Brooks Books

Bought this lovely book on impulse, and liked it so much I went back and bought 3 more copies for friends and family. Bet I'll buy more for Christmas. The book has a great lulling rhythm my daughter calls "a song." She keeps asking me to sing it to her. The night time story builds like This is the House that Jack Built, and keeps adding on-- first there's the wind, then a cute mama mouse that crawls in to get out of the cold, then a father, a mother, a road, a hospital, and finally the newborn baby. The human story is paralleled by the mouse story, and the illustrations are in these luscious jewel colors. . It's a perfect birth story, not goopy like so many others on the market, but funny and touching.

This is a wonderful and comforting book to read to your children and grandchildren. Loved the glorious colored illustrations and the song-like
prose. All my friends, and their little ones, also loved this book.

ELEANOR CANTOR

A beautiful book for toddlers to see and hear over and over again!
We loved the illustrations of the birthday cake and of the mice enjoying it. This book prompts great discussion about the night our kids were born. Enjoy it like we have!!

While there are other similar books, I truly loved this one with such bright whimsical illustrations. My children loved reading along with me. A great bedtime read!!!!

This is a controversial book because of one reason: the author maintains he witnessed Grant getting drunk during the Vicksburg campaign in 1863. Why this is particularly contentious with Grant supporters is a trifle mystifying, but Grant fans still vociferously contend the author "embellished" or "lied" about the drinking binge. Never mind that two other people who were also with Grant corroborate the drinking story. Never mind that his chief of staff specifically wrote about the binging in a private letter.

Aside from this drinking anecdote, the book is a warm, rich portrayal of General Grant from a man with a discerning eye. Cadwallader relates many small incidents of Grant's everyday life as a man and as a general that are fascinating and not to be found in other first-person narratives.

Cadwallader truly loved Grant and his book shows his regard and his profound attachment to him. It's a pity that so many people denigrate such a fine book simply because they feel the author's memory was fallible or because they refuse to see Grant as a multi-facted man. A man with his share of human frailties and weaknesses, but still a towering individual: a great general and a man of uncommon moral fiber and decency. If you know little about Grant, this is a good place to begin a journey in seeking to know him as a man and as a great soldier who saved the union.

If you are familiar with the campaigns of General Grant then you will find this book worthwile.Cadwallader has a front row seat at Vicksburg, Chattanoga,the Wilderness,and Appomattox. He is a reporter therefore a professional writer which helps. His book is filled with inside information on all the principle figureheads of the time. Also it is the only book I ever read that gives us the reader the inside true story on the rumours of General Grants drinking problem.

If you are familiar with the campaigns of General Grant then you will find this book worthwile.Cadwallader has a front row seat at Vicksburg, Chattanoga,the Wilderness,and Appomattox. He is a reporter therefore a professional writer which helps. His book is filled with inside information on all the principle figureheads of the time. Also it is the only book I ever read that gives us the reader the inside true story on the rumours of General Grants drinking problem.

If you are familiar with Grant`s campaigns then youll like this book . It gives us an insiders view of the battles of Vicksburg, Chattanoga,the Wilderness,and Appomattox.Because of his unique situation at Grant`s Headquarters where he was accepted as one of the staff,we get the inside take on Grant`s drunkedness on Warren`s removal from command and any number of things that happened during Grant`s campaigns.

I love the world and want to share it with my little one. He's 5, and we both loved this book and it's gorgeous illustrations. Teaches a bit about adventure, art, Chinese culture and geography. Highly recommended. Also, The Snail and the Whale (by the team that did the Gruffalo) is another book that this reminds me, which we both recommend.

Tom Mouse by Ursula K. Le Guin is the story of Tom, a brave young mouse who dares board a train for the thriving city of Chicago. Tom befriends a young woman who, unlike most, does not shriek or shoo at the sight of a mouse; a friendship blossoms, that is wonderful enough to make a mouse dance. The soft color illustrations by Julie Downing add a friendly touch to this thoughtful and highly commended picturebook for young readers.

What a wonderful story that captivated my children!! Not to mention that Julie Downing once again makes every story come alive with her illustrations. You can see the mouse dance and how she captured the twinkle in his eye was so fabulous!!! Any child will just love this book!!! Many thanks!

