Poetry Books

My son was given this book as a baby. I used to read it to him all the time and he loved it!! Now he is 9 years old and reads it to me!!

Our daughter was given this book before we left to moved to our new duty station. She loves it so much and so do I. Our friends wrote on the inside that no matter were we are in the world they will alway promise to find her. This book shows the love a mother or father would do to find their missing child.

I bought this book for my four year old son when he was only two, because the artwork was captivating, and the storyline was sweet and easy for him to follow. He got to know it by heart and for a while insisted on touting it everywhere we went, and would "read" it to himself. I lost count of how many times we've read it together. He's four now and it's still a favorite among others. I'll have to replace it soon, because it's so worn out... and that's when you know you've got a great book.

I purchased this book for my little sister in 1998. I wrote an inscription in the front promising her that, no matter where she goes, I promise I'll find her. I'd since forgotten about the book until my sister passed away a few weeks ago and her teacher told me that she had just read the book to her the day before, including my note to her. I now have the book in my possession and it will forever be special to me knowing that, although I'd since moved out and didn't go home to visit nearly enough, she was still reminded in my absence how much I loved her.

For me, the most touching stanza of the book is:
And if I had no other way,
I'd walk or crawl or run,
I'd search to the very ends of the earth,
For you my precious one.

This is a great gift for anyone with whom you'll always share a special bond.

I really liked the fiction book I Promise I'll Find You. It had beautiful pictures, and on each page there's a little doggy and a kid for you to find in the picture. It's a very touching and comforting book. I hope to see more books like it in the future.
By Emily, age 8

Rick's book made such an impact on me that I asked him if I could use some of his poems to tell his story in my own book, Drinking the Dragon: Stories of the Dark Nights of Soul. I was especially glad to find him, since it has not been as easy to find males as it has females to discuss their vulnerability and despair during a transformative dark night experience. What made Rick's book so inspiring was that he did not stay in the dark night, but moved through it to "a more conscious manhood."

Rick Belden's collection of Iron Man poems is a moving journey into one man's heart of darkness. Belden's examination of the most covert reaches of the male soul is so raw and visceral, so heartbreakingly honest, sometimes I was tempted to look away. But he brings such insight and compassion to the task, averting my eyes was not an option. These brave poems taught me a lot about what it means to be a man. They also taught me a lot about what it means to be human.


Iron Man Family Outing : Poems About Transition Into A More Conscious Manhood

As a psychotherapist who works with wounded men and male sex addicts, this book has been an invaluable resource to my practice. Mr Belden's poetry strikes a resonate cord for my clients whose childhood was marred by disappointment and emotionally restrictive relationships. The poem "Fused at the Wound" is brilliant and speaks to both men who are recovering from their wounds, but also to my female clients. I applaud Mr. Belden work that resulted into this book.
Ross Rosenberg, M.Ed. LCPC

As a psychotherapist, I heartily recommend Iron Man Outing for men with histories of abuse and trauma as an honest and validating account of one man's struggle with his identity and relationships. Rick Belden has created a soul-bearing account of his life, and has brilliantly exposed the complexity of his emotional struggle towards healing and wholeness.

Rick Belden's collection of poetry is required reading for anyone interested in the deeper journey of men's consciousness. Rick's heart-rending poetic portrayal of his struggle as a man will sadden, anger, and yet, illuminate its reader. It identifies a rare "magnificent vulnerabilty," the vitally necessary quality men need to enter their psyche's darkest spaces in order to emerge stronger and more conscious. Dark Hearts: The Unconscious Forces That Shape Men's LivesSixteen Men: Understanding Masculine Personality TypesThe Soul Grows in DarknessDas Weibliche im Mann (Eine Psychologie des Mannes)

I just cannot praise this book enough. Ellman's biography of Joyce is amazing, bewildering, daunting (at least in its length) and wonderful -- not coincidently, just like James Joyce. One caveat: I imagine a reader might be quite confused if s/he read this before reading any of Joyce's major works (Ulysses or Finnegans Wake). I am kicking myself that I didn't read this biography years ago! Truly a marvelous work -- and a must for readers of Joyce.

