the Mirror Black" will draw you in with a blend of witty characters and macabre intrigue. The smooth flow of events was compelling to read, but I was even more impressed at how the supernatural aspects of the story were kept within a fully realistic setting. Frank lets the daily lives of his characters interact with his plot in such a way that his exposition isn't as obvious as other writers.

I quickly felt familiar with the characters, and I enjoyed how the clues and mysteries of the plot were peculiar enough to leave me wondering. By the end, I only thought that I'd had it figured out...

Nevertheless, as the first book that I've been able to finish reading in over five years vs. novels written by Dean Koontz and Clive Barker; I'd reccommend "Into the Mirror Black" to reading enthusiasts, but to those of us who aren't as avid as we might have once been.

I'm looking forward to the next piece by this author!

We bought this book for our 6-yr old son. Not only does he read it, but so do our 11 and 14-yr old children. It is an outstanding book with a superb message for children and adults. It is well written and the author does a good job keeping the readers captivated. The illustrations are fantastic. We hope there will be future books about Jules' adventures in the Coast Guard.

Based on a real-life lighthouse dog (whose photograph is shown on the last page), Jules the Lighthouse Dog is a children's picturebook by award-winning children's book author P.T. Custard. Simple, exuberant illustrations follow Jules' daydreams of undertaking different canine careers. But one foggy day at the lighthouse, Jules howling warns ships in peril of coming too close to shore and capsizing. Jules learns that he's needed right at home, in this gentle story perfect for young dog lovers.

Jules the Lighthouse Dog is an excellent book. Filled with many colorful and artistic illustrations, the book follows Jules, a Bernese Mountain Dog, as he seeks out what his talent in life is. In the end, Jules finds his talent and uses it to benefit others and for good.
This book would make an excellent teaching tool for children who are learning about good deeds, talents, patience, and giving. Adults will appreciate the powerful message within the book - everyone has a talent, they just need to reach inside of themselves and find it!
-Daniel Sernicola

I bought this book months before it became available on Amazon, on the recommendation of a good friend. My children are now a little too old to appreciate it, but I hope will read it to their own children. I mostly bought it for myself, and Jules has not disappointed. It's written in a light hearted but poignant way, is beautifully illustrated, and filled with love and wisdom. For toddlers through the elementary grades, and for dog lovers of any age.

We recently added Jules the Lighthouse Dog to our library's collection, and it is a very popular book! The illustrations are great, and the story is engaging. Since we are located in Michigan near a lighthouse, and since dogs are popular with nearly everyone, this book has been a hit. We hope there will be more books from this author to follow.

Ruth Rendell does her usual wonderful job of engaging you in this mystery from the very beginning. The book is about a man who comes into a large sum of money and decides to give it away to those in need. Several different story lines are woven together skillfully. The book is a real page turner, but the ending was disappointing. I won't give it away.

Like most books by Ruth Rendall, this is a masterly study of the minds deviating from what we would call the normal.

It keeps the reader excitedly hoping for a happy ending --that never comes. Or maybe it does, after all. This goes beyond a common crime novel. Absolutely recommendable.

I went to my library to check out "A Sight for Sore Eyes" as I was trying to describe it to a friend and wanted to re-read it for some details. Discovered "The Lake of Darkness" on the Ruth Rendell shelf.

What a great book! I could hardly put it down. I loved the ending where the bad guy forgets one very important detail and can't do anything about it. We assume that he will be caught, but don't know for sure.

What I like about this book was that the characters seem to be normal, but they are anything but. It makes one wonder what ones neighbors might really be doing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a great story.

Ruth Rendell is a fabulous British author who has churned out mystery after mystery filled with dark, demented twists. This is another tautly plotted, well crafted mystery with characters that, though seemingly normal, are just a tad off the beaten path.

This book features Martin Urban, a staid and somewhat stuffy young man who would have felt at home in Victorian England. Martin wins a very large sum of money in a football pool with a little help from Tim Sage, an old friend of his. Altruistic and given to some rather god-like pronouncements, Martin wishes to give the money away to the deserving poor, in order to enable them to buy a home. Poor Martin, there are none so blind, as those who will not see.

Beset by subliminal homo-erotic thoughts regarding Tim Sage, he meets a mysterious young woman named Francesca, who is as demure and submissive as a Victorian maiden and captures his heart. Unfortunately, she is bound to another. All, however, is not as Martin thinks that it is.

