Butler Books

I agree with Mr. Littrell. This is THE Upanishads to read in English.

Three quotes from differing spots in the Text:
"You cannot see the seer of the sight. You cannot hear the hearer of the sound. You cannot think the thinker of the thought. You cannot know the knower of the known. Your own Self lives in the hearts of all. Nothing else matters."
-YadnyawalkyaJi
"`He who knows the soundless, odourless, tasteless, intangible, formless, deathless, supernatural, undecaying, beginningless, endless, unchangeable Reality, springs out of the mouth of Death.' . . . `That boundless Power, source of every power, manifesting itself as life, entering every heart, living there among the elements, that is Self.'"
-Death
"`Remember, my son! The body bereft of Self dies. Self does not die.
That Being is the seed; all else but His expression. He is truth. He is Self. Shwetaketu! Thou art That.'"
-Uddalaka
Jai Bhagwan Shri RAM!!

Of the many thousands of books that essentially are one of a kind and out of print, few are more worthy of being reissued than this very beautiful rendition of the heart of the Upanishads. World class poet W. B. Yeats, working with Vedic scholar Sri Swami Purohit, retired to Majorca away from the war clouds gathering over Europe in the thirties with the intent of making "a translation that would read as though the original had been written in common English" (p. 8). Here's an exchange between the boy Nachiketas and Death from the Katha Upanishad that gives a sense of just how well Yeats and Purohit succeeded:

Nachiketas said: "Some say that when man dies he continues to exist, others that he does not. Explain, and that shall be my third gift."

Death said: "This question has been discussed by the gods, it is deep and difficult. Choose another gift, Nachiketas! Do not be hard. Do not compel me to explain."

It is from the Upanishads that the Bhagavad Gita finds its inspiration. One can see immediately in this short exchange the seed from which the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna grew. Indeed it is from the Upanishads that the central doctrines of Hinduism are derived, and the philosophy of yoga, and even that of Buddhism. As such the Upanishads, despite their repetition and extraneous material, constitute one of the great spiritual works of humankind. What Yeats and Purohit have done here, in contradistinction to other translations that I have read, is to make the work intelligible, accessible and a pleasure to read. To do this, it is true they have trimmed; and they have drifted in parts from a strictly literal translation, preferring instead to emphasize the spirit and the essence of the Upanishads. Consequently, for the scholar this is not the best translation. But for those who want the feel and the heart of the Upanishads without the ritualistic circumlocutions or much of the repetition, this is an idea translation. Through the poetic use of words, incorporating the magic of sound and rhythm in judicious repetition, Yeats and Purohit are able to preserve the oral formulaic expression of the Upanishads, and bring the sense of their power to the modern English speaker. This is an outstanding achievement. Here is the refrain that ends this beautiful translation:

"This is perfect. That is perfect. Perfect comes from perfect. Take perfect from perfect; the remainder is perfect. May peace and peace and peace be everywhere."

This beautiful tale is full of rich characters and vibrant settings. The traditional Irish culture and changing circumstances of the characters juxtapose to unfold a timeless story of love and personal strength that keeps you turning the pages until you finish the last chapter and let out a breath of fulfillment. This reader only hopes that this is not the last we will hear from Beve Butler Smith!

This is a great read - a well written adventure that took me back to what it was like for my ancestors when they came from Ireland. I did not want to stop turning the pages and can't wait for the next story from Beve Butler Smith!

I am an avid reader, although not much of what I read is Western Romance. This book is one that has changed my outlook on what I read. I couldn't put this book down until every page was read.

Mix a shotgun tootin' young female sheep rancher, a sympathetic, cattle driving trailboss and a wolf-dog named "Sweetie Pie" together. Add author Elizabeth Butler and set yourself down to an enjoyable, shoot-um-up Western Romance.

Set in Buffalo Wyoming in the winter of 1891, Butler takes you back to the cattle rustling days of the northwest. Tensions are high as large cattle ranchers look to small sheep ranchers for blame. After suffering the loss of her entire family, Susannah Bidwell was determined to defend what was hers. When Ned Parker, a cattle driver and friend of Susannah's late grandmother, rides out of his way to deliver the sad news of her death and the unexpected information about her inheritance, bullets fly. Skeptical of this stranger, Susannah eventually agrees to listen to Ned and accept his offer of help. Violence continues as the cattle ranchers try to force Susannah from her land.

Unwanted feelings begin to grow between the independent shepherdess and the trailboss as they join forces to save the ranch. Blend in Harley, a neighboring sheep rancher who's in love with Susannah to add just a touch of jealousy to cause Ned a bit of confusion and drive his need to protect this spitfire.