For those of you interested in a biography of James Joyce that's as erudite as his works themselves, then Ellmann's "James Joyce" is most definitely for you. This is a product of years of interviews and correspondence with many of Joyce's friends and family members; and Ellmann's love for both the writer and the man radiate through every page. His sections on the key themes and events that inspired both "Ulysses" and "Finnegans Wake" are invaluable. Moreover, you'll find yourself chuckling a great deal of time, and even shedding a few tears, as I did. My only critique of the book, albeit fairly minor, is not so much directed at the author as it is at the publisher: there is little room in the margins for notes, as well as very sparse flyleaves; hence for those of you who like to engage a book with gushing pen in hand, then you'll find the layout of this book quite restraining, as I did. One might counter this critique, however, with the perhaps granted point that it leaves all the more canvas space on which to overlay layers and layers of brush strokes much needed when attempting to paint the life of this very complex, gifted, and charming man.

In all things about James Joyce, no one has exhibited more of an acute understanding of the man and his works than Richard Ellmann. He is the bridge by which readers who have not read Joyce or do not understand what they have read by him to the inner workings of the artist and his life.

This biography, "James Joyce" has been around for decades, virtually unchallenged. He presents to the reader all the facets of Joyce's life and personality. This is no mere star-gazing. Along with all the great things about Joyce, he also examines his weakness: his superstitions, his drinking, his occasional selfishnes, his sexual complexities, and his failure to really take care of his family. We get to see Joyce in all his dimensions and from several perspectives. That makes this book not only the best biography of James Joyce but one of the classic biographies of all time.

Richard Ellmann's biography of James Joyce is hands down among the three best or the best biography written in the 20th century. For anyone with a serious interest in Joyce or his writings, will truly enjoy getting to know Joyce and his writings through this book.

I've read maybe a few thousand reviews of other titles on this website but this is the first book I've felt I needed to comment on. I comment mainly because I noted that two reviewers gave this book "4 stars". What unmitigated gall!

Richard Ellmann's biography is the most definitive and complete examination of James Joyce that has been written. This extensive work examines Joyce's life from his birth to his death. Ellmann's narrative derives from Joyce's letters as well as accounts from Joyce's brother, Stanislaus. The book is most revealing in offering an understanding of the process it took for Joyce to come up with his most monumental works, ULYSSES AND FINNEGANS WAKE. Ellmann states that Joyce intentionally made it difficult for anyone to understand what he wrote. He wanted to keep his critics, academics and scholars, guessing of what significance his nonsensical gibberish creation represented. In addition, Ellmann intertwines events that occurred in Joyce's life that show how they closely resemble the characters in the works he produced, such as his early work, A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN.

James Joyce most likely can be considered a "starving artist." He would go without a new pair of shoes until they wore down to the soles, but looked debonair and sophisticated with non-matching suits. In the beginning, he aspired to be a work within the realms of Jesuit studies, but later opted for a writing career that would take him from Trieste, Paris, and Zurich. Joyce struggled with poverty through out his life even as his most famous works were published. Monetary problems and health conditions that affected his eyesight never hindered his creative process. If he lost his eyesight, he probably would have continued to write blind. Joyce appeared to be an eccentric and stubborn man. However, Ellmann shows a caring and supporting man who loved his wife and children, and most of all, his father, John Stanislaus Joyce.

In terms to history and literature, Ellmann constantly references Joyce's fascination with Shakespeare, ancient civilization and history. This is best displayed in ULYSSES, but one significant footnote is that he did not appear to care for American history. He makes a minute reference to Ulysses S. Grant in ULYSSES, but he did not even know who the man was; Joyce loathed the United States. Also, Ellmann offers a birds-eye view of what his cohorts thought of his work. Gertrude Stein as well as Ernest Hemingway praised and envied Joyce's contributions to Modernism.