"Tom Mouse grew up in a hole in the wall of the diner in the station. His family was content with their cozy nest and the doughnut crumbs and bits of bacon they picked up in the diner. But Tom watched the great trains come into the station and leave again, and he wished he could go with them..." So begins Ursula Le Guin's sweet and lovely tale about a little mouse who yearns to leave home and see the big wide world he's heard so much about, and finds a companion to share his travels with. Tom kisses his family good-bye, scurries aboard a train headed for Chicago, and is off on what he hopes will be the beginning of a lifetime of adventures. Fortunately, he makes himself at home in Roomette Nine, along with its paying guest, Mrs Powers, an interesting and remarkable woman who, he finds, is not afraid of mice. In fact, she seems happy to have the company, and shares her snacks and conversation with Tom. As the trip continues these two form a special alliance, and decide together, that seeing the world would be even more fun and exciting with a friend..... Told in four short chapters, Ms Le Guin's simple, gentle text is complemented by Julie Brown's charming and expressive illustrations rendered in warm and soft, subdued tones. Together word and art bring this endearing little rodent and his story to life, and you can almost feel the motion of the train, and see the world rush by outside the window, as the train speeds on toward Chicago. Perfect for early readers, or as a read-aloud story the entire family can share together, Tom Mouse is a heartwarming and engaging tale of friendship and adventure that shouldn't be missed, and one of the best new pictures books of 2002.

I just found this book recently and discovered it was written by a teacher I had in high school. She was an inspiring and highly creative teacher that made you love what you were learning. I'm so excited to have my children reading books written by a former teacher of mine.
I'm on the hunt to get the rest of her books. Thank you Ms. Vanasse!

As I've often said, what intrigues me most about a book is a "catchy" title and an extremely original storyline. This book has that and much more!

I'm amazed at the simplicity of the plot, but how cute, clever, and creative it is. Who would have thought about the characters carved into a totem pole coming to life and fussing over their order on the pole??? ONLY A CREATIVE, TALENTED AUTHOR ... That's who!

You just HAVE to read this clever book by Deb Vanasse ... and the fabulous art by the equally-talented illustrator is marvelous, too. I understand the illustrator has some books under submission; I hope you get them published, Erik.

Highly recommended!

My 4 year old and I have read this book over and over. The illustrations are wonderful, the concept of a totem pole being based on a story is clear. The totem pole takes itself apart at night and my daughter tries to remember the story the pole is based on in order to put the pole together again in the right order as the sun rises.

Totem Tale: A Tall Story From Alaska by Deb Vanasse combines a lively and original story with skillfully drawn illustrations by Erik Brooks to create the fun tale of a Native American totem pole which comes to life in the beauty of a moon-lit night. Children will follow the adventures of a beaver, an eagle, a bear, a wolf, a raven and a frog through a remarkable journey on one very special night. An engaging picturebook account of cooperation, faithfulness, and helping out a friend in need, Totem Tale is very highly recommended for all young readers, as well as parents and librarians searching for something entertaining and worthwhile for children ages 5 through 8 to read and enjoy.

For any theatre professional, student or enthusiast. Highly recommend watching "My Dinner With Andre" as well. It's a film by Wallace Shawn.

There is no better book that I have read on the theory and practice of theatre. As Peter Brook says in the preface, "Grotowski is unique. Why? Because no-one else in the world, to my knowledge, no-one since Stanislavsky, has investigated the nature of acting, its phenomenon, its meaning, the nature and science of its mental-physical-emotional processes as deeply and completely as Grotowski."

Grotowski argues effectively that the split of the stage and the screen necessitates that the stage redefine its focus. The screen with its higher budget and countless retakes will always beat the stage in richness. So, Grotowski posits "If it [the stage] cannot be richer than the cinema, then let it be poor." The rest of the book illustrates what such a poor theatre means in practice. Brilliant.

Comprehending this book is no small feat. Sure, you start with the premise that competing with the technical spectacle of movies and TV is a fruitless pursuit. That's not difficult. Neither is the idea of embracing poverty in theatre and making the human being the only center of performance. That's dead easy. Spare costumes, little or no makeup, no sound effects, as few light effects as possible. Who can argue with that?