Enter Finn, the twisted son of Lena, former cleaning lady to Martin's mother. When Finn's path crosses that of Martin's, during one of Martin's fumbling attempts to give some of his winnings away, a very clever dialogue ensues between these two with some unexpected, deadly results.

Fans of Ms. Rendell will not be disappointed by this book. It is filled with the slightly off-beat characters for which she is known, some of whom harbor dark twisted thoughts, while others are entirely socio-pathic. Well-written is spare, clear prose and filled with enough twists and turns to satisfy the most discerning of readers, this is another gem in Ms. Rendell's treasure trove of mysteries.

For those interested, this book is available as part of a two book package, ISBN # 0 09 187009 7, which combines the present novel with "The Veiled One" at a bargain price.

This is not a long novel, but it is compelling and hard to put down. There are no major flaws in the novel: it is well balanced, it has good characters, it has a a good plot, and it has mystery. It is what one expects from the author. She delivers a near perfect tale. The book came out in 1980.

There are no extraneous diversions or literary trips made. All the writing is directed around the plot of what happens to an accountant after he wins an English football pool, and a prize of over £100,000.

Highly recommend: 5 stars.

I very seldom laugh out loud while reading a book; in fact, I very seldom laugh at all. There's not a lot I find funny in this miserable pig-eat-pig, no-win situation we've agreed to call "life"--except, occasionally, the absurdity that most of us choose to go on enduring it what with all the rope, sleeping pills, razor blades, and guns readily available. But Jack Womack's *Let's Put the Future Behind Us,* actually had me chortling and snorting with ill-natured mirth. Truly this is one uproariously funny book: without a doubt one of the funniest I've ever read ((I'd also recommend Matthew Sloan's *Fake Girls*)) and I'd say you'd have to practically be embalmed not to crack more than a rictus grin while reading of the exploits of its anti-hero--and narrator--the sarcastic and cynical and ever-wisecracking, Max Borodin.

First off, one should make clear that the setting of *Let's Put the Future Behind Us* is Russia--the Russia after the fall of communism and the rise of organized crime, unscrupulous financiers, their corrupt government lackeys, and all the other virulent ills that early onset capitalism is heir to--and will eventually succumb to, altogether. It's the sort of place where one can always depend on Soviet-inspired "unobtrusive service"--a euphemism for no service at all--anywhere one goes and where to persuade even the lowliest clerk to provide you with the surliest attention requires a fist always equipped with a generous cash bribe. Womack gives the unmistakable impression that he knows this new Russia intimately--its people, its inner workings, its history, its landmarks and landscapes both famous, infamous, and obscure. He speaks so authoritatively and authentically through his Russian narrator, mimicking the syntax and rhythm of an intelligent but not-quite-native speaker of English to such perfection that you'd almost think he were writing in a second language. Borodin sounds a bit like a very savvy Borat at the start of *Future,* a Borat "in" on the joke, but as the novel unfolds the buffoonery becomes eclipsed by the ultra-violence of events and what emerges is the terrifying and diabolical face of evil which such buffoonery often conceals. Think Hitler. Think Stalin. Comical characters at first. Nothing funny about them later.

Max, a former bureaucrat under the old Soviet system of incompetence, is no different from any other entrepreneur let loose in the New Russia of unlimited opportunities. He's made a decent living for himself as a franchise "banker" and counterfeiter of official documents. But it's easy to find yourself sleeping with the wrong people as a businessman in the New Russia--and before too long, Max has got a veritable mad orgy of the very worst of the worst in his bed.

Things start to unravel for Max in more ways than it's easy to enumerate. Within the first 50 pages, Womack brings on the trouble from so many different directions you can't possibly figure out how it's all going to come together--or how Max will ever escape from this strafing crossfire of woes. But eventually everything that's begun hitting the fan from page one--his hilarious attempts to arrange a funeral for the deceased father of a client--does come together and when it does, Max finds himself in the midst of a bloody monsoon of greed, betrayal, stupidity, lust, corruption, and murder that's sure to bury him alive--if he can even stay alive that long.

