Washington Books

No one is better equipped to deal with the breakdown of society than the poet and playwright Carl Hancock Rux, who incidentally is also an awesome interpreter of his own work. Who knew that among his many skills was the ability to write a novel too? ASPHALT stands by itself as one of the year's most interesting novels. Have you ever seen the Altman movie, QUINTET, with Paul Newman? If so you will be viscerally reminded of that movie when you begin creezing through the opening chapters of ASPHALT, the ones that establish Racine as an underground DJ par excellence and the rundown brownstone he camps out in becomes a sort of United Nations of lost souls, each tenant lonely and frustrated, and frightened for the future, each one coming from a different post-colonial background.

In the Altman film, which treats a similar post-apocalyptic future, the survivors were largely white, even blue-eyed (including Newman, and co-stars Bibi Andersson and Nina Van Pallandt). There were a few "Latin types" including Fernando Rey and Vittorio Gassman, but outside of that it was all about racial blankness amid the Alaska tundra. Here the Brooklyn setting and the rapid back-and-forth flashbacks jarred by the frequent musical interludes give the reader the sensory excperience someone like David Mitchell is aiming for in books like CLOUD ATLAS.

Just finished this book. OUTSTANDING! Complicated in the most divine way. Rux is on to something that has nothing to do with the average easy read bookstores are pumping right now. This book is so relevant to right now and I haven't seen any other new black writers dealing with the political climate in America from the standpoint of people of color. Correction; Rux doesn't even paint a picture of the current political climate, he's on to the next canvas and it's stunning and heartbreaking.

An urban tale written in a refreshing challenging intellectual style. Set in post apocalyptic Brooklyn, the main character struggles to build a life in a war zone. His physical surroundings play as an apt metaphor for his internal quest to make sense of who he is, where he came from and where he ultimately belongs.

LA Times
"Asphalt," (is) a hallucinatory journey...set in a sooty, just-a-day-after-tomorrow future. The book blends speculative fiction and myth with real-life post-9/11 unease embroidered throughout...enamored with densely arranged assemblages -quirky juxtapositions, blurry borders-spinning dross into gold...a grand-scale collage."

Jill Nelson, author of Sexual Healing
"Daring, intense, and provocative, in ASPHALT Hancock Rux fast forwards the novel form into a future that is unexpected, seductive and healing."

New York Press
"Asphalt, (is) a book taken with future apocalypses and the funky, oddly swaddled cast of characters littering that not-too-distant time in Brooklyn. In Asphalt , you get hetero guys in sequins and sarongs, back-from-Paris DJs and couch dancers named Couchette all vying for attention in a newly gentrifying netherworld that Rux ably and surrealistically, sweetly, ties together before the next set."

The Daily Pennsylvanian
"(Asphalt is) both arresting and disorienting. The cryptic opening scenes illustrate Rux's masterful use of language-remarkable....Asphalt is a triumph in several senses...a piece of true urban literature that appeals to the jaded sensibilities of young modern readers."

Greg Tate author of "Everything But the Burden"
"Asphalt gets at how the urban myth of 'keeping it real' must continually run up against the abstracting roadblocks and revelations of one's fractured inner truth and the even sexier surrealism of a Cosmopolis determined to remix your imagination at every turn. Like Celine's Journey, Baraka's System and Delany's Dahlgren this is a novel where the mythopoeic modern city is the real protagonist and the ostensible hero, like all of us, is just a squirrel trying not to nut out."

LA Weekly
"Asphalt...is thick with images of and meditations on terror and terrorism...underscoring emotion and politics, allowing Rux to excavate the damaged inner lives of his characters while ruminating on how the world around them feeds their despair and dares them to rise above self and surroundings. "

Booklist
"Rux's lyrical writing blurs the lines between dreamscape and reality. A dazzling portrait of urban life."

Publishers Weekly
"Lyrically drawn...an elegantly gloomy addition to Rux's artistic achievements."

Brooklyn Rail
"Asphalt is a beautifully written book...as horrifying to read as it is full of hope."

Black Issues Book Review
"The first lines of this first fiction effort promises a mélange of literary forms and edgy melancholy characters...part postmodern parable, part contemporary urban portrait...parts aside, it is fully formed, like an existential poem."

Blether Book Reviews
"Carl Hancock Rux provides a deep look at disturbed individuals in environs in which no one can dodge a world on the abyss."

In the lush heady atmosphere of a house party in a decaying Brooklyn mansion Racine mixes A Tribe Called Quest, Arvo Part, Rakim and Mary J. Blige. The DJ moves the crowd through a throbbing bass line. Loc's, Betty Paige bangs and sheared heads abound in the rich aesthetic of the underground in a post-war New York. The nuances of the urban moment and the self-discovery of colorful characters provide the backdrop for an artful piece of literature for the hip hop and neo-soul generation.

Racine is the quiet DJ who deftly blends genres and sounds and expresses himself through his wheels of steel. He finds himself in the deteriorating yet vibrant post-war Brooklyn after the death of his older brother and dearth of love under the care of foster parents in the south and New York City. While finding lodging in a neighborhood devastated by poverty and despair, he meets a band of intriguing souls. Manny, the ambiguously gay free spirit with a penchant for architectural history, Mawepi the stout bouncer and translator for the clairvoyant Holy Mother and Couchette, the scarred dancer mired in denial comprise his new family.

Immediately Racine finds himself creating the sonic backdrop for intense parties, orgies and conversations while Manny and the other residents chase their dreams in a transitional New York. Couchette is the troubled spirit with whom Racine shares physically intimate and emotionally frustrating moments. The story weaves in depictions of Racine's childhood, including his experiences in fostercare and ultimately forces a young man to reconcile his past and move on.

