Brandon Books

"Through the Eyes of a Champion" is a must read for all who were fortunate enough to watch Burls play football. It is such an inspiring biography, though, that it is a wonderful book for anyone to read. I was barely able to put the book down once I started reading it, and I finished reading it in a couple of days. Just be sure you have a box of tissues handy if you are the least bit prone to tears.

Like Brandon, one of my sons will be an invited walk on to the Razorback football team this fall. If he works 75% as hard and accomplishes half as much, I will be the proudest Mom in the world! The book clearly demonstrates how far a person can go with the right attitude, total commitment and the hard work it takes to accomplish your goal.

The world, and especially the state of Arkansas, are better because of this young man who set a an impressive example that each of us can aspire to follow.

Don't think this is a book for Arkansas Razorback fans alone. This story walks way beyond the Arkansas border and outside the sports arena into the worlds of mass appeal. Sports lovers, not known for being your more veracious readers, will be surprised when the book's end comes easily and quickly. Young people will be inspired by the story of hard work and dedication. Mothers and grandmothers will be touched by the family relationships portrayed so well. No one will close the final chapter without a box of kleenex handy.
Read this book. As you see life through the eyes of a champion, life will never look the same again!

This book is a very touching story of a young man who showed that anything can be acheived with hard work and determination, even for those who dont necessarily "fit-in" with the popular crowd. And it also shows how fragile and how quickly life can be taken away from us. Also, for anyone who is familiar with Arkansas Razorback football, it would be an especially good read.

Brandon Burlsworth came from humble beginnings, born and raised by his mother in the small town of Harrison, Arkansas. A shy, quirky, kid who wasn't the most coordinated nor the most popular boy in school, Brandon relied on his faith and determination to prove everyone wrong. He worked his way into becoming an All-State high-school football player. Wanting to become a Razorback all his life but not getting a scholarship, Brandon refused other offers and walked-on at the University of Arkansas, later earning himself a starting role for 3 years. At the end of his collegiate carrer, Brandon became an All-American lineman and the only football player in Arkansas history to earn a Bachelors and Masters degrees before they finished playing football. Being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, Brandon was tragically killed in an auto accident on his way to church, just a few days after being drafted.

It does have many Christian references and messages as well.

I am fortunate to have gone to school with Brandon Burlsworth for 4 years. Although, I was never a close friend, I watched all the Razorback football games his senior year, just to see him. We were all fascinated watching him play. I wanted to ask him for an autograph, but always thought he might think it was stupid for a classmate to ask for one. After reading this wonderfully written book about his life, I realize, it was me who lost out never going up to talk to him. I cannot say enough good things about this book and how it just grabbed my heart and kept me reading. After reading this, it may change your life and your thoughts.. Brandon was so well loved around here in Harrison, and around the world. We know he is in Heaven looking down on us. Everyone should have this book to read when they are down. Brandon brought meaning to life... and you will see that in this book.

The poets and writers whose work is collected in UP IS UP BUT SO IS DOWN: NEW YORK'S UNDERGROUND LITERARY SCENE 1974 -- 1992 are not writers you will find between the pages of THE NEW YORKER or in tidy academic anthologies. The men and women who populated the now-legendary downtown scene of New York in the 70s and 80s wrote scabrous, violent, and often bitterly funny verse and prose with a force and irreverence that made their words jump off the page, or, in many cases, the stage. Editor Brandon Stosuy has done a remarkable job in assembling the messy strands of downtown writing -- culled from fanzines, underground journals, flyers, and photographs -- into a thorough and vibrant whole. An essential document and a guidepost for any budding literary avant-gardist.

Michael Lindgren

Up Is Up But So Is Down is a book you have to turn over a lot, and I don't just mean in your head. You can see this already from the cover. Be careful reading it on the subway as you will inevitably hit someone with either the book or your elbow as you turn it round to read a particular zine cover or flyer or look at a picture or poster. This shifting and turning of the book makes you immediately aware of the fact that this is not just reading you are doing here. In a way, the words work a lot like the images and flyers and covers. You turn them over in order to see. Similarly, the images being related to print, you turn the images over in order to read. You are constantly reading and looking. The connection between text and image is palpable. In his introduction, editor Brandon Stosuy calls the book a "snapshot," and I recall the Eudora Welty quote "A good snapshot stops a moment from running away."

