Blake Books

This gem is a great yarn for children - it should also be a compulsory text for technical managers, as it is a parable on the virtues of creativity and freedom of expression. (no kidding, or maybe just a little!)

Resilient (and polite) even under the thumb of the terrible Aunt Fidget Wonkham-Strong, Tom fools around, explores allies and fiddles with stuff until she enlists the dreadful Captain Najork and his hired sportsmen to teach him "the lesson he so badly needs." But Tom has already taught himself most of the lessons he needs: to remain cool in emergencies, to take it easy while competing, to enjoy exploring. This is a brilliant book for both boys and girls, with the single most sensible hero in children's literature.

Although this wonderful book is long out of print, the excellent Hutchinson Treasury of Children's Literature includes it with many of the pictures. The rest of the Hutchinson Treasury's not bad, either, my six-year-old's favorite book.

It's not available in the US, but you can order it from amazon.co.uk ...

This is, quite simply, the best children's book ever written. The story and the illustrations are brilliant. I still own the copy I had as a child, and can't wait to read it to my daughter, once she's old enough to appreciate it. It's hilarious and twisted and clever and wonderful in the way that classic childrens' books should be.

The first time our family set eyes on this book was when we borrowed it from the mobile library that visits our village. It became a classic when the kids were young, and we went on to borrow it a number of times. Phrases from it became part of our everyday language such as lets do some "high up fooling around and low down fooling around", lets play "sneedball", and I think I'll go and "learn the nautical almanac". When our younger son reached 18 years of age we decided to buy him a copy as a joke present.... We wrapped it and presented it to him at our local pub where we were having a celebratory drink on his birthday. It was a present to be savoured. We ended up having a ceremonial reading in the pub, much to our great amusement. All the other customers wondered what all the laughter was about. Had they known they would have been as hysterical as we were. Whenever the family recalls great examples of children's books this is always at the top of the list. Its a cracking read for grown ups as well. I defy anybody not to laugh. We still have the book and still refer to it....

I just witnessed Ernie Hebert in Conway, NH reviewing his writing techniques and the time it took to research the material in this book. I am intrigued about this moment in history, because our elementary school educators have moved quickly from Thanksgiving Day hocum to the Declaration of Independence, as if nothing happened in New England in between. We are just starting to understand the turmoil the Pilgrims created in eastern Massachusetts that led eventually to the King Phillips War. That duress caused a tremendous amount of loss for both colonists and Indians alike, and ruined the relationships that had been ongoing. So in the midst of this, Ernie Hebert has created a fictionalized account of the early history of NH as best we now know it, and has woven some characters in and out of this legend and lore. Some is absolutely true, and other matters could have been. We continue to grow with our conceptualizaton of this strifeful past, which forbade settling of northern NH for eons after Massachusetts was up and running as a colony. Also read "the Mayflower" by Philbrick, and "1491" as companion literature.

Fascinating plot and characters as mentioned above. Ernest Hebert is one of the rare ones who can start a sentence and then come seemingly out of nowhere to surprise the reader with images and rhythms juxtaposed in new and delightful ways. Treat yourself to this book now!

Elegant writing by Ernest Hebert. In some ways he reminds me a little of Norman Maclean in style. Honest and elegant. A compelling time-period and characters who struggle with the way their lives are and what they could have been.

I almost never read a book twice. I've read this book three times. It's a everything a novel should be: great story, intriguing characters (that you care about), clean, elegant writing, humor (I laughed about every other page),pathos, insight. Usually the insight comes wrapped in humor. (Hebert, it seems, will never hit you over the head with insight.) For example, here's aged Caucus Meteor musing to himself: "The trouble with living too long is not only that you live beyond your years, but you live beyond your convictions."
Wonderful, wonderful book. It's hard to understand why it didn't get more aclaim. That's the publishing biz for you I guess.

