Brown Books

i have and have shared this book with many. It reminded me who i am. it has brought tears to grown men and joy to all!

Walking with Elan through the experience was an awakening....a celebration of the awareness of our awesome abilities and untapped energies! This story was uplifting and inspiring with a solid message that can't be ignored. Thank you D. Trinidad Hunt for this awakening!

If you ever suspected that The Hundredth Monkey story could apply to human beings, or that we are here on earth to learn valuable lessons, you will want to read this book. If you worry about any of the negative things happening to people or to mother earth today, you will want to read this book. If you believe in love and friendship this book will reinforce these values in unique ways. If you have ever wondered, as small children often do, about "where was I before I was born?", Hunt will give you food for thought. This is a keeper to share, discuss and read again and again

D. Trinidad Hunt has tapped into an ailing world in the most positive way to bring hope and a new perspective to the critical transitions we must make to ensure a bright and secure future. This book gives people guidance and permission to take giant steps towards personal action towards making our world a better place. D. Trinidad Hunt shows people how to genuinely love one another through the pages of this book. It is written with a gentleness and insightfulness that is both riveting and inspiring. She shows us how to make better use of our time on this planet without it being a burden. What an amazing story!

This is possibly one of the best books we have ever read, and will appeal to everyone, regardless of your stage of spiritual growth and understanding. It is a story of a classroom of souls who are being trained for life upon earth prior to being born. Among other lessons, they must learn the "Principles of Planetary Purpose": 1) Planet Earth is a Classroom 2) In order to enter Earth's classroom, each of you must wear a body suit. 3) When you receive your body suit, amnesia will set in and you will forget who you really are. 4) Earth's curriculum centers around remembering the spirit and the love that you already are. 5) When you do begin to remember the love that you are, your intention to fully manifest that love will be challenged. 6) This is because each of you will also receive a Personal Ego and Free Will along with your bodysuit when you are born. 7) All learning and growth centers around the challenge of rising above the ego to manifest the love that you are. 8) Graduation from Earth's classroom depends on fully becoming love in action... While reading this book we each felt an awakening of cellular memories, and we cannot recommend it enough... not only to buy and read, but to then share the gift with others.

The end of any war or battle usually concludes with a whimper and is always messy and never pretty. So does the great American Civil War. As the sound of the guns died away the cleanup began. Mr. Trudeau's concise history of the conclusion of the American Civil War is an excellent synoptical overview of those chaotic times. It is by far the best history of how the Civil War actually ended and what happened after the fighting stopped.
Mr. Trudeau examines what happened after the Generals went home and answers many nagging questions like: What did the Confederate Government do? Where did Jefferson Davis go? What happened to all the soldiers once the guns fell silent? Who was the last soldier killed and what happened to all the major participants? So many questions, and Mr. Trudeau does a good job of answering them all. The history also examines many of the controversies that seemed to plague the War's ending. The Warren-Sheridan flap was noteworthy.
All in all an excellent history of a topic not generally covered. Many think the Civil War concluded with General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, not so. Battles continued and the sound of the guns did not conclude until the battle of Palmito Ranch, May 13, 1865. When the last volley was fired, LTC David Branson of the 62nd U.S.C.T. simply said, "That winds up the war." And so the fighting stopped, but then the hardest part began: reuniting the Union and healing the wounds of a battle scared nation. It would not be easy but nothing difficult ever is. The soldiers had done their glorious duty now the politicians had to do their difficult work. The fighting was over now America must move on: And move on the unified nation did.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in America's Civil War. A good solid windup to the end of that most difficult time. The best overview book on this subject - 5+ stars.

The Civil War did not end at Appomattox or Bentonville but dragged on for several months. This is the only book that covers those months, the men, battles and the surrender. The author writes well and keeps us interested even though we know that this is all in vain. The battle of Palmito Ranch could be the saddest battle history you will ever read. "When Johnny comes marching home" is an excellent chapter on what happened to the men that fought the war, something we all to often do not have. Including this keep s the war from being an isolated instance but shows it to be part of their lives.

I have all of the author's books but chose this and "Like Men of War" to be signed.