And yet, Max, wisecracking even up to his chin in trouble, keeps you in stitches as his own life unravels. His barbed asides on the wonders of "democracy," "capitalism," and the new "free" Russia are as pointed as those on the atrocities of Stalinist Russia. Sarcastic and cynical, Max is nonetheless someone who cares deeply for his wife Tanya--and just as deeply for his mistress, the irrepressibly voluptuous Sonya. He's a liar, a swindler, a schemer, and a thief--but, as he makes it abundantly clear--this is what it takes to survive as a capitalist in the New Russia. It's survival of the fittest and if Max is a bit of a blackguard, he's a little less black than his comrades: it he's an out-and-out criminal, well, then his crimes are considerably less than those of the competition. What is survival, after all, but a crime at the expense of the survival of others to one degree or another? He's not exactly a man of honor; but he's not quite a man without honor altogether. He may do bad things, but he's not unaware of it: he knows what morals are, for instance. He also knows that too strict an adherence to too many of them is the surest and swiftest way to get yourself killed.

Let's say that Max is a pragmatist of the most radical sort. But what endears him to us most of all--even at his worst--is that he won't cut out anyone's eye balls without a perfectly good reason unlike the psychopathic brutes he's up against. And, of course, he keeps us laughing, and that's no small thing. Everyone likes someone who can keep them laughing--it makes it more bearable to ignore the corpses all around us, to accept the awful things we must do to walk from one end of our life to the other. Max, with a wink and a nod, has a highly developed sense of irony about his own dark side, which makes all the difference. There's nothing more unendurable than the morally self-righteous; nothing more banal than unconscious evil. At its most disturbing, *Let's Put the Future Behind Us* hints at what's behind those sly, glinting eyes of Papa Stalin--that, given half the chance, we're really no different than him.

My advice? Whatever you're reading now, finish it, and make *Let's Put the Future Behind Us* the next book you read. It's the sort of novel that could very well end up being one of the top five books you read this year. Of course, if you only read five books this year, it'll finish considerably higher.

Snappy prose, well-paced narrative, sharp humor (a few actual 'I-laughed-out-loud-while-reading' sequences).

I think the book really caught a unique time and place in russia's history. The book would have a more topical impact to the reader of 1996-97 but it is still a great read from a talented writer.

I have got to read Womack's other works! I have a friend who big into Russia and he was amazed by the accuracy (he noted especially the description of the Russian concept of "poshloi"), all from a writer who spent little time in the New Russia. This book is well-paced and full of intriguing characters (especially Max)--a must read for...well, anyone! Words fail to describe it; Just read it!

Womack's writing is incredibly similiar to Kurt Vonnegut Jr., but unlike Vonnegut, he is able to change the written voice seemlessly. The novel itself doesn't resemble Russian literature, or more accurately it doesn't resemble Russian literature that has been translated into English. Any Lit major will tell you that the majority of Russian novels translated do no justice for the writing. However, Womack's voice is believable without the trite and cliche signifiers American writers use to create a post-Communist scenario.

Although the writing style is far off, the character stylization and interaction is very similiar to Irvine Welsh. Each character symbolizes a much greater question in the protaganist's purpose as opposed to representing a well-rounded life simply interacting as is typical of Western existentialism. The subtle traits of the charcters draw the reader in through introspective comparison in an understated technique that is really what makes this style so enjoyable to read.

Jack Womack returns to the present in his sly, humorous tale set in contemporary Russia. Only a writer of Womack's prodigious literary gifts could pull off a great novel about Russia that isn't written by a native. He's done an excellent job examining both the business and political elites of Boris Yeltsin's Russia; every word sounds as though it could be written by a distinguished Russian author. His dense, descriptive prose runs wild through this well written tale of business intrigue and corruption, taking us on a mesmerizing literary joy ride laced with ample doses of black humor. At times I found the passages so funny that I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. "Let's Put The Future Behind Us" is yet another excellent novel by this underrated writer; one who deserves a broad readership beyond science fiction fandom.

I remember spending time with my dad, he would read this book to my sister and I. I was hoping to get to have him read it to my kids. It is a great story with a great message. IT is too bad it is not available.

I just remembered this book, which I had as a child, and I have very fond memories of it. Although it comes across as being a typical children's book, it is a good tool for teaching children how important reading is (and the plot and pictures are cute as well).