One day last spring, one of the other parents dropping kids off at school stopped me to say, "I stayed up late last night finishing the most wonderful book, and I have to tell someone, so I�m telling you." The book she was so ardently recommending was Ernest Hebert�s The Old American. What is it about certain books that elicits such a need to pass them along?
I remember when I first read Hebert�s novel The Dogs of March, which I�ve argued should be assigned to newly arrived New Englanders as required reading, like taking Vermont�s Freeman�s Oath. Myself, I read every paragraph twice as I made my way through the pages, the only time I ever recall doing that. Hebert has an incomparable ear for dialogue, an ability to set off a dramatic incident like a blasting cap, and his prose conveys the gnarled, bruising beauty of the north country. Darby, the town he invented as setting for his characters� collisions with fate and one another, is a place now present in detail in my mental cosmos.
Having achieved so much in a certain mode, Hebert evidently felt constrained by the conventions of the contemporary "realistic" novel. In the early 1990s he wrote a cyber-punk thriller called Mad Boys, worked on a nonfiction book about wood, then commenced work on a project seemingly very different.
As he explains in a note at the end of The Old American, he had been pondering childhood memories of a monument in Keene, New Hampshire. Almost hidden behind a hedge, a plaque commemorates the site where in 1736 a settler named Nathan Blake built the town�s first log cabin, indicating that Blake was captured by Indians and taken to Canada for three years then ransomed by his wife.
So why do certain books compel readers to pass them on? First, there�s the power of a fabulous story. The Old American has that, in spades: the tale of Nathan Blake�s captivity unfolds with gravity and old-fashioned excitement. This is the New England frontier, sparsely populated, opulent in game, and with cloud-crowned forests and wild, spume-torn rivers. Nathan survives a series of tests among his captors, including traversing the infamous gauntlet in a rather original way (this episode is a tour de force of narrative strength and agility). Ultimately, although by definition still a slave, Nathan makes a home for himself in the village of Conissadawaga, a town of refugiés from tribes decimated by assimilation, war, and disease. Pulled between contesting strategies for survival � settlement with European-style cabins and farms, or continuing the nomadic, foraging life further north � the community is coming apart along age-old rifts. Saturated with historical insights and accuracies, Hebert�s writing nonetheless vaults above its scholarly sources and succeeds as a vivid, vigorous story. In scenes of hunting and fishing, planting corn, gossiping by the fire, and gambling (paradoxically, to gain prestige by losing everything), the ancient dwellers on this land come alive. Especially moving and frequently comical is Hebert�s way of conveying the linguistic mix surrounding Nathan, a simmering stew of Iroquian and Algonquian languages, French, English, Dutch, and even "slaughtered" church Latin.
Secondly, The Old American has magnificent characters. Although he initially tried to tell his tale from the viewpoint of Nathan Blake, according to Hebert after several failed drafts he re-routed and built the novel around the thoughts and narration of the elderly Indian named Caucus-Meteor, former slave himself and skilled as a multi-lingual translator. He is a combination of philosopher king and court jester, grand in intellect but self-effacing and mischievous. While Hebert�s story is endlessly engaging, what lifts this novel to the level of greatness is the character of Caucus-Meteor. Hebert�s bold choice, defying imaginative difficulties as well as literary-political correctness, is a mark of his stature as one of our most gifted novelists.
The Old American evokes an epoch far from our own, a time exhilarating in potential yet verging on catastrophe. Those of you who have read the book have surely noticed the enthusiasm and even urgency with which you commend it to others.

We got this cookbook for our 7 year old daughter for Christmas because she is a huge fan of Roald Dahl's books. She instantly went crazy for this cookbook, and even her 3 year old brother is fascinated by it. The recipes are so much fun, and the pictures are a wonderful combination of food photos and illustrations. We've already enjoyed the book so much that our daughter has decided to have a Roald Dahl party for her birthday in March, featuring snacks and foods from the cookbook. We are even planning on making goody-bags for the guests with several yummy treats inside. I'm so glad we found this cookbook and can enjoy it as a family!

My family and I have had loads of fun making Roald Dahl's recipes. We are eager to try all of them and think it is an ingenious accompaniment to Roald Dahl's wonderful books. It is wonderful because it has everything from the snozzcumbers from The BFG to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's lickable wallpaper. It is a great shame that Roald Dahl is not here today to be able to cook from this book.

Roald dahl has finally made a little much of a cookbook. Try some of his awesome recipes and taste it. It's awfully delicous!!!