Ellmann examines a tremendous amount of information within his narrative. When one completes JAMES JOYCE, what else do you need to know about this genuine writer who used his craft as a means of getting back home, but never quite made it there? But he preferred Zurich and its snow-capped mountains as home rather than the complexities of his former Dublin. JAMES JOYCE is the springboard one needs when beginning a study of Joyce the man and his works, which should begin with PORTRAIT and ending with WAKE.

Unbelievably inspiring. I challenge you to compare his reading with any one else's or your own in your head. He makes it alive. Not perfect, mind you. You'll find yourself suggesting to him in certain spots that he missed the meaning by putting some emphasis or other on the wrong words. Nevertheless, you know you couldn't do better overall. A real treasure.

My review is of the library binding edition released by Buccaneer Books. It is a very plain and small volume which is wonderfully bound. It contains nothing but the poem itself (including the prose arguments) with the original spelling and punctuation. That means no notes, commentary, or introduction, so if you're looking for lots of in-text help, this isn't what you want. The Fowler, Hughes, or Norton editions are all laden with helpful material like that. But if you just want to experience Milton's masterpiece alone, this is a lovely edition. I found that the book could be purchased much more cheaply if I ordered directly from the publisher's website.

Great for a long drive or while driving cross town in Manhattan. You can debate the issues of suffering with Milton in your head.

Sure do wish it were the whole work.

Contains extensive information in the introduction that is lends an understanding to anyone reading any of Milton's work. This particular version is very inexpensive, and contains everything one would need to understand PL. Excellent!

Milton in Paradise Lost unfurls a morning star banner heralding the cosmic story of the fall of angels and men in language eminently civil. I am sure that Homer and Dante were Milton's schoolmasters yet Milton almost exceeds them in the slendid language and poetry of this epic creation. Philip Pullman said "No one, not even Shakespeare, surpasses Milton in his command of the sound, the music, the weight and taste and texture of English words". This is a poem of majesty and sublime lyricism as in Milton's description of Mulciber falling: "from Morn
To Noon he fell, from Noon to dewy Eve, @@@+PARADISE LOST+@@@
A Summer's day; and with the setting Sun @@@+JOHN MILTON+@@@
Dropt from the Zenith like a falling Star".
Each book of Paradise Lost is introduced with an argument, or summary. These arguments were written by Milton and added because early readers had requested a guide to the poem. Milton's purpose in this masterpiece is to tell about the fall of man and justify God's ways to man. When the angels battle in heaven at one point they pull up mountains and hills and throw them at each other: "So Hills amid the Air encounterd Hills Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire, That under ground, they fought in dismal
shade." After their coup attempt in heaven Satan and the other rebel angels are lying stunned on a lake of fire. Satan rises from the lake and makes his way to the shore. He calls the other angels to do the same, and they assemble by and above the lake. Satan tells them that all is not lost and tries to cheer his followers. Led by Mammon and Mulciber, the fallen angels build their capital and palace Pandemonium. They decide to get at God through his new creation and Satan sets off on this mission. In reading Paradise Lost the poem reads the reader while being read. What I mean is that Milton lets his readers go awry in their affections and he corrects and instructs those misreadings as well as anticipates them. In this way the poem becomes a live text with meaning apprehended through the interplay between the peruser of the poem and the text itself. Milton allows the reader to subjectively question the justice of the current religious paradigm and then leads them back to the perspicacity of deity. Ultimately Paradise Lost is Milton's paean to a vast pattern in the universe, the disruption of that pattern by rebels, and the weaving of those rebellion threads back into an ever more beautiful tapestry.

Jarret writes about contemporary pop culture in the tradition of Field, Duhamel, Seibles, and Wojahn. That is, he uplifts the mundane to a higher level, through form, piercing satire, and the riveting raw emotion, this book shows a Gen X poet making aesthetic headway for the future.

