Collins Books

Martin Luther King Jr. uses very apt exegesis in his Sermon about the Good Samaritan. The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, with your Soul and with all your mind. The second is like unto it to love your neighbor as yourself. Sum of the Law and prophets hang on these two commandments. This truth taught by Christ was demonstrated through the telling of the story about the Good Samaritan. Martin Luther King JR's sermon on this story is an excellent analysis what it takes to be a loving neighbor. Dr. King tells how the Samaritan overcame prejudice, fear of physical danger, expenditure of money, along with inconvenience; time and effort.

In the sermon titled: Death of Evil on the Seashore, Dr. King acknowledges the existence of evil in all men's heart. The theme of this sermon is how a Christian should overcome evil acting upon oneself and respond with love. One should overcome evil with good. In this sermon, Dr. King states Jesus never made a theological statement about the origin of evil. He does state man's evil does not come forth out of mistake or misguidance. Man should be held culpable to his evil. Love is truly made manifest when in response to which one knows wishes harm or ill towards. This type of love does not come naturally to any man.

Martin Luther King Jr. was taught in his youth to hold the truths taught in the Bible are inerrant. In the final chapter, Dr. King says he entered seminary as a fundamentalist. In his senior year he introduced himself to various theological theories and critical thought when he read various books. Dr. King says at one time he became enamored and held liberal theological uncritically including the belief that man is generally good. Objective appraisal and critical analysis are terms Dr. King acquaints with liberalism. Dr. King says liberalism taught him to have an open and critical mind. In reading the `works of Richard Niebuhr made me aware of the complexity of human motives and the reality of sin on every level of man's existence.' Pg. 136 I would think Martin Luther King Jr. would have been taught about Total Depravity in his years going to church. Dr. King rejects the concept of God being Holy other: hidden and unknown. Dr. King states the influence Walter Rauschenbusch's book: Christianity and the Social Gospel had on him. Then student King searched other philosophers who were not theologians about how to bring social change. Student King was in despaired until he discovered and learned about how Mahatma Gandhi brought social justice to India through nonviolence and the term Satyagraha. Satya means truth which equals love. Graha means force.

Paul's letter to American Christians is a sermon by Dr. King in which he attempts to use the voice Paul's letter to instruct the Christian Church in the United States about disunity in the Body of Christ and unchristian thinking among its members. Cultural, political, and the state of Christendom are the focus of the sermon. I think Martin Luther King Jr. tries to invoke the sentiment of Ephesians 4:1-3:

As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you to live the life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. In this letter Dr. King criticizes the multiplication of denomination of churches in the United States. He praises the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. He argues for unity with the Roman Catholic Church with no note that there are some things Christians cannot compromise about. Racism and disunity is the only sin taken to task. I do believe racism is an unfruitful of darkness and Paul did address this in his letters-it is not the only unfruitful works of Darkness:

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them.
. Ephesians 5:11

A quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
Pg. 3 "The historic- philological criticism of the Bible is considered by the soft minded as blasphemous and reason is often looked upon as the exercise of a corrupt faculty. Soft minded persons have revised the Beatitudes to read, blessed are the pure in ignorance: for they shall see God."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quotes from Matthew 10:16 - Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as Doves.

Later Dr. King equates science as reality and religion as values. He sees the tough minded as those who incorporate their faith to fit science. Dr. King does not believe the Bible is to be taken at face value but be interpreted trough the lens of science and other philosophical thought. Theological thought is used and the Bible is quoted to make the argument, but only when facts are determined elsewhere. Values are not defined through God's written word but to collaborate outside sources. Values are determined and thought processes are discovered with the Bible as the secondary source.