Is this what the book sets out to do and does it succeed? On the one hand, there is a clear sense that the moment is gone. Much of the writing, Stosuy notes is out of print, overlooked, forgotten and never even known beyond its first publication. The introduction details how it could not be any other way. The book chronicles a literature that from its inception had been running away. From ad hoc performances to self-made, self distributed zines, permanency at no point seemed part of the consciousness of the scene. Time, however, is certainly in the consciousness of the book, and with the book, gets turned over a lot as well. Reading Edward Sanders' 1975 poem "The Age," one feels the tragic resonances with the present day ("criminals of the right will rise up...to chop up candidates in the name of some person-with-a-serotonin-imbalance's moan of national security"), and where Sanders' "Age" differs from ours ("this is the poets' era), that, too, is tragic. A conversation between Gerard Malanga, Lisa Falour, and Lynn Tillman makes you feel intimately part of a life you most likely never lived as you eavesdrop on conversations about bondage photography and Andy Warhol. As you eavesdrop, though, there are these peculiar moments, Tillman saying "I never lasted long enough to see that," Falour responding, "you missed a great scene." They are talking about a film, one written for Malanga but of which he does not have a copy, as it was borrowed and never returned. This little snapshot, if you will, already suggests the ephemerality, that the scene (downtown, not the movie) was already bound up with "never [lasting] long enough," "missed," lost and never returned, that it was already running way.

If the scene is already conscious of its running away, the early to mid-80s run seems to say along with Spalding Gray, "why rush it?" The largest section of the book, here downtown writing seems to be basking in its self, for its limited time only. The beginning poem Miguel Pinero's Lower East Side poem, could not be more representative. From a consciousness of mortality and ephemerality comes a eulogy to the Lower East Side, to downtown. Reading right along, literary experimentation reaches new horizons as Holly Anderson invents new visions of form, the engagement of the cultural and political climate of the post-Cold War continues to fuel the counterculture. Downtown is at its most downtown. The majority of the writings are marked by New York and/or time even in their very titles. Its provinciality is brought even closer to home as New York is narrowed to Avenue A, Third Avenue, St. Mark's, the Bowery etc. Modern Saint, Modern Romance, Newspaper Poem, Red Tape's Assembl-Age all point to a particular moment in time, that being the present moment. There are two sides to this insular scope. On the one hand, there is much writing that in its content, from sexual relationships to the meeting of strangers to sexual meetings between strangers, treats the isolation and loneliness endemic to the city and to counterculture. On the other hand, the writing itself is rooted in its insular community. Writers dedicate stories to other writers, as in Molinaro's "AC-DC" for Bruce Benderson, and the collective the Unbearables forms. This is made visible, too, in the flyers advertising readings and parties, the names that come together time and again, together in downtown. The party goes on and the band plays on. By the late 80s the community is shaken by the AIDS virus and that early consciousness of mortality and death ends in eulogies to Cookie Mueller. By the nineties you have memories and more eulogies, memorial poetry readings, and the literature of survivors.

Two of the most powerful images in the book are these index card/postcard flyers for an Eileen Myles reading. The first one written out by hand advertises that her reading will be on Friday, March 13th. The second, written in what looks like crayon, reads "Oops" and says the event will take place the 12th. There is something about looking at these makeshift scribbled postcards in this sturdy volume. No, it tells you nothing about the event itself, whenever or if ever it did happen. You can wonder about the guy who got the first postcard and not the second and realize that it was possible to "miss the scene" even then. The scene was always running away and could not be stopped because the scene was exactly the running away. But Up Is Up But So Is Down is that picture postcard the scene sends to you from wherever it was off to, saying, "wish you were there." Reading it, you'll wish you were there, too, and having read it, you'll cherish that at least you have the postcard. [...]

There are good books that you read, enjoy, and put back on the shelf; and then there are books like UP IS UP..., which you keep nearby to facilitate the frequent dips you know you'll need. Obsession is mandatory. Even the downtown agnostic will be won over by the energy, inventiveness, and humor of the selections; the book's terrific size and design (reproducing dozens of small-run journal pages, photos, handbills, and the like) make it totally addictive. This is hands down one of the strongest books of the year. To mangle the Velvets, down for me is up.

(I love the way that when you search for this book on Amazon, and ask for "Up is Up" you get the insane Richard Pryor-Lonette McKee vehicle WHICH WAY IS UP? and also THE POP-UP BOOK OF CELEBRITY MELTDOWNS by "Melcher Media." That one I ordered!)

