Berry Books

Its a shame this book is now hard to get. I had to track it down in a crisis. This book for me achieved no small feat. I was able to refactor an app based on Core J2EE patterns. That book, while explaining the patterns in this book, is vague. I really spent a lot of time on the Core book. For those types this book will be appreciated that much more.

This book is about code - about %90 of the pages have source. Perhaps the first book I ever seen that has compilable, working code. Also, I think the examples and interfaces in this book are much better than the Core book.

In short, if you have the core patterns book and are stuck, this indeed could be exactly what you need. I would say you could skip that book and start with this one.

I've read a lot of patterns books. Most didn't really help. Some got me to the point of asking new questions. This book, and "design patterns explained", are in my view indispensable classics. They left me with a clear understanding of what I was trying to learn.

One negative point: I read the comparison between "service to worker" and "dispatcher view" several times and I still don't get what they are trying to say. This is one of the few places in the book where there is no code, and it probably could have helped me here. To be fair, it does have some nice sequence diagrams but its seems lacking compared to the rest of the book.

This book is really excellent. It contains the Core J2EE
patterns and theserverside.com patterns (in <Patterns>>) and explain you the relationship between them. It
contains lots of demonstrable code.

Web tier patterns can be used as template for web tier for
any j2ee project; persistence framework explained the
Data Access Object and Value object in the clearest way;
it always contains security patterns and integration
patterns, which are not discussed too much in other books
as <>. This book is the perfect companion
for the J2EE Core Patterns book and <>,
and even wider than them.

This book presents patterns inside frameworks, so you can
easily see how it is used in real life. This book uses UML
in a very elegant way so it's also useful to learn UML
in J2EE.

A must for J2EE lovers.

Daniel

SCJP, SCJD, SCWCD, SCJEA and IBM Certified XML Developer.

Definitely a good, simple, clear introduction to J2EE design patterns, this book has the advantage of presenting example code in the form of little applications instead of just snippets and lacks all the 'mystical yadda yadda" that pattern books often employ to make their simple content pass for rocket science. I have been somewhat disappointed by the security chapter which is basically just an overview of the J2EE standard security model. Also, being a book "practice oriented" I would have loved to see details on the deployment of the source code presented. Overall a 3 and 1/2 star book that gets a little bonus for being simple and practical.
Previous knowledge of design patterns in general would certainly help you to get the most from this text. For a simple,clear, no bs introduction I recommend Design Patterns Explained: A New Perspective on Object-Oriented Design
by Alan Shalloway, James R. Trott.

THE book to understand and use J2EE patterns effectively! Excellent concept introduction to begin with, to tide over the pattern non-gurus, comparison with established OO design patterns to ones mostly used in the J2EE community including ones on theserverside.com, plenty of demonstrable code some of which found their way into our deployed apps, great emphasis on patterns applied to specific layers of an application like persistence, web, security, performance etc. Great insight into usually tricky integration topics.

The web tier chapter details patterns that could be used for request processing with session management, view manipulation, validation and security. The persistence framework chapter was perfect for our implementation with its data access layer strategy based on DAOs and value objects, though we would have liked to see some transaction management patterns. The scalability and performance concerns have been closely investigated, as have all security designs like single-access, check-point and role patterns. A working example targeted for a leading app server could have proved useful here, though there is plenty of code available for download. After all is said and done, the chapter on integration where everything comes together nicely, scores top marks for topics not usually found in other books.
An excellent addition to anyone's J2EE repertoire.

From the number of reviews on this site(just 3)it appears that this book is not getting the attention it deserves!

This book starts where "Core J2EE Patterns" ends. Instead of being one more book on patterns catalog and snippet code, it plucks related patterns and weaves them into a framework. This framework-oriented approach starts with the simple but pertinent observation that standard J2EE patterns like Service-to-Worker and Dispatcher View can be reinterpreted as micro-frameworks and continues throughout the rest of the book. For example, chapter 3 combines 3 patterns( DAO, VO, Service Locater)together to lay the foundation of a persistence framework.

Another positive aspect of this book is that it devotes complete chapters to security and integration patterns.Of late, integration patterns have become important enough to merit a web site of their own ( integrationpatterns.com ) and it is quite hard to find other good references on security patterns.