In 1983 I entered teaching in West Virginia and received this book as a present from one of my teachers. In two years I moved to South Central to teach at 93rd Street School then into the Salinas valley and now in Oxnard.It has proved itself to be of great use to a teacher. I say this by way of explaining that as an elementary teacher, one working with a variety of settings, children, cultures, families, many kinds of educational issues I've come to believe that the book King wrote, this book, is a true helpmate to anyone trying to deal with inequity and injustice.Teaching is an act that requires a very deep understanding of who you are, your strengths, purpose, and this volume supports the evolution of your social conscious. For me the text allowed me to solidify who I am as a teacher and why I do what I do. One example might be the difficult job it is to teach in schools under assault for doing poorly, seemingly being de-constructed by politics without enough valid insight into ways to guide real improvement and coming up against ignorance in many forms-including the disparity in economic means permitted in America. It's not easy to teach children with vast dental decay, families out of work and watch a nation laud this as positive "welfare reform" when stranding these children in worse fixes. Sometimes I find it infinitely difficult to love my neighbor,well, my voucher loving neighbor, or even find commonality with those in million dollar homes feeling botox might make them both more appealing and more interesting.The child as a commodity construct which is now prevalent in educational dialog, among many other kinds of views, I find difficult to separate from the individuals telling me( in often rude and hurtful ways) that my efforts educationally are a failure and that schools don't work. In my world it's a constant Lou Dobbs immigration rant that somehow is hiding vaguely words that really seem to be saying something else. I tire of watching the reality of racism, class ism acted out in the lives of children-and this is a fatigue that easily becomes anger-King speaks to this.... I find myself lacking the strength to love positions taken by those that really don't know what they are talking about, and don't care other than for personal advantaging anyway.... There is something truly fascinating about having a book that describes both your situation and your feelings as well as frames this into affective forward action-King can give you individual empowerment quite readily.And he can help you address your mindset. And that in this world of mine is a beautiful thing. I frame my work with principles that are able to outweigh the personal likes and dislikes levels...so I bring to school dealings my thoughts that I am there to help Anthony be the best Anthony he can be...not to condemn Anthony to my judgment about him. Let us say then King's is an active lexicon and this volume is insightful for someone wishing to everyday face injustice and difficulty with positive reaction and action. For me as a person I find the book more helpful than any I ever had.

If anyone underestimates MLK's true intellectual ability, or simply wants to revisit the kind of person he was, a read of this book should serve to illustrate that America has had a prophet in my lifetime. Truly this should be required reading in high school and college programs for the young persons of our country to become acquainted with and use in working on social issues.

Let's not just sit in silence on *Martin Luther King Day* - - We must ask ourselves how WE can carry forward Dr. King's message & become agents for change. Reading his words in "STRENGTH TO LOVE" makes an excellent beginning.

Remember those words from the Bible that challenged us "to love justice"? King's sermons (collected mostly from the time of the bus boycott) prod us today to carry forth "the Power of One" and make this particular holiday a statement of our own acts of Love. To love takes courage as well as strength.

Since the Gulf state hurricanes, we have witnessed injustice toward blacks as blatant as any experienced in the 40's. To summon up the hope and optimism that kept Martin Luther King's message alive is an absolute necessity today. To exercise King's principles, to work for justice, to not allow ourselves to sit in silence - - that's where our beliefs must take us. " . . . the day we become silent about things that matter" IS THE DAY "OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END."

Love is where non-violent action begins. In his sermons King expanded on how the tactics of Gandhi can & do work a mighty force for change. For "Strength to Love" the cover art, a wood cut by Stephen Alcorn, makes another strong statement. Dr. King's words most forceful to me are about *love* and *redemption* - - (the latter is an under-used word these days) - - and the last chapter in which he shared his amazing *PILGRIMAGE* through philosophy and experience. Reviewer mcHAIKU echoes the hope of many: that we act responsibly, energetically and courageously to speak truth to Power. "I ain't gonna study war not more." (Martin Luther King Day, 1-16-06)

Timeless. As relevant now as what it was when it was written. Addresses the issues of hate and indifference and argues that the solution is love. Love does sound all too simplistic but it is one of the hardest things to face but its rewards are beyond words.

"Strength to Love" woke me up.

It made Dr. King so much more real. It contains some of the most powerful teachings on how to love in situations where it is difficult to. Not love -in the romantic sense - but rather, in a much deeper way - as in love of humankind. Of Christ-love. Just read his sermon on "Loving your enemies": he starts with the difficulty of reconciling this commandment, and finishes with a flury of passion exhorting us to make this commandment real when he starts with the words "To our most bitter opponents, we say...". It's not just the banter and broad strokes which he uses so magnificently to generate his passion. He also gathers support from folks such as Emerson, Napolean, Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche and the Bible of course. All of this to convey a sense of urgency to show how low we all have come, and at the same time to inspire us to a place where we can go.

While you may not agree with what he says, you must admire and respect what he says. Dr. King's messages aren't easy to digest- but he says the right thing - which is not always, the easy thing. Even though these teachings were written over 40 years ago now, his messages in "Strength" are no less relevant and more important than ever.

Dr Seuss comes through again. Fun to read, good morals, excellent story.
Lots of fun!!