Rux infuses a tale set in a modern urban environment with ancient Greek mythology that informs several themes in the book. Racine the character is influenced by Hippolytus' Phaedra which was re-written by J.P. Racine. The story of a young man who is physically dismembered by a monstrous force on his journey is a recurring thread throughout Asphalt . The characters have to lose parts of themselves that they may not be aware are hindering their growth, in order to move on. And the personalities in Asphalt all employ different strategies for abandoning experiences that have consumed and distorted their views of reality and themselves.

As an Obie-winning playwright, spoken word artist and now novelist, Carl Hancock Rux has a masterful use of language which is evidenced throughout Asphalt . His description of a taciturn woman lying on the road and an intimidating lanky street orator selling socks are examples of the imaginative supporting characters. Similarly, Rux 's portrayal of the glorious yet depressed New York and the intensity of Racine's past, deeply orient the reader. At times the language is a bit too cerebral which obscures the clarity of events. Yet the descriptive quality of Rux 's work differentiates him from other contemporary young authors. Asphalt is compelling due to its complex and beautiful handling of topics such as child abuse, sexuality and the urban environment. Ultimately, the empirical emotion Rux integrates into his work coupled with his gift for prose makes Asphalt a challenging yet intriguing read.

"A late rose ravages the casual eye," writes Roethke in A Walk in Late Summer, "a blaze of being on a central stem." In such images we see the symbols of nature fully tapped in modern poetry -- and tapped in American English, in fresh, vivid language that overpowers the reader with its grace and presence. The poetry of Theodore Roethke is written by a man profoundly alive -- skirting the edge of suicide, losing his voice in the awe of love, reeling wildly in the throes of "the pure fury," and looking at last with calm eyes into infinity and his own undoing in the Far Field. Roethke was a true descendent of Whitman where the latter wrote "This is no book / Who touches this touches a man." But Roethke's poetry moves us as much by its lyrical language as by the power and wisdom of its experience. Roethke himself was, as represented by his art alone, a "blaze of being."

Among Roethke's contributions to literature are his poems that treat depression. Far from letting his manic episodes paralyze him, he used them to write some his most intense poetry. "In a Dark Time" is one of the immortal poems of the 20th century, worthy to be set aside a Van Gogh painting. Roethke was not alone in treating these subjects: two other Pulitzer Prize-winning poets of his time, Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, learned from him and wrote about similar themes. But Roethke's writing stands out in two ways from these poets and other poets the 50's and 60's.

One is the unity of his work and vision -- this Collected Poems traces a single spiritual journey beginning with his childhood memories of the greenhouse, and ending somewhere among "the windy cliffs of forever", last visions tragically cut short by his early death. Between those points are rendered all of the experiences of his life -- as he wrote in his first poem, "my heart keeps open-house." But he never fails to interpret these experiences and understand their significance in the larger picture of his life and poetry. Unlike so much of the poetry of Sylvia Plath and other Confessional poets, Roethke never demands that you read his biography to understand his symbolism. Rather, his symbols develop among his poems to form a kind of mythology: his recurring symbols include stones, fire, light, "the small," and the spirit.

The other difference between Roethke and other poets of his time is his technique. Roethke is never obscure; he always writes in fresh language, avoiding cliches, although his symbols are indeed personal and take time to understand. Roethke's craft is "strict and pure," such that even the staunchest defenders of Sylvia Plath have confessed that Roethke's writing is more disciplined. The Deep Image movement of poets like Robert Bly and James Wright is influenced by the kind of symbolism found throughout Roethke's poetry, and those writers have acknowledged their debt to him. Roethke retained rhyme and meter in a time when all the conventions of poetry were being ripped apart; and he did so with a consummate technical skill not to be found in the Beatniks or in the Black Mountain poets. Roethke's ear for poetry is much more sensitive than that of other poets of his time. We are gagged by the lyricism in lines like

"She came toward me in the flowing air,
A shape of change, encircled by its fire."
("The Dream")

"When all
My waterfall
Fancies sway away
From me, in the sea's silence..."
("Her Time")

"O love, you who hear
The slow tick of time
In your sea-buried ear..."
("Song")


The most exhilarating of all these are Roethke's love poems in "Words for the Wind", which justly won the Bollingen Prize and the National Book Award. These poems are unmatched for eloquence and spiritual intensity -- and it's a damn shame that modern anthologies do not reprint them, aside from the famous "I Knew a Woman." For it is in these love poems that Roethke's soul soars, and his poetic power is fully realized.

"She knew the grammar of least motion."
("The Dream")

"Light listened when she sang."
("Light Listened")

"I measure time by how a body sways."
("I Knew a Woman").


Theodore Roethke achieved greatness in art by having the courage to confront the most intense human experiences and the skill to craft them into some of the most eloquent poems of his time. If there is ONE modern poet you will read, let it be Roethke. His "Collected Poems" is a must for every poet and every lover of poetry.

I relished Roethke when I first read him in high school, along with Hart Crane, e.e. cummings, and the Beats. I still admired him in college, when I wrote poetry myself, and regarded most other "living" poets with suspicious disdain. Many poets I loved then have lost some of their charm for me (my loss, not theirs) but, forty five years later, I still read Roethke. Does that speak to you?

To My Sister; The Heron; No Bird; Elegy for Jane; She; Her Reticence; The Meadow Mouse; and of course, My Papa's Waltz--these are all some of the great poems that Theodore Roethke wrote. Roethke is one of our American masters. I found that when he was on his game (as he was in the poems above, among others) his poetry was phenomenal, but when he wasn't, his poetry could be awful. His earlier work is better than his later work, though he seems to have gotten most of his recognition for his later work. Still, for the poetry lover this is pretty much a required volume for your shelves.

