Ohio Books

April Gornik Essay by Donald Kuspit, Conversation with the artist by Dede Young (Hudson Hills Press) is the first comprehensive overview of renowned artist April Gornik's paintings and drawings. This handsomely produced and richly illustrated volume presents a visual history of her work and tracks the development of her signature style.
For more than 20 years, April Gornik's ethereal landscapes have combined a devotion to light with the intellectual curiosity to explore and the skill to portray it. Influenced by predecessors both in America and abroad, from the Luminists to Vermeer, Gornik's canvases-panoramic, majestic, richly colored-convey what critic Donald Kuspit calls "an original, fresh experience of nature," and what Gornik herself calls "an aesthetic fiction:" a constructed view of nature addressing the philosophical and aesthetic needs of our time.
Haunted by images drawn from dreams and travel, the artist works to assemble compositions surreal in their presence, yet strangely moving in their exceptional spirituality. Using painting to reach what she finds spiritually and psychologically compelling, Gornik works to create an art not only of visual appeal, but one which, as she recounts in the volume's interview with curator Dede Young, engages the mind as well.
This monograph is published in conjunction with the exhibition at the Neuberger Museum of Art in Purchase, New York, where Dede Young is the curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. Donald Kuspit is one of America's most distinguished art critics, and the author of several books including Steve Tobin's Natural History.

April Gornik: Paintings And Drawings is a collaboration between the Neuberger Museum of Art (Purchase, New York) and the Hudson Hills Press. Featuring an informative essay Fictional Freedom: April Gornik's Landscapes by distinguished art critic Donald Kuspit, and a conversation by Dede Young (curator of Modern and contemporary Art for the Neuberger Museum of Art) with April Gornik on and about here work, this superbly presented 167-page monograph beautifully showcases April Gornik's stunningly impressive ethereal landscapes, flawless technical skills, and her own unique "inner eye" as an artist revealing here aesthetic interpretation of natural images. Additionally enhanced with listings of exhibitions, collections, awards, bibliography, and an index, April Gornik is an important, core addition to personal and academic 20th Century Art History collections.

April Gornik has quietly been practicing her art for many years, never distracted by trends or politico-social climes. She just creates landscapes of extraordinary simplicity and beauty. Whether focusing on a single tree or a glance at a minute detail of nature or a panoramic view of the vastness of landscape that begins and ends only where the eye dictates, Gornik intuitively understands the grand life cycle and the secrets and miracles of the land. She is an enormously accomplished artist.

In this fine monograph, to my knowledge the first major book beyond museum small catalogues to explore Gornik's gifts, the fine contributions by renowned art historian and commentator Donald Kuspit embellish the generous number of full color illustrations. Gornik's own intensely personal views are warmly related in an interview with Dede Young, a curator at Neuberger Museum of Art in Purchase, New York.

But as always with fine art the emphasis is on the visual and this book offers some of the more beautifully rendered reproductions of Gornik's paintings ever published. Hudson Hills Press is responsible for this excellent publication, one of the better art monographs of the year. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

Ann Hudson is the poet we all wish we could be. Her honest, raw insight into the small but powerful moments of life make modern poetry worth reading.

This is a haunting collection that manages to be both spare and detailed at the same time. It's amazing that someone can conjure such images and such complex emotional landscapes in so few words. Poetry at its best, and highly recommended!

Ann Hudson's poems reveal the beauty, irony, and pain of small everyday moments. Moments that I barrel by every day, taking no notice, Hudson picks up, burnishes and uncovers their essence helping me to see them in all their humanity. Buy this book--it's a wonderful testament to the power and relevance of poetry today.

.

As a survivor of encephalitis, I was delighted to sit down and read this book. I've never met another encephalitis survivor face to face... so, when reading Aunt Killer, I was fascinated to get to know Eva, the main character, who is struggling to comprehend what is happening to herself.
There were some places in the book.... some parts, which touched my heart, as I remembered having the exact same feelings about encephalitis. I felt myself nodding, and understanding, some of the feelings which the author expressed. Some moments, the main character was so 'normal.' And other moments, she just slipped away...
It's high time that someone included the topic of encephalitis within fiction. There are so many people in the world who think that they are alone. Who just curl up with sadness, and attempt to carry on as best they can. This book brings encephalitis out of the cupboard, dusts it off, and explores it in plain view.
Sincere thanks to the author of this book. She has taken a step which will lighten the load of many people, as she has magically woven the truth of encephalitis, around a fast paced story of suspense.