Roald Dahl, the famous story teller. Who hasn't read his all time classic: "Charlie and the Choclate Factory" and its follow up "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" and drool over the many different types of candy featured in these books? From Hot Ice Cream You Can Eat On Cold Days, Candy Pencils You Can Eat In Class and Marshmallow Pillows, this book features all the wonderful treats that were described in Roald Dahl's books.

Over fifteen different recipes, this books teaches you how to make these wonderful dishes. Step by step, making these treats couldn't be easier !

Illustrated by Quentin Blake with his lively pictures, once you have made the foodstuff, sit back, relax and enjoy the treats with your favourite Roald Dahl book.

A total blast. My friends loved the candy coated pencils best. Great for sucking during class. A fun book. With easy to follow instructions. Even my 9 year old sister loves it. YUMMY!

This is my favourite bread book, all the recipes I have tried worked well, although I'd suggest a different book for sourdough's. In response to a previous reviewer, the water volume will never be completely accurate because it depends on the flour used. I have tried more modern books by Rose Levy Beranbaum and Reinhart, but this is still the book I return to for my everyday bread.

This has been amazingly helpful and inspiring. Only trouble is with water/flour ratios. My sister and I (even in different climates) have noticed it always seems to call for too much flour. With that adjusted, pastries, sweet breads, quick breads, sourdoughs...delicious

This is a great cookbook! I have found some of my new favorite bread recipes in this cookbook. The Portuguese Sweet Bread is awesome! Not to mention the Foccacia and the Onion Bread, Mmmmmmm! Very good recipes.

Linda Collister has a long history of producing top notch books, and this is one of her best! I am delighted it is now available in paperback, and as a baking intructor with a Cordon Bleu affiliated school I highly recommend this book to my students. The recipes range form traditional to modern and always come out beautifully.

I just baked the basic loaf from this book and it was excellent for so little effort and time. The photos are surprisingly useful. Whereas other books often reserve photos for the finished product, this one shows many of the steps as well and attempts to show the appropriate consistency of the dough.

The only problem I have found is that there are references to incorrect pages throughout the book. For example, in the sourdough chapter the text refers you to page 176 for instructions on how to keep a starter for longer than a few days but that page is a series of recipes for sweet icings and fillings. I know of at least one other similar mistake without really looking for them. If the information is important (like how to keep a starter going) you can normally locate it using the index.

Jenna Blake, assistant to a Somerset Medical Examiner, has just celebrated her nineteenth birthday, and getting over a recent break-up, while at the same time rekindling an old flame with a certain Somerset Police Officer. On top of all of that, she has a new mystery to solve. Innocent people are being set on fire everyday, yet there is no evidence of arson, and there are no witnesses who can say anything except "They just went up in flames." The only possible conclusion is spontaneous human combustion. But that is conclusion is quickly put out, when an unusual turn of events suddenly presents itself, along with an incredible explanation to the deaths of the innocents.

I was hesitant in purchasing this book, as I was worried that Golden's usual sense of mystery and horror would not be present, since he was writing with a partner, Rick Hautala. Boy was I wrong. This book was just as good, if not better than the previous books in the BODY OF EVIDENCE series. Golden and Hautala's writing was immensely enjoyable alongside one another, and is a treat for all fans of either author. A must-have.

Erika Sorocco

Three people are mysteriously burned to death, two of whom in front of a multitude of eyewitnesses. "How could something like this happen?" is the question on everyone's mind, especially when a member of the Somerset Police Department's own becomes the fourth victim of the flames. Could spontaneous human combustion, the ability of a person to burst into flames without reason, be the cause of these deaths? Or, could a man named Victor Frost have single-handedly murdered these individuals with the touch of a finger?
I give this book five stars, because it was an excellent mystery that kept me in suspense. The cause of the murders (pyrokenesis) was fascinating, but even more remarkable was the insight of the main character, Jenna. The authors too, clearly demonstrated a keen knowledge of the events that occurred in the novel, making the plot realistic. I would recommend "Burning Bones" to anyone looking for a good mystery with a surprising twist.