At first, I was heitant to delve into this author's work simply because I'd never heard of him in all my wide readings of poetry, both modern and old.

Don't make the same mistake I did. Roethke WILL NOT disappoint you. "The Lost Son" has become my new favourite poem, and this book goes with me perpetually, and will until I finish every line in it.

Exquisite.

I love Roethke and I can't stop loving him. His words, phrases, rhythms, thoughts, feelings and meditations stick with me. I will go a year or two without reading his work, but he is still there shaping the way I see the world. His poetry occupies the same space in my mind as Brian Eno's transcendent work On Land. It's meditative, quiet, and joyful and yet, sweaty, ominous, and alarming, all at the same time.

The Far Field (North American Sequence) incarnates this feeling for me. Roethke meditates on his own mortality (don't all poets?) and finds a vast encompassing love for life. A love not only for the "growing rose," but also, seemingly for the summer heat and the stench of dead buffalo, "their damp fur drying in the sun." He sees beauty in nature but also "redolent disorder" and he calls life "This ambush, this silence."

I agree with him.

Roethke proclaims a love for life which is similar to Nietzsche's concept of the Eternal Recurring. That is, he has learned to love life, the good and the evil, to such an extent that he would have it recur again and again, eternally. This kind of love is not a love for evil, rather it is a willingness to sit behind the window of one's pain and still look out and see the beauty. This takes great courage.

Roethke's influences are obvious. What American poet could escape Whitman and his lineage, Thoreau, Henry Miller, etc.? I'm sure he read his fair share of Nietzsche. I also note, Roethke's style seems to have changed drastically towards the end of his life. I believe this was probably partly in reaction to the Beats. However, in my opinion he swallows the Beats whole and makes something new of them. Roethke's verse also periodically has the ring of Wallace Stevens, and sometimes Robert Frost. Some of his verses sound like bad seventies self-help schtick; "I long for the imperishable quiet at the heart of form," etc.

I only go into these criticisms so I can make a larger point. Roethke's metaphors are sometimes, seemingly, larger than their implication, sometimes they are derivative, sometimes clunky. But, his work, for me, has an almost Biblical air to it. By this I mean his work resonates on a mythological level. His ideas are broad and go to the heart without ignoring the blood and stench of life. At the same time, yes, his ideas are broad, however, his details, while often being merely enumerative, are true. By this I mean, they come from a real eye roving across a real landscape. He is, at once, strange and familiar.

I would hope that Academia would catch up with Roethke. It seems that he is being unfairly ignored.

Desert Exile: The Uprooting of a Japanese-American Family"by Yoshiko Uchida deals with a Japanese-American family who were sent to concentration camp during World War II as Japanese-Americans at that time were considered to be potential "spies" for the Japanese government. Uchida started off with introduction to her family, of how her parents met, and how California became their home. Even though she was raised with Japanese values and ideals, she was at the same time an American who can barely speaks Japanese. Her world was turned upside down when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Japanese-Americans were sent to concentration camp for fear that they could endanger the national security. This violates their Constitutional rights but there were no public support for their fellow citizens. It was indeed racist of the government as German-Americans were not sent to any concentration camps even though the United States was fighting Germany. The Japanese-Americans had to swallow their pride and dignity and were moved to barracks that were bare and ill-equipped. They were placed behind the fence, guarded by MPs and basically were treated as prisoners. Uchida's vivid descriptions of their living conditions were both horrifying and shocking.

"Desert Exile" was used by my professor for a History of American West class. This is truly an eye-opener as most Americans are unaware of their fellow citizens' ordeal and treatment. The Japanese-American loss was immeasurable. Not only did they lose financially (from selling their homes hastily), they lost touch with friends and relatives, lost their pride and lost confidence in their government. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn more about the ordeal of the Japanese-Americans during World War II. It is extremely well-written, eloquent and easy to understand.

I had to read a memoir for my 8th grade English class. This book was about Yoshiko Uchida's Japanese American family, who were put in camps during World War II. I chose this book because I was very interested in the war, which put over 8,000 Japanese American people into old race tracks and deserts. Yoshiko was placed in two different camps, one in Northern California and the other Utah, both the same: over stuffed with people and nowhere to cry.

Even though she suffered a lot while in the camps, Yoshiko learned that all the things in life, are worth living. She was a student, about to graduate from UC Berkeley, when they were taken off and disconnected from the "American's". They were stuck in the camps for a whole year, with no where to cry without someone seeing you.

This book gave too much background before the war, but when the war hit, the book got much more interesting and exciting.

Lori Sue
Northern California

"Desert Exile" is a wonderful book that is easy to read, yet totally enjoyable. A perfect book for a family to share together and talk about.

I was very interested in finding a book that wasn't just dry history. I wasn't born in this time period of World War II, so I was really eager to find a book relating to this topic. Possibly learning about someone who lived through this time period, something a little like Ann Frank's Diary.

My initial thoughts were, this book would be interesting learning about history without any government interference with the conditions of the camps. In fifth grade I made friends with my best friend who had just moved from Japan and her family was getting aquainted with the United States. I interviewed her mom on how she was liking America and the one resp9onse that really stuck out was, I have so much Freedom.

In the Book I realized that many Japanese Families experienced Racism from many nationalities. Children were taken out of school and from colleges. For a few years the students that were attending Universities were no longer able to graduate with their friends.