Mr Trudeau's final Civil War book was spelendidly told in neat and organized sections. The events leading up to and after Lee' surrender are detailed and written in a compelling style. The known and unknown characters that peopled the era are unique, interesting and in some cases mysterious. The final battles are well researched and the maps are superbly drawn allowing the reader to follow the course of action. I highly recommend his other fine works, "Bloody Roads South" and "The Citadel" to round out the most critical and bloody years of the conflict.

In School, books, and TV it's ingrained that the Civil War began with the First shot at Fort Sumter, and ended in April of 65 with the surrender of Lee, and the Death of Lincoln. However, at the ending of April and beginning of May the Confederates may have been on the run, but the government was still in function with Davis on the move but still the President - Johnston was still somewhat of a threat, and Kirby Smith still had a hold in Texas. This book wonderfully explains those last months to June, not April of 1865. I recommend this book highly, and another writer states that "The Long Surrender" surpassed this book. Well, in some sense both of these books cover the same time period, but I think both book are excellent. In "Out Of The Storm," the focus is on the remaining holdouts beginning April 1st 1865. In "The Long Surrender" is a fascinating tale of the collapse of the confederate government, and the escape of Davis and his cabinet, even when it seemed all was lost, Davis still had hope of making it to Texas - Both books are different enough and interesting enough that I would recommend both books.

"Out of the Storm" is a good account of the last months of the Civil War, that is unfortunately eclisped by Burke Davis's superior "The Long Surrender," which covers much of the same ground, but provides a better historical perspective. Andre Trudeau focusses on the three month period April-June 1865, carrying the narrative of the War from the fall of Richmond to the last skirmish in Texas (a Confederate victory). Along the way, he retells many important stories that seem lost to history, like the Sultana explosion, the deadliest naval disaster in U.S. history than claimed the lives of nearly 1700 people, most of them returning Union POWs. Overall, this is an interesting historical account that should appeal to those with an interest in the Civil War.

When I'm reading "Perfect Pigs" to my preschoolers, I give Mr. Perfect Pig a pompous, know-it-all personality. They like to catch him tracking mud through the house or leaving sandwich fixings all over the counter for someone else to clean up. Then they all tell Mr. Perfect Pig how he should act in each situation. I like the way it is divided into categories such as home, school, with friends. I think they also like the comic strip type layout.

I heard all about this book from my friend, the soy sauce. I read it and learned a lot about manners. Before I read this, I would roll around in the mud before school, but not anymore! I learned that was a no no. I would also snort and chew with my mouth open when I ate. Heck when i saw somebody with a lunch i wanted, I would dive onto the table screaming like all hell broke loose and tackle the person, steal thier lunch, and run away. But not I know its not polite to scare the crap outa people to get thier lunch. Streaking in the hallways is also looked down upon. Who woulda known?

As part of our school counseling program and character education program, I read Perfect Pigs to my students. This is a fun book and gives the students a different viewpoint on manners. It also helps me promote reading and literature with the students.

My boys love this book..it's funny and helps to teach them essential manners at the same time. We have the softcover and I wish I had bought the hardcover so it would last longer.

I loved thsi book when i was little and still do. imean a book about Pigs and Manners what could be better. The laughs never stop i mean Pigs...manners lol well if you like comics and think people with bad manners are funny. Or even it you think pigs are cute this book is for you! This book should be featureed on Reading rainbow and given a thumbs up by levar burton. I <3 PErfect Pigs!!!!

Since everyone is gearing up for the 150th anniversary of the John Brown raid in 2009, I thought I'd alert everyone to this title that gives a great overview and historical outline of the event often said to have ignited the American Civil War.

Though fiction, this book chronicles the John Brown raid, trial and execution, weaving in actual facts with the help of newspaper accounts, telegrams and court documents. Narrated by Owen Brown, one of John Brown's sons, the book introduces the reader to famous people who were on the scene, like J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jackson -- men who were destined to become key players in the War Between the States that followed.

The author's unique approach of using Owen Brown and another raider, Osborne Anderson, puts the reader on the scene as the events unfold. Despite a harrowing chase, both men do eventually escape (along with three others), never to be found.