Three people are mysteriously burned to death, two of whom in front of a multitude of eyewitnesses. "How could something like this happen?" is the question on everyone's mind, especially when a member of the Somerset Police Department's own becomes the fourth victim of the flames. Could spontaneous human combustion, the ability of a person to burst into flames without reason, be the cause of these deaths? Or, could a man named Victor Frost have single-handedly murdered these individuals with the touch of a finger?
I give this book five stars, because it was an excellent mystery that kept me in suspense. The cause of the murders (pyrokenesis) was fascinating, but even more remarkable was the insight of the main character, Jenna. The authors too, clearly demonstrated a keen knowledge of the events that occurred in the novel, making the plot realistic. I would recommend "Burning Bones" to anyone looking for a good mystery with a surprising twist.

Jenna Blake is back for another round, and this time around, things are gonna get hot! When a man bursts in to flames for no apparent reason, Jenna finds herself wrapped up in yet another mystery. The writers take us on a rollercoaster ride, as we watch things unravel, up until the very end, when a vicious killer attempts to take the life of someone very near and dear to Jenna.

This book follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, and lives up to the standards set by them. If you are a Jenna Blake fan, you will enjoy this book as well.

Burning Bones was overall was suspenseful, and certainly not predictable. So far I have followed every book, and I do think this was one of the most trivial cases, but what puzzles me is that it is so far from human belief, where all the other books are more murder/ish cases- I'm not ruling out the whole idea, because I do believe anything is possible, but it seems unlikely in the series. But I suppose that's why they wrote it like this??? Overall, the book is great and almost makes me want to be an ME, or at least the assistant, and if like mysteries but not the same old monotonous mysteries, I recommend this book- or any other Body Of Evidence book!

Very helpful for those of us who circle with a group or want to do so, this approachable book gave me a year's worth of moon circle ideas. I'd recommend it both to beginners and to advanced practitioners who want some fresh ideas. Her bubbly, approachable style is a plus as well.

I read many online reviews of this book, and the few I found that did not like it seemed to be nit-picking (should full moons be before new moons? Difference between initiation and dedication? c'mon.) These matter when you belong to a specific coven belief system. The author, Deborah Blake, states that she doesn't and is ecclectic, which is why I like this book. She doesn't tell you what is right, but rather gives you ideas on how to combine what is comfortable to you and a more organized ritual. I really love the freedom this offers me, a former solitary that is now part of a fledgling group. This book has already given us confidence in how we celebrate the Goddess, and I see us continuing to utilize Ms. Blake's book far into our group's future. Thank You Deborah Blake!

What I love about this book, aside from the great ideas, is that the author has made herself available to the readers by her writing style. It is well thought out, and a great addition to anyone's collection of books on Wicca. If you're in a circle, thinking of starting one, or simply curious about what a ritual gathering is like, I recommend this book.
Kudos!

I read many online reviews of this book, and the few I found that did not like it seemed to be nit-picking (should full moons be before new moons? Difference between initiation and dedication? c'mon.) These matter when you belong to a specific coven belief system. The author, Deborah Blake, states that she doesn't and is ecclectic, which is why I like this book. She doesn't tell you what is right, but rather gives you ideas on how to combine what is comfortable to you and a more organized ritual. I really love the freedom this offers me, a former solitary that is now part of a fledgling group. This book has already given us confidence in how we celebrate the Goddess, and I see us continuing to utilize Ms. Blake's book far into our group's future. Thank You Deborah Blake!

This book is a great start for anyone wanting knowlegde of the Craft. HPS Blake gives a clear explantion to what you need, doing what you feel is right and the tools needed for the Craft. She includes her own covens rituals from start to finish and the meanings for each one. Breaking it down by month gives a better understanding to what happens in the Craft as well. She also gives great references for other authors which she encourages to add your own practice. You can tell she has a great love for her coven and being a witch. She really turned me onto the Craft. This is a must-own book.

I just bought this book last night because it looked very beautiful and interesting. I love Quentin Blake's style and made no mistake in buying it. It's a lot of fun to own, read and work on, I can't keep my hands off it!