Having a friend from Japan gave me an extra push to read the book. To my surprise, I couldn't believe that families were living in horse stalls and that people did not have proper barials if they did die while in the camp.

The beginning of the book started off with how this Japanses-American Family pushed their way through life in America and tells us about their family success. At the end of the book I found that some of these Japanese American Families were actually more patriotic than many American families.

I had to read this book for my History 2710 class. I was very reluctant to do so at first. Uchida's book is a sad story about the Japanese Internment issue during the 1940's. Uchida talks about her own family and those she knew while at each stage of internment. She talks about how her dad lost his business, how she was pulled from college, and the general poor treatment of her fellow Japanese Americans. The book is full of facts, the author's own opinion, and her family's struggles at the time. This book is good, and is honestly one of the few novels that I have enjoyed while in college. Uchida does a good job of painting a picture of what the Japanese Interment issue was like for one family.

This is my 18-month-old son's favorite book at the moment -- despite the fact that he's never visited Seattle, owned a dog, or met anybody named Pete (yet). But you don't have to be a kid to enjoy this tome; it's also the ideal book for anybody with a passing interest in where the Mariners play, what "The Fremont Troll" looks like, and the process by which aesthetically magnificent design & lettering can be married to a punchy and always-compelling travelogue. Highly recommended.

This book is adorable. The story chronicles a young boy and pup as they explore Seattle. When Larry gets lost the readers are taken on an amazing tour to all of the best sites. The book has fresh artwork and is written in a light. humorous way. The story reads along for small children explain the highlights of the city but for older kids sitting in on story time, or adults who still love this stuff, there are a couple places of extra information that make the book so much fun. Right up there with Click, Clack, Moo!

My wife and I visited Seattle this summer and wanted to pick up a local book about the city that we could share with our son (who traveled with us, but in my wife's uterus). The story of Larry and Pete was beautifully illustrated and we enjoyed the extra details about the city imbedded in the story. After spending 4 days in the city, we saw most of the sights detailed in the story-although, unlike Pete, we had a map. The story is endearing on another level because as we welcomed our son into the world this weekend we named him Pete! We are pretty sure that Larry Gets Lost in Seattle is already his favorite book.

I just saw this book - super cute especially for tykes living in the Seattle area. Great rhymes and my daughter - 20 months - enjoyed it.

Great children's book especially if you live in Seattle. My son recognizes some of the pictures! Great fun.

I enjoyed this book very much!! The first story was amazing and the second book picked up right where the first one left off. Elizabeth is sent by Washington to continue spying among the British. Jon on the other hand is sent into indian territory to try to convince the indians that Wasington needed them. Jon was captured and became a slave. Elizabeth has no idea if he is dead or alive. The only problem I had with this book was the fact that I now have to wait so long to find out what happens. A must read and a tender story.

Native Son is the second book in author J.M. Hochstetler's The American Patriot Series, and is every bit as magnificently composed as the first. Picking up where Daughter of Liberty left off, Native Son reprises the suspenseful setting and believable characters of book one and indelibly seals the heart of the reader to the author's work.

With Patriot's identity exposed and a huge price on his head, he is no longer of any use to the Revolutionaries as a spy--but his previous experience living with a tribe of Native Americans qualifies him for an even more dangerous assignment. Oriole, however, has not yet been exposed and therefore must remain behind to continue gathering intelligence for General Washington and his troops. The intertwining of these two stories keeps readers riveted to their seats from the first page to the last--and anxiously awaiting book three.

J. M. Hochstetler's second book in the American Patriot Series, Native Son, draws readers into the compelling first chapter. Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton meets with George Washington to discuss the patriot troops' readiness for war against trained British soldiers.

Meanwhile, doctor's assistant Elizabeth Howard ties down a wounded man and helps the doctor amputate the man's gangrenous leg to save his life. As a patriot spy working in a Tory hospital, Elizabeth faces constant danger of discovery.

Although Jonathan and Elizabeth determine to marry at the earliest opportunity, circumstances and General Washington's orders conspire to separate them. Carleton heads into Indian Territory, while Elizabeth stays behind. They believe God has inspired their commitment to the Patriot cause, but as the separation stretches to months, each struggles with how it will affect their relationship.

When Carleton's negotiations with several Indian tribes turn sour, the Mohawks take him prisoner. Elizabeth wonders at Carleton's fate as time passes with no word from him. As she continues her work, one of the men helping her discovers her true role and threatens to expose her as a spy. Faced with danger at every turn, both Elizabeth and Carleton draw strength from the God they trust. But will it be enough as the pressures they face slowly change each of them and each continues to wonder about the fate of the other?

Native Son holds as much historical detail as the first book in the series, Daughter of Liberty. However, Hochstetler's clear writing and obvious research make both books intriguing reads. The detail in the medical scenes is exquisite and gave me an eye-opening understanding of Revolutionary War-era amputation and medical care. Fascinating details also enhance the scenes in which the Mohawks hold Carleton prisoner and in later scenes when he lives with the Delaware Indians.

Although Carleton and Elizabeth spend most of the book separated by many miles and different cultures, the strength of both characters easily carries the book. For fans of historicals, this series is a must. Watch for Hochstetler's third book in the American Patriot series.

Native Son, the second book of The American Patriot Series by J.M. Hochstetler, continues the saga of Brigadier General Jonathan Carleton and the woman who has stolen his heart, Elizabeth Howard. Each has pledged allegiance to General George Washington. Elizabeth's spy mission sends her gathering information among the Loyalists, while Jonathan's orders send him deep into Indian territory. When Elizabeth learns Jonathan has been captured by the Indians, she tries desperately to gain information about the man she loves. Unable to learn of Jonathan's fate, she is forced to continue life with the uncertainty of whether or not he yet lives. Jonathan's life changes drastically when he becomes a slave to the tribe that captured him. He must make decisions that put him in battle against the people to whom he has pledged his allegiance.