Thus this book has a lot of new things and perspectives to offer and deserves more attention than it seems to be getting.

Finally a criticism : This book mentions other books by name and ISBN numbers without mentioning the author(s) of the books. This is the first time in my life I have seen such a practice. This is definitely a bad practice and an antipattern and a cruelty to poor authors who deserve to be mentioned by name.

This very readable book distinguishes itself from other books on anger management through its human quality. The authors understand that those in need of anger management are not terrible people, but are struggling human beings who need to understand their feelings and develop the skills and coping mechanisms to be able to feel and respond differently. If you or someone you care about is having a problem with anger, this is a must read.

Anger is a double edged sword which can help or hinder us depending on how we use it. "A Peace of My Mind: A Therapist's Guide to Handling Anger and Other Difficult Emotions" is an easily accessible and user-friendly self-help manual that will help readers learn to handle difficult and painful emotions that help you keep control of yourself, why cool off time helps us so much, and some relationship skills to help you and your partner live a happier life together - and there's even more than that. "A Peace of My Mind: A Therapist's Guide to Handling Anger and other Difficult Emotions" is an inspired and inspiring tome that can help its readers a great deal. Both Self-Help and Psychology community library shelves should have this guide.

I love that this book is so human, and not written like a textbook. I work with helping women who are survivors of sexual and physical abuse to find healing, and also with abusers, and I feel this book is very pertinent and helpful to me in all aspects of this work. It is straightforward and easy to use these tools. They create awareness that can help change lives.

A new book on anger management? Sounded like a bore...but what an interesting book it turned out to be. I reached for my yellow marker and read paragraphs to my wife. We talked about them as she worked with Photoshop on her computer.

The chapter on stress is excellent. Anger management depends a lot on stress management. But what is stress? How can we recognize it? How can we best cope with it? These questions are handled in a way that engages the heart. "It's not stress that kills us, it's our reaction to it."

In the chapter, "Battle of the Sexes," a tremendous wealth of helpful information is given on how men and women differ and how we can learn to live with each other. Our minds work differently, we solve problems differently, we speak to each other differently, and we express anger differently. As the authors tell their anger management groups, "The only person's behavior you should be trying to control is your own."

Much of the book is about relationships: communication styles, living together as partners, jealousy, forgiveness. There's a wonderful chapter subtitled "Help For Partners of Angry People." It's going to save some lives.

For me, the chapter, "Calming the Beast Within: The Task of Emotional Regulation," is my favorite. It's right down-to-earth. Events happening to us precede our thoughts, which precede our feelings, which precede our actions. The angry person can learn to intercept his negative thoughts with "replacement thoughts" chosen to defuse and de-escalate his typical feelings and actions. Of course, it's not easy or automatic. But a person can learn about the impact different parts of his brain have on his reactions. And he can learn to get the right part of his brain in gear. So practical.

The authors helped me see that, "Often the angriest person in the room is merely the one with the greatest hurt." Anger is a secondary emotion, stemming from hurt, fear or frustration. I'm not an angry man myself, but so much of this book was for me. I learned a lot--things I can use at home and at work. I hope anything I ever write is as helpful as this book!

Holy Cow!!! What a fantabulous book on how to deal with anger. Everyone
should read it, and use the great information in their daily lives. On a
scale of 1-5 it is a 10. This book has opened my eyes to the reality that
we are all human and we all make mistakes.

The friendship that has developed between B.J. and Barry in the course of the book takes you down so many varied and interesting paths. The essence of the story for me was experiencing the stunning revelations of the author in her honest portrayal of events in her life. I particularly liked the descriptions of events in her childhood. It was truly a page turner and I hope to see more of the same.

Priscilla Hayes, Cross Junction, VA

I enjoyed The Transparent Feather and found it to be a worthwhile read into the bargain. Author B.J. Appelgren writes with honesty, intelligence and perceptivity. The result is a book that not only is entertaining, but from which one can learn.