But this doesn't mean everybody can embrace Grotowski's vision of Poor Theatre. His is one that involves stripping away all preconceived notions of theatre from the early Modern period on. This will never fly in commercial theatre, dependent as it is on technology, nor will it satisfy many recent playwrights, who depend on technical do-funnies to make their shows work.

Grotowski also takes a funny view of plays, playwrights, and theoreticians who don't agree with him. Among other things, he considers playwrights as hired talent and plays as essentially malleable. He also suggests that the only way the writings of Artaud are useful in theatre is if they are taken elementally rather than globally - a position sure not to sit well with many avant-garde directors.

Because this book isn't a straight-ahead statement of principles, ideas, and practices, it yields its secrets only with difficulty. Parts of it aren't even written by Grotowski, but are interviews by other authors, or even observations that don't include quotes from the man himself. It was basically compiled to provide an overview of the ideas and products of the Polish Laboratory Theatre up to that time, and it encourages experiment and development by the reader.

This isn't to say that it isn't actually useful. There are exercises for actors; there are statements of theory for directors; there are even sketches, diagrams, and photos for designers. However, expect to wrestle with this book if you're going to unlock its secrets. Once you elect to start down this path, you have a long row to hoe

"Towards A Poor Theatre" by Jerzy Grotowski is probably the most important book written on acting since Stainslavsky's three famous character books. There is so little known about Grotowski and many people have tried to fake his work and people need to read the man's original words. Grotowski's vision of theatre has had the greatest effect on me more than any other person in theatre. He saw acting as a Holy experience where both the actor and spectator were transformed after the performance. Grotowski expanded from where Stainslavsky left off and drew his ideas everywhere from modern art to religious rituals to primitive theatre. Any one interested in theatre must read this book somehow and be changed forever like I have.

Brooks & Warren's text is rightfully a classic for advanced high school or college undergraduate readers. They provide a useful overview of many important topics that one learn for the analysis of poetry. At the same time as they pursue the intellectual approach to poetry, they always keep an eye on appreciating the beauty of poetry.

However, the text is dated and a bit flawed. This represents a somewhat simplified New Critical approach to poetry. Their emphasis on close reading is admirable, but they have a kind of rigid, doctrinaire sense of what poetry "should" be. A professor of mine once called it a kind of blockheaded organicism. Also, their chapter on metrics I find to be poorly thought out; their approach is confusing and a bit thick. Their system of notation is more complex than necessary and not very expressive, and they approach it mostly as a mathematical exercise, not connecting it to analysis of a poem's meaning(s).

Still, all things considered, not bad as a textbook, and it has a wide selection of poems. Not too useful for advanced students of literature.

If there is only one book that teachers should let literature students read, it should be this one. Definitely the Bible of writers (and amateur writers), critics, or those who simply love the written Word. Cleanth Brooks gives as wide a perspective as possible about the different literary movements and the notable poets.It's just a shame that this book is VERY hard to find. A reprint would benefit English literature programs greatly.

For most of my life, I hated poetry. One year, I had a great English teacher who really showed me what poetry was all about and got me interested. This book was just what I needed. I bought it because it had the look of the best prose book around (Writing Prose: Techniques and Purposes, Oxford University Press). It is a great introduction to poetry. It's full of great poems. It's just great. Gosh. You're going to love it. I get excited just thinking about it.

Anyway, it's basically just a big six-hundred page anthology of poems, *with commentary*. And that's key. There are a lot of great poems that you just can't get without a little bit of context.

My adventures in poetry never went further than this book, but I still read it often.

I would just like to add to these good reviews that Understanding Poetry was the text used by Allen Tate in his poetry class at the University of Minnesota in 1966. (You had to sign up early to get into this class because it filled up fast!) Tate taught the New Criticism which emphasized the text as an autotelic artifact, something complete with in itself, written for its own sake, unified in its form and not dependent on its relation to the author's life or intent, history, or anything else. He began each session by reading a single poem from this text, which somehow made it clear just by his reading. Then he explained each line in careful detail. It was a wonderful class, and this book contines this kind of close reading. There is no Anxiety of Influence in the New Criticism.