This is my favorite Dr Seuss book (even though I discovered it only a few months ago). The story and pictures are excellent and (importantly) it is particularly easy and fun to read aloud.

Unfortunately, this book is advertised as being suitable for 5-8 year olds only - NOT TRUE! This book is for ANYONE of ANY AGE who enjoys stories.

This book is so appropriate today, maybe more than when it was written in 1948 (a response to the New Deal, perhaps?)! I'm sure I appreciate the message (beware of freeloaders!!) more than my kids, but they enjoy the story and the pictures (as always) are priceless. Dr. Seuss was a national treasure and his books are all terrific.

This book should be in every child's library (and most adults as well). This is the starter book for Orwell's Animal Farm.

I first read this book when I was a little girl. I was really impressed with it then, of all the Dr. Seuss books I thought it was the best because of the message. The poor moose is so soft-hearted, he lets everyone take advantage of him. It has a wonderful message for children to learn about "users". If you only read one Dr. Seuss book to your children, read them this one.

This is my God has become a classic on Jewish Thought and Culture. If you are just beginning or are a seasoned scholar, This is my God has something for you.

I totally recommend this book. You will enjoy immensely. Read it with a highlighter, you are going to want to quote it later.

A formidable book, written for everyone, from the pious Chassidim who seems to know all about Judaism to the secular Wall Street Jewish Banker who is far from his faith but feels every now and then the sweet but stern internal calling of his demanding heritage

The best chapters,in my opinion, are related to the experiences related to the secular Jewish people when they got involved in the Jewish religious rituals at the synagogue or at home during childhood, "one feels like he is telling ones own experiences when he was a Jewish kid, so unexplained and uneasy situations at that time become hilarious

Generally speaking, Wouk, who is observant, tried to be very open avoiding dogma and intended to convey to the Jewish reader the precious value of his 4000 years heritage and a way to learn how to feel proud about it.

Wouk did not forget the non-Jewish reader either, he wrote this book with simple concepts and language so anyone interested about Judaism can get a good basic introduction through these pages

Wouk, Herman. "This is My G-d: The Jewish Way of Life", Little Brown and Company, 1959. 1988.

How I Live

Amos Lassen

Here in Arkansas, especially from my gay friends, I contstantly get questions about my being Jewish. After a few moments of discussion, I usually refer people to Herman Wouk's "This is My G-d" which, even though is not new, explains basically everything Jewish in the easiest way. The book goes with me wherever I go. I keep a copy in my office at the university, a copy in my study and one in my suitcase. Anyone who wants to know what Orthodox Judaism means to a well informed and intelligent Jew but who is an American (by birth) as well, can find out what he wants to know in this book. Written in terms that are easy to understand, the book stands alone in being a guide to the Jewish religion. Herman Wouk is a wonderful person to consult on matters Jewish. He writes with humility and wisdom and his explanations are clear and concise.
There is a lot of literature on the Jewish religion available and new books on seem to be published almost daily. Wouk gives us a brief history of the Jewish people and an excellent discussion on the meaning of G-d. He explains who we are and how we have survived and carefully looks at the importance of symbols in the religion.
In part two of the book, Wouk approaches issues of faith and sows how it is impossible to study all of it. Looking at the holiday calendar, he is able to equate the observance with the nature of the Jewish mind and explains in detail what the synagogue is and what purpose it has. Looking at the dietary laws and explaining how orthodox Jews observe them is an experience that I have not found in other books. Wouk manages to bring the laws to a level of understanding that explains and codifies them. He also speaks of clothing and shelter which I found especially interesting as most do not realize that there is a certain way that Jews look at them.
Wouk takes us through the life cycle--from circumcision to Bar Mitzvah to death and explains issues of love and marriage. Looking at law, Wouk explains the differences between Torah, Talmud, common law and modern theory. Finally he looks at the state of Judaism in the present and evaluates the various schisms in modern Judaism.
The newer edition contains an epilogue which deals with Israel and the question of Jewish survival. For a novice this is a place to begin and for others it is a book to consult. Surely a religion that has lasted thousands of years cannot be written about in just 300 something pages but I tell you, it has been a great help to me in both understanding myself and explaining Judaism to others.

This work is a wonderful introduction to and survey of Orthodox Judaism. This book stands out from the pack of other works on the same topic in that This Is My God was written by a master novelist (Wouk gave us Winds of War, War and Remembrance, The Caine Mutiny, et al). Herman Wouk is passionate and candid in what he writes here.