My aunt gave me the book. It is a wonderful story, and I am finding so many similarities with myself in it! This past year in particular, I feel a whole other journey about to open up for me, and perhaps one that will present me with greater introspection and knowledge. What perfect timing to receive the book, for the central theme of this new journey I have been presented with is about finally coming into who
and what I really am, discovering my true purpose(s)...
and at last living a life in complete harmony with my soul. Robyn Alezanders, writer, Philadelphia, PA

I want to thank you for one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I've had in a long time. I picked up The Transparent Feather on Friday night and could not put it down until Sunday night when I turned the last page and felt sad and disappointed.......I wanted more. Your words touched me, reminding me of the journey we all share and the people we meet along the way who influence our lives. Thank you again.
Connie Batelli, homeopathic practitioner, Riverside, Illinois

A fascinating memoir! This is an inspiring tribute and an engaging tale of a serendipitous friendship leading to growth and self-revelation.

This book is amazing.It shows the exploration of design and typography when questioning everything was the slogan for designers.

As a graphic design student at Brigham Young University I was introduced to U&lc, "The International Journal of Typographics." I came to anticipate the arrival of each issue, packed not only with the latest type fonts from International Typeface Corporation, but with interesting articles about subjects ranging from the Chinese zodiac to wines and cheeses. U&lc was fun and featured examples of cutting-edge typography by some of the world's greatest graphic designers.

Little wonder that, as related by author/editor John D. Berry in the book U&LC: INFLUENCING DESIGN & TYPOGRAPHY, I am one of those who kept a stack of yellowing back issues of this marvelous publication. I have consulted them again and again over the years that I have been a practicing designer and just to look back at some of the best editorial work ever produced.

Being a huge fan of U&lc I was absolutely thrilled to hear about Berry's book.

When I received the book I was not disappointed in the least. There before me was an anthology of U&lc, complete with actual pages from several issues, copies of cover art for every issue and, most importantly, the feeling, verve and spirit of the original publication. Additionally, the book presents essays about how U&lc came to be and evolved over the years that it was in print publication.

U&lc, the journal, is no longer a printed publication, being replaced by a terrific online publication. But this new book should be a must for any serious student of graphic design. Believe me when I say that the typography featured in this book can and will inspire anyone currently involved in perfecting his craft as a designer. Moreover, if you are interested in what it takes to design a beautiful page in a book, magazine or anywhere type is used, pick up this book. Great stuff!

THE HORSEMAN

If you're working with type or just interested in typography and as a designer you should be, this book will assist and inspire you. Although it's a historical perspective, it will always be relevant.

U&lc: influencing design and typography, is a recently published book that chronicles the acclaimed magazine from its birth in 1973 through the last issue printed in 1999. John D. Berry, U&lc editor for the last two years of printed issues and creator of its companion web publication, U&lc Online, takes us back to the inception and raison d'être for the magazine.

Right from its start in 1973, U&lc rocked the socks off graphic designers and type lovers across America and the world. I have not found any estimates of circulation during the earlier years, but at its peak approximately 200,000 copies were distributed worldwide.

For those who have never seen an actual copy of U&lc, the page reproductions are quite good and even retain the yellow brown patina of aged newsprint, except shrunk down from the original tabloid size to fit the book's 9 1/4 x 12 7/8 dull coated offset sheets.

In addition to Berry's article on The business of type, there are stories by Joyce Rutter Kaye, Rhonda Rubinstein and Steven Heller, three veterans of U&lc, each bringing behind-the-scene views and insights into what made the magazine remarkable.

If you don't own any old issues, the U&lc: influencing design and typography book from Mark Batty Publisher is as close as it gets. Just be aware that your graphic designer friends will want to borrow the book - it's part of the U&lc pass-along readership legacy.

I ordered a copy of U&lc and it is without a doubt the most gorgeous comphrehensive look at 20th century graphic design/ typography that I've ever come across. Why isn't this book required reading for all graphic design and art students? It's fascinating and absolutely beautiful!

A superb blend of detailed medical information and everyday ways to improve your own health, You Can Beat Heart Disease offers a rare and illuminating glimpse of the inner workings of the often monolithic, sometimes frightening world of modern medicine.With a writing style directed toward the common reader, Dr. Sauvage imparts his years of knowledge and experience in a sincere and comprehensive manner, simultaneously conveying the in-depth technical aspects of treating heart disease and communicating guidelines for prevention. An engrossing read for anyone interested or concerned with avoiding the risks of this ailment.