You don't have to be a New Yorker to fall for the grit, abandon, and passionate politics exhibited by the writers and poets Brandon Stosuy has collected in this jumbo book of unreason. You can skip the part where he explains why the book begins in 1974 and ends in 1992, though afterwards you'll want to go back and follow up on this intrihuing explanations, but first time readers will want to just jump right in with a giant splash into the grimy glamorous downtown swimming hole. The 1970s begin on a brash note with Kathy Acker, Ed Sanders, the debut of Patti Smith, "Blank Generation" by Richard Hell, the eternally underrated Constance De Jong, and a long, long, long piece by Laurie Anderson. In fact there's a power and cohesion about the writing in this section that the book afterward fails to recover. That's not to say that the rest of the book is dull, for the social issues of crime, poverty, and most of all the AIDS epidemic complicate the Downtown aesthetic in totally interesting and provocative ways. I'm just saying . . . If there was a time when "Downtown" was fun, maybe the 1970s were it, and Stosuy cannily reprints (from the much missed zine BIKINI GIRL) a hilarious three way interview between editor Lisa Falour, novelist Lynne Tillman, and style icon slash photographer slash urban Narcissus Gerard Malanga that is a sort of mock salute to the old-style Factory school. Here you will also a great poem, "I Missed Punk" from 1979 by Peter Schjeldahl. I'm indifferent to his work at the New Yorker and feel, couldn't he still have stayed a poet too, or did he have to give it all up when his muse took a powder? In any case, "I Missed Punk" is super.

In general, the poetry isn't up to the silver standard of the prose work here, which is strange considering all the great poets who lived Downtown in the period; but some of this must be assigned to Stosuy's apparent preference for prose, for he could have printed any number of poems by, for example, Eileen Myles or Dennis Cooper or Brad Gooch, opting instead for stories by each of them. That said, there are some beautiful poems here, by Tim Dlugos, Susie Timmons, David Trinidad, Bob Holman, Penny Arcade, among others; and even the duds exhibit a sort of snapshot realism about the period that brings it all to life like throwing sea monkeys into a glass of water. What happened to Susie Timmons? Is she still writing? I haven't mentioned yet the sheer churn of names, the wave of stars that flickered out into the night, people who stopped writing, who disappeared into drugs or drink, or just into mediocrity after brilliant beginnings . . . but editor Stosuy has made this one of his themes, noting the contents of fugitive magazines, or big anthologies, in which the names we still know today mingle with the head-scratchers. Well, you know how time fades away.

The 80s is a much huger section, as the commercial realities of BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY and SLAVES OFF NEW YORK seemed to bear down on the more avant-garde, formalist work that preceded it, so that "Downtown" began to market itself in numerous subtle, and subtly arrogant ways. Heroically many artists took their economics realistically as a subject and began to whirl it around in Duchampian ways. The magazine "Between C & D" came right off those primitive computer printers on folded, pegged paper, and each copy was then stuffed into an elongated quart-sized baggie for immaculate consumption. Indeed this was the golden age of the "Between C & D" writers, their work highlights of Stosuy's volume. Lines blurred between genres, and New York's theatricality is rarely far away from the presentation of such texts as Karen Finley's "Baby Birds," Richard Prince's sublime "Practicing without a License," Sarah Schulman's "Girls, Visions and Everything," Eric Bogosian's ponderous "In the Dark." AIDS comes along and knocks everything into a cocked hat, and the graphics that often overpower these pages find themselves now shadowed by a fighting, communal spirit close in tone to the Revolutionary Calendar. Though "Downtown" apparently ends in 1992, with the death of the artist David Wojnarowicz, Stosuy still finds a hundred pages of 1990s material, a Jacobean flowering of excess and despair that includes Bruce Benderson, Mary Gaitskill, the late David Rattray, and the amazing Susan Daitch.

Physically the book weighs a ton and straphangers won't be folding it over their elbow like the New York Post. I wasn't crazy about how every page is on a different color, most of them leaning towards the bleak or the dayglo. (The designer Angela Lidderdale's celebrated work on Benetton's COLORS magazine has leached into her book design.) And after prolonged immersion in the book I found out that in fact I was wrong; many pages in a row are printed in standard black and white. I was just feeling cornea fatigue I suppose. Stosuy, a fiction writer with an anthropologist's zest for reconstructing lost cultures, has found a wealth of material to support his thesis that the "downtown" writing scene of the post-Watergate Manhattan had energy and style to spare. I want him to come to San Francisco and I will show him around and persuade him that we did the same thing here only with less publicity, better weather, and cuter guys.

This story has a wonderfully consistent tone and the voice of Maria ("Mary") is pitch perfect. You never doubt you're right there with her as her saga unfolds.

From the Philippines to Hong Kong and back again, this true account sketches intimate personal details and paints them with cultural tidbits. Chapter 1 (Simpler Times) sets the stage, showing the close bonds between members of a large Filipino family, particularly the maternal relationships between Mary, her eldest sister, and their mother. The story is set in motion when the elder sister becomes pregnant, ensuring that Mary will have to go to Hong Kong to work as a dancer and make money for the family. Chapter 9 (Mudslide) and Chapter 10 (Barking Dogs) are the "pressure cooker" chapters. Mary has mounting problems, desperately needs money, and is being bullied by the Chinese mamasans. She is in over her head. Mary becomes smarter as the novel unfolds but her ability to live life on her own terms is a cloud that she can't hold onto.