I have been reading many c++ programming books now to learn programming. So far I have just started to read this book, and I have to say that this is the best book, i've read so far. The author does an excellent job in explaining everything step by step for the reader and he gives simple little examples in order to better understand the programming language of c++. I have no experience in programming at all, and this book is making it very easy for you to get to learn this language. Awesome book!!!

If you find c++ scarey, this is the book for you. My professor wasn't the best, but this book guided me to score an 'A'. It explains everything real well and provides mini examples along the way to ensure you understand what is going on. You wont be bombarded with details, since it isn't necessary at the introduction level anyway.

This is the best book I ever read in my entire life which gave me all the details about the c++ programming language. The author of this book professor Hennefeld are the best teacher and the writer in the entire world that is why I am taking him for the third semester in a row for my computer and info science major. The book is so clear that anyone who has no background in C++ can master this language and yet the best c++ reference book for any professional.

If you are looking for a well written easily understood C++ book, this is it. I've been in the MIS business for 15 years and am currently attending Penn State. This book as enabled me to recieve A's in all my C++ courses. The book starts off slow for the novice user, showing basic concepts. Within weeks the reader can master the most challenging C++ algorithms. I refer to this book as the C++ bible. Definately worth the investment!

This trilogy, along with the original Sword Of Shannara trilogy, and the Heritage Of Shannara trilogy, begins with the excellent Voyage Of The Jerle Shannara, Ilse Witch (which I'm concluding listening to in audio) and look forward to listening to/reading the other parts as well and the Heritage Of Shannara volumes.

This is just another great trilogy from one of the masters of fantasy. Its epic, suspenseful, and dramatic story will definitely keep you reading. This actual copy itself is a little bit on the heavy side because all of the books are included in one big hardback book. Some people may want to get this in the three separate books so as to lighten the load, especially when lying down and reading.

Excellent story though. Will leave you wanting more.

This particular trilogy is yet another Must-Have in the world of High Fantasy written by easily one of the greatest Fantasy Authors to ever put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard...). For the very first time, flying ships are introduced into the world of Shannara, creating a HUGE new opportunity to explore unknown regions.

In Ilse Witch, we begin with the introduction of some new characters, and one in particular held over from the Heritage series, namely Walker Boh, the latest in a long string of Druids. Character development has always (in my mind at least) been one of Brooks' strongest talents, and is in fine form throughout this series. We discover the Ilse Witch, and to a lesser extent the Morgawr who seems to be the one pulling all the strings here -- but that comes into play more in the 3rd book. The journey, or Voyage in this case, begins rather quickly, and while some have said that this series begins slowly, I say otherwise. I believe the action and sheer adventure starts rather quickly. A large group is assembled to charter a ship to fly across the sea to an area that nobody knows anything about...and as usual, secrets are being kept from almost everyone by Walker (amongst others)...what nobody really understands is what they will find once they get to where they are going. This journey is fraught with danger from virtually the beginning, and yet Brooks provides us with some of the most creative scenes yet in this wonderful world he has imagined.

Antrax picks up where Ilse Witch left off and is in many ways a rather HUGE departure from what you have come to expect from all previous Shannara novels...the reason why is because where the Voyage takes our band of adventurers ends up in a place that seems to be beyond everybody's understanding and includes technology never before seen by anyone in all the Four Lands...technology once thought to have been lost thousands of years ago...technology that also seems to be alive in some form, and yet advanced beyond anything anyone has ever dreamed of. In short, things are WAY different here -- and yet just as satisfying as anything written before by Brooks.

Morgawr is simply put a fantastic ending to this amazing series. The opening chapter is darker than anything previously written in this world and borders on a horror novel -- and yet I loved it. Tension on top of adventure on top of action is ratcheted up a few levels as we discover more as the revelation of who the Ilse Witch is comes to light and takes center stage. Obviously the Morgawr is also featured and after having finished the book I couldn't tell you exactly WHAT the Morgawr is...but who cares? It's relationship with the Ilse Witch becomes a focal point as well as the future of the Druids comes into doubt as well. The Elven Prince comes into his own by the end of Morgawr, too which I found to be quite satisfying.