Buy this book, and give it to your brother who likes comic books for his birthday, but read it first. Jarret promises to deliver the goods to all audiences.

Keene's writing topics are so diverse in this collection. From ex-ray glasses to cancer victims, he has a distinct opinion on just about everything and isn't afraid to express it. His poetic style is very straight forward. It is both easy to read and easy to understand.

Keene's creativity is what impresses me the most though. His ideas for his poems are so so unique. Where does he come up with all of this stuff?? It is incredible! One of my favorites is a poem called "Ventriloquism Made Easy." In this poem, Keene writes from the perspective of the dummy.

I know I said this already, but the diversity and creativity throughout this whole collection are amazing.

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this book immediately jumped out to me. It was one of the brightest and most colorful books i have ever seen. I had to open it right away, and the cover was just a warmup for what's inside. I liked Jarret Keene's collection of poems because it isn't a sad i'm so depressed i want to kill myself kind of poems, i'm so used to reading. It was real. It spoke to me and my generation. It also was really funny and a quick and easy read. One of my favorite things is how ironic he is with every day life things. Reading up on him i found out his father was a tampa firefighter, and i happen to be from tampa and miss it deeply so it made me think of home. The poems he has in there also reminded me of home when i was in high school and all you did was get drunk a go nuts. I guarantee if you are young or young at heart then you will love this book, but don't listen to me read it for yourself.

Jarret Keene's debut book of poems, "Monster Fashion," is a book that adds a sense of freshness and excitement in a genre that is often riddled with staunchy, boring and dry verse from the world of academia. All I have to say is..."Thank Goddess for Monster Fashion!" Keene's book is filled with comedic, familial and pop culture verse that most books lack. I like the fact that Keene has the ability to laugh at himself and not take himself so seriously in his work. We need more poets like this poetic holy ghost.

Among one of my favorites is "Scoped" where the character takes a dreadful visit to the doctor to find out why he's been 'passing blood'.

"He tells me to turn over
on my side and pull my knees
against my chest.
The glove snaps. And
sure enough, he's got his finger
inside of me, poking around."

Because of the immediate and sensitive description
in this poem, Keene does a superb job of making you feel
that you're there. From the "so-clean-it-smells examination
room," to the terrifying snapping of those smelly latex gloves.

This is the only poem that makes me cross my legs
with phantom pains.

"Monster Fashion" is not a book of poetry with just words sprawled out on the page without a sense of order. Keene proves that he is well-seasoned with some poems written beatifully in couplets and quatrains, which is one of my personal favorite forms.

Other poems such as "Heart, You're a Hospital Now" and "Ventriloquism Made Easy," are two more of my favorites where Keene practically yanks you by the arm and pulls you into his cut-throat psyche.

I love the smidgen of ryhme and alliteration in the beginnings of "Heart, You're a Hospital Now."

"Nothing is worse than a dying patient,
Except the surgeon, who gives your life lease,
Cuts you open, removes a sick piece,
stitches you up and grows impatient
of your bloated face."

Oh, I love the way the second and third line

ends with such emergence.

'gives your life lease,'
'removes a sick piece.'

The way the lines and words carefully entwine
and dance so immediately.

'removes a sick piece.'

Who doesn't want to steal that line and run for the hills?

This poem is crammed delightfuly with similiar, arresting lines
all the way to the end, which hurls the reader back
into reality.

Keene's verse in this book are exciting, entertaining, funny and beautiful. From epic poems such as "Ava Gardner, Queen of Earthquakes," to the short and brutal "Black Revolver," Monster Fashion offers something for the most rabid lover of the poetic word.