Butler stirs the reader's emotions as "Sweetie Pie" gets shot coming to her rescue.

"Suddenly, reality returned. Sweetie Pie? She looked away from Ned to the dog lying motionless on the patch of grass where she'd left her. Crawling over to her, she laid her head against the matted fur and let the tears fall. She hadn't cried for her family members, for Lucky or Lucio Gonzales, but she did for Sweetie Pie."

Butler blends a sweet touch of romance with an engaging plot. A must read for those who enjoy a good ol' time western.

What an amazingly great and fascinating book! Lee is brilliant - a wonderful researcher, historian and a class act!! Bruce

An absolutely must have book for armchair adventurers, shipwreck divers, treasure hunters, and Gone With The Wind fans. The obvious amount of research that has gone into this work is staggering. This is definitely the definitive book on Civil War wrecks of the Confederate Coast. But more than that, it is extremely well written and highly interesting. Perhaps the most fascinating part of this book is the first chapter, which details the authors research and discovery of the true identity of the real Rhett Butler. His evidence is overwhelming. There is no question he has proved the identity of the true Rhett, and in doing so he has revealed a wealth of never before told details, including why Margaret Mitchell lied and claimed Rhett was pure fiction. According to Spence, Rhett was actually based on Charlestonian George Trenholm, who was tall, brave, and handsome. Trenholm made todays equivalent of over one billion dollars in just four years of blockade running. Like his fictional counterpart, Trenholm was accused of making off with the gold of the Confederate Treasury, and he really did have a beautiful, fast, young widow visit him in jail. Most of the missing treasure remains hidden to this day. I actually felt like I was diving with him when I read the exciting story of his discovery of Trenholm's wrecked blockade runner Georgiana. As if that was not enough the book includes information on another 500 Civil War shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Although brief, each shipwreck account is complete in itself. You will also be surprised to learn the facts behind his exciting discovery of the tiny Hunley and his efforts to see that it is raised and preserved. The Hunley was the first submarine in the entire history of the world to sink an enemy ship. This unique 527 page book has over 100 photographs, drawings and maps. It is well indexed and perhaps the most thoroughly researched book I have ever seen and is thoroughly documented by well over 2,500 individually cited reference notes

This book is superior in every way. Intended to explore the university grounds from a primarily architectural perspective, the author's writing is both impassioned and objective in its analysis of the unique architectural qualities of this wonderful university. Yet despite a clear cut architectural purpose, this book also manages to provide the best single, practical guide to the university grounds available. The author organizes his well written descriptions around a series of walks, and provides in-depth information, photographs, and history for each building or site encountered. The result is the ultimate guide for newcomers exploring the university grounds for the first time, as well as for those who already know them intimately.

Students, parents, historians, architects, professors...this book is for you! This comprehensive tour guide is just what you need to stroll the grounds and surrounding area of UVA. The writing is superior; the beautiful photographs distinguish this from any other tour book of the university! Buy this for the new student OR the graduate!

Is it worth a read? Indeed it is! I am glad I read it and feel enriched. A man shares his life with us as he journeys throughout the 50 states achieving his dream. From the moment the emergency room doors close behind the author, we are completely engaged in his struggles to reach a summit. We meet diverse people as we travel and review some of our historical highpoints and low points, adventure, suspense, poignancy, fine descriptive details and magnificent views. Just read it. Enjoy.

Jane T., Retired English Teacher

What an exciting read! Doug Butler has lived many peoples' ultimate adventure and fantasy for them. And he's written about it so well you feel like you're right beside him through hair raising ice climbing, threatening weather, tortureous decision making, well earned victory and occasional defeat. I like his modest approach and humor and his sharing of nature, the country and people and cultures along the way. He's sure solved my Christmas shopping problem for guys and other friends on my list this year.

Very well thoughtout book and positive while being frank about a very difficult topic.

Nancy Reuben Greenfield's book is a one-of-a-kind find. Young women experiencing breast cancer often have the added pain of facing the experience through the eyes of their young children. This book helps mothers and other adults find the words to explain beast cancer and mastectomy simply and sensitively for the very young child. The theme centers around the effect from the child's perspective, namely the difficulty in "hugging my mommy" as she recovers from mastectomy surgery. The book offers mother and child ways to deal with this stressful time. It is probably ideal for the 4 to 8 year-old girl, but would also be suitable for boys and for older and even younger ages. The combination of sensitive words and exquisite illustrations by Ralph Butler brought tears to my eyes.