The tone is conversational, unconfrontational and uncondescending. Although packed with factual information, Wouk keeps it personal and interesting by moving back and forth between the mechanics of Orthodox Judaism, and his own personal experience - especially his formative years under the hand of his beloved, learned and pious grandfather. Considering the scope, it is brief, by the author's own admission.

Wouk explains the basic approaches marking Orthodox, and to a lesser extent Conservative and Reform, Judaism. He discusses the practice . . . dietary laws, tallit, the Sabbath, the Feasts, etc. He sketches history and historical figures (I especially appreciated his sorting out of the great sages and each of their places in Judaical history). He describes the source texts - Torah and Talmud. Also, Wouk easily could have - but did not - bury the reader with Hebrew phraseology.

This book is unique and well worth the time for an interested truth seeker of ANY faith to invest. I could continue with the praises of this work, but I would just be repeating what other reviewers have already written.

I will add a couple of critical comments. This book, published in 1959 (written while the State of Israel was only 10 years old, how remarkable!), has become a bit dated. (Obviously no fault of Wouk's here). Orthodox Judaism has evolved increasingly into what people call "Ultra-Orthodox" and has become largely identified with Hasidic dress and practices. In today's world an observant Orthodox author, out of reverence, may well have refrained from penning the title "God", preferring rather "G_d" (interesting since the diety's personal Name is not actually God . . . a gentile word having rather pagan roots). Orthodox vs Conservative vs Reform have all changed a bit over the years. I was disappointed that Wouk did not even mention the phenomenon of Messianic Judaism, which has grown greatly since the book was authored. Wouk also more or less wrote off the Karaites as an extinct sect . . . but that movement has also grown greatly since the book was authored. But of course Wouk's passion is Orthodoxy, and my point is that there has been much change even in the brief historical period since 1959. This is a minor criticism and hardly detracts from the value of the book.


Secondly, although I was drawn to this book by its enticing title, it would have been more accurately titled, "This Is My Religion". Orthodox Judaism wholly embraces the the Talmud. Unlike the Torah, the Talmud is arguably the work of great men, but not necessarily of God. There is wide and heated disagreement on this point. But in Wouk's book, any insight as to the nature of God will have to be inferred from the general discussion.

But again, any truth-seeker, and especially followers of the God of Israel, should have this information. An observant and learned Orthodox Jew will likely find no new information here, but may enjoy Wouk's personal perspectives.

A heartfelt and personal discussion of Judaism. Herman Wouk is the master of the historical novel. His guidebook to Judaism is written with love and respect.

Marcia Davenpot, a music critic, often chose musical themes as subjects for her novels. That's not the case here in this huge (over 600 pages), ambitious, and vividly written novel that is concerned with a Pittsburgh industrial family over the course of about 70 years. Mary, the "Irish peasant girl from Shantytown" is the main character, and she's wonderfully drawn by Davenport. Her goal in life is to hold the Scott family together: "she was hellbent that nothing should ever happen to reflect on this family," says Paul, the head of the family and the man she's loved (and who has loved her back) but wouldn't marry, feeling his real love was his steel mill. The book spans a very large canvas from Pittsburgh to Eastern Europe and a large cast of characters; Davenport's skill at manipulating events and people is on full display in this novel, and despite its length the book is interesting from cover to cover.

I have a copy of The Valley of Decision dated from the early 40's with a notice that the book was printed in accordance with the laws of rationing of paper during the war. The book originally belonged to my mother and I discovered it when I was in my early teens. If anything, this book teaches that duty comes before self indulgence, a concept foreign to many in this day of instant gratification. That one could deny oneself for the good of all is the main theme of this novel. The descriptions of the family in Eastern Europe was especially interesting to me, as my grandmother had immigrated from that area herself. My family lived in a steel town much like Pgh., in fact, about 90 miles north, so the descriptions of the boarding houses and the changing shifts of the millworkers were very familiar. This is one of the best novels I have read and it is re-read every year. The book has lost it's outer spine, but is in excellent condition considering it was printed over 65 years ago. Too sad that the ideals expressed in the novel have lost some of their outer spines, but life goes on.