Jarret Keene has mined the underworld of Hollywood scholck to bring us these darkly comic poems, and he's come away with more than you might expect. Here you'll find all manner of monsters and lovelies, of course-Frankenstein and the Wolfman, Janet Leigh and Ava Gardner. You'll find zombies and earthquakes and a lot of prose that's taut and "dark as a blood clot." There's even " The Lovesong on Alfred E. Nueman" (after Elliot, of course) and "The Conversion of Aubrey Beardsley." But what makes these poems rich and worth reading, I think, is Keene's sharp take on the actual world-the way he gets, for example (in the book's opening poem) that only the young can be in love with death. For me, the book's most frightening moments-and its most rewarding-come when the author takes off the mask for a moment and explores the horror of the world we all know too well, when the funhouse comes to resemble the house we live in ("Inside Mystery Funhouse"), or when real friends are lost ("Gifted Students") and we're confronted with the ghosts of their fathers, who come back-with surprising emotional impact-to make us sandwiches. This is a sharp and funny collection. I recommend it even to those with a fear of poetry, though not to those who are afraid of the dark.

Good book. The little kids love this book, and I do too. I first read this book when I was a little kid. This book has all the great stories.

I liked the book just fine, but for some reason I ended up with 2 instead of the one I ordered.

So many mother goose out there, and most are very nicely done. This one, however, caught my attention because it utilizes the familiar busytown characters which I feel children so easily identify with as opposed to books with illustrations of children from long ago. Those are great too but this one should not be overlooked.

We had a lot`s of fun reading the book.It contains 50 well known nursery rhymes, has funny pictures and was not too long even for my 2 year old.There are days he wants me to read it twice in a row.

This beautiful version of Mother Goose first came to my attention 39 years ago as a baby gift for my first child. The bright and clever illustrations capativated her attention as she enjoyed the traditional verses so familiar to many generations of children before her. The book became part of the bedtime ritual for our daughter and her two younger siblings, and we have passed it on as a favorite baby gift to family and countless friends. Because the illustrations feature animal characters, children of all backgrounds can identify with them. Richard Scarry has indeed provided the Best Mother Goose Ever.

My daughter and I loved reading this book. After we read it, she talked about it so much that we decided to read it again.

The scarecrow is a nice character in this book, friend to the Princess of Haiku and guide to help the fairies in finding her. The ogres are also good characters and somewhat funny, playing marbles with coconuts and hopscotch with giant river stones.

The adventure has the fairies solving puzzles, going on a scavenger hunt, and writing poetry to free the Spirit of Simplicity (aka The Princess of Haiku) from an evil spell. The scavenger hunt was particularly wonderful because they were looking for things like the whisper of butterfly wings and the smell of rain and music in the water.

What really drew me to this book was remembering the fun and games from my childhood. My daughter wanted to know more about string games and handclap games, and she asked me about getting a kite. I hope she continues to show an interest in these things instead of so much focus on the handheld games and other electronic type stuff.

This is a good book and I do recommend it.

How the whole thing started is important. That's what I think is so interesting. Sure, the fairies go on an exciting mission, but the whole thing started with a book of poetry being destroyed. That's the larger message of this book. Human beings recognizing that even our smallest actions can have gigantic consequences, like the butterfly effect. I liked the way this story was put together. It's like I was tricked into enjoying it so much because it's magical and fun, but I was reminded of how serious even our littlest mistakes can be.

This book stresses choices and particularly making wise choices. When the fairies are asked to choose between a pebble and a giant ruby, they must choose the pebble because they are looking for simplicity. Their problem solving must also seek the simple solution. A door with many keys (the fairies can only choose one key and can only try one time to unlock the door) is already unlocked and does not require any of the keys - in other words, the simple solution. Fortunately, the clever fairies are using their heads in this story and do make the right choices

You'd think a story about a princess would be all frilly, but this is not at all. It is about poetry, simplicity and learning about what's really important in the world. The fairies learn simple and valuable lessons on their journey. While they are on their fairy mission, even when faced with a serious task, they take enjoyment in simple pleasures surrounding them. One of the things I liked most about this book was the fact that I was never able to predict what was going to happen next. Over and over again I was surprised by what was happening, and this made me want to keep reading. My ten yr. old niece loves this book, I am reading it aloud to my own children and I will be recommending this fairy tale to friends.