This is a collection of essays from the first ten years of the journal Wild Earth that is unlike anything being published about the environment today. Environmentalists, activists, and leading scientists recognize it as being on the cutting edge of environmental studies and proposals. It has consistently established environmental goals that, in the words of publisher Dave Foreman, "...should be scientifically justifiable, visionary, and idealistic." It is that and much more. The contributors typically look far into the future in an effort to envision a vibrant North America, both culturally and ecologically, and then suggest a game plan that will come into fruition a hundred, or perhaps a thousand years from now. If you are looking for a thoughtful, outside-the-box discussion on the ethical debate on whether we treat the natural world as a commodity or community, this is as good as it gets. But beware, this is not your typical collection of environmental proposals.

The essays range from the proposal to reintroduce free-ranging elephants along the lower Colorado River and the Rio Grande to proposals to preserve 60 percent of the state of Florida as wildlife corridors for panthers and bears. There is an essay by J. Baird Callicott, professor of philosophy at the Univ. of North Texas that argues the Wilderness Act of 1964 is outdated and outmoded and a reply essay by Reed Noss, an international consultant on biodiversity issues, that provides the reader with a concise, succinct summary of the issues involved and is guaranteed to raise your level of awareness to this hotly debated topic.

The essay by Jamie Sayen, a New Hampshire activist, argues there are a number of similarities between nineteenth century slavery in the South and the industrial forestry of the twentieth century. He argues that both proponents have used the central theme of property rights to control and exploit humans and the environment. If this essay doesn't get your juices flowing nothing will. There are essays on the proposal to stabilize and reduce the population growth; the slaughter of Bison in Yellowstone park; the importance of wilderness areas for grizzly habitat; the importance of the sound of silence to our physical and mental well being; and the never ending issue of logging, clear-cutting, and the preservation of jobs.

In all, 38 contributors combine to present as foresighted, controversial, and stimulating discussion on the future of the environment as one can find in one volume. Regardless of your political leanings or environmental philosophy, this book is bound to stimulate, invigorate and perhaps make you a participant in the ongoing debate. An excellent offering by a first rate publisher.

I'm a huge fan of the Wildlands Project, an environmental organization started by Dave Foreman and others in the early 90s, so I was excited to read this new book. The book is more or less a "greatest hits" collection from Wild Earth, the magazine of the Wildlands Project. The book contains about 40 essays from America's best nature and conservation writers, including big names like Bill McKibben, Wendell Barry, and Barry Lopez, but it also has a number of really good pieces by lesser-known conservationists like Louisa Willcox, one of the country's leading experts on grizzly bears. This book is great for those new to nature and conservation writing, as it provides readers with a literary "who's who" of the conservation world. "Wilderness wonks" (like me) will get a lot from it as well, given the eclectic mix of authors represented and the quality of the writing. If you like this kind of writing, you should definitely look for Wild Earth magazine as well--its far and away the best environmental magazine out there. It's hard to find in bookstores, but well worth looking for (your best bet is to just get it from the Wildlands Project online).

If you don't like De Kooning, maybe you should rethink and stop to look at his wonderfully traced drawings which exhude life, violence and passion. This book is the first such publication and it may be the only opportunity to see so many drawings together (drawings do not like daylight and therefore are rarely exhibited). Definitely worth it, especially for the high quality of the illustrations which are all in color and often give you the impression of holding the actual drawing in your own hands.

I bought this book as a gift for my girlfriend's birthday and I was shocked by the size of the book. There are tons of images in the book, most seem to span his career from pencil drawings of his wife to the more familiar works like the one on the cover (which take up most of the works in the book, thank goodness.) The images are laid out with great focus, my only complaint is that some of the images aren't bigger, but then they would have to cut across the seam more.

The book is big, it weighs a lot, it has mostly pictures of his works, there is only 1 picture per page (no distracting, busy design), and a small biography in the back. A very good deal for the price, you get your money's worth.

I used to buy art books only from bargain shelves and tables, sometimes from bookstores that were only selling bargain books. Amazon.com has both varieties of books, and it would be unfair for me to review one book when I really think you should buy the other (bargain) variety. There should not be much confusion between two 304 page books with the title WILLIAM BLAKE when the books are actually the same, but the contents are of such variety, listing Peter Ackroyd, Marilyn Butler, Robin Hamlyn, and Michael Phillips as authors of the exhibition guide for the exhibition at Tate Britain, London, 9 November 2000 - 11 February 2001, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 29 March - 24 June 2001, so it might be possible for someone who was looking to see if the listing in two places was identical to discover differences in the information given, though I believe both books are published in 2001 by Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York (Printed and bound in Great Britain).