This was one of my favorite books as a child. I recently read it to my 7 year old, who doesn't like reading. She laughed at the man and realised the importance of reading. What a great book! Too bad it is no longer available.

I remember reading this book as a kid and loving it! Now I've got kids of my own starting to read, and I want to pick it up for them.

This is probably one of a handful of children's books I would ever consider paying a collector's price for because it is just so fun in the way it teaches kids the importance of learning to read.

All kids go shopping with their parents and can understand how important reading is to pick the right things. Fun story. Great book. I highly recommend it.

This book was read to my class by a school librarian when I was in grade school. I remember thinking it was the funniest book ever. I used to hate reading at that point and I was a terrible speller. Well, my spelling didn't improve because of this book, but my perception of reading was forever changed.

I was reminiscing with a friend of mine who was part of my class at the time. When I asked what her favorite story was, she named this one. Obviously, it had an impact on us both.

If you can get your hands on a copy, it is well worth the money. It will not dissappoint your kids. I had to go to eBay to find a copy. It's just as great as I remembered it. :o)

Thomas Sowell is one of the best writers of modern day condition that I have read. From his columns in the local paper on occasion to his books, which I have all of his publications.... I just cannot get enough of this man's wisdom.

To have a full education in economics and the greater understanding of what potential we have Dr. Sowell is number one on my reading list.

I am a long time T Sowell fan. My rating would no doubt be prejudiced. This book shows him to be a regular guy. His letters are straight forward. No big words, everything easy to grasp

Thomas Sowell is a really great writer. This "auto-biography" told by his correspondence over the years was most enjoyable.

Dr. Sowell continues his personal revelations through a series of letters sent and received. Because of Dr. Sowell's clear thinking and uncompromising honesty plus his sense of the ridiculous, these letters are a joy to read. However, they also offer a view of the evolvement of parts of society (i.e. the academic life) seldom examined so closely. Read this book! It will lead you to his other works which you will want to read. My favorites are "Conflict of Visions" and "Black Rednecks and White Liberals". I encourage everyone to read this book. It will awaken young people to new views and reassure the over 50 crowd that what they suspected was true.

His letters of the past 40 years gives us a glimpse to one of the greatest modern thinker's life. I have read Mr. Sowell's editorials many times and always find his commonsense to be refreshing. This book takes us through history as he recounts the current events of the time, from his unique perspective, with colleagues, students and policy-makers.

First, Kropotkin discusses mutual aid among animals. His first point is that Darwin had nothing to do with Social Darwinianism. In fact, he quotes Darwin as saying, "Those communities which included the greatest number of the sympathetic members would flourish best, and rear the greatest number of offspring."

He gives numerous examples. One of his examples is about the crested screamer, a bird species which holds massive song recitals. Would Lorenz agree that those birds are chirping merrily? Or would he insist that they are marking their territory?

Next, he discusses mutual aid among savages. Note that he uses a word which is scientifically unacceptable today.

Since K. cannot travel back in time, he surmises how our earliest ancestors lived by observing how isolated tribes today live--which is in clans. Although such tribes are still called "primitive," there is some question of whether or not these tribes live like our prehistoric ancestors did.

Since isolated tribes tend to live in clans, Kropotkin claims that the marital bond is not as strong as in the nuclear family system. In the appendix, he debates Westermarck on this matter.

Next, he discusses mutual aid among barbarians--another taboo word. According to K., there was a wave of migrations in ancient Europe, in which "races were mixing with races." The social institutions seemed to be wrecked as a result, but K. assures us that they instead "underwent the modification which was required by the new conditions of life."

Next, he discusses mutual aid in the medieval city. Now we are up to the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries. Our next institution, then, is the professional guild.

Finally, he discusses mutual aid among ourselves. He sees a faint vestige of mutual aid today. K. sees the union as the successor of the clan, the village, and the guild, so he calls for more and better unions. K. also speaks highly of organizations with special interests, such as garden clubs and glee clubs.

However, K. cautions us against the "reckless individualism," or "the war of each against all," which he sees as prevailing today.

Kropotkin's discussion, persuasive as it is, can be counterbalanced with arguments in favor of individualism and competition. I wonder how Kropotkin would respond to the famous anecdote about the Jamestown colonists.

One can also question Kropotkin's claim that only the most sociable animal species prosper. The feline order is renowned for the aloofness of its members, and the lion has been dubbed "the king of the beasts."