Aunt Killer uses vivid descriptions to enable the reader to visualize the characters and their emotional lives. Romance drifts through the book like a gentle breeze. Compassion and honest form a marriage that keeps the pages of the book turning. The chapters are short enough to be completed while waiting for an appointment. But,the anticipation and curiosity created in the story propelled me to read,"Just one More Chapter!" What would happen without short-term memory? That alone created suspense!

I have just finished reading "Aunt Killer" and I loved it! I am a survivor of encephalitis and I plan on giving a copy of this book to everyone I know. There is no way they won't begin to understand what I went through and continue to go through everyday of my life. Jeneva Johns and I did not have the same type of encephalitis but the end results are the same. I especially loved her telling about "forgetting the butter" but, I guess you'd have to be a survivor to understand that! Way to go, Jeneva!!!!

The Best Kept Secret by Les Roberts is a wonderful book. Often I think Les Roberts is the best-kept secret in writing today. The Milan series has been flawless, and The Best Kept Secret is no exception. This book was extremely entertaining and thought provoking. I was captured by the first page and read it in one day. I highly recommend this book and all the rest of the books written by this talented man.

Cleveland private investigator Milan Jacovich owes his life to Dr. Reginald Parker. Strangely it did not occur when the two were grunts in Nam as their paths never crossed in Southeast Asia. Instead, the high school principal rescued the sleuth in an East Cleveland crack house. Milan knows that he owes Reginald so when the educator calls in his chips, the detective responds.

A former student, Jason Crowell attends Sherman College located in the western suburbs. An anonymous group, the Women Warriors, accuse Jason of rape, plastering flyers all over the campus. The media is playing the story. Milan agrees to look into the situation and learns some strange facts. No one knows who are the members of the female activist group. The alleged victim has never surfaced. Jason has always been squeaky clean and his sexual preference tends towards males. As the school administration wants to hang Jason as a sexual predator, a related murder occurs in which the freshman serves as the prime suspect. Milan believes the lad is innocent and plans to uncover the identity of the real killer.

The Milan Jacovich mysteries remain an entertaining treat as they strip away the image of a burning Lake Erie and a rusted city to provide a tour of the real Cleveland. The latest novel, THE BEST-KEPT SECRET, is an interesting tale as Milan investigates the ugly atmosphere of a nearby campus. The story line seems far-fetched that Jason would come under such a blitz attack based on almost nothing. However, the fact that indiviudals serving hard time have been freed due to DNA testing prove otherwise. Les Roberts has kept fresh his down to earth sleuth in a tale that fans will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

Being a lover of mysteries, I had never heard of Les Roberts until a relative of mine gave me this book. It gripped me from the beginning, introducing Milan Jacovich as not only a good detective but a dedicated friend coming to the aid of someone who once saved his life. As the story progresses and the characters develop, the possibilities of "whodunit" became wider, with the reader never really knowing which character was behind the crimes - yes, the crimes multiplied as the story went on. Once this reader got to the fifth or sixth chapter, putting the book down became difficult. The last hundred pages went very fast as the guilty parties were revealed. This is a good, fast-paced, involving story that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and a central character, who in most ways, has a conscience.

I read the first 150 pages in the first day.
I couldn't unglue myself from this very detailed and comprehensive though not boring at all.
From a series of very little mistakes in good faith and some minor omissions, a huge catastrophe was built up.
Every co-cause is described in time order and you can see the "moment X" coming arriving always nearer.
I also appreciated the simple explanation of fire and smoke dynamics.