Dr. Sauvage's book includes clear explanations of how the body's systems work together, how various forms of heart disease can affect the body, how they can be treated and how they can be prevented. I think this is an essential resource for every family library.

When heart disease touched my family, the clear explanations and illustrations this book provides made it easier to understand and visualize exactly what the doctors were talking about and made a frightening, confusing time a little easier to work through.

In today's society, everyone is affected by heart disease, either in a family member, a friend, or as their own personal experience. I recommend this book for every home library.

Dr. Sauvage seems to have found the way to make the complicated simple. I was very impressed by the amount of material in this book, but was also impressed by the fact that it was presented in layman's terms. In other words it was very easy to understand. Dr. Sauvage seems to have a very simple plan which is easy to follow. Heart disease, in most circumstances can be prevented. I believe that if we follow the plan of Dr. Sauvage we can all live longer and happier lives. I highly recommend this book. It will benefit all who read it.

Having had several of my family members undergo treatment from coronary artery disease, I have always wanted to enhance my understanding of what heart disease entails and what can be done about it. This is the best book on heart disease for the layperson ... excellent illustrations, very clear explanations, and alot of hope.

Thanks Dr. Sauvage. What you have accomplished here has really helped us.

... Pavel in Moscow ...

I have finally found a book which can be understood by non-medical people. This book was extremely thorough and accurate. It answered all my questions on heart disease and heart health. The Better Life Diet looks like a winner. This is the book to buy on Heart Disease.

Purchased this book this summer as a "thank you" gift, and found myself not wanting to hand it over (to the gift recipient). There are many tidbits of info sprinkled throughout the recipes, with an interesting nod toward how berries spread throughout S. America. Most recipes are manageable even for busy people (with little time to prepare, etc.), and each one that we've tried has been quite nice!

Thirty-five years ago `The Berry Bible' by Janie Hibler may have attracted a place in a relatively small market of hippies, vegetarians, and Pacific Northwest berry boosters. Today, I suspect the book will and should attract a lot more attention with the discovery and publicizing of the health benefits of all berries, specifically cranberries and blueberries.

Even though I easily qualify as a `cookbook collector', I have never given much thought to what constitutes a good book for a cookbook collection, as my primary objective in acquiring cookbooks is to review them. But, this book easily qualifies as a paradigm for an excellent member of a cookbook collection. The two most interesting types of volumes in cookbook collections, I think, would be books on specific regions such as Provence, Tuscany, Mexico, and The Philippines and books on specific ingredients such as potatoes, duck, salmon, and eggs.

So, once we start collecting books on ingredients, what should they include? The most obvious answer is recipes. For these, a book on berries has much more to offer than a book on eggs or potatoes since, aside from the relatively small variations between starchy and waxy potatoes, there is not much to tell about how to make the best use of different varieties. There is also not much room to capitalize on recipes that can serve many purposes by being a stage for a wide variety of color, species, and cultivar of product. A good berry recipe can give you recipes for muffin, scone, tart, coulis, or smoothie for blackberries, raspberries, and mulberries in one fell swoop. To this end, the book contains recipes for:

Coolers, Cocktails, Smoothies, and other Drinks
Breads
Soups and Salads
Main Courses
Sauces
Putting Berries By (jams, jellies, and preserves)
Ice Creams, Sorbets, and Other Frozen Treats
Pies, Tarts, Cobblers, and Such
Cakes
Pastries, Puddings, and Other Sweet Treats

If the book did no more than this, it would be worth its reasonable $30 list price, but it does do much more.

The intellectually most attractive feature of the book is `The A-to-Z Berry Encyclopedia'. It is a revelation to see how widely dispersed in the plant kingdom the main types of berries are, and yet, how closely related other berries with distinct names actually are. I was really surprised to discover that the boysenberry is not only related to the blackberry, it IS a blackberry, simply a specially named humanly developed cultivar of naturally occurring blackberries. Another interesting aspect is distinction between two or three different species with the same common name. Both blueberries and cranberries have lowbush and highbush varieties with markedly different geographic ranges and different commercial importance. The blueberry in your local megamart will almost invariably be the highbush species, unless you happen to live in northern New England, where you may have access to Maine lowbush blueberries. Those little blue beauties you see being gathered in Maine on the Food Network are not the same as what you see in your `Super Fresh' produce department.