Drawing can be frustrating but this book, although encouraging, also shows how relaxed and and joyful it can be, never making it tedious. If my nieces were old enough, I'd buy one for each. Can't wait to be done with it so I can move to some of other KLUTZ' works.

Terrific book, which I try to keep on hand to give to depressed bed-ridden people. It really seems to help people keep their minds off their worries. I ordered two copies on 1 May and have just cancelled my order on 23 May because the total $100+ order hasn't arrived and nobody at Amazon seems to care. Now I'll have to start all over again from a different seller, because I can't trust Amazon again with an order. Too bad.

I actually give this book 5 squillion gazillion satrs-it's FANTASTIC!!!!!! Should you get it?? YES YOU SHOULD!! (as long as you're over 8 years old-sorry under 8s-that's what it says on the back of the book.)
Do you wish you could draw? Not necessarily to be an 'Artiste' or whatever, but just for fun? Do you look at all kinds of art~from greetings cards to school kids' comics to the art in world famous galleries and think 'I wish I could do that' [please say 'yes' here otherwise I'll get paranoid]? Me too. Well, here's the answer!!
Sure other art teaching type books probably have their merits, but none can hold a candle to this one.
It's a square, a little smaller than A4 size, ringbound, and comes with 2 watercolor pencils (I can't tell you how fun these are!) and a drawing pen-all of artist quality.
Lessons and directions are mostly kept to the periphery leaving big blank spaces for you-the budding new artist, to fill in, add to or enhance some of the unfinished sketches in there-THAT'S RIGHT! YOU DRAW IN THE BOOK-no other ingredients needed!! (So this isn't really suitable for a library or something to share between kids; it's totally personal and that's actually part of the charm.)
FUN is the key ingredient to any successful learning and this is what we have here in spades, and you learn proper techniques too-it's not just about doodling, and the encouraging, esteem building way it's written is just buoying!
And here's another bonus; there's no upper age limit, so as long as you're 8+, you're set; I'll be 33 soonish and I LOVE THIS!!!!
So get this for yourself or for anyone who wants to draw and have a blast!! It's 104 pages of absolute brilliance!!
And may I say a big heartfelt thank you to all the people behind it; I used to be embarrassed about my drawings-never feeling like I measured up, but you guys have made me feel great about it-turns out I actually can draw!!!

This a wonderfully constucted (board covers and spiral bound) book that comes with pencils. The book is about drawing and meant to be drawn upon...what a combo!

There is instuction in the book but it's subtle and never says *a sky should look like this and a dog like this*. It's more about the joy of drawing and just getting started than it is about how to draw anything in a line by line way. A great thing for kids as they get to develope their own style.

That isn't to say there aren't lessons to be learned (perspective, shading, faces...showing movement, etc) The book is set up with small amounts of text and drawings (almost doodles) on the pages with the expectation that you will draw your own designs on the blank spaces. One thing I just love is that the pictures they included as examples are very sketchy and loose... simple and quickly drawn. Nothing that anyone would look at and say "I could never do that!" about. I think that is wonderful. I have seen too many how to draw books where the results look nothing short of professional and when I buy them for my son he just looks at them and thinks he could never duplicate the result. Its intimidating and he won't even try.

with this book... The examples, looking more like doodles, are very inviting and non-threatening. Almost inviting you to add your own. Perfect!

The text is helpful and humorous. Some pages there is very little and others...there is more but it's all friendly and conversational. This is a real winner!

This is a wonderful book on drawing, and I would recommend it to anyone whose age ranges between 10 and 100.The author gives plenty of ideas for those who are shy at first, but they are written with a small types so if you don't need help you are not forced to have it , and the instructions are very clear and easy to follow.
However I would not give it to yopung children for two reasons. Reason number one is that children younger than ten express themselves through drawing. The way they draw a tree, for example, tells us a lot about their personality. No instruction should be given before age 8. Reason number two is the instructions are a bit difficult for kids up to third grade.
I suggest teacher should use this book as an art connection inside a Roald Dahl author study.