While the loose ends are tied together nicely, the very last chapter certainly lays open room for the next series, and did not make a whole lot of sense to me as I finished the book, but don't worry, pick up The High Druid of Shannara series and all will be well with the world. All in all, while Tolkien is considered the King of Fantasy, and J.K. Rowling has surprassed them all in sheer popularity world-wide, it is still Terry Brooks that brings me back to the world of Fantasy again and again and I credit his original Sword of Shannara with sparking in me the desire to read way back in '78...and for that alone I owe him years and years of thanks. He has yet to let me down with ANY of his works. I doubt he ever will.

What can i Say... i don't own the trilogy so much as i do own the three themselves. As with all of Terry's stories, they start off slow... and with a lot of questions.

As all three stories progress, one into the other, you'll find yourself becoming more immersed, in the form of not waiting for the next bit. for me, i picked up the second and third book right after i had finished and set down the previous.

Walker is on a new mission, and only one mission. Bring back the druid counsel at any and all cost's. On this voyage of sort's... one family is missing, the Ohmsford's, and only Walker has the answer as the Isle Witch and her Master, The Morgawr, seek the death of the last druid.

To Join Walkers party, is a band of Rovers and Elven guard, Quentin Leah and his Cousin Bek Rowe, a Half human-Half shape shifting apparition by the name of Truls Rohk, a Dwarf by the name of Panax and Ahren Elessedil an Elven prince.

Suspense is a key factor to this trilogy as those that grow close to each other end up losing one another and while you're trying to figure one thing out for yourself, something new comes along that replaces that figure.

In the End, Walker is going Across the Blue divide in hopes of Reforming the lost Druid council while Bek's ultimate goal has to do with the one and only feared Isle Witch...

You'll find out what awaits you when your read The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara Trilogy.

Sweet & simple story about how much "we wanted you." It does have a brief mention of "first" parents, but it's handled very delicately. The pictures would even make it appropriate for an older child adoption. Our 2 1/2-year-old loves it.

As a school media specialist and the mom of two kids adopted from Korea, I am always looking for new books with an adoption theme. This one immediately caught my attention and actually made me cry as I read it! The sequence, starting with the son as a graduate and working backwards to his joyous arrival, is refreshing and thought provoking without being maudlin. The soothing text combines comfortably with the soft illustrations which depict a child with dark skin and black hair who could be Asian or Latino (at the end, a banner reading "welcome home Enrique" infers that he is of Latino heritage). The message that adopted children are so wanted is reinforced throughout this beautiful celebration of a family.

Both of our kids are adopted (as well as myself) and we have been reading adoption books to them since day one. "We Wanted You" is by far the best written and most simple. My son loves it. The way it's written makes the child feel so good about being adopted. My son who is three, asks for it every night. Don't wait! Read these books now. Make it a wonderful part of their lives. They will thank you!

As the nanny to two adopted children I constantly seek out books that deal with adoption. This book is such a sweet comforting book. It should be in every adopted child's library.

The Weight of Nothing is a huge novel. While you could read it in a leisurely fashion, enjoying the characters and the plot at a superficial level, there is a wealth of appreciation for art, music and philosophy. After a few pages I picked up a pen and started highlighting passages I liked and wanted to mull over later.

The two central characters are connected by an act of violence when the office building that Niles father works in is blown up by Bailey's brother in a terrorist bombing. Niles not only loses his tycoon father, but also the love of his life who was on her way to confront his father. A strange sympathy develops between Niles and Bailey. Bailey tries to save Niles from the somnambulant masochism that Niles tells Bailey he's developed, and Niles tries to keep Bailey from losing Elizabeth, a pianist who has lost her arm.

I love Elizabeth--she is the first real challenge to Bailey's self-protective philosophies. "You're all gusto and wild performance," she tells him after hearing him play piano. Her bluntness is offset by how deeply she cares for Bailey, evidenced not only by many of the things she says but also by her willingness to put up with Bailey's emotional stagnation. Bailey's determination to "want for nothing" eventually sends Elizabeth away though. While in general Gillis complicates issues very satisfyingly, it is clear that the philosophies and attitudes Bailey has cultivated to protect himself are the very things that will hurt him the most in the end, if he cannot overcome them.