This book is a unique mixture of fact and fiction, even using photographs and drawings to accompany the text, which includes actual eyewitness testimony. The author wraps up the book by giving a short account of each person who played a role in this historic episode, a history lesson in and of itself.

This book is well researched and I recommend it to those who want an overview of the John Brown raid and a better understanding of the historic events that occurred in Harpers Ferry.

Jessica James is the author of Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia

The events of Harpers Ferry in 1859 as dipicted in this book was very unique - the use of letters from people who were involved in some way and newspaper stories of the events. How Bob O'Connor was able to pull it all together into a fascinating chain of events kept me turning the pages for more. I wish John Brown wasn't hung but maybe the reaction to his death and his courage to die for his belief that slavery needed to be abolished was the "shot heard around America" for slavery. Well written book.

Living in the midwest, we seldom hear about events from the Civil War days, but I am very interested in that time period. I found "The Perfect Steel Trap" to be extremely interesting and informative to read. I couldn't put it down, and I was extremely sad when John Brown was hung. The characters were very real to me as the author used great detail in developing and presenting their role in the events of that time. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves history!

I was amazed to find out that five of John Brown's men got away and that so many strange coincidences surround this situation. Other books on this subject had nbot covered those important areas. I think readers of historical novels will like this book. I did! And to think, this is the author's first book! I look forward to reading others from him.

This book is very historically accurate and yet has the ability to keep readers interested. There are many documented accounts of John Brown's raid and trial. Any history fan will find it accurate and compelling reading. I bought 5 books to share with my friends who are fans of historic novels. This one will not disappoint. I highly recommend it.
Historic novel fan.

Larry Brown knows his stuff and has the talent to put his thoughts on paper in a way that is both informative and enjoyable.

An excellent book on midwestern pheasant hunting by a fellow who has "been there and done that." A pleasant read and full of helpful information. I've enjoyed this author's many hunting magazine articles, and this book is in the same fine tradition.

When I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. Larry Brown has prodigious experience hunting pheasants in all sorts of conditions, and he shares his knowledge in the form of anecdotes from his hunts, including information on such things as how to hunt different terrain, pheasant behavior, weather, gun/load selection, use of dogs, etc. I learned alot about pheasant hunting while vicariously enjoying the hunts he describes. I was happy to see that some of the techniques I'd developed via trial and error were validated as well. He describes features of pheasant hunting in yesteryear, which was also quite interesting to me. Overall, the book is very well-written and an engaging read. It is also filled with photos of actual hunters/hunts.

If you are interested in pheasant hunting, I highly recommend this book!

Now in its revised and expanded second edition, A Pheasant Hunter's Notebook offers a compendium lifelong experience based wisdom of practiced pheasant hunter Larry Brown. From using the appropriate shotgun; to ground tactics for hunters who do not use dogs; to recent shifts in bird populations and habitat; to strategies for hunting in different types of cover and weather, A Pheasant Hunter's Notebook is a first-rate and valuable resource for any and all pheasant hunting enthusiasts.

For those of you who know of Larry Brown from the Pointing Dog Journal, this book is exactly what you would expect from Larry - exceptional. For anyone who is not familiar with Larry's work, buy this book. Larry explains pheasant hunting from his perspective, having spent nearly his whole life in the best pheasant state in the union, Iowa. Experience built by killing 50 - 60 wild pheasants each season. The country probably only holds a few dozen men who can say they have done this. The book is well written, an easy read and entertaining - the story about his friend mistakenly shooting a pheasant with a slug on the fly is hilarious! Every pheasant hunter should have this book in their collection along side Datus Proper and Steve Grooms.