Toni Blake's fastpaced, spicy Temptation is truly a HOTBED HONEY! Throughout this page-turner, Ms. Blake's wonderful writing talents shine through in her first Harlequin Temptation. She spirals readers on a high-speed roller coaster ride, from the brink of disaster deep into the throes of heated passion and endless love. From strong, well-developed characterzation to snappy dialogue and heart-tugging emotion, booklovers will read HOTBED HONEY in one sitting because they won't be able to put it down. As a former book reviewer, I am very impressed and eagerly awaiting Ms. Blake's next Harlequin Temptation.

I have to wonder what goes through editor's heads when they slap a title like Hotbed Honey onto a book, at least a book that has nothing to do with beekeeping and garden horticulture, but I'd heard enough good buzz about the book to know I should not judge it by the title.

Max Tate and Kimberly Brandt are quite a pair, a pair with a history that didn't have a happy ending. The two had worked together previously as private investigators and had developed a red-hot relationship "off the job." Things seemed to be going well until for some inexplicable reason, Kim blew their cover on a job, resulting in both of them losing their jobs. Rather than allowing her to give her side of the story, Max severed all ties and neither had seen the other for three years, until fate threw them together once more - again working together as P.I.s

Max finds Kim to have changed, toughened up, but still won't cut her any slack as far as the previous disaster. A couple of times, I wanted to reach out and smack him for the hurt he was causing her by his snide remarks and his callous, cold manner. From the beginning, the author depicted Kim as one smart lady, one who would not simply 'walk off a job' without an excellent reason. I found a lump in my throat at several points in the story when I could 'feel' her hurt that Max didn't care enough to ask her for her side of what happened. They put their past and present feelings aside and manage to work together in harmony as a married couple to catch the suspected jewel thief, until Max realizes that old love doesn't die, but simmers on the back burner. I'll admit I was glad to see him suffer suitably. ::: grin :::

What transpires is a clever, hot & harrowing resolution to all their problems, including Kim's side of the botched job, that will leave you breathlessly satisfied. I liked the book so much I've hunted up Ms. Blake's back list and look forward to her future releases. This author is definitely one to watch.

Toni Blake's fastpaced, spicy Temptation is truly a HOTBED HONEY! Throughout this page-turner, Ms. Blake's wonderful writing talents shine through in her first Harlequin Temptation. She spirals readers on a high-speed roller coaster ride, from the brink of disaster deep into the throes of heated passion and endless love.

From strong, well-developed characterzation to snappy dialogue and heart-tugging emotion, booklovers will read HOTBED HONEY in one sitting because they won't be able to put it down.

As a former book reviewer for Romantic Times Magazine, I am very impressed and eagerly awaiting Ms. Blake's next Harlequin Temptation.

Toni Blake puts forth an entertaining and gripping read in her first Temptation. Max Tate and Kimberly Brandt have worked and loved together before, and it didn't end happily the first time around. Now they both have another chance--for Kim to prove her skills as a PI, and for Max to realize it didn't really end for either of them. A tight, emotionally rich story with heavy sexual tension and just the right amount of suspense. Anything less would be disappointing, anything more would be overkill. Ms. Blake has hit her mark dead on.

Read this one in the bathtub with a bag of Dove chocolate Promises. After the water's cold and nothing's left but foil wrappers with cryptic proverbs, you'll still get that warm, satisfying feeling from the book in your hands.

Hotbed Honey is a super Temptation by talented new author, Toni Blake. I really enjoyed the high level of sensuality, and the witty give and take between two PI's reunited after their romance crashed and burned along with one of their cases a couple of years before.

In this high-intensity romance, meet Max Tate, owner of a private investigation agency, in need of an attractive, experienced investigator to pose as his wife for a few days. He gets the surprise of his life when Kimberly Brandt shows up to play the part. With time as an issue, Max doesn't have much choice but to accept Kimberly's services. Her desire to reestablish herself as a capable professional in Max's eyes elicits Kimberly's agreement to work with Max on his latest case. Distrust, jealousy, and lingering attraction complicate the assignment as Kimberly must cozy up to a sleazy jewel thief and catch him in the act.

Danger and suspense add to the excitement as Max and Kimberly set out to get their man. There's plenty of clonflict along with great characters and riveting dialogue to carry the reader along to a satisfying conclusion where the bad guy gets his due, old hurts and misunderstandings are resolved, and Max and Kimberly form a partnership for life.