I especially enjoy books that affect me on an emotional level and also give me a chance to ponder social issues. Bars of Steel forced me to question who was responsible for the situation Mary finds herself in when working in the bar. By the end of the story I came to realize that everyone has a share of the blame, for each participant in this story has contributed to it both positively and negatively. Mary and her family are benefactors of the money she earns. Can we really call Mary or her fellow bar girls victims? Bar mates Sheena and Baby are by her side throughout, but they and the other bar girls are also a source of the problem--they exert peer pressure to go out on bar-fines and make even more money to send home to their families. The organizers of the promotion in the Philippines, who send the girls to Hong Kong, could not operate if the girls' parents did not allow them to partake. The Chinese mamasans are obvious antagonists, but they are only facilitators; they did not create the bar system nor could they continue it by themselves even if they wanted to. The foreign businessmen who frequent the bars are obvious participants, but their patronage hardly qualifies them as perpetrators.

Some years back, I saw the movie El Callejon de los Milagros ("Miracle Alley"). It tells the story of a woman named Alma who "works" the streets of downtown Mexico City. The movie celebrated the different perspectives of each of several main characters. I loved this film (debuting Salma Hayek), but the idea of telling a story form multiple perspectives has been cinematically overdone. In this regard, Bars of Steel is refreshing in its approach. Telling the story from a single viewpoint makes the transformation from naïve girl to guarded heroine psychologically revealing. I think this book should be considered a top read for anyone wanting to understand the plight of an Asian woman caught in the grips of "grey" prostitution.

This book is memoir at its best. The story stays with you. You'll find yourself thinking back upon the story with a shared sense of wonder and optimism about Mary's conflicted days spent as a bar girl.

This story has a wonderfully consistent tone and the voice of Maria ("Mary") is pitch perfect. You never doubt you're right there with her as her saga unfolds.

From the Philippines to Hong Kong and back again, this true account sketches intimate personal details and paints them with cultural tidbits. Chapter 1 (Simpler Times) sets the stage, showing the close bonds between members of a large Filipino family, particularly the maternal relationships between Mary, her eldest sister, and their mother. The story is set in motion when the elder sister becomes pregnant, ensuring that Mary will have to go to Hong Kong to work as a dancer and make money for the family. Chapter 9 (Mudslide) and Chapter 10 (Barking Dogs) are the "pressure cooker" chapters. Mary has mounting problems, desperately needs money, and is being bullied by the Chinese mamasans. She is in over her head. Mary becomes smarter as the novel unfolds but her ability to live life on her own terms is a cloud that she can't hold onto.

I especially enjoy books that affect me on an emotional level and also give me a chance to ponder social issues. Bars of Steel forced me to question who was responsible for the situation Mary finds herself in when working in the bar. By the end of the story I came to realize that everyone has a share of the blame, for each participant in this story has contributed to it both positively and negatively. Mary and her family are benefactors of the money she earns. Can we really call Mary or her fellow bar girls victims? Bar mates Sheena and Baby are by her side throughout, but they and the other bar girls are also a source of the problem--they exert peer pressure to go out on bar-fines and make even more money to send home to their families. The organizers of the promotion in the Philippines, who send the girls to Hong Kong, could not operate if the girls' parents did not allow them to partake. The Chinese mamasans are obvious antagonists, but they are only facilitators; they did not create the bar system nor could they continue it by themselves even if they wanted to. The foreign businessmen who frequent the bars are obvious participants, but their patronage hardly qualifies them as perpetrators.

Some years back, I saw the movie El Callejon de los Milagros ("Miracle Alley"). It tells the story of a woman named Alma who "works" the streets of downtown Mexico City. The movie celebrated the different perspectives of each of several main characters. I loved this film (debuting Salma Hayek), but the idea of telling a story form multiple perspectives has been cinematically overdone. In this regard, Bars of Steel is refreshing in its approach. Telling the story from a single viewpoint makes the transformation from naïve girl to guarded heroine psychologically revealing. I think this book should be considered a top read for anyone wanting to understand the plight of an Asian woman caught in the grips of "grey" prostitution.

This book is memoir at its best. The story stays with you. You'll find yourself thinking back upon the story with a shared sense of wonder and optimism about Mary's conflicted days spent as a bar girl.


Ana Salas

No one sets out to become a stripper. "Bars of Steel" is inspired by the true story of Maria de la Torre. It follows a young Filipina girl as she is forced to leave her home after a terrible natural disaster. She finds herself in Wan Chai, a seedy part of town in Hong Kong. With not much option other than to become a dancer, she begins her career and begins to learn the harsh facts of life along the way. "Bars of Steel" is an unusual coming-of-age tale that reflects on the lives of many unfortunate women throughout the world.