The crucible of the black church has been unalterably ruptured by Herbert E. Brown in his new book, "Pimps in the Pulpit." His effusive, jack-hammer style essay has unleashed a torrent of criticism on this once venerable institution which, like the sped arrow, is not easily recovered or ignored. The hot ore of his scathing look at the African-American religious institution of overwhelming choice blisters the reader's blissful comfort level with searing intensity

Mr. Brown's personal style departs from the sedate, dispassionate offerings of previous authors critically examining the establishment and evolution of this powerful, wealthy, influential, and quasi-religious community. Departing with vigor from the restraints of such writers as C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya's work on the black church in the African-American experience, and Carter G. Woodson's seminal work, "A History of the Slack Church", H.E. Brown's personal essay is unique in its conception, in that its unbridled criticism and analysis make no pretense of academic historiography or objective scientific ologies imposed on predecessors by their caution. His work is so suffused with primal passion and unadulterated indignation, that it will surely be included in a separate category of Phillip Lopate's next edition of "The Art of the Personal Essay" A son of Virginia, not unlike the most venerated American icon of the same soil, Thomas Jefferson, Mr. Brown shares the same philosophical and ideological iconoclasm regarding the condition of the Christian Church in America. While Jefferson was so driven by his vision that he wrote extensively on the subject and produced what is often referred to as the ""Jefferson Bible, ""H.E. Brown has focused his attention on the Black Christian Church in its degraded contemporary form. The need for a continuing examination of the church's status, consequences, and influence is made exquisitely clear as Brown takes a sledgehammer to it as befitting a primary civilizing institution that is self-evidently doing the opposite. By design and with good intent, the approach and conception is that of unerring criticism and unencumbered prescient analysis. Among its most unique features are the novel, entertaining yet serious description of three types of preachers who pervade the pulpit of the black church; the pimp, the punk, and the pusher. This bare-knuckle personality profile of church leadership types will surely ring true to some, outrage others, and cause spiritual pain to the spiritually vulnerable.

Brown's litany of the failures of the black church cuts across the intellectual disciplines of Education, Economics, Sociology, Psychology, History, and Theology. He excoriates with particular unrepentant candor the ugliness in the black church caused by the unexpurgated fealty and Siamese-like attachment to the dominant white church its historically oppressive theology and unwholesome theologians. As if oblivious to the inherent racism that permeates all of America's civilizing institutions formed under western imperialism, the black church has become less than an empty shell devoid of truth and righteousness; it has become a demonic temple of spiritual death, fueling a life threatening erosion of black people in all areas of human existence.

Mr. Brown has captured the essence of the personal essay in this book, an essential characteristic of which is described by Phillip Lopate in the following quotation: "It is often that personal essayists intentionally go against the grain of popular opinion. They raise the ante, as it were, making it more difficult for the reader to identify frictionlessly with the writer. The need to assert a specific temperament frequently leads the essayist into playing the curmudgeon, for there is no quicker way to demonstrate idiosyncrasy and independence than to stand a platitude on its head, to show a prickly opposition to what the rest of humanity views as patently wholesome or to find merit in what the community regards as loathsome."" Herbert Elliott Brown has encircled the black church and has thereby, placed it in a position of needing to reform itself in order to extricate itself from the throes of repugnance and putridity. And while so doing, he has written in a manner of pristine congruence with the essayist charge as proffered by Lopate below: "The essayist attempts to surround a something-a subject, a mood, a problematic irritation, by coming at it from all angles, wheeling and diving like a hawk, each seemingly digressive spiral actually taking us closer to the heart of the matter. In a well written essay, while the search appears to be widening, even losing its way, it is actually eliminating false hypotheses, narrowing its emotional target and zeroing in on it.""

Dr. James A. Fox Dpmt. of the Humanities, University of the District of Columbia 1999

If you have only a minute or two and you want to glance through Pimps in the Pulpit, don't bother. Plan on an evening, unplug the phone and send the kids to Grandma's. You will need an uninterrupted evening to explore this masterfully written book by Herbert E. Brown.

In Pimps in the Pulpit, Brawn has categorized pastors, the men and women in whom we have placed our trust, in a straightforward and often disturbing manner. The characterizations from the "1'Pimp Preacher"" all the way to his so-called, ""Punk Preacher"" will make you think about many of the leaders we have all encountered. Although, not all of the spiritual leaders in this society present themselves in such insincere and fickle ways, Brown explores the mind-set and the hidden agendas of those ministers who use the church for their own selfish gain. In Pimps in the Pulpit, no one is sacred and no one is saved from Brown's poignant rebuke.