Hochstetler examines a little-known aspect of the Revolution by following the hero Jon to the West. People think of the Revolution being fought in Boston and along the East Coast, but there was trouble in the West, too, with the English, the Indians, and the settlers. Hochstetler lets us see that part of the war through Jon's eyes. Again the reader finds the war-tossed couple, Brigadier General Jonathon Carleton and spy Elizabeth Howard, separated by choice for the good of the new country and your heart breaks at the sacrifices these two make for the ultimate good of many. After Jonathon is sent to Indian territory, Elizabeth ends up in Boston. With wars of all levels--spiritual, emotional, and physical-- pressing on them, we feel the anguish they must endure. Rumors circulate and both characters must pretend they care nothing for the other. The story is set in 1775, and the reader is immediately folded into the setting, riding along enjoying every bump and bruise. Even when Carleton is captured, the reader hopes all will be well, although chances are pretty much against that.

Elizabeth and Jonathan, the star crossed lovers in the previous book Daughter of Liberty, have the perfect conflict: the American patriot and the British officer. Now they are being kept apart as Elizabeth is pressed back into service as a spy for General Washington. Elizabeth is the perfect society lady, listening in on secrets in Boston, occupied by the British. Her hair-raising exploits sneaking secrets past the ruthless British blockade are the best part of the book. Jonathan, who has a price on his head, can trust no one. He goes West where he was reared and meets the Indians- not all of them friendly- he knew as a child. So wedding plans are put aside while each sets out to carry out the mission Washington has assigned them. As the months pass in silence, Beth wonders if he is even alive. Should she begin to consider a life without him? And as Jonathan is taken farther and farther away from Beth, he fears he will never see her again. How can he go back to her while the war still rages? The British want him dead, and his new life with the Indians has even made him an enemy of his own countrymen. Is their Christian faith and trust in God strong enough to see them through?

Native Son is an intensely moving story, impeccably researched and excellently written. It is an intricate look into some aspects of the birth of our nation, and the struggles and temptations faced by two unforgettable characters. J. M. Hochstetler expertly weaves a tale of historical fiction with a romance that must survive the trials and dangers of the times. Outstanding! -- Erika Osborn, Christian Book Previews.com

I read Daughter of Liberty a year ago and thought J. M. Hochstetler brought American history to life in that book. I hoped at the time she'd write a novel about every major battle in the American Revolution. I got my wish in Native Son, but not quite the way I expected.
I'd heard of the battles of Lexington and Concord, though I knew precious little about them. In Native Son, Hochstetler examines a little known aspect of the Revolution by follow our hero Jon to the west. We think of the Revolution being fought in Boston and along the east coast, but there was trouble in the west too, with the English, the Indians, and the settlers. Hochstetler lets us see that part of the war through Jon's eyes.
Elizabeth and Jonathan, the star crossed lovers in Daughter of Liberty, had the perfect conflict, the American patriot and the British officer. Now they are being kept apart as Elizabeth is pressed back into service as a spy for General Washington. Elizabeth is the perfect society lady, listening in on secrets in Boston, occupied by the British. Her hair raising exploits sneaking secrets past the ruthless British blockade are the best part of the book.
Jonathan, now with a price on his head, can trust no one. He goes to the west where he was raised and meets the Indians-not all of them friendly-he knew as a child.
Hochstetler introduced me to a fascinating aspect of the revolution here and I'd say more except I don't want to give away too much of the first book. If you haven't read that book, I highly recommend you read the series in order.
I loved the glimpse into the lives of George Washington as he built his guerrilla forces into a fighting army, and the names and actions of the factual British Generals, intermixed with the fictionalized daring of our heroes.
Fiction like this is a great, fun way to teach history.

very good,worth reading,written by various people.....
enjoyable,gets you thinking,nice photographs too.
As you may or may not know African coyly hair is quite unique in vision, texture, behaviour and probably in chemical make up too. Coily haired women around the world, go to the most extremes in terms of spending.
(Spending time, spending pain and the spending price to have African coily hair styled)
A hairstyle that we believe looks good or will help us to become socially and economically advanced.
Or maybe for our own self-esteem and maybe to attract the charms of a love interest. Either way your hair is a reflection of the state of your consciousness, your internal beliefs and your relationship with the world.

This book is like having group therapy or interviewing other women,but it is not all black women's views.I am reviewng it because I think it is worth a read.

As you may or may not know African coily hair is quite unique in vision, texture, behaviour and probably in chemical make up too. Coily haired women around the world, go to the most extremes in terms of spending.
(Spending time, spending pain and the spending price to have African coily hair styled)
A hairstyle that we believe looks good or will help us to become socially and economically advanced.
Or maybe for our own self-esteem and maybe to attract the charms of a love interest.
Either way, psychologically and philosophically I believe that your hair is a reflection of the state of your consciousness, your internal beliefs and your relationship with the world.
What about exploring physics through african hair?
For example how much pressure, gravity and tension and tearing do we put our hair through by combing it?
let alone excessive harsh combing.
Mathematically speaking how many of you readers can tell me how many curls/coils per inch your hair has, and does it vary in coil and moisture?
Next question:When does the nature of the hair change and why?
(i know it does!)
It seems to me all these books on afro hair are good and I welcome it, but we still need to be more informed and they all seem to need better editing, just like Black American beauty magazines.I must campaign for better grammar and less air brushed photos!!!
It is as if we like to see ourselves falsely rather than the reality of what we are...
Black women need to demand more scientific reasoning from our books and be less competitive over black men which only fuels their egos and as a result probably creates more baby-mothers!!!
Sorry but I had to vent out my opinions.