I read this book for the first time when my son was 2; he is now 32. I couldn't find this book for sale anywhere so I debated just 'not returning' or 'losing it' from the local library. After a 7 month deliberation I did return it and just kept borrowing it constantly (from other libraries LOL). I bought it used at an exorbitant price a couple of years ago! The Cliffs of Night is the most enjoyable peek into Ireland, her legends, and the characters are larger than life. How Ms. Brandon did it I wish I knew. I just know that it rained today, it's AZ, and I pulled out The Cliffs of Night and read it. I just 'get it' more every time I read it - and I love to read two or three books a day whenever I am ill. You know, I don't even mind anymore so much when I'm down with lupus if I can grab a book like The Cliffs of Night - and yes, I do love Mary Stewart.

It is well worth reading, it's one of the best. It is romantic and Irish and a great adventure. You will fall in love with Ireland and it's history. I don't want to spoil any of the plot. If you like Mary Stewart you will love this book.

I've owned this book since 1974 and continue to read it every few years. What an imagination! The author skillfully and intelligently combines a resourceful young American actress with the Cliffs of Moher, archaeology and the ancient Irish legends, a few classic literary references, a network of violence, old-fashioned romance with a down-to-earth hero, a pair of hardworking well-educated Irish dreamers and one truly great Irish wolfhound.

From the back cover- "She came to a land of fearful legends and terrifying reality. Young American actress Grania Kirk was in flight from a disasterous love affair when she came to the homeland of her Irish ancestors - and to the legendary Cliffs of Moher, where ancient evil was said to live eternally between the howling winds above and the crashing seas below.

It was in this wild and desolate place that a chance meeting with a handsome stranger, and a thoughtless surrender to an irresistably romantic impulse, suddenly plunged Grania into a nightmare of danger in a strife-torn land of violence and intrigue, where life was cheap and love could be a deadly lie..."

This is absolutely in the great tradition of Mary Stewart! Find it if you can.

Navigating through higher education can be, at times, a painful process. In my case, the tears began just as the process began- with my first acceptance into an MSTP program. Having been out of school for several years by that point, I had no idea there were rules to this game. And so, upon receipt of my first acceptance, the one that should have elicited a sigh of relief, I instead cried and cried on the phone with the admissions officer as I wrestled with the morality of saying "yes" to this program while secretly knowing I would bow out if my dream school came through. Rookie mistake, I now know, and a cringe-worthy story to relate to fellow students at Welcome Back barbeques. But tear-stained cheeks were to appear throughout my training, generally due to more subtle pressures and more complicated issues. Should I begin graduate school after M1, which would set me up for an easier transition back to medicine and the wards, or after M2 or even M3, which would allow me to truly integrate my burgeoning medical knowledge with my research? Should I join the large lab that will push me until I crack, revealing what I hope is the great scientist inside, or the small lab that feels like home, full of warm personalities and a sense of camaraderie? How can I possibly prepare for the wards, after so much time away, no less, when I'm trying to finish up experiments, bang out a couple of papers, and write my thesis all at the same time? It's a wonder I'm not permanently attached to a saline drip after all this.

I would like to think that most of the sobbing and the stressed-out-mad-dash-treadmill sessions have not been in vain. As M.D./Ph.D. students, we are asked early on to make thoughtful and savvy decisions about our career paths. Time spent considering these decisions, tortured or not, is well spent and can reveal underappreciated aspects of our goals and ourselves. That being said, we need not approach these decisions alone. In fact, if there is one thing my empty Kleenex box has taught me, it is to seek out those people who have traveled this road before and thus have years of experiential wisdom to impart. Lucky for all of us, Ben Rosner M.D., Ph.D. and Jayakar Nayak M.D., Ph.D. are two such well-versed people. Not only have they successfully traveled this road, they have written a book about it in hopes of making the journey a little less bumpy for the rest of us.

In "The Complete Guide to the M.D/PhD. Degree: The Art and Science of `Doing it Twice'" (J&S Publishing Company, Inc, 2004) Rosner and Nayak approach their topic as though they are giving advice to an eager younger sibling- with ease, charm and clarity. From applying to dual degree programs to applying to residencies or postdocs, they provide the reader with detailed information, handy tips, timelines and advice for getting the most out of our training years with the minimal amount of anxiety. The book is organized sequentially into chapters on applying to schools, MS1/2, the graduate school years, MS3/4, and future career options. This particular organization may not be ideal for nontraditional students who choose a different route through their program, but the principles and most of the timelines will still apply. Rosner and Nayak write in a conversational tone, and this, coupled with Brandon Minnery's too-true cartoons, makes the book a fun and relatively quick read. But don't be fooled by the jokes and the mellow delivery- the book is packed with useful insights and links to more detailed information in almost every area covered. Reading it felt like having a long conversation with an exceptionally perceptive and discerning MSTP "Big Sib". A long overdue conversation in my case, but still relevant- I found the chapters on graduate school, MS3/4 and career planning particularly helpful, timely and applicable.