Pimps in the Pulpit will make you angry, it will make you pensive, but most of all it will make you pray for a closer walk with the Lord, to be lead by the Holy Spirit to discern when our leaders are not truly sent by God. H.E. Brown has also taken time to share and expose his personal observations while attending the Million-Man March. In the spirit that continues on since the March, Brown's Pimps in the Pulpit, reminds us all of our call to atonement as well as our unconditional understanding of one another. It will also encourage a closer look at one another's religions and beliefs. One must read Pimps in the Pulpit, by author H.E. Brown. It will move you to more than observation; it will move you to action

Theresa "C" Gilliard

Theresa G, a motivational speaker, is employed as a Christian Radio Announcer and Talk Show Host at; W.G.V.C. AM:1240, in Richmond, Virginia.

The author's research supports the title of his book. However, as I was reading the book, he mentioned that black men are steering from the church. Black women, like men, are also steering from the church looking for more spiritual in-depth from other religions. Despite the great success the African-American church has done for its congregants, it also has done some damage to its people by extorting money to support their lavish lifestyle, sexual scandals, and brainwashing people with their false prophesies. Preachers need to really take a good look at themselves and question whether or not they are fit to lead the people to God. And the church needs to change its role politically, socially, and economically to help the members and the community at large.

Guess what folks? Ephesians 5: 8-11 states that we must expose the secret things of shame. There are two many secrets about the black church and Herbert Brown has spoken the truth that I witnessed as a Pastor's Daughter. Except there are more types than pimps, punks, and pushers. There are the incest perpetrators and batterers than are ministers with authority and control in the black church. I have known several Pastors like this. What about the ones that have four offerings at a church service, and the hirelings, and the mentally ill who disquise themselves as men of God...write another book Herbert. Please write another book!

i have searched and attempted to buy this book. this co. haven't been able to locate this book. since it is so controverial i would like to purchase a copy ASAP. notify the company of the cost, etc.

In the legacy of the excellent "Vikings" and "Armada" from the same Time-Life "Seafarers" series, "Pirates" presents a well-researched, richly illustrated, engaging, and balanced portrait of the piracy of the late Middle Ages and Industrial Revolution. Little information is to be found on either ancient (e.g., Greek, Turkish) or modern (e.g., South China Sea) piracy. (We therefore avoid some particularly nasty, bloody facts, such as that pirates convicted by Turks were slowly flayed alive.) Your favorite characters are here--Blackbeard, Black Bart, Stede Bonnet, etc. (the females seem conspicuously absent, albeit)--along with absorbing, eye-catching sidebars investigating vessels, weapons, customs, flags, coinage, punishments, and so forth. Numerous myths are dispelled, and the author offers even-handed, apolitical coverage of the topics he has chosen to explore. Notably, the author strives to present the world of the pirate from both the villains' and the government officials' viewpoints. Through all, one discerns that pirates contributed rather more to the march of mankind than one might suspect offhand, to wit: their democratic principles; their means and methods of organization; even their indirect influences upon the development of the navies of the civilized world. The book is handsomely produced; not overly long or deep, reaching to 200 pages or so; and should make an excellent gift for the older student or the armchair sea dog.

Angus Kostam's "The History of Pirates" (I know not of the newer version co-authored by Cordingly) is also a solid work--of similar scope, albeit less weighty of initial affect, thanks to its paperback binding--but, what if offers by way of glossier appearance and richer color, it makes up for by lack of depth of treatment. Aye, the twain be reasonably well matched, matey, but Botting's book rates the nod, ye scalawag! Ar, Jim Boy, Ar!