All this babble about species and cultivars has an important message for you, the consumer. If you want your local market to carry good stuff, the author recommends you find out from what cultivar a good batch of berries was picked, and ask for those berries in preference to inferior berries laid out on other occasions.

The berry encyclopedia has much other useful and interesting information. The common name is useful if you happen to be reading foreign cookbooks, even those written in English, and run across an unusual name. The scientific classification shows who is related to whom. It turns out that many berries, especially the blackberry and raspberry clans are closely related to roses. Figure they had to get those thorns from someone in their family. The habitat and distribution section will give you a really good idea of which species and cultivars you may find in a true `local sources' farmers market. The history is interesting, if for nothing else than to show that berry fruits, barks, and leaves have been used as medicines since the time the Greeks started writing about their tummy aches. `Where They Are Grown Commercially' will give you a good idea of how fresh your megamart produce may be, if it is in season locally. `How to Pick' is essential if you are playing hunter-gatherer. The most common advice is to pick berries in the early morning, before the sun has warmed them up. `How To Buy' is for the us urbanites who do our gathering at SuperFresh. The more important types of berries such as blackberries and raspberries have a sidebar describing the various commercially available varieties.

The book ends with a list of web sites I truly believe you would not find by yourself. Most are of commercial booster groups and academic or state organizations dedicated to studying berry culture.

The very last section is an excellent little bibliography. You have to love a book that cites both Elizabeth David and the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada, with a stop at `Leaves in Myth, Magic, and Medicine' along the way.

This is my kind of book. Even if you never want to but blackberries in your barbecue sauce or abandon your Bernard Clayton book on breadmaking, this book will reward you. If it does not, you should find a way to make berries a more important part of your life. They are that important nutroceutically. There, the book will even expand your vocabulary.

Highly recommended for understanding, buying, and using berries for enjoyment and health.

Plenty of cookbooks cover recipes for the well-known blackberry, raspberry, and blueberry - but how many discuss and provide recipes for the Jostaberry, Salmonberry, or Buffaloberry? Janie Hibler's The Berry Bible does, covering all these and more with almost two hundred recipes for using both cultivated and wild berries, fresh or frozen. The Berry Bible comes from a contributing writer to Gourmet, Food & Wine and other well-known professional food magazines, and includes a centerfold of color photos and an all-important bibliography of web sites as well as the usual index. Berry fans who until now have relied on domestic varietal coverages will appreciate having more in-depth coverage in The Berry Bible.

I have always been a devotee of berries out of hand, but because I love them so much they rarely survive long enough to make it into my cooking. The Berry Bible may change that. If you want erudition on the berry world, look no further. The health benefits of berries take center stage, and then, straight on, "The A-To-Z Berry Encyclopedia" covers this planet's offerings, from scientific nomenclature to where each berry variety is grown commercially, to picking and storage notes. The color insert of photos of berry varieties is meticulous. The recipe sections--the bulk of the book--are well organized and clearly written. There's an excellent section on "Putting Berries By" for those of you with extra berries you don't want to gobble up just yet; preserves and jellies are covered as you'd expect, but you can also try your hand at "Raspberry Pastilles" if candy-making inspires you. The book has something for everyone, but above all, it treats berries with reverence. It is as complete as any book that claims to be a "Bible" should be.

Food writer Elliot Essman's other reviews and food articles are available at www.stylegourmet.com

This beautiful book has everything going for it and tells you everything you ever wanted or needed to know about berries. Ms. Hibler discusses in great detail 35 or 40 berries-- many of which I was not familiar with-- along with color photographs of twice that many. About each berry she discusses their common names, scientific classification, habitat, history, where they are grown commercially, how to pick them, how to buy them, how to store them, along with notes for the cook. On cranberries she tells the cook: "Think of them as the lemons of the berry world. Their tartness acts as a flavor enhancer when they are mixed with other fruits or berries, bringing out the best in both." On blueberries: "They are good mixed with other fruits and nuts, especially almonds."