I've actually not gotten the chance to read this book, but I can only tell you that the man behind it, Prof. Lawson, is a brilliant man who has done wonders for the state of KY and is an amazing professor, albeir far too modest. Insightful when it's appropriate to be insightful and may crack a joke when the situation warrants it.

If you're considering making the purchase, I would recommend it blindy. I'm sure all my classmates, those who came before and those who will come hereafter would agree...

It is impossible to read this book without a sense of complete dread; almost like watching the Titanic sail and knowing the inevitable, terrible ending awaiting everyone. Robert Lawson is so completely thorough with his details that you know the evolution of the supper club building and all of its pitfalls as they unfold. I had to stop and read excerpts to my spouse with incredulity in my voice.
If you would like to read a book that explains exactly what went wrong in this tragedy, this is the book to read.

This book is one of the best books I have read and is one of the most inspiring.
I guess it helps that I am a sports fan and participate myself (but at
a much lower level) so I realize just how hard competitive sports can
be for the average individual but also how much fun they can be. The
book is concise, to the point, and absolutely spell binding. I almost
feel as if I know Tank. In this day of arrogant super athletes, it is
refreshing to learn about the ups and downs of a very good athlete who
wasn't super exceptional but had the heart and fortitude to pursue his
dream,not because it was going to make him rich but because he loved
the sport and the competition. Thanks to the author.

This book is not only a must have for buckeye fans, but for everyone who enjoys reading about a refreshing & inspiring young man who is a great role model for today's youth. This book will have you chanting "Tank, Tank, Tank" & rooting for all the unknown walk-ons in the sports world.

Just a wonderful story and easy to read. I've already given three copies as gifts to fellow Ohio State fans.

Carl B. Stokes And The Rise Of Black Political Power by Leonard N. Moore (Assistant Professor of History and Director of the African and African American Studies Program, Louisiana State University) is a meticulous portrayal of Mayor Carl Stokes of Cleveland and the impact his tenure has had on local and national African-American politics. Individual chapters address a range of issues such as "the making of a mayor"; black capitalism; internal political power struggles; and much, much more. A well-researched and scholarly examination of executive government in microcosm in general, and its reflections in the broader scope of African-American politics in particular, Carl B. Stokes And The Rise Of Black Political Power is a welcome and highly recommended addition to academic Black Studies and Political Science reference collections and reading lists.

Leonard Moore tells the story of the life of Carl B. Stokes in his book CARL B. STOKES AND THE RISE OF POLITICAL POWER. However, the book is much more than the political life of Stokes. There is in a sense a cursory perspective of his life. You don't get a clear view of his personality or his life style. The book is more about urban politics. Moore's essential theme is that Stokes represents the transition of the politics of protest to the politics of political power for blacks. He demonstrates how Stokes, like virtually all blacks who become mayors of large urban areas inherit dying cities created by white flight, deindustrialization and large populations of urban poor. These are tough battles no matter what your race. But in Stoke's election, Moore demonstrates how black voters came together to use their combined power to attempt to change their status.

By showing the intricacies of Cleveland politics, Moore shows how Stokes was never able to take control of City Council and the police departments. Those two obstacles along with several major scandals made life of Carl Stokes as Mayor difficult.

While the majority of the book deals with local politics and are particularly interesting to Cleveland natives, like myself, the conclusion is extremely powerful. In it Moore shows how Stokes essentially set the standard for future black mayors and how many of them had very similar problems. Although Stokes created the 21st District Caucus in an attempt to have a political powerbase outside the Democratic party, the Causus evenually lost its clout when Stokes was no longer in the picture. Moore also shows how neither Stokes or other Black mayors are able to pass on their political power to a chose successor.

An underlying thesis of the book is the maturation of the black voter. As Stokes saw in his many battles, a candidate cannot just rely on his race to draw votes. The black community and the black voter is no longer a single voting block. Just as white voters have varying interest, so do black voters.