Bailey and Niles are both deeply wounded characters, who cannot stop wounding themselves. They creatively, endlessly, try to work through their problems. Both have lost their girlfriends, and both have overbearing fathers (who Gillis manages to paint huge in only a few brushstrokes). In the end, they travel to Algiers for what proves to be a life-altering--and for one of them, life-ending--journey.

I found myself not only enjoying TWON for its plot and characters, but also for the philosophical questions which were explored throughout the book. The author developed certain themes and questions over the course of the novel which I poured over after reading it. Besides those themes in bold on the inside cover (Memory Regret Revenge Forgiveness) there were several passages about time that I loved--some related to memory, "There's no order to memory after all, is there? I mean, once something happens, it's there in your head with all the rest," and others about the weight of time and its effects. In the end an unusual therapy is used on Bailey to undo this weight, and after this Bailey reestablishes contact with Elizabeth. As with all of the rest of the book, this attempt to reach out to Elizabeth is strange, compelling and beautiful.

Written by Book of the Year award finalist Steven Gills, The Weight of Nothing is a novel about money, regret, revenge, and forgiveness. Two friends, each carrying a burden that has haunted him for years, resolve to travel to Algiers and confront their demons. When terrible tragedy strikes, it poses a difficult question - how resolve years of squandered ambition, lost chances of love, and continue living past unspeakable violence? A poignant and memorable chronicle of the long, difficult journey of the human spirit.

Steven Gillis' novel, The Weight of Nothing, explores complex and deeply personal and painful issues, and he does that through wounded characters struggling to find answers to those issues. However, the answers they are searching for may not exist.

Bailey Finne is a talented musician who doesn't fully develop or use his talent. What he does is become a professional student of Art History and makes excuses to the PhD. Committee about why his dissertation hasn't been completed. His problems revolve around the death of his mother, and his father's inability to move on after her death, as well as a troubled love life.

Niles Kelly was born to a wealthy man via a surrogate mother that he had no contact with following his birth. Niles rejects his wealth but is haunted by the violent deaths of his father and his lover.

Bailey and Niles travel together to Algiers to confront the ghosts of their past, hoping that the journey will help them excise those ghosts.

The Weight of Nothing is well-written and a deeply moving piece. Gillis' prose is compelling as he weaves the characters through the labyrinth of life.

"There's a point in every piece of music when the melody completes itself and what's left is a final refrain. Occasionally an aria will vary its rhythm just enough to reinterpret the music through a less predictable finish, and other times an arrangement ends so suddenly the audience isn't quite sure the music's over until the last echoing notes have faded and the room falls eerily still. Either way, the song is done."


Steven Gillis quietly set the literary cognoscenti on alert with the publication of his first novel WALTER FALLS last year. As always the question arises when a `first novel' suggests a talent of depth: Is there more? With the writing of THE WEIGHT OF NOTHING Gillis proves that his prelude, no matter how accomplished that was, served as only as intimation of the talent of this new American writer of substance. Gillis is that rare breed of writer who understands how to grasp the reader's attention, secure a train of thought in content and technique, assuring that once the written journey has begun, the only choice is to hold on with mind and emotion to the anticipated conclusion.

THE WEIGHT OF NOTHING intertwines the lives of several young people in quest of the answer to the universal question of `Who Am I?' in a way that avoids the predictable and in essence incorporates their ephemeral acts with paired explorations in philosophy, art, music, religion, and global socioeconomic problems. In short, this is a story of two men whose early lives were set in motion by traumatic confrontations with loss and the aimlessness that accompanies that unleashed spectre.

Bailey Finne is a gifted natural musician, Secretly learning piano from his musical mother until she is lost to him in childhood in a freak death that pushed his alcoholic father further away from his two sons (Bailey's older brother Tyler responds to this death by fleeing into a life crime, the military, and eventually terrorism). Descrying his father's flaccid, empty life, Bailey embraces music, being able to play all manner of music by ear but settling for entertaining folks in a bar rather than pursuing a career in classical music. He eventually becomes an art history major in college and blithely approaches his dissertation on an obtuse recluse of an artist (L.C. Timbal) with the same glib attitude that has become his life signature. He has girlfriends who try to encourage his gifts, but none more significantly than Elizabeth, a music major/pianist/composer who lost her right arm in a vicious dog attack. Bailey's obsession with her after she leaves him because of this immature, slothful attitude towards things she considers important propels Bailey on his journey to discover what is meaningful in life. "It's the conflict between what ends and our need to continue that causes trauma."