I would like to close this report with an ad hominem attack against Kropotkin himself: If individualism is so reprehensible, what is he doing writing a book by himself and claiming credit for it by himself?

Anarchist classic, rooted in observation of natural phenomena and history. Challenges the conception that capitalism is a natural progression of Darwinism at work in the wild. The author cites numerous examples of compassion and innate goodness at work outside the bounds of a structured power-based society. The study covers cooperation among animals, instances of non-hierachical interactions from primitive tribes to mediaeval cities, and on to his contemporary labor unions. It has been some years since I read it and I plan to revisit this title soon.

This book, which appears to be about the only surviving scientific text from Kropotkin's work, is very interesting and insightful. The first two chapters which deal with animals I found most interesting, because they address the roots of the falsehood of social-darwinism. Kropotkin then proceeds to move through the different stages of human society and describes the mutual aid a compassion fetures therein. It is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it. It is a scientific text, but it has major political implications and is very accessible.

Este libro es uno de los pilares fundamentales de la teoria del anarco comunismo tan desvirtuada por el imperialismo, y nos da la esencia que el anarquismo, lejos de lo que se cree comunmente es una doctrina que se basa en el amor y la ayuda mutua, quitando las barreras de desigualdad entre las personas y haciendo un recuento de cómo la ayuda mutua es un factor de evolución hcia una sociedad más justa.

Peter Kropotkin is one of the most noteworthy anarchist thinkers over the last two centuries. As with other political thinkers, so, too, with Kropotkin--his analy¬sis of human nature is critical for understanding his overall philosophical position. For his view of human nature, "Mutual Aid" is a key for understanding his views. His work is a harbinger of more recent studies of sociobiology, many of which explore the roots of altruism--human and otherwise.

Much of his thinking on the nature of society was formed when he was observing the behavior of animals in Siberia. While assigned to a Siberian regiment of the Russian military, Kropotkin did innovative original work on geography and geology as well as the study of animal behavior. His observation of animals led him to respond to Huxley's assertion that natural selection was based on keen com¬petition among animals with the following statement: ". . .wherever I saw animal life in abundance, as, for instance, on the lakes where scores of species and millions of individuals came together to rear their progeny; in the colonies of rodents; in the migration of birds which took place at that time on a truly American scale along the Usuri; and especially in a migration of fallow-deer which I witnessed on the Amur, and during which scores of thousands of these animals came together from an immense territory, flying before the coming snow, in order to cross the Amur where it is narrowest--in all these scenes of animal life which passed before my eyes, I saw Mutual Aid and Mutual Support carried on to an extent which made me suspect in it a feature of the greatest importance for the maintenance of life, the preservation of each species, and its further evolution."

He synthesized his observations of animals within a species cooperating with one another and concluded that, in the struggle for life, cooperation was at least as important as competition. Kropotkin did not argue that competition was unimportant in the natural selection process. However, he did emphasize that mutual aid was a factor that many Darwinists (although, as Kropotkin made clear, not Darwin himself) ignored. The data that Kropotkin utilized came from many different animal species.

Kropotkin goes on to speculate about the survival value of cooperative behavior. He states that: "Life in societies enables the feeblest insects, the feeblest birds, and the feeblest mammals to resist, or to protect themselves from, the most terrible birds and beasts of prey; it permits longevity; in enables the species to rear its progeny with the least waste of energy and to maintain its progeny with the least waste of energy and to maintain its numbers albeit a very slow birth rate; it enables the gregarious animals to migrate in search of new abodes. Furthermore, cooperation facilitates the development of intelligence, since that quality is so important for social life among animals."

Kropotkin is not content to rest his case at this point. He subsequently indicates the likely course of human evolution and the role played by cooperation. He adopts the method of using existing societies at differing levels of socio-cultural complexity to speculate about the course of human socio-cultural evolution. Kropotkin argues that, at each stage, mutual aid is apparent and important for humans. Even in the period dominated by the great states, the present for Kropotkin, mutual aid institutions still flourished despite the state's intimidating presence.

Thus, Kropotkin's view of human nature is, ultimately, that it is inherently good, i.e. cooperative toward his or her fellow. What of this assertion? Is Kropotkin's view of human nature completely inaccurate and confounded by the available evidence? That is where each reader must evaluate his or her view of humanity's nature and render a judgment on "the anarchist prince."