I DON'T GO INTO A SYNOPSIS OF A BOOK THAT I HAVE READ IF THERE ARE ALREADY OTHERS WHO HAVE GIVEN ONE. HOWEVER, I MUST SAY THAT IN THIS CASE, I MUST CHALLENGE THE COMMENT THAT THE SON REFUSED TO MARRY THE MAIN CHARACTER BECAUSE HE LOVED THE STEEL MILL MORE. MARY RAFFERTY REFUSED TO MARRY HIM BECAUSE SHE LOVED HIM SO MUCH THAT SHE WAS MORE CONCERNED FOR HIS FAMILY AND CAREER THAN SHE WAS FOR HERSELF.

My father had this on his bookshelf when I was growing up in Pittsburgh. I read it as a teenager in the mid-60s and was bowled over by its storyline and history of my town. When I graduated from college in California in the '70s, I bought my own copy. I still read it from time and time, and the magic of the book hasn't faded; the romance, the immigrants' stories, the underlying power of the mills over the lives of every character, they all still enchant.

I first read this book during final exam week in college over twenty years ago; I've read it about ten times since then. As a history teacher that was reared in a steel mill family just outside Pittsburgh, I find the account of the industry and people who populate the area where I grew up to be accurate and interesting. However, what really captures me each time I read it is the humanity and reality of the characters throughout the chapters. I read it again whenever I need to be reminded of home, whenever I want a good "cry" over a book, or whenever I need to be reminded that there is a bigger purpose to life than just what I want; mostly, I read it just because I consider it to be one of the top five books I've ever read.

the ultimate guide, including all cetacean species known to mna, even the elusive beaked whales. Even inlcudes a species or two that had only been discovered by skulls. The illustrations for those species are the artist's impressions. The artist is the amazing marc carwardine. Excellent guide for cetacean lovers

Once again, reading the list of photo-credits at the back of this book is like reading the index in a "Who's Who in the world of Underwater Photography." This is an exciting book with colour photographs (though occasionally a map or diagram) on every single page and the standard of reproduction is as good as it gets.

As with "Sharks & Rays" (a book in the same series), the content is also as good as it gets and, if you only had room to pack a single book on the subject before setting out to discover some of these excellent creatures, then this book will satisfy all your requirements.

Commencing with their customary "Understanding" Whales Dolphins and Porpoises, the reader is then taken on a journey which provides a complete and wide understanding of these incredible creatures - many species of which remain on the brink of extinction. With sections on hunting, captivity, migration and much more plus a page dedicated to each specific species, this book is as complete as it should be and fully lives up to the promise in the title of being an "Ultimate" guide.

Altogether and excellent book and an essential addition to any scuba diver's library.

NM

This book is extremely useful to both the general reader and to those with a serious interest in cetaceans. The book is well organized for quick reference and beautifully illustrated to aid in species identification in the field. Cetaceans are grouped by family and unique characteristics are clearly defined and illustrated. In addition the book is lightweight and easily carried on a boat trip. Highly recommended.

My main objections to this field guide were the illustrations. Artistic renderings are often beautiful, but fail to portray the animal in question with accuracy. Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius)is a case in point. Although I have not observed this animal at sea myself, I spoke with a number of fellow fishery biologists who have spent time at sea as marine mammal observers and no one has ever observed a bright yellow Ziphius in the field. All observed a base color of grey with this genus, at least in the northeastern Pacific. The Tasmacetus rendering is most likely based on the J. Mammalogy (1976) paper by Watkins wherein an unidentified ziphiid whale (probable Tasmacetus) was observed from a bluff overlooking the sea in New Zealand. Useful plates were those showing all similar cetaceans together; eg. all oceanic dolphins without prominent beaks, all oceanic dolphins WITH prominent beaks etc. The ziphidae plates show male Mesoplodon characteristics, but that is to be expected since solitary female ziphiid whales, especially Mesoplodon sp., could be virtually impossible to identify. My own field guide preferences use photographs rather than artistic renderings. Other problems: The distribution maps to not reflect the full distribution (extralimital observations/strandings) of many species. An example: Psuedorca is shown as a species with a distribution much further south than observations/stranding records indicate. The text does suggest that 'numerous records' exist outside of the more tropical distribution shown in the map. Note also that many of the dolphin renderings are positioned so that the dorsal fin is right where the pages meet. We did get a chuckle over the photograph showing what you should wear when watching whales, but that can be explained by our 'silly scientist' bias. One note for potential whale-watchers: do not allow your binocular strap to lie right on the skin of your neck while at sea as you can wear painful wounds into your neck through a day of whale-watching. Make sure your shirt collar or other clothing lies under that silly strap! Voice of experience!