In the author's introduction she discusses the current problems consumers face in the market. Although berries are now available the year round, we have sacrificed quality for quantity. (Do you ever wonder how growers get those tasteless strawberries bigger than a baby's fist?) She points out that many berries are picked while green and will never taste right when they do ripen. She further states that if we are willing to pay more for good berries for a shorter length of time in the market, that the sellers will do what is necessary to sell berries. But it is left up to the consumer to alleviate the problem.

Ms. Hibler covers utensils, cream, dried berries, washing berries, etc., in a chapter she calls "Berry Basics." Then the recipes follow. The author says she has been collecting berry recipes for years; there are 175 here, according to the book cover: drinks, breads, soups and salads, main courses, sauces, preserving berries, ice cream and other frozen treats, pies, tarts, cobblers, cakes, pastries and puddings. What is so amazing about these recipes is that with the exception of strawberry shortcake, we don't see the ones often repeated in previously published cookbooks: blueberry muffins, berry cheesecakes, cranberry bread, etc. (The strawberry shortcake is from the 1963 MCCALL'S COOKBOOK. Ms. Hibler says it is the best ever and recommends adding blueberries for a patriotic recipe for July 4.) While I'm a basic blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry person, if your tastes go to the exotic, both in berry and recipe, you won't be disappointed. Try Mahaw Jelly or Marionberry Streusel Tart, for example. Some of the recipes that jumped out at me that I want to try are Madame Rose Blanc's Creme de Cassis, (so we can make wonderful kirs) Fozen Srawberry Yourt, Fresh Raspberry Tart, and Lemon Curd Cake.

Two final notes: Ms. Hibler reminds us that eating berries is good for our health and gives us a great quote about cookbooks from Joseph Conrad: "Its object [a cookbook] can conceivably be no other than to increase the happiness of mankind." Certainly that can be said of THE BERRY BIBLE, destined to become the book on berries by which others will be judged.

Great for kids. I purchased this for my daughter and she loves it. Very cute also.

Very cute and sturdy cookbook. My daughter (and sons) love to look through this cookbook and decide what they'd like to make next. They've always liked to help me cook, but it's nice to have a kid-friendly book that appeals especially to them.
Recipes are easy and tasty. There's a good variety of recipes as well, from snacks to salads to, of course, desserts.
Great buy for the money.

In this colorful cookbook, sure to catch the eye of the youngest chief, we are taken into a world of delightful, yummy children's recipes.
My granddaughter and I prepared, cooked and shared "Spectacular Berry Pancakes." Yummy! What a treat.
Strawberry shares great recipes that are fun to make, and fun to eat; from breakfast right through the day. She gives cooking tips, rules of safety and even a few stories are tucked into this wonderful book. A little added plus is a set of measuring spoons to use. Nice touch.

Colorful, useful, kid and parent friendly, this is a wonderful book for young and old.
A fun read, along with a super learning and sharing experience. Recommended.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this book. It has a hard cover with the spiral binding. It will hold up well...and I think we will be using it often!

It has a lot of recipes as well as little stories. It came with some measuring spoons as well. I think my 5 year old will be very excited to get this for Christmas!

My son LOVES making things from this cookbook with me. It has some of his favorite characters, and many extray yummy recipes.

Because he made them from his Strawberry Shortcake cookbook, he has been willing to try some foods that he refused to look at before!

The measuring spoons are great!

Wendell Berry's influence seeps through and sustains our land. I had read his stories of Port William. I was led to this book of poetry by a poem's mention in the Afterword in William Greider's "The Soul of Capitalism". In the latest issue of "The Land Report", Wes Jackson quotes from a letter from Wendell Berry that 22 years later led to a conference titled "Toward an Ignorance-Based Worldview".

Some of the poems in this book describe the wonder of and need to fight for true everyday love. They are some of the most moving love poems I have ever read. Many talk about the land and the continuity of its people and history that comprise a place and community. No one speaks better on this topic.

Then there are the Mad Farmer Liberation Front poems. Read this one and head out in a new direction.