I give this book four stars for the effort and time invested as a writer I know it takes time...
I maintain that it is still worth reading,more than any carcinogenic chemical so called hair treatment that you pay for.

Anyway what do I know I am a black african british woman!!!!
Most of you Americans think we in Britain have no trains or any kind of progressive development!!!
Anyway if I wrote my book answering my questions that I put to you how many of you would buy it?

This is a wonderful book for anyone who would like to explore the issues that Black women face vis a vis our hair from a variety of viewpoints; not just the "politicaly correct" ones.

The book was all that, very positive, and at times emotional (I'm thinking of the passage where a father is trying to figure out how to braid his daughter's hair since her mother is across the country. His trying, and eventually getting it right, turned into bonding sessions for them. It was beautiful.) Of course the book had my favorite culture critic, bell hooks, and as usual she gave me a new persepective: to look at the whole "perm" phenomena as initiation into womanhood. Just about any Black woman who was on the brink of adolescence and was dying to get a perm should relate to that. I did. That's what this book does, it helps Black women to see just how similar our trials have been with our hair; and it's not just a generational thing. Black women from 50 to 80 years ago had the same issues and thoughts Black teenagers have today. Everyone remembers hot combs and Goody pink rollers and Royal Crown grease. Looking back many women had feelings of remembered pain, and not just from the burns on the tips of their ears and on their scalps, but inside their hearts for our collective struggle with an unattainable beauty standard.
What I also admired about this book was that it touched on the subject of hair and erotic intimacy. There was a whole section devoted to hearing the responses of Black women and men when confronted with the bedroom question: Can I run my fingers through your hair? It showed a depraved relation to our hair. In order to get and keep that salon fresh look, sleek and shiny, it must not be touched (by you and most especially your lover). Hair does not bring pleasure in the sense of us luxuriating in how it feels. How can you when it's not even yours? Weave. A woman tells the story of a young man with whom she was getting intimate with, and he wanted to run his fingers through her seemingly long shiny tresses. The moment was interrupted when he felt the hard tracks on her scalp before she could effectively slap his touch away. "You have to train these men early," another woman admonishes, "not to touch the hair." A man married for over 20 years complains of his wife's hair roller pins always poking him when she's "going down on him." He also hates, but has gotten used to, her wearing a head scarf anytime they make love. It is described in the book as Black folks having perpetual menege trios, he, she, and the head scarf. Another man wakes up to his girlfriend's "100% Korean Hair" all over the bed and floor after an especially heated night; he later ends up paying $200 dollars to have it all put back in again. The women speak of not even wanting to touch their own hair, refering to it being "hard as a rock" from gels and hair sprays. It's all in the name of a certain look, the processed one. (It's this look that lured their mates in the first place right?) It's sad that Black women talk about orchestrating certain sex positions around not messing up their fresh 'do. "You don't even think about it after while." They compensate not allowing their men to touch their hair with confidence and boldness in their performance, "It's so good he won't even be thinking about touching my hair."

I love this book. It isn't just politics or just us behind closed doors. Every possible reference to what is done to our hair is mentioned, even going bald. A Muslim woman opened my eyes to how not showing her hair takes away from having to compete for attentions based on beauty standards of hair, by being above them. It reminds us that as women, we shouldn't let physical beauty define us, even though most times it does, and we let it. "Ms. Strand" tells her tale with humor, cultural criticism, African storytelling, and 'round tha way truthfulness, barring nothing from the conversation. Truly, Tenderheaded should not be passed over.

I expected to really enjoy this book, but was disappointed. Some of the stories/essays were very good, but some of them were poorly written and/or could have done with some serious editing. It might have been better if some of them had been omitted: the book would probably have been half as long, but the overall quality would have been significantly improved.

I was also disappointed by the way the book was laid out. It seemed jumbled and poorly conceived. Photos, illustrations and cartoons/comics were seemingly thrown in randomly, with little context or relation to the surrounding content. The graphic content of the book was good, but the layout just did not display it to full advantage.

The idea behind this book was a good one, but the execution could have been a little bit better.

This is a very unique book. I have to say I LOVED IT! My being a young black woman, all the stories hit close to home. This book gave a non-bias look at black women's hair, and black culture all around the world including here in America. It gave many view points, from men women, blacks and even whites. I recommed this book to anyone who is confused about their hair and themselves. Nappy is defiantly Happy!!!! Peace.

Dr. Coburn is one of only a few congressmen who "gets it". Future generations of Americans will look back with anger at how the baby boomers ate their seed corn and saddled them with trillions of dollars of debt. Hopefully, they may appreciate the efforts of Dr. Coburn, who was one of the few who argued against all of the fiscal insanity going on in Washington today.

This is truly inspiring. It will open your eyes to the world of Washington and inspire you to make a difference. Please visit the the web site for Americans for Limited Government in which Sen. Coburn was chair

This book, based on the reviews here, is self-righteous pablum with little factual substance. A better, book, one that I've actually read, is Chris Edwards - Downsizing the Federal Government (Cato).