This book clearly deserves more than five stars for the great joy it will make available to you in the future by encouraging you to do more cetacean watching.

One of my pleasures is planning and taking trips to the various whale, dolphin, and porpoise rich areas in the world. When there, I spend as much time as possible on the water enjoying the views. I was particularly delighted to see that this book opens the doors to locales that I did not know about. As a result, I now have three times as many places to visit as I thought I did. Having seen the unusual species that I have missed, I now see the world much differently. That's a great gift to receive from a field guide.

Most people are unaware of the fascinating and beautiful mammal life in the oceans and rivers (yes, some dolphins live in rivers) around them. Although I live near one of the world's best cetacean watching areas, I would estimate that fewer than five percent of the people I meet have ever gone to observe the wonderful sights that are just a few minutes offshore. This guide can help change all that.

With a heightened sense of our aquatic co-species, I think that all people will have more respect for them and interest in preserving their habitats and populations.

Many people have a chance to go boating on the ocean, and see something that interests them. What is it? How should they approach it? I hope that all ocean-going boaters will buy a copy of this book to address those questions.

This is a beautiful book to hold and behold. The drawings are luscious in their subtlety of color and shape.

As a way to identify cetaceans, I cannot imagine a handbook that could be any better. The book is filled with dozens of clues for each type from length, shape, coloration, presence of typical parasites, behavior, breathing patterns, and other physical characteristics (like the shape of the teeth or baleen, blowholes, tails, heads, etc.). With so many observational points to consider, it would be very unusual to make a mistake. So the casual cetacean watcher can quickly be able to perform like an expert.

After you have finished enjoying this wonderful book, I suggest that you plan your next trip to watch cetaceans. If possible, I suggest going to some location that you have never been to before. Even if formal party boats are not available there, you can go out in the least expensive way and rely on your handbook to guide you into a better understanding of what you are seeing.

Appreciate the natural grandeur and beauty of the cetaceans . . . always!

A poetry cd of both live and studio performance by American poet Billy Collins. This is great, witty, ironic and clever. Hearing the poet himself read his verse adds to the enjoyment of his poems. I love 'forgetfulness'. His poems strike a chord with modern life. A must for fans and newcomers to his verse.

We bought this collection of Billy Collins' poems shortly after being introduced to him by friends who lent us the CD of Billy Collins' live performance at Peter Norton Hall (with the intro by Bill Murray). This collection has a few of the same poems as the other, but not enough duplication to make this an unwise choice. I enjoy listening to this collection, but get a little more enjoyment from the lively and responsive atmosphere that the audience gives the uninterrrupted live performance. Still, I haven't heard any other of his readings, so this is a very small sample to be judging from. In the end, I don't think you can go wrong with either CD.

I love Billy Collin's poetry for its charm, wit, and profound statements. He's a fine poet, but....on audio disc he is dull and anything but funny when hearing his voice.

"I suppose I might be different from previous poet laureates by kind of emphasizing the playful or even screwball aspects of poetry." ~Billy Collins

Collins was reappointed to the post of U.S. Poet Laureate in the summer of 2002. He travels throughout the country for readings, lectures and is well loved by his audiences.

Listening to Billy Collins read his poems gave me a new appreciation for his genius. His poetry increases my capacity for viewing the world on a new artistic level. While listening, I had moments of nostalgia as images danced across my mind.

In this CD, you will find many of your favorite poems from many of his published works. They include:

1. Another reason I don't keep a gun in the house - A story of a dog barking. He humorously mixes images of a barking dog solo and Beethoven.
2. Shoveling snow with the Buddha - Winter work ends with warm drinks.
3. Marginalia - An especially enjoyable poem for anyone who loves to find scribblings in books.
4. Afternoon with Irish Cows - Completely vibrant images. You can truly see the images poem.

5. Walking across the Atlantic - An imaginative journey while walking on the water. He imagines what the fish must think about the bottoms of his feet appearing, disappearing.
6. Intro - An introduction that explains the title of this CD.
7. Consolation - Written to consol himself after canceling a trip to Europe.
8. Forgetfulness - If you are over 30, this makes complete sense. An intensely comical poem that will be appreciated by anyone trying to remember the name of a book or name of the author.

9. Workshop - Newbies enjoy entertaining Billy Collins with their artistic expression.
10. Morning - Feet on a cold floor and espresso while the typewriter awaits.
11. Driving myself to a poetry reading - An analysis of his feelings as represented
in how he places himself at various points - the car hood and the backseat.
12. Wolf - A wolf reads a book of fairy tales. This is perhaps one of my favorite Billy Collins poems. I love the description of the fur bristling and how he turns each page with his nose.