If you just want pictures, some of which seem quite large, this book has 250 illustrations, including 240 plates in full color. If you like descriptions of pictures, you might find yourself jumping around in the book. A large picture on page 10 is labeled: `Opposite: `Newton' 1795/c. 1805 (no. 249, detail) on page 11. After the Index on pages 296-298 is a Checklist of Works Exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on pages 299-304 provide a variety of numbers, including a catalogue number in brackets as follows:

129 [249] Newton 1795/c. 1805 Color print finished in pen and ink and watercolor 46 x 60 (18 1/8 x 23 5/8) on paper approx. 54.5 x 76 (21 1/2 x 30) Tate; presented by W. Graham Robertson 1939

The full picture is shown on page 213 with a tiny number 249 in the corner by the top margin and a description on page 212 that includes more information than above about "Signed `1795 WB inv [in monogram]' and the inscription. It is possible that the detail page 10 is about full size, showing the lower 30 cm. of a picture that is 46 cm. tall. Catalogue number 248, Sketch for Newton c. 1795 described on page 212 as being on a paper slightly smaller than standard typing paper, might not appear in this book at all. Turning back the page from 212 to pages 210-211 reveals a gigantic crawling Nebuchadnezzar 1795/c. 1805 (no. 247, detail) which is a 30 x 46 cm. (almost 12 inch by 18 inch) enlargement of less than half of a picture that was even larger 44.6 x 62 (17 5/8 x 24 3/8) originally. Pages 210-211 is almost lifesize, with a nose 2 inches long and 5 inches from the bottom of Nebuchadnezzar's lower lip to the part in his hair just above his forehead.

It is difficult to tell how many numbered pictures are not in this book. The final catalogue number 303 described as `Jerusalem. The Emanation of the Giant Albion 1804 - c. 1820' on page 282 is a general reference used to cover paintings of Jerusalem plate 97 (detail) (p. 283), Plate 1 (p. 284), Plate 2 (p. 285), Plates 3, 4, 9, and 11 (p. 287), Plate 12, Plate 26 (p. 289), Plates 51, 69, 70, 84 (p. 291), Plates 92, 97, 99 (p. 293), and pages describing these 15 plates describe 7 plates from Jerusalem that are not shown.

People who are interested in reading interpretations of Blake's works will find a sponsor's forward by Stephen Deuchar on page 7, Acknowledgements and Preface by Robin Hamlyn, Christine Riding and Elizabeth Barker on pages 8-9, `William Blake: The Man' by Peter Ackroyd on pages 11-13, `Blake in His Time' by Marilyn Butler on pages 15-25, a Chronology on pages 26-28 and initials of 10 individuals indicating other authorship on page 29.

`One of the Gothic Artists' on pages 32-97 describes items up to catalogue number 96, `The Queen of Heaven in Glory.' `The Furnace of Lambeth's Vale' on pages 100-171 starts with a description of Blake's Printmaking Studio and various techniques, including a detail on page 111 shown more than 5 times the original size of the small print no. 107 There is No Natural Religion 1788/1795 Copy L shown on page 110. There is in this part a political section called "Lambeth and the Terror" on pages 152-167 which mention items of `Rex vs. Blake' catalogue numbers 208 through 210, items that are not shown. Perhaps we learn more by merely seeing no. 212, The Accusers c. 1804 Copy E on page 167, "A Scene in the Last Judgment."

Pictures are generally clear enough for the lettering by William Blake to be legible, where it is not too small, but pages have been selected without regard to the continuity of the original text. For example, Blake's comments on Swedenborg in his book THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND HELL, Catalogue no. 127, pages 132-135, include Plate 21 and Plate 24 but not the pages between to and from which the thoughts carry over.

`Chambers of the Imagination' on pages 174-257 includes items numbered from 219 to 297 The Ancient of Days 1824? `Many Formidable Works' on pages 258-293 concludes with many plates from a few of Blake's works. No. 298 Plate 42 `The Tyger' on page 269 (upper left) is lightly colored, "Shown in profile beneath the pale blue bark of a tree trunk," (p. 268) while no. 163 Plate 42 Copy G c. 1793-1794 on page 155 shows a tree and tyger with much darker colors.

Anyone who plans to enjoy looking at the pictures more than anything else could start with this book. People who seriously study WILLIAM BLAKE must have their own reasons. Because his writings cover so much, most people could gain some knowledge of bits and pieces from a work like this.

The works of Blake are represented here on wonderful gloss paper with large images to fully appreciate the artistic genius of William Blake. This book is also intersperesed with essays that explain his life, his writing, and his art. through his various images you can see his complex and troubled life come into view. A must have for anyone who loves Blake and Extremely helpful for anyone who wants to know him and his work.