(The stereotypic "Ar, Jim Boy, Ar" reminds me of the funniest sight gag I've ever seen. I believe it was an "In Living Color" episode [perhaps "David Letterman," come to think of it] wherein a pirate--replete with patch over one eye and parrot perched on one shoulder--is spouting "ar, ar, eye, ee, ar." The camera zooms outward to reveal--THE OPTOMETRIST'S OFFICE! The pirate is READING AN EYE CHART with "R R I E R" in the top row! The doctor presently asks the pirate to try the other eye, whereupon he switches the patch to his other eye and starts on "ar, ar, ..." again. I almost split my sides laughing!)

this is an incredible book of pirates.cool pictures and graphics.if there is another book this cool on pirates i want to know about it so i can buy it.i have never seen a book on pirates like this.collectors item.everyone who loves history should have a book on pirates.i cherish mine

"The Pirates" commences an intricate 22 volume series called The Seafarers, by Time-Life books. I have more of an interest in pirates than naval history, but this book was so well researched that I will make time to read a few other titles in this series, including "The East Indiamen," (ships that play a large role in this history of "The Pirates"); "Fighting Sail"; "The Men-of-War"; and "The Vikings."

The book begins with a short essay focusing on Defoe's tales. Following this are seven woodcuts of pirates: Henry Every, Edward England, Stede Bonnet, Charles Vane, John Rackam, the Bartholomew Roberts, and Howell Davis. What better way to whet the readers' gnawing appetite? Most of the six chapters are preceded by an essay that focus on the dazzling details of the pirates' lives including the ships, the treasures, and the pirates' obscene ports.

Two essays stood out as they were accompanied by extraordinary illustrations. The ships are laid out in front of the reader with amazingly detailed paintings by John Batchelor, ranging from flagships to the intimidating but exquisite East Indiaman. The essay entitled "A brawling lair for a lawless breed" contains four immense two-page drawings by Richard Schlecht depicting the lives of pirates relaxing among scarlet women and traders; the refitting and conversion of a newly acquired vessel; and a fantastic battle between two ships.

Douglas Botting, the author, squeezes as much as he can in the slim 187 pages. He goes through the history of the pirates, from when they slowly appeared to the surge of popularity among maritime thievery, finally giving brief but detailed biographies of many famous pirates, including Henry Every, Captain Kidd (who is correctly recognized here as a privateer-gone-bad), Edward Teach (no introduction necessary, I hope), Howell Davis who mentored "the greatest pirate of the Golden Age," Bartholomew Roberts, and more! Botting weaves their tales through the political backgrounds, their (close) associations with American politicians and English royalty. Noblemen's distinguished lifestyles and respectability were either fortified or annihilated by their greed. The late 17th/early 18th century was teeming with hypocrisies that would later nourish some of the most exciting Hollywood films centuries later! (Naturally, period authors were already romanticizing all things piratical by this time.)

Botting's writing is far from dry, and he keeps this volume as tight and exciting as it is enlightening. With enough black & white and color illustrations, sidebars with photographs of ledgers (seeing a pirate's real handwriting gave me more shivers than any tales of hanging could), and fun quirky tales and trivia, "The Pirates" comes off as an adventurous historical novel that makes a great introduction to the true but still romantic era. The book is not long, and I recommend reading it before pursuing past and present novels (e.g. Daniel Defoe and George MacDonald Fraser) to get some of the inside references.

A hard cover Time-Life educational book, I think it is out of print now but well worth tracking down a used copy. It may be the best reference book on pirates there is. This book is like a walk through a pirate musuem. Simply loaded with photographs, illustrations, diagrams, and paintings (some spread across two pages) of scenes and goods from the real pirates including weapons, ships, maps, and more. There are period accounts from those that dealt with pirates and knew firsthand of their behaviour, diet, ships, culture, and methods. The book also discusses those that pursued the pirates to justice. A comprehensive discussion of pirate flags, and treasures lost. Information on islands and colonies frequnted by the pirates. Also has biographies on many infamous pirates including Sir Henry Morgan, Walter Kennedy, Blackbeard, Captain Kidd, Edward Low, Henry Every, Stede Bonnet, Emanuel Wynne, Jack Rackam, Christopher Moody, Edward Teach, Bartholomew Roberts, and many others. Includes a rare mention of female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Oversized format, nice black hardcover with gold gilt lettering, looks like leather but its not. I recommend to all persons interested in pirates at any age.