There is one additional thing that is important about the life of Carl and also his brother former Congressman Louis Stokes. They grew up in poverty but also learned that they had to work. Both Stokes often tell the story of how they came to live in public housing and how it was the first time that each of them was able to sleep in their own bed. Prior to that the two boys and their mother all slept together. As a result, their mother was able to make a better life for them. It shows how they, like millions of other veterans, used the GI Bill to go to college and law school. In many respects, the Stokes brothers represent a part of the American dream. They used federal programs to better themselves. Their father died when they were young but they did not use the fact that they grew up without a father hold them back. They used what was available to them and make a better life for themselves and a better life for millions of American.

Carl B. Stokes And The Rise Of Black Political Power by Leonard N. Moore (Assistant Professor of History and Director of the African and African American Studies Program, Louisiana State University) is a meticulous portrayal of Mayor Carl Stokes of Cleveland and the impact his tenure has had on local and national African-American politics. Individual chapters address a range of issues such as "the making of a mayor"; black capitalism; internal political power struggles; and much, much more. A well-researched and scholarly examination of executive government in microcosm in general, and its reflections in the broader scope of African-American politics in particular, Carl B. Stokes And The Rise Of Black Political Power is a welcome and highly recommended addition to academic Black Studies and Political Science reference collections and reading lists.

Until recently, the only renown that Canton, Ohio could claim, was as the home of the Football Hall of Fame. But now a young local writer, with astonishing talent, has assembled a charming collection of delightful poems that reflect a remarkable singularity of thought. Some poems project a rational exuberance, while others exhibit a dark, brooding content. In her writings, the author teases the reader with this mystery: Which of these verses represent the true experiences of the poet, and which verses are merely fantasy? As I attempted to resolve the question of fact or fiction, I found myself being drawn deeper into the author's mind. Rhonda K Baughman's lyrical work is worthy of my highest praise.

This book was a great read! The poems were very vivid and thought provoking. Her quotes were comical and often profound, and her poetry invokes a full range of emotion. Ms Baughman has a true gift for being able to use just the right words to carefully manipulate the feelings and mood of her readers. This book is a must have for all up and coming poets, and I highly recommend it to everyone else. Excellent work.

It's often difficult finding inspiration in a cultural vacuum like Canton, Ohio but I have met some pretty amazing people in my journeys, both in and out of Ohio, and have come to realize they are all the insight I need to write poetry. Writing is not so much a DESIRE as it is a NEED for me, and I hope that shines through in my work, thus distinguishing itself from the rest of the mainstream poetic pack. The Carnal trilogy are not books for the masses, but a collection of ideas written with a select population in mind. And they will know who they are...As indie rocker/actor Andras Jones (web site) says, "you can call it what you like, but I call it messin with the id."

Since I have been a friend of the author, it provided some clues for me as to the origins of his unique personality, but likewise obscured (or referred obliquely) to some of his more curious and no doubt equally fundamental traits. Perhaps contrary to his central premise, the book demonstrates that artists are either born to insight, aloofness, solitude, singularity, uniqueness (take your pick) or, at least, become that way before they are aware of it. Hopes seems to have been a poet from his earliest memory, and it has influenced everything since; I would not credit or fault Akron, Ohio, nor would I invoke the holy spirit. No doubt that spirit (in whatever denomination) exists in all artists. As a result, I viewed the book as a special insight on what it means to Hopes to have been a poet growing up in a fairly unartistic community. I am glad to say Hopes did not bemoan any difficulties he must have experienced as a child in Akron, but instead shows us how his insights developed and were nurtured and tuned.

Hopes slices through his particular, peculiar boyhood down to a quirky, abyssal holiness in Akron, of all places, in the shadows of the rubber industry and a mile high glacier. He transforms Goodyear Heights Metropolitan Park into his "Maytree," a real madeup place where the Mother of Turtles lived and his sister became the Red Dancer, defiance herself rising and wheeling in the bitter rain. Here are the beginnings of a poet and a fierce worshipper of the things of a world most of us do not see, a glimpse of which he brings forth for us here. His prose is slick and quick as a slim-jim. He opens doors to places most of us never knew were there.

This book is a moving, remarkably eloquent memoir, an extended autobiographical essay that describes the author, the poet David Hopes. It is so beautifully written that it is almost a kind of poem. Highly recommended!