This book answers that question very well. We have been reading the books in this series as a family, and my kids were more than able to understand the moral of this story. I can't deny they loved the ogres, the princess, the bobcat, and the magical scarecrow. But they also liked what the book really had to say about greed and materialism and a few other things human beings often wrestle with. Good moral message in a great fantasy book.

I have 5 year old triplets and went digging through my old books to find this one. They are just as mesmerized by it as I was 35 years ago - like Georgie and the boy in the Everlasting Lollipop - it's make believe that children want to believe because it tickles and delights their imagination with a touch of darkness in a way very little does today in a digital, dumbed down, leave-nothing-to-the-imagination era. I have a well-loved copy that I'll never part with. This would definitely be an excellent candidate for Harper to bring back, but only if it maintains its shape and hardcover quality - as they are all part of the mystique.

I still have a very battered copy of the Tall Book of Make-Believe from over 50 years ago. I wish it was in print now! Out of all the books I've seen illustrated by Garth Williams, this is the best. The stories and poems are marvelous, but his drawings and paintings are so beautifully nuanced and full of life, they jump right off the page. The tall format makes for some really interesting layouts, too. One of the all-time classic children's picture books.

I loved this book so much as a young child, but it finally fell apart from being read and loved too much. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I would love for her to enjoy it as much, but $150 for a used copy is realistic for a young child... Please Harpers, publish this wonderful book again, so the next generation of readers can have a chance to experience the wonderful stories, poems and drawings.

My mother got me this book when I was a child. I loved it and learned from it for many years. When I had a daughter, I found a copy of it and purchased it for her. It was her favorite book. When she had children, she bought a used copy for them.

The trick, of course, is that each of us mothers read it to our children until they were old enough to read it for themselves. I found it stirs children's imaginations, teaches them about many important things and sparks their avid curiosity.

I am now a writer and fast closing in on retirement age. Much of what I know about my craft I originally learned from this book. Any child who doesn't get to read it and see the wonderful illustrations is doomed to lead a deprived existance, as far as I'm concerned.

Several years ago, I remembered that I read it as a child,
and went looking in the attic, the basement, all over.
When I finally found it, it was tattered, pages missing, etc.
I checked Amazon, ebay and other used book websites, and
finally found a very decent copy for $55.00. Don't give up-
keep checking and a copy will turn up. I am 56 years old
still reading it (it's the best children's book ever) and
will hopefully pass it on to grandchildren, - IF they can
pry it out of my hands !!!

Tulle is written by one of Boston's best young writers right now. It is written with confidence and is not afraid to toy with different plays on words. There is a thin line between success and failure when working like this. With 'Tulle' it's success all the way. My favorite poem was the witty 'Witches of Monin Na Gloigeann'. This poem conjures up so many chaotic images, I get the feeling that is what O'Donoghue intended. O'Donoghue skips gently but surely between the light side and the dark side. 'Bova' is very dark and despairing. "Is this the same book!?" I ask myself. With someone moving so comfortably through so many themes, I don't have to ask but only to definitely announce- "Mary O'Donoghue is the voice of the new generation!". I only hope that Tulle is not the last installment.

Tulle is written by one of Boston's best young writers right now. It is written with confidence and is not afraid to toy with different plays on words. There is a thin line between success and failure when working like this. With 'Tulle' it's success all the way. My favorite poem was the witty 'Witches of Monin Na Gloigeann'. This poem conjures up so many chaotic images, I get the feeling that is what O'Donoghue intended. O'Donoghue skips gently but surely between the light side and the dark side. 'Bova' is very dark and despairing. "Is this the same book!?" I ask myself. With someone moving so comfortably through so many themes, I don't have to ask but only to definitely announce- "Mary O'Donoghue is the voice of the new generation!". I only hope that Tulle is not the last installment.