Niles Kelley is the only son of a megalomaniac capitalist who unsuccessfully attempts to mold Niles into a template of his design, seeing no value at all in Niles' preoccupation with literature and philosophy - especially his `hero' the nihilist Camus - nor his relationship with Jeana, a free spirit who encourages Niles' dreams and sees the evil in the capitalistic empiricism of Niles' father. In a auspicious moment of time Niles loses Jeana as she enters the building where Niles' father controls industry: the building is exploded with terrorist bombs placed there by one Tyler Finne and his roommate, the Muslim Oz, a lad who loathes American capitalism and has grown disenchanted with his own father's superficial use of religion to camouflage his own power brand of capitalism. The result of this tragic loss of his beloved Jeana and the collapse of his father's influence drives Niles into a state of self-mutilation, an illness for which he seeks the advice of a Muslim philosopher/healer who encourages Niles to go to Algiers to better understand the writings of Camus and find healing for his malady and his need for forgiveness for Jeana's useless death and his father's `part' in that calamity. In Algiers he hoped to find "the surrounding silence Camus wrote of as weaving together the hopes and despairs of human life."

Bailey and Niles, fellow students at a university, grow close at the funeral for Jeana and eventually accompany each other to Algiers, Niles to seek forgiveness and healing through Camus, and Bailey to finally focus his diasporic creative mind on finding the elusive painter Timbal - the subject of his long avoided dissertation. Bailey tends to Niles' somnambulistic wanderings and self-mutilations while Niles encourages Bailey's efforts to bring closure to his fragmented life. As Bailey discovers Timbal and confronts his own vacuous artistic and spiritual life, Niles wanders the desert and encounters Aziz, a man who assists him in finding the perpetrator of Jeana's death and Niles' life ends in a way that brings him into the ring of closure of his author hero Camus wrote in A Happy Death. Devastated, Bailey returns home, begins therapy with Emmitt who slowly helps Bailey become grounded into finding peace through a long series of self-imposed deprivations meant to clear the slate of his life and allow him a starting point afresh - "to achieve a point of nothingness and return to a natural state of being." "The idea that examining our past will lead us to a clearer understanding of ourselves, and in turn a more constructive life, is egocentric....Self-knowledge is unreliable at best and at times a danger. The emphasis should be not on remembering but forgetting and returning to a point where no wounds exist."


Steven Gillis draws such exquisite characters that each becomes wholly believable, even at their obtuse edges. The story is told in a series of explanations introduced very slyly by a page or two of what we eventually realize are on-going therapy sessions with Emmitt for Bailey and Massinissa Alilouche for Niles. But the real wonder of Gillis' writing stems from his obviously profound depth of knowledge about art (here is a fine synopsis of the works of Bacon, Gorky, Diebenkorn, the abstract Expressionists, etc), of music ( Bailey's turning point in his break with Elizabeth is his ability to play an Etude by the obscure composer Nikolai Roslavets (1881-1944), a Russian composer who did exist and married the styles of Debussy with Scriabin and Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich with his own Messiaen-like sense of atonality), of the very current schism between American imperialism and the view of the Muslims we are now breathing, of the great literature of the 20th Century, of terrorism, and of world politics. He writes poetically about the smells and vistas of Algiers in a way that would suggest that he has lived there extensively. At the same time he is able to make wry tongue-in-cheek diversions by naming the buildings that housed the fathers of Bailey and Niles "Ryse and Fawl" and "Reedum and Wepe"! It is this sophisticated mixture of parody, metaphor, depth of factual material from disparate fields of knowledge, and impressive sense of structural detail that makes his fascinatingly unique and timely story and characters burst off the page. Steven Gillis enters the ranks of the important writers and thinkers of the 21st Century. With THE WEIGHT OF NOTHING he assures us his future is solid.