13. Purity - Explains how he loves to write and drink tea. His explanation of
how he writes romantic poetry is almost an interesting insight into male sexuality.
14. The Art of Drowning - Will you really see your life flash before your eyes?
15. Nostalgia - "Remember the 1340s?" I love this poem because it is a humorous visual journey back in time.
16. Candle Hat - A poem about a Goya painting.

17. Sweetalk - Art lovers will enjoy this love poem, especially the twist at the end.
18. Instructions to the Portrait Artist - Interesting insight into the poets' love of the intellectual life.
19. Pin-up - Decadent descriptions of murky garages and mechanics.
20. Flames - Smoky the Bear with his fur gleaming in the sun.

21. Saturday Morning - Casual observations and lazy day moments.
22. The Afterlife - Secrets from the afterlife and how you go to the place you always thought you'd go. Fun idea.
23. Man in Space - Male/Female relationships.
24. Aristotle - Thoughts about a beginning, middle and an end.

25. Wires of the Night - Especially beautiful recollection about death.
26. History of Weather - Flower ruffling breezes and heat shimmering on sand. Images of clouds, rain on battlefields and snow flurries of Victorian London.
27. Best Cigarette - Remembering his days as a smoker as a lover remembers
their true love.
28. Invention of the Saxophone - Mentions a historical character from the 13th century.

29. Child Development - Fish work up irregular verbs and children work on name calling.
30. On Reading in the Morning Paper - Dreams
31.The First Dream - Wind ghosts around the house as he leans against the door of sleep.
32. Japan - Reading a favorite Haiku.

33. Thesaurus - Lover's in myths and a congregating of word relatives. I love this one because I love words and Billy Collins has an especially creative way of exploring word meanings.
34. Nightclub - My husband read this to me once and I thought it was hilarious.

Billy Collins' wry wit and his eloquent voice contribute a comical resonance. His comic timing is impeccable and I finally understood some of the humor in his poem "Consolation" about "not" touring Italy. He gives a bit of background, which changes the entire poem. By the end of this reading, he has left the audience deliriously giddy with laughter.

I love the twists at the end of his poems that instantly captures profound emotional moments. There is a casual elegance in his poems. He invites you to journey with him through the poems, although at times Collins throws in a highly imaginative sentence or an entire poem that throws you for an intellectual loop. Billy Collins vocabulary is stunning all on its own. The way he blends the words into images and colors is more than impressive.

If you are in the mood for intellectual beauty, this CD will give you a deep appreciation for laid back and artistic observations.

If you are already a Billy Collin's fan, Pittsburgh Press has issued special hardcover limited editions of three of Billy Collins' books: Questions about Angels, The Art of Drowning, and Picnic, Lightning.

~The Rebecca Review

Dedicated to Eric who found my Billy Collins book reviews and thought I'd enjoy this wonderful recording. Thank you! This was a beautiful gift.

Billy Collins is spectacular, for even more than his work as a poet. Billy has done a lot to bring poetry back to schools and kids. Poetry is a lost pleasure for Americans. So many review here go into each poem on the disc so I won't trod down that road again. But I will say that if you want to see the wonderful style of this man, check out "the best cigarette" and "Child development". I really love "child development". So if you love poetry this is for you, if you are new to poetry, this is really for you, if you need to be reassured of the human spirit you must buy this.

I just bought this book the other day and it is amazing. It gives you the facts you need for survival. If I get caught in a situation from the book and I don't know what to do, I will be suprized.

This great book teaches you how to survive. It has so many detailed descriptions with graphs. It is so compact that I even carry it everyday in my backpack. It might be really useful when the war starts or an earthquake takes place.

One of my friends bought the big version that had a little more information in it. I read it and when I saw that you could buy a pocket version I was thrilled! Wisemen gives an informative description of everything you need to survive almost anywhere. I'm confident that if I were in a survival situation I would be able to survive.