The item arrived in a timely manner and it was the exact item I ordered.

A wide variety of different styles of puzzles, each with the payoff of several very good New Yorker cartoons, makes this book a blast to play with. I work hard to limit myself to only a couple of puzzles each time I pick it up (and so far I've refused to share the book with the gift-giver.) I've enjoyed it so much, I'm buying a copy for my mother for her birthday.

I was just cruising through my Big Box Bookstore to see what was appearing on the shelves for the upcoming Christmas season.In the Games section ,between a bunch of Crossword Puzzle books and what is becoming a flood of Sudoku and other number puzzle books,I spotted this little Gem.Most people who do crosswords know of Will Shortz of the NY Times Crossword puzzle fame,Robert Mankoff of Games Magazine and the famous New Yorker Magazine's Cartoons. Well, all these are combined and with some great "Thinking Outside the Box" have come up with a puzzle book that will entertain and challenge you.Some of the other reviewers have made reasonable attempts to describe these puzzles;so I won't try.What I suggest is to search it out in the store and get a feel for them.
This book is just the thing needed for those who have become obsessed with those Sudoku puzzles,have been doing nothing but crosswords for years, or even those who have never done much in the way of puzzles.
I'll tell you one thing;if you like puzzles,and who doesn't,and also like cartoons,and who doesn't;then you'll love this latest addition to the world of puzzles.

Is this a book of New Yorker cartoons or a puzzle book? Well, it's a little of both, and the result is a novel way to laugh and exercise your brain at the same time. Most of the 83 puzzles consist of cartoons that are missing words, captions, or picture components. By figuring out the missing elements and sometimes combining them with acrostics, crossword puzzles, or other word grids, the cartoon humor is revealed.

For the most part, the puzzles are of only moderate difficulty, although there are a few difficult ones (at least for me) that involve matching a cartoon with the decade in which it was created or matching cartoons from early and late in a cartoonist's career. Frequent puzzle solvers will recognize many of the familiar puzzle types from Games Magazine and other media that Puzzability publishes in. The foreword to the book contains a casual and loosely coupled conversation between New Yorker cartoon editor Robert Mankoff and New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz.

This is an entertaining book that you'll hate to throw away when it's been completed because of all the witty cartoons it contains. Enjoy!

Eileen Rieback

I love word puzzles though I'm not a serious puzzler - I do a few crosswords a week and have owned maybe three puzzle books as an adult. I am, however, a big cartoon fan, though honestly I've been more FoxTrot & Calvin than I am the New Yorker. So, my favorite puzzles are cryptograms with cartoons. Don't find them much - but when I searched specifically for this, I discovered this book.

I enjoy the New Yorker Book of Cartoon Puzzles and Games (and have purchased a second copy for a friend) because the combo of puzzle and cartoon has proven very relaxing - I involve myself in a semi-hard puzzle, but then find a laugh waiting for me once it's solved. New Yorker cartoons do typically contain some of the least expected twists, and I found that here.

However, I don't think a serious puzzle person would be happy with this book, unless he were interested in the New Yorker cartoons. I say this only because the puzzles range from easy to medium difficulty for an adult. (A teen or younger might enjoy more of a challenge.) I still recommend this though - for a more relaxed puzzler like myself it's a good mental stroll.

Though not typically a history buff, I found it a pleasant surprise that the editors included the history of New Yorker cartoons, and with it a history of the U.S, WITHIN quite a few puzzles. Several times you are asked to place the puzzles in the correct time period (and the New Yorker puzzles go back at least to the 1920's) or even with the correct author/cartoonist. The puzzles are just challenging enough to give me a think (similar to a midweek newspaper crossword perhaps) but not overly hard. And there is an ABUNDANCE OF GREAT CARTOONS - usually five or six to each puzzle and often grouped in interesting ways/topics.

But what of those cryptograms? Good news is that they were well done, and with increasing difficulty; Disappointment is that there were only three pages of cryptograms while other types of puzzles were represented more. It does seem that the editors missed out on utilizing the perfect collaboration of crypts and cartoons.

I give it a 4 - enjoyed the cartoon aspect, most puzzles fun but some just too easy for an adult. Still worth the stroll.