This book is a warm, thoughtful invitation to revisit some poets and poems that remind us of the abiding universality of this form of expression. It's also a joyful nudge to try poetry the way it's best experienced....read aloud. I especially love the entries on Eliot, Berryman, Burns and Coleridge.

I loved this product. As an English teacher in DCPS I have found my students loved being read to. Sometimes they become a little sick of me reading out loud, so having the CD accompany these fantastic poems worked out well in providing variety.

This is a wonderful book for the beginner or anyone wanting to awaken the lapsed poetry lover within. I haven't read poetry since I was in college (many years ago) and found this book an easy re-entry into the wonderful world of poetry. Everyone will have their favorite poems, but I think the ones chosen for this book are diverse and reflect a treasure of past and contemporary work. I have listened to the CD over and over again as it opens up the other dimension of poetry which has helped me fully appreciate many of the poems. John Lithgow is a wonderful host, and beckons us all to enjoy one of life's truly meaningful and mysterious joys. The brief information about each poet proceeding their poem is very helpful and there are highlighted bits of general information including further reading, links to websites etc. Warning--reading poetry can be addictive...

The most important factor in this anthology is that Lithgow is not a poet! How great is that! No name dropping, no friend of a friend, no academic postulations on the preponderances of poetry's perplexing postulations! He just loves poetry. And that frees him to choose what he likes.

The second important factor is that he provides us with audio. Poetry is an audio art as well as visual one. And it stinks to always be missing out on 1/2 of the art.

As a student a teacher of poetry I was schooled in contemporaries like Collins, Howe, Harjo, Bukowski so I always had an aversion to the masters being a lot of it was now cliche and with that annoying abab rhyme scheme. But Lithgow and company make it come alive for me. Hearing Auden read by Foster blew the doors on my poetic hinges. I think this anthology is important for anyone who loves the arts. It is not condescending or overwrought with analysis. A little history of the poet, a little nostalgia about why he like the poem, and then BAM! the poem PLUS he give you more poems by the same author after his initial pick just for exposure so you get 50 poems on the CD plus more in the book. This is the kind of book you buy everyone you know when you can't think of any really worthwhile and meaningful to give them.

It makes me want to do my own anthology poems I love. I my own quarrel is that I doubt there will be a sequel.

The Poet's Corner, compiled by John Lithgow presents an expansive collection of poetry, and is accompanied by a bonus MP3 CD featuring readings of poetry by Mr Lithgow and his friends [ Glenn Close, Morgan Freeman, Jodie Foster, Sam Waterston etc].

Though not the most comprehensive collection of poetry, it is a worthy compilation of well-known poetry written in the English language and is sure to find fans, both existing lovers of poetry and those just coming to appreciate the genre.

Each poem that is selected is accompanied by a short bio of the poet and Mr Lithgow's own explanation as to how the piece interests him or its emotional pull for him. The poems are presented by the poet [alphabetically by their last names] beginning with Matthew Arnold, and ending with William Butler Yeats. There are 50 poets in all, and the poems cover different eras, varied subjects, yet are all beguiling and unique in their ability to draw us in and affect us in different ways. Reading this compilation impacted me emotionally, engulfing me in feelings of joy, sadness and even silent contemplation. The bonus CD is another plus and together this is a wonderful and enjoyable compilation of poetry.

Great Book, I am on the road alot and it is a must have during my travels. Cant wait for the next book?

For all your frustrated drivers out there, help is on the way. So hang up the phone with your shrink and start cancelling all those anger management courses. Laughter is the best remedy. And you'll get plenty of chuckles out this pocket-sized handbook!

This book is very funny and a must have!!! I love the characters that are featured in the book as well. This is going to make a great stocking stuffer during Holiday time!!!

This is definately a book that everyone should have because it a great party starter and brings up great conversation. Its the type of book that you show to a friend and watch them read it from beginning to end. This book is a "MUST HAVE" for those who drive in traffic everyday. It will also make a great gift.

Very funny book with great illustrations, good enough to read over and over again.