One of the overriding themes of "The Complete Guide" is that good planning and thoughtfulness will take us further than ulcers will. The authors encourage us to plan ahead, work hard, and to enjoy this time, both in school and out. Just between you and me, as I read through the first chapters on applying to schools and tackling MS1 and MS2, I found myself longing for the opportunity to go back and do it all over again, this time in a cleaner, more organized and incisive way, with Rosner and Nayak as my guides. Now, I'm almost finished with a hard won (remember the tears) PhD. To tell you that these authors led me to wonder about doing the whole thing over again, nay yearn to, is just about the best review I can offer.

In spite of my newfound adoration for Rosner and Nayak, I must confess that I was disappointed by the consistent differentiation the authors make between MSTP and M.D./Ph.D. programs. They make a point to offer NIGMS statistics regarding job placement, publication record, and research funding between the two (as well as between straight M.D.s and Ph.D.s) but the statistics are rarely significant and a bit outdated (1995), perhaps not indicative of current trends. Further, scant attention is paid to one of the most difficult transition periods- that between medical school and graduate school. This can be a surprisingly difficult transition for many students and is often overshadowed in conversation by the seemingly more difficult transition from graduate school back to medical school. Even a few words of advice on this topic would be welcome. Finally, though many of us have an idealized version of the Physician-Scientist floating around in our heads, more than a few of us wonder, at times, what it is that we are uniquely trained to do? In this increasingly translational scientific atmosphere, where M.D.s do phenomenal bench-top research and Ph.D.s run brilliant clinical trials, what do we, as M.D./Ph.D.s-in-training, have to offer that is concretely different? Where, exactly, do we fit? Rosner and Nayak are in the enviable position of viewing this process with the insight and perspective that only experience can give. Their thoughts on how we fit into the larger scientific and health-care communities would be encouraging to those of us just beginning the process as well as to those about to emerge on the other side.

I am happy to report that it has been years since my puffy eyes and red-tipped nose have made an appearance at school. There is something to be said for the process- I'm tougher now, and my goals are much more specific and clear. I won't, in fact, be doing this all over again. But if I did, I would be sure to not make this process any more difficult than it has to be. I would look for guidance earlier from seasoned professionals who know the road better than I do. And I would always, always, buy extra-soft Kleenex.

I liked this book because it gives practical advice that can only come from people who have been through the rigors of the MD/PhD training. I am in the process of going back to the 3rd year after completing the PhD portion, and I found the advice on transitioning efficiently to be quite helpful (e.g. try to review your patient interviewing skills, expect to feel a little behind than your new classmates, etc.). There are numerous bullet-point tips on what to do and what not to do at various stages along the training. Also the authors are candid about the realities of the program, such as why and when to switch labs if things are going sour, or that one cannot rely on his/her research laurels alone to apply for residency programs. I was pleasantly surprised at the degree of useful advice that is presented at each level of the program, from applying to MD/PhD programs through postdoctoral training. There's also a helpful appendix that lists the requirements by state for taking the USMLEs in a certain period of time. I also bought this book to get a sense of how my experience thus far compares with others and what to expect during the remaining years of my training, and I found almost all of the insightful information to be true to my experience and helpful for the future years. As far as I know this is currently the only book specifically devoted to the MD/PhD career track, so I recommend getting it as early as possible to get more insight into the ins and outs of the program/career.

From the prospective of MD/PhD graduates, Rosner and Nayak provide a comprehensive description of the MD/PhD degree and offer advice to prospective physician-scientists. Their work is remarkably well organized, and it follows a coherent logical progression. Minnery's cartoons infuse relevant humor into the work, and serve as excellent comic relief amidst the requisite descriptions of guidelines and requirements. The authors offer balanced description of the benefits and drawbacks of being an MD/PhD student. Rosner and Nayak advise readers on applying to programs, acing interviews, and being a successful MD/PhD student. The Complete Guide to the MD/PhD Degree is not simply for students wishing to apply to MD/PhD programs - Rosner and Nayak use their wealth of experience as MD/PhD students to provide meaningful advice on personal life during medical school, throughout graduate school, and beyond graduation. The authors tell the reader what to expect at each stage of the program, and what to expect after graduating from a combined MD/PhD program. In spite of failing to address all of the important distinctions between normal MD students and MD/PhD students, Rosner and Nayak succeed in providing a comprehensive guide to applying to and succeeding in MD/PhD programs. The Complete Guide to the MD/PhD Degree is an astonishingly holistic work that offers lucid insight into what would be otherwise a confusing and uncertain career path.