Manifesto:The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid,
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.
So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.
Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.
Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion-put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself; Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Wil this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?
Go with your love to the fields.
Lie easy in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail,. the way
you didn't go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

The "Collected Poems" of Wendell Berry brings together the vivid imagery of the country, and the beautiful landscape of the community, land, and heart. It is perhaps one of the best modern collections of American poetry. A humble, clear, and heart-sung voice, Berry speaks loudly for the very land which is being destroyed by changing American industry. Berry, like his literary equals, Wallace Stegner and Norman Maclean, has a true love of nature, life, and the human experience. It can be considered timely words of conservation and environmentalism, though written decades before. It is a work that is timeless, spanning generations and human differences. Berry's lyrical, rhythmic imagery will leave the reader with meaning well beyond words. Excellent work from an excellent writer.

This is truly a holy book. In his poems Berry's prose, philosophy, humanity, and concerns coalesce into poems that reinforce every notion you may hold that life and love are truly simple matters. We Americans could do well to slow down from our coffee-jagged cutthroat lifestyles (workdays and weekends included) enough to really listen carefully to this voice.

Like a river I love to swim in

I first met Wendell Berry through his prose, but I soon discovered his poetry as well. One definition of poetry is that it is the use of exactly the right words -- no more, no less. If that is so, then Berry is surely a master, and he writes with such uncommon grace and wisdom. His phrases are beautifully crafted, musical, picturesque. For example, his "Boone" features this magnificent gem: "the light leaned quiet on the trees." Wow! This splendid book is one to which you will return again and again.

Elinna Serru is certain she has the khi power it takes to be a Perceptor, maybe even a Master, a priest-like society of people who commune with the S'hazons, ethereal deities who have brought peace and happiness to the land of Altaua for many years with their powers. She's right, too. Her father doesn't want her to go for training, but she does anyway, promising she'll come home and be the resident Perceptor/healer for Ruthher in two years. Elinna's friend Hasmonea doesn't want her to go, either. Though she too has khi, Hasmonea is involved in a cult that worships the ancient, missing Sky Gods and preaches that the S'hazons and khi power are evil.

After she's risen through the ranks, Elinna runs across a man she had a crush on as a child, Mesor Tethays, the spare heir to the throne. He too hates the S'hazons and delivers a letter to her from Hasmonea, which begs her to seek out the rotten heart of the S'hazon institution. He thinks it lies in a place called the Valley of the Caves, where only chosen Perceptors and Masters ever go. Mesor shows her what he feels is proof of the S'hazon's evil. When Elinna is asked to go to the Valley herself, she vows she will prove both Mesor and Hasmonea wrong. But what she finds is more than any of them ever dreamed.

DAYSPRING DAWNING is a spiritual fantasy tale full of twists and turns, some unexpected, some gratifying and some obvious. Elinna is a surprisingly self-centered and naive protagonist. Although she grows slowly through the course of the novel, she finally develops into somebody I wanted to root for at the end. Her determined gullibility was at times hard to take, and the novel wasn't very light in tone. It was difficult for me to understand why Mesor was drawn to her. Of course, there's no rule that proclaims every protagonist has to be best friend material. She certainly isn't a stereotype!

The ending of the novel, though obviously a bid for a sequel (which is available), was left open but not unbearably so. In fact I liked it. I was pleased that the author didn't try to cram the resolution of a complication revealed at the end of the book into a couple pages. DAYSPRING DAWNING was a rather forlorn novel that concluded with a healthy dose of hope. This book leaned toward the plot instead of the romance, if you prefer a lot of sex and relationship development with your fantasy. For me, that wasn't a problem. I definitely intend to read rhe next one.

Dayspring Dawning features believable, fresh characters, intriguing settings, and a plot line that keeps you reading at full speed from start to finish. It is to be hoped there is a sequel to this book in the works -- we want to read more about Elinna and her brave and valiant fight to save her fantasy world from destruction.

For as long as she can remember, Ellina has wanted to enter the House of Lohenrin, to become a Preceptor and healer, under the tutelage of the strange alien beings, the S'hazon. It was her mother's dream too, and after her death, Ellina is even more determined to enter the House, with or without her father's blessing.