I've been around, and studying pirates is a favorite pastime of mine. This book is the best I've been able to find! The only problem is it's out of print. This book contains many pictures, including ships, paintings from the pirate era, old maps, coins, and letters. It contains very very factual and articulate information, alot of which is straight from the horse's mouth (accounts from people captured by pirates) about pirates, the time era, the weapons they used, the ships they used, the ships used against them, the association between them and the US colonies, and several life stories of pirates including Edward Teach, Bartholomew Roberts, and the pirate king Sir Henry Morgan. The book is well organized, and it's packed from cover to cover, waisting little space where pictures or information can be placed. I recommend this book for anyone interested in pirates for any reason.

This is a excellent selection of poems by the great Russian poet Anna Akhmatova. The translations are by the noted Russian scholar Max Hayward and the noted American poet Stanley Kunitz. As a non-Russian speaker, I can't really judge the quality of translations but the end product is terrific. There are a number of wondeful short lyrics. The peak of this selection is a powerful version of the great Requiem, Akhmatova's memorial for the victims of Stalin's purges. A truly great poem.

I grew up in Russia reading Akhmatova, Esenin and other great poets of the "Silver Period". To this day, Akhmatova is the poet I turn to when nostalgia hits. So when I wanted to introduce Russian poetry to my English-speaking husband, I bought this volume.
I am giving this book only four stars because of the somewhat limited selection of the poems: some of her greatest (and best known in Russia) are missing. Kunitz really shines in being able to relay the mood and (surprisingly) the rythm of Akhmatova, even if the actual translatoin is not quite accurate. Overall, this is a great introduction to the poems of a truly talented poet. However, you will soon find yourself shopping for the complete works.

This is a marvelous book. It is extremely difficult to accurately capture the flavor of the original writing in translation, but Kunitz has done this and more - the English itself is poetry. The book is dual language, so readers of Russian can read the original next to the English. Both are excellent.

The selection is fairly representative of Akhmatova's life work, with early poems from 1909, through her affair with the poet Blok in the teens, the Terror and War, to her deathbed in 1961. I particularly enjoyed the translation of the epic "Requiem". Without a doubt, this is the best English version I have ever read. My only complaint is its berevity - at 40 poems, it merely whets the readers appetite for more - a pity, given the outstanding nature of both poet and translator.

For those who are not familiar with Anna Akhmatova, this is a gem. If you have read some of her work, this is a must-have volume. Enjoy!

This is the volume that introduced me to the works of Anna Akhmatova. After having read this in one evening, I could not sleep - I was so moved by her poetry. The translation must have captured her heart and soul because it certainly captured mine - it inspired me to get up in the middle of the night and draw pictures to go with what I had read. I understood at once the love the Russian people have for her. Since then, I have gobbled up everything translated into English that I can find, but I still think this little volume is the best of all and return to it again and again. Enjoy......

I'm not a great poetry lover, but the simplicity and meaning of her poems is even enough to turn me on to poetry!!!! Her words reach my life experiences and touch my soul.

Of course, this is perhaps the foremost book on political theory of the last fifty years - basically required reading for anyone with claims to being a political philosopher or interpreter. It is an examination of the nature of political thinking and its connectedness and importance with regard to economics, religion, and the broader society from the time of Plato to the Bush II administration.

This expanded version of the book consists of seventeen somewhat independent chapters devoted to leading political thinkers, such as Plato, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Marx, Nietzsche, and to such concepts as liberalism, community, democracy, and totalitarianism. Given the nature of the subjects the reading is slow going, though quite informative. There does seem to be a certain amount of needless repetition, even within chapters, and the overall affect is more one of fragmentation than of a unifying thread. For most, undoubtedly multiple readings would be required for full assimilation.

There will be no attempt here to offer any sort of critique of the substance of the book - a large project to be sure. There is an interesting chapter that dissects the political writings of John Rawls, the leading political theorist of the late twentieth century. The impact of Superpower and corporate dominance on the possibilities for democratic action in the current era is explored. It is clear that the notion of what is political is ever-changing and is not without its complexities.