Tulle is written by one of Boston's best young writers right now. It is written with confidence and is not afraid to toy with different plays on words. There is a thin line between success and failure when working like this. With 'Tulle' it's success all the way. My favorite poem was the witty 'Witches of Monin Na Gloigeann'. This poem conjures up so many chaotic images, I get the feeling that is what O'Donoghue intended. O'Donoghue skips gently but surely between the light side and the dark side. 'Bova' is very dark and despairing. "Is this the same book!?" I ask myself. With someone moving so comfortably through so many themes, I don't have to ask but only to definitely announce- "Mary O'Donoghue is the voice of the new generation!". I only hope that Tulle is not the last installment.

Tulle is written by one of Boston's best young writers right now. It is written with confidence and is not afraid to toy with different plays on words. There is a thin line between success and failure when working like this. With 'Tulle' it's success all the way. My favorite poem was the witty 'Witches of Monin Na Gloigeann'. This poem conjures up so many chaotic images, I get the feeling that is what O'Donoghue intended. O'Donoghue skips gently but surely between the light side and the dark side. 'Bova' is very dark and despairing. "Is this the same book!?" I ask myself. With someone moving so comfortably through so many themes, I don't have to ask but only to definitely announce- "Mary O'Donoghue is the voice of the new generation!". I only hope that Tulle is not the last installment.

This is where I just want to say in a deep husky voice 'If there's one book you gotta read all year...then it's Tulle'. It's that exciting a read from a richly talented poet. A friend mailed me this raving about it. His hype was on the mark. I will type 5 titles of poems randomly and bet you when I read over them they will be classics- 'Cattle Cars', 'Textures', 'If You See Kay', 'Trupi M'Leshon' and 'Embezzlemen'. Yes! I knew it, they are 5 classics- classics amongst classics. This collection is clever, funny, sad, sentimental, mocking of sentiment- everything! Bring on Book Number 2!!!

Dog lovers will enjoy this book, and will also enjoy "August Magic" and "Heart of the Savannah" by Veronica Anne Starbuck. These two must-reads will be treasured additions to your canine library!

I know Dr. Villalobos from working at the animal clinic in Hermosa Beach, CA, and she does a wonderful job of capturing the bond between pets and their owners in this book. She is such a hardworker and her love for animals is apparent through her work in the oncology field.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has lost a beloved pet, or as a gift to someone who has. If you want to show you care without saying a word, give this book. In the privacy of their grief they will read this book and know that you understand what they are going through. Even more, they will know that many many people have come before us who have gone through the same hell.

i have just bought a second copy to send to a friend who needs to say farewell to her beloved jack russell for awhile. the poems are beautiful...i especially love "the house dog's grave", which just might be my favorite poem of all time.

i use this book frequently to quote passages for friends who have lost their dogs...and i cannot read it without crying. it's very comforting to know that people have felt the same way about their dogs over many years......beautiful, beautiful!

There comes a time in every dog owner's life when you look down at the furball by your feet and come to the realization that this is no longer just your pet; this is your friend. Dogs surpass human beings in just about everything: from sense of smell to hearing, from loyalty to love. A dog's capacity to love is something profound; they want nothing more than to be accepted, to please you and to be loved in return. "Angel Pawprints" showcases some beautiful poems about this love which dogs have for centuries offered and received. Laurel E. Hunt edited some great pieces, including works by such famous poets as Rudyard Kipling and William Wordsworth. (My personal favorite is "So Long, Pal" by Ethel Blumann.)

One does not by any means have to have lost a canine companion to enjoy the works presented in this book. If you have ever loved a dog so selflessly, unconditionally, and faithfully, then all of these pet memorials will speak to you, even if you cannot comprehend the depth of the poets' pain. If you have lost a good friend in the past, this book could possibly be a fine method of therapy to help you feel better about everything. (It helped me when my friend of 12 years died.) "Angel Pawprints: Reflections on Loving and Losing a Canine Companion" is, in a nutshell, just a really great way of honoring your dog's memory and love. It may cause some tears but it'll get you through.