Resume writing is a daunting task I've hated for years. Determined to make this a positive experience by tackling the task in new and creative ways, I spent one and a half hours looking through dozens of books on the subject. I chose this one first. But, not until I had looked through dozens more did I come back to THE EDGE and sit down to take a cautious look at its content. At first glance, this is a book packaged to sell and, afraid of "hype-stuff," that made me not trust it initially. (It includes inserts of four-color resumes on real stock inside that, later, I came to find extremely useful.)The authors of the book practice what they preach.

I read THE EDGE in its entirety in one sitting, and discovered that after 22 years of being in the job market there were still a few things I didn't know. I reccommend it highly. Even if you find THE EDGE a bit extreme, the strategies presented in it are practical and relevant to today's job market. (One small section includes tips on scannable and electronic resumes. An extensive appendix includes worksheets you can photocopy.) You can aim between THE EDGE ideas and conventional ones, and still come out ahead.

Creative resume-writing is often the only thing that gets an applicant noticed. This book is a creative resume writing almanac! Authors Corbin and Wright show hundreds of creative resume examples that can be adapted to almost any situation. Creative use of graphics, icons, and paper create a visual image that is sure to resonate with the hiring authority. Especially great for lawyers, teachers, tech jobs, and professionals.

This book helped me out so much I couldnt even fit in this box. But the ideas that suggestions that they make are priceless!

Great buy, would recommend this to anyone looking for a meaningful read, or anyone who enjoys the thoughts of a great lyricist.

From The Murks Of The Sultry Abyss, Brandon Boyd's sophomore book effort, follows exactly in the same vein as his freshmen effort. He's got a few poems. He's got a lot of stories and point of view essays. A lot of pictures. And a lot of drawings. If you've read White Fluffy Clouds you know what to expect.

I love White Fluffy Clouds which is the reason why I held out from buying this for so long. As much as I enjoy all things Incubus (especially Brandon), I didn't know if he'd be able to top White Fluffy Clouds. I'm still not sure if he did, but he did amp up the writing this time around, which is a pleasant treat. One thing that isn't as impressive (albeit mildly) is his art. I could stare at his drawings in WFC for hours wondering how exactly he did it. With FTMOTSA I haven't really found myself doing that. The pictures are excellent, but the drawings are more tame than before. However! Give and take.

All in all, From The Murks Of The Sultry Abyss is a worthy follow-up. Full of engaging reading material, curious photography, and some very good art, I'm sure it'll prove to be a book you can go back to time after time and still enjoy every glossy page.

The special edition (as pictured in the current display picture) is nice but don't feel the need to drive yourself crazy trying to find it. The box it comes in is pretty cool with a nice drawing on the cover, and the stickers are equally cool but unless you're a diehard collector there's no need. If you can find it easily though, definitely go for it.

"Car Crashes And Cow Corpses"...a must read for everyone.

This book is awesome but I don't understand why it is so expensive on amazon. It's half the price that's listed here if you buy it from Brandon's website:

www.brandonboydbooks.com

VERY GOOD READ. ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH. RECEIVED THE ITEM VERY QUICKLY. THIS IS A GREAT READ FOR GI JOE FANS.

I read the Marvel series as a kid and loved it. I didn't like what Devil's Due did with the new series, but Snake Eyes: Declassified is a wonderful exception. All the random and scattered tidbits of his history from the Marvel series have been assembled in chronological order and weaved into a wonderful story, as well as a few neat surprises that better explain motivations of certain characters. In addition to the great story, the art is also high quality. A lot of time and effort was put into this. I highly recommend this. Not just for old fans, but also for newbies and anyone who is interested in a deep, complex, and emotional narrative.

He's been the most popular, enigmatic, and certainly most mysterious member of the G.I. Joe team...well, forever. He is Snake Eyes and in Devil's Due's latest trade paperback, his story is finally revealed...mostly. This 192 page trade paperback collects the six issue Snake Eyes Declassified mini-series and is written by Brandon Jerwa, with art by Emiliano Santalucia and Robert Atkins. What Jerwa essentially does is take the pieces and fragments about his life from the near 25 year history of G.I. Joe comics written by Larry Hama and others, and weave them into a cohesive history and to lift the veil(almost) on this character. One of the best things that Devil's Due did with the book is list a source guide for each of the six issues noting where certain characters were first met and were events took place. For example, the source guide notes that Snake-Eyes' first job in a gas station was first mentioned back in G.I. Joe #10 from Marvel Comics.