This is one of the most rewarding and enlightening books I ever read. It was a real sleeper as far as publicity goes, but everyone should read this book. Liberals who just scrunge up their faces when they hear Senator Coburns name, should think again and read this book. Senator Coburn is a very conservative republican, but he does not rail against liberals or democrats in this book. He must have rightly figured to do so would tag the book as a typical partisan effort. Instead he exposes what the Republican party establishment does and goes after Republican leaders. He only mentions Democrats when he has to in relaying information about any particular congressional bill. He surely didn't win any friends in congress when he exposed the inner workings of that body. Politicians quickly (if they didn't sart out that way) transform into playing the power game. Everything becomes about power and not what is best for the people. The bribes, strong arm tactics, threats, play along to get along, we'll do the right thing later, gotta secure power now kind of shenanigans. You definately do not have to agree with Tom Coburn politically to appreciate this book. It's great to get a birds eye view on why our government does not work. I can see what congress is doing and not doing now and understand why thanks to having read this book. The establishment doesn't want you to read this book, but do yourself a favor and read Breach of Trust. We need to shake things up in Washington and elect new people. In fact Mr. Coburn talks about the 20-25 in congress who stick to their principles and truley work to do the right thing. It's good to know who they are. Let's get a majority like them. To get a feel as to how to do that it helps to read this book. This is eye opening stuff. Thank you, Senator Coburn.

Wow, and Wow again!!!! This book makes a lot of sense, no matter what your party or political viewpoint.

As a business owner who, like most, has a low opinion of Congress, this is a must read. Voters' approval ratings of Congress are widely reported to be in the low twenty percentile, are now are the lowest in history, and are still dropping. Congress is clearly broken. This unique book explains why it's broken, with many revolting but compelling examples.

And it also shows us a way to fix today's out of control, unaccountable government. It suggests practical methods for fixing Congress before matters get even worse. The author deserves a medal for responsible public service, and this book deserves to be read and understood.

John D. Trudel

This book is a very well written and an easy read, I was born and graduated highschool, in Spokane,(then I moved on).
I had spent time in all the areas mentioned in this book, but I still learned alot of good history about the Spokane area reading this book.
The book perked my interest and even inspired me to look up family tree information, from the time frame of the book. I had an Uncle that hung out at Mothers Kitchen during those times. I wish he was alive now, I would ask him a lot of questions..... Very Interesting.

I read this after "The Worst Hard Time". I liked this book much better. It's interesting on many levels. Tim paints a great picture of life in the 30's, and the life of the sherriff. I felt like I knew the characters. I have a theory that sometimes a book/author deserves an award, but the book gets passed up, so the next book gets the award. ;)

This was a great story and a very interesting read, because it was a real case that a lawman solved.

Mr. Egan has become my favorite non-fiction writer. I've reread The Good Rain several times, and read The Worst Hard Time as soon as it became available in paper back. I live in the Pacific Northwest and have come to appreciate the history that surrounds me. Mr. Egan's hero, Sheriff Bamonte, faced Herculean obstacles, and Mr. Egan presented it beautifully in Breaking Blue. After I finished reading Breaking Blue, I quickly mailed the book to my son who graduated from Gonzaga in 2005 and recommended that he read it since the story takes place in the Spokane area. The Spokane River which runs through downtown Spokane has a new meaning for me now!

One of my best recent reads. Part crime story, part historical and cultural biography, and part present-day human drama. All parts are addressed evenly. Great for anyone interested in the sometimes strange land of Eastern Washington and Spokane's Wild West past.

This is a good book to just sit back and enjoy. It tells a unique story of adult and teenage interaction. Well written. Well worth the cost.

I originally purchased Chestas Way because my daughter is a teen in 4-H. As a mother of teens myself I can identify with the teenage angst and the way this book is written you just get right into it. I figured my daughter would appreciate this book not only because she raises animals for her 4-H project but because of the ages of the girls in the story. She is still reading it (I have finished),my daughter has read books in the past that spring to mind when reading Chestas Way.It has a "Sarah Plain and Tall" quality to it and though it is set in a different time the values remind me of "The Little House" series of books.I believe if Michael Landon were alive today he would be able to do justice to this wonderful story in the form of a mini-series. I hope Disney gets wind of it and makes a movie out of it,I think teens need all the good role models they can get and this book was so good it just left you hoping for a sequel (hint, hint).Please consider writing another book to give us fans of Chestas Way an update.God Bless you Mary Jacobson,and thank you again for a beautifully written story that tugged at these heartstrings.I would highly recommend this book to anyone with teens, anyone who loves animals or anyone who works with teens. Chesta can teach a lot and it really helps you to understand and have compassion for troubled teens.There is a wealth of knowledge in this book.

I sat down to skim Chesta's Way one night, being too tired to really read it. Well, much later, wiping tears from my eyes I was thankful I'd taken the time while my family slept and the phone didn't ring to complete the book. As a Registered Nurse who has often dealt with obnoxious teen patients I was enchanted with Chesta's determination and her approach. It made me reflect on my own sense of compassion ( or occasional lack thereof!). Thanks, Ms. Jacobson.

Chesta's Way is an inspiring and heartwarming true story that captured me from the beginning. Through smiles, tears and intense moments, this is an uplifting account of how one woman's compassion and perserverance helped fill the void in troubled city kids hearts. This book is a "must read" for anyone concerned about kids today, anyone who is called in their "own way" to make a difference in the lives of others, and for animal lovers everywhere who know and cherish the gifts animals bring to us through their need, companionship and love. City Kids and Calves...what a wonderful combination! Chesta's Way is beautifully written and it's story rekindles one's faith in the human spirit. It is the kind of book you will want to share with others. The perfect gift. I have given this book as gifts to others with the greatest of joy. Thank you, Mary, for sharing this story.

The author does a great job of catching the lives of the people in the book. From the troubled youth, the family with it's own internal relationships to the agency people working with the program. I enjoyed the book very much and would recommend it for all ages of readers. Additionally, it gives a perspective of 4-H that many people are not aware exisits. Maybe a screen play next for this story?