There is growing discontent with the S'hazon, with new followers of the old Temple springing up every day and Ellina is shocked to discover that her friend, Hasmonea, who once promised to enter the House with her, is now an adherent of the ancient superstitions.

Hasmonea is convinced that the S'hazon are evil and only wants Ellina to find out the truth. The ruler's brother, Mesor is also concerned that the S'hazon are not all that they appear to be. Both of them want Ellina to try and discover what it is the S'hazon are hiding in the forbidden valley. Once she passes her training, Ellina is invited to go there for further tuition and takes the opportunity to find out.

What she discovers is only the first step on her adventure through betrayal, anguish and love and a truth so dark that she is not sure she can share it with anyone...

This book was brilliant, from the first page it never lets up, a roller coaster ride of intrigue and adventure, faith and belief. The descriptions are vivid, luring you into the world of Altua and its inhabitants. Ellina's despair at what she sees as the betrayal of her faith is extremely well written and very poignant.

There is a growing attraction between Ellina and Mesor, but Ellina has been hurt so much that she does not want comfort from anyone. Who can she trust when she was so badly betrayed before? She is a strong character, but gradually comes to realise that there is strength in numbers and the truth she finds so terrifying, is better shared.

A captivating tale....

Long ago the people of Atlaua knew war and disease but one of their priests born with Psipower attracted the attentions of the S'hazons. They left their corporeal bodies long ago and are now beings of light and energy that can travel to different dimensions. They gave humanity the ability to abolish war and heal the sick. They set up the House of Lohenrin where initiates study the power and if they are good enough go on to become preceptors and masters.

Since her mother's death, the only thing that Elinna has ever wanted to do is enter the House and learn the ways of healing. When Elinna goes to be tested, it becomes obvious she has Psi power in abundance and is accepted into the house where she studies hard to become a preceptor and then a Master. While she is busy study the old religion regains power and turns against the S'hazons, saying they are using humanity for their own purposes. Elinna discovers some truths about the S'hazons that startle her and she must discover their true intent for her first loyalty is to Atlaua, not the demigods she once revered.

Jeanine Berry has written a fascinating science fiction work that will keep readers so interested they will finish the book in one sitting. The heroine is a strong woman not afraid to face the truth about her teachers and is willing to fight them if they are not the good souls she believes them to be. Atlaua is a fascinating world, one this reviewer wishes she could visit.

Harriet Klausner

Jeanine Berry is a bright new star in the fantasy arena that should burn brightly for years to come. She has created a compelling story, with plausible concepts that keep you turning the pages to see how everything will play out.

The world she creates and the characters within it are alive and vivid. I couldn't help but care for them and worry about what was going to happen to them should they fail in their efforts to save their world.

Dayspring Dawning will captivate you from the very first page. Be sure you've cleared your schedule before starting this one.

~ Sheri L. McGathy ~ Author of Elfen Gold

I suppose I was always going to say that, having already been converted myself to Louie Louie as "the only rock and roll song you'll ever need" (collected 60+ versions to date). It's just a fascinating journey with so many unexpected twists and turns but the ever present "duh duh duh". And still amazingly relevant today. And funny!

A new preface by the author graces the pages of Louie Louie: The History & Mythology Of The World's Most Famous Rock N Roll Song. While it's hard to see how any song, however famous, could earn an entire book discussion, once you delve into Dave Marsh's Louie Louie, with its intrigue, high drama, and twists and turns, it's hard to see what took so long for the full tale to come to light - and yes, it earns its own book. This new edition provides a new preface by Marsh as it covers the complexities of a song which involved even the FBI.

Okay--truth be told, I bought this book as a joke. This book is no joke. Dave Marsh, an excellent writer, put together a real page-turner. (...)

By following the fate of one song Marsh gives us an excellent feel for how culture operates at a middle scale, somewhere between the micro-scale of individual performances and listenings and the macroscale of decades-long changes in musical styles. If you're interested in "memetics" but tired of empty bloviation about mind viruses and such, read this book and follow one musical meme on its tour of the memesphere.

Half way through this book I knew more about this rock song then I had ever wanted to know and then it kicked in to the history of Paul Revere and the Raiders. I keep on and she what other obscure trivia is to be revealed.