We see him having his last dinner with his sister and parents before he's off to the frontlines. By this time he's already been through significant training. And we'll see him in action for the first time and the reservations that his fellow soldiers have about the man who already has earned a reputation as a soldier who gets the job done. The tragic events of his own accident, and the accident that would kill his family eventually push him into a dark life with a man who would go on to play a very important role in G.I. Joe history.

Snake-Eyes eventually finds his salvation with his friend Thomas Arashikage, of Clan Arashikage in Japan. Most of the middle of the story centers around his life and development with the clan as we see him develop into the character who would become Snake-Eyes. A lot of fabric and continuity is woven in here and I don't want to reveal too many of the details. In the introduction, long-time scribe Larry Hama says "these revelations are not what I would have done" although he doesn't make clear if he means the fact they were revealed at all, or how they were revealed. But Hama also notes that this is the point--to pick up the ball and run with it and ultimately let the fans decide.

I think Devil's Due truly gets it right with this story. They reveal much, but still keep much hidden. When Snake-Eyes visits the graves of his parents and sister, the last name is carefully covered by shadows or leaves, still maintaining some of the character's mystery.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

this book is a great book that shows the human mind and what goes on inside it. This Author has a unique style of writing and shows true feeling and heart in all the poems in this book.
this book is great for anyone who enjoys reading poetry
DfP

Poetic works that pull you in, enticing you to explore the written word, and leaving you momentarily lost in a jungle of metered beats are the sort that are perfection to me. Leave your greeting card verse at the store. A book of poetry worth sinking your mind into is "Intrinsic Desires," by Brandon Gene Petit.

In a tone that reflects an intricate mind, Brandon offers moments in time, scenes of life, and instances of fundamental feeling. His work is rich with imagery, from twilight skies to lantern lit walls, cobblestone streets and naked, wet trees, all vividly painted before your eyes. His words express fluidly a mixed bag of emotions, from sadness and longing to heartbreaking yearning, despair and desire, pride, self contentment, and love. The poems work magic on the reader, enticing to pause and go deeply into each setting, taking the time to truly understand what is being said. Brandon invites you to go Beyond Summer, breathing the freshly decaying scent of the air, hearing the rustle of leaves, and feeling the glow of warmly lit windows from the outside looking in. He dares you to examine A Dying Breed, where you can witness the tormented soul of a vampire, enduring death, tormented by ingrained desires, a man with no master, and content in his ways. With a nod to the last page, Petit shares this, "We pass the torch to our better halves and sell our souls to a nobler craft." A poet, Brandon is a gifted artist at this nobler craft.

It is a different sort of poetry book; one that quietly offers to hold your attention and that will remain in your mind until it has you completely. Intelligently offering viewpoints you might not otherwise have come across, the work is darkly compelling and decidedly fresh. Take an unforgettable, neo-gothic journey, and expand your poetic horizons.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/07)

Whenever I read a really well written piece of work, I feel intimidated about following up with writing a review. "Intrinsic Desires" is one of those books that are a tough act to follow. It is difficult to write the perfect words to convey how much this writing touched me, but I will try my best.

"Intrinsic Desires" is a collection of neo-gothic type poems written by Brandon Gene Petit. They are incredible. I love the darkness and the depth that the words carry within each poem. Sometimes I felt more like I was reading a spell and feeling the magic of the words wrap around my soul, than reading just a poem.

I would love to know where Petit takes his inspiration from. I am sure it comes from events happening in his life, but what specifically I can only imagine from his writings. In addition to some of the darker themes, he also mentions vampires, dragons, knights and ghosts. I love these kinds of themes because the fantasy aspects that they contain take away from the boringness of the mundane realities of life.

The poem that I related to most was "Whole." It begins:

"Trust has become a useless organ,
Lying limp and dead at your side,
A martyr slain in the name of knowledge,
To rest in the shadow of your pride..."

The poems seem like they were written at a different time or maybe in a different reality. I felt like the book I was reading should have been a cloth-covered hardbound edition with old, yellowing pages. In time, these pages will be old and yellowing because I plan to reread these writings over and over again.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy the darker fantasy novels. If you are a high school or college student that needs to write a paper about a poem or a poet, "Intrinsic Desires" is definitely the book for you.

I used this book as a student and now use it when teaching my own class in juvenile delinquency. This book gives a thorough account of juvenile history and laws. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

An excellent, balanced and well researched textbook .. with the CD-ROM component, a pleasure to use as a teaching tool! The best choice available textbook on the present state of juvenile delinquency.

Very fascinating book, it's easy to read and very interesting. There are great pictures and interesting stories which made it difficult to put down!