This eminently readable work can be picked up and put down as time permits--no small virtue in a busy time, and essential for a proper education in political ideas that still very much shape our world. Without making many explicit comparisons or contrasts, Wolin somehow manages to suggest numerous points of intersection between our political dilemmas today and those that beset people thousands of years ago. This is an erudite, witty, accessible book. It should be required reading for all Americans--especially for those of us who like to shoot our mouths off about liberals, conservatives, and other such oddities in the common bestiary. I wouldn't let my copy go for five times what I paid for it.

This book is so rich and it is about so many things that it is difficult to praise in a brief blurb, but suffice it to say that it presents the development of political thinking since Plato to Roman political thought in the age of the Empire to the rise of the Catholic Church to the Reformation, to the reawakening of Classical theory in Machiavelli and onward to the development of modern ideas of the state, of order and security, representation of the polity, democracy, and authoritarianism. Each chapter is written like an individual essay, but with a depth unmatched my most other books on the subject. Perhaps Q. Skinner's development of western political thought is an approximation.

This book is not just a brief summary of the major figures and ideas; it is a discursis of THE tradition, THE language, THE development of theories AND praxis of human beings applying reason to organize themselves into groups for better protection against scarcity and death. Sexy, hmm?!

It would be interesting to read an equivalent book on the Eastern political tradition, as China is not covered here.

But otherwise, I cannot praise this book more highly. It is one to reread every year or so. When you have some free time that is. And after you reread Hamlet. Or maybe you're better off rereading Robinson Crusoe. Same question, different answer, anyhow.

This is an exemplary work that engages the entire history of political thought in the Western tradition. Wolin has added four significant chapters to the original 1960 book and one addresses postmodernism looking at the Nietzschean background to our epoch. For any one doing serious scholarly work in political thoery, philosophy, critical theory, history this book is a necessary possession. For the rest, probably the best general work of Western political thought available.

That there are people waiting to buy our used copies of this book is a testiment in itself: this is simply a classic of political thought, one which has enriched political theorizing and instructed many a pupil in our traditions over the years. However, Wolin is working on a new edition which will (according to him), "repair" an "error" in this text, whatever it is.

This book encourages for creativity, imagination and thinking out of the box and pushes the kids to think about solutions and not to compromise. It is wonderfully written. Great book. I bought other books from this line as well and i was not disappointed. I think i just found my new favorite kids book author. Well done!

I had been searching for some cute books for my 2 1/2 year old daughter and when I read this one, I thought it was the most adorable book ever. The story in verse and the illustrations are so nice I love reading this one to her. This book is also good for her age and should be good for another few years to keep her interested because its not too simple, and its not to overwhelming with words (like the Eloise books)

This is a great book. These Priscilla books are really well written and thought through. This one has a great moral and everyone can appreciate. Great graphics. Well done, my family loves it!

This colorful book is a delight from cover to cover. It depicts a little girl over the course of a rainy, boring week. Try as she might, she can't seem to see the bright side of life until she meets a surprise visitor at the forest's edge near her house.

My favorite part of the book are the scenes inside the forest and the joy that the characters she meets there bring to the page. You can't help smiling and laughing outloud at the witty bugs and animals that populate the magical world among the trees.

If you need a lift, you need this book. It will make your eyes dance...and your heart sing.

Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of Diary of a Mother and SAHM I Am: Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom in Europe, lives near Munich, Germany, with her husband and two children. Subscribe to her parenting ezine at: http://www.diaryofamother.com

On Priscilla's planet, which is not so far away, the sky is a purple, green-brownish gray hue today. The sky had not been blue for days. Then the raindrops began to fall and rain became the word of the day.

Priscilla is not a fish or a duck so rain is bad luck. She tried to occupy herself indoors but became bored until she decides to go outside and perform a rain-stopping dance. Near the woods she encounters the pixie Posy from The Land of Primrose.

Posy is happy that Priscilla enjoys the rain. But no, Priscilla states that "this rain is the pits." Posy educates Priscilla about the wonders of rain and suddenly Posy happily begins to see things in a new way.

This is a lyrical story with rhyming verse that will delight children. The whimsical illustrations will bring little bursts of laughter as they enjoy rainy days in a new way.

Armchair Interviews says: When rainy days plague your children, it's time to read to them. I suggest reading Priscilla and the Splish-Splash Surprise.