I bought about ten of these because they are so easy to carry around and are printed with easy to read type and sell at a very good price. I have many other editions of Shakespeare's plays but these are perfect for what I wanted. I have lots of other editions with introductions, evaluations, etc. and I don't really need that in my bag. These editions are a great way to read the plays without carrying around five pounds of book!

this is shakespeare's most accessible comedy. it's a farce about mistaken identities among identical twins. nothing complicated here. the play has it's funny moments. it's not the bard's best comedy; that's 'much ado about nothing', imho. but this is not a bad place to start.

Shakespeare's vision grew tremendously over the course of his writing career. However, this play demonstrates that his uncanny power as an artist grew quickly and was present in some form from the very begining. It is exceedingly hard to buy the common notion that this was his first comedy when it is so much better than "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" in nearly every way. The dialogue is fast paced and screamingly funny. The characters interesting if broad and there are some surprising touches that, aside from being interesting in and of themselves, point down the road to later, darker comedies. Chief among these is the amazing opening, perhaps still unequaled in all comedy for the level of grimness. These are the first words uttered in a play long seen as a kind of sitcom of Shakespeare's plays: "Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall, and by the doom of death end woes and all." The speaker is Egeon, a merchant about to be put to death for simply coming from the wrong country. The whole first scene feels like a cloud is hanging over it and there is a sense of fear-infused urgency that catches the mind off guard and makes the joyous, lunatic story all the more welcome while at the same time coloring it with real drama, making it all the more exciting. To be sure, there is little real depth and much of the play is like a sitcom but only the best of sitcoms and perhaps "Monty Python" at their most absurd is a better comparison. The plot is well chosen (from the Roman comic dramatist Plautus) and well handled. For some reason the play is not well known even among the early comedies which is a shame. It is probably the best of them, even surpassing the wonderful "The Taming of the Shrew". Aside from being an easy read, keep in mind the play is good to perform as it holds up well and doesn't suffer from being tinkered with. I've seen one production that was mostly straightforward but did a few weird things that worked like magic. They would've sunk almost any other Shakespeare comedy. I must also mention the last moment between the two clowns. It is as heart-warming and humane as it is funny. The master is already present AND growing. Do yourself a favor and pick up this play, you'll laugh your head off!

I recently re-read THE COMEDY OF ERRORS prior to attending The Colorado Shakespeare Festival's performance of this farce-like play under the summer stars here in Boulder. Based on Menaechmi by Plautus, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) produced this romantic comedy between the years 1592-93 and published it in the First Folio in 1623. While on its surface this early play may seem superficial and frivolous when measured against KING LEAR or HAMLET, it is not without its own unique depths. It also shows that the Bard had a sense of humor. It tells the hilarious story of two, identical twin brothers (Antipholus of Syracuse and Antipholus of Ephesus) and their identical twin servants (both named Dromio), all of whom were separated at sea during their infancy until redisdovering each other through a series of madcap mix-ups, mayhem, and mistaken identities in the apparently insane town of Epheseus. Meanwhile, Egeon (the father of the Antipholus twins), has been granted a day to raise local ransom for illegally entering Ephesus. In that day, the separated twins are reunited, Antipholus of Ephesus pays his father's ransom, and Egeon discovers his long-lost wife (Aemilia) living in the local priory. In the end, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS is as much about the power of family as the search for completing oneself. It is a play that reminds me that it is perhaps better to re-read and understand Shakespeare than to devour one bestseller after the next.

G. Merritt

One of the problems that great artists present to us is where to begin in getting to know their works. Their masterworks are often so full of what they have spent a lifetime developing that most of it is lost on those who have not yet put in a significant amount of effort becoming familiar with that artist's style and means of expression. Yet, if one begins with their apprentice works one may become discouraged because they lack the miracles of the masterworks. So, where does one begin?

Shakespeare offers the reader an additional challenge of an English that is removed in style and idiom from us by 400 years. It is not an insurmountable challenge. In fact, it is quite easy to overcome with a bit of time reading it and getting into the flow. It just seems strange in the beginning, but it really does become easy to read once you spend some time with it. However, getting over that small hill has kept many from enjoying the glories of Shakespeare.

This play, "The Comedy of Errors", is clearly an early work. It has many virtues, but despite them it does not offer much of what we really value in Shakespeare. It is a very fine play and is constructed very well. It is a wonderful first work to read of Shakespeare because it is short and has a very simple plot. The new reader does not have to spend much effort contemplating characters or the immense subtlety of language of the great works. Its charms are direct and what it has to offer is pretty much on the surface of the words.

The plot is, like all farces, ridiculous. It involves twin brothers who are served by twin slaves. They are separated early in life and when the play opens one set does not know the other exists. One set (the Antipholus and Dromio from Syracuse) visits Ephesus where the other set (the Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus) lives. The play involves people confusing the two sets to the bewilderment of those suffering from the confusion. It really is quite funny. Of course, eventually, all is resolved to everyone's delight.

This edition, like all of the individual editions Arden offers of these plays, has a wonderful opening essay that offers a great deal of background on the play including a discussion of its performance history, sources, and discussion of the play itself. The appendices in the back offer excerpts from the sources and some brief information on the Gray's Inn performance of 1594.

If you desire to study Shakespeare and are willing to spend time reading many of his plays, "The Comedy of Errors" is a good work to start with just to ease into the language and get a feel for some of the conventions of Elizabethan theater. Just don't stop here. Shakespeare has so much more to offer that you owe it to yourself to continue your exploration of this supreme artist.