I've had this book for a few years now and have read it over and over again. The information is amazing. There's not a topic that Wiseman doesn't cover or at least touch on.
Not only is it small, it's tough too. It's been on every camping trip, hike, deployment and just about every other trip with me for the past three years and it's still in great shape.
Friends of mine that could have cared less about a suvival book have read mine on airplane rides and afterwards went and bought thier own.
You can't go wrong

With store shelves overloaded by "SAS" books it's unfortunate that this little, uh, Gem can be lost in that crowd. The original format was more like a coffee table book, but for practical purposes this chunky, compact edition is not only the most convenient of those available, it is also arguably the best on the market.
The manual itself is comprehensive, clearly written and with clear (if sometimes limited) illustrations, including a useful colour section; and here the colour is used for more than mere decoration as it provides essential additional information in identifying plants and animals. There is no philosophical description here, little room for the romance of the wild or the ethics of surviving. Instead, "Lofty" Wiseman's guide is a direct parcel of solid information aimed solely at keeping you alive in the worst of situations. Campers and outdoorsmen will find some interesting and useful sections here, but it requires a degree of knowledge and experience to sift them from those which simply must not be used outside of an emergency. This is a fascinating book to dip into, and doubtless most purchasers treat it as such, but it is also an exceptionally effective, reliable and well-crafted source of possibly vital information.

I don't usually write reviews, but I found this book too enlightening to not. Getting Into Character is full of excellent ideas and excellent examples. I am in the process of editing my National Novel Writing Month novel using Collins' ideas. Her examples are clear and illuminating. The recommended reading at the back of the book is extensive and well-explained.

I would have liked a little more on creating a good "Level A," but that is my only complaint.

If you write and are in the market to raise your writing to the level of such literary greats as Twain, Austen, Tolstoy, Dickens, Siddons, Dumas, Hugo, Mitchard, Foster, Waller, Martini or Saul, then this is a must have for your research library. From the fingers of Brandilyn Collins comes the experience of a best selling novelist and her adaptation of Method acting director/instructor, Stanislasky's words. Included are samples of contemporary and classic novels teaching you how to push your writing higher. You can learn how to draw the reader to your characters as their story unfolds. Don't miss this one!

An interesting analogy of how writers are like actors and must get into their characters' heads in order to portray them in a convincible style. Filled with good ideas.

This book seemed to be one-half Lajos Egri (The Art of Creative Writing) and one-half John Cleaver (Immediate Fiction). Like both of these authors, Brandilyn Collins explains how to create well-developed, compelling characters that you can let loose in your stories.

All of the author's techniques tie back to Stansislavsky's "Method Acting." Each chapter starts with an analysis of one of techniques of Method Acting. Then that technique is summarized in terms of ficiton writing. The remaining chapter fills in the details and gives examples.

In addition to the techniques of character development, the author presents several narrative frameworks for the overall plotting of the story. She also discusses crafting each scene using character objectives that flow from the character's Inner Values.

The chapter on dialog was interesting. Here, the author shows you how to link the hidden-message of dialog (sub-texting) back to the richly-developed psychological profile, or inner values, of the character.

I liked the book very much - particularly her conceptualization of Method Acting back to narrative writing and her well-explained examples. This book is different than many others describing character development. The author also includes exercises that the reader can pursue.

John Dunbar
Sugar Land, TX

The reviewers have said it all, and yet I feel the need to add my two cents as an author and a 'how-to' book collector.

I struggled with my characters from the beginning and since reading Brandilyn's book I can understand why. Never before have I read a book that gives such explicit examples of how to create characters of depth and motivation.

My copy is dog-eared, highlighted, scribbled, and has lovingly earned a spot on my shelf as a book I could not write without. I can't recommend GETTING INTO CHARACTER enough for new authors and those who think they have nothing more to learn.

I am - or was - an overweight teen. I really love the show Growing Up Gotti and once I heard that Frankie had a diet book comng out I thought that this would be a perfect oppurtunity for me to loss the weight for good. I ordered the book and it exceeded my expectations. Frankie is truly a great writer. This book encouraged me to follow his diet steps! Now, only half way through my diet, I have lost 24 lbs. And it is thanks to Frankie! So thank you for helping me and others lose extra weight for good.

I wish there was more publicity on this book. I had watched the show and goggled the show for images and came upon a picture of him before the show and was shocked to see his weight and even more shocked at what he is today. After viewing the sample pages provided by Amazon, I knew I had to grab a copy. I am 10 years older then Frank but he touches the core of my problems. He is an admirable writer that can be respected by all ages. I really appreciate his honesty, sincerity and encouragement. He taps into emotions and experiences that I have yet to see in any book, and for it to target the young generation is phenomenal!! Thanks Frank :)

The author of this book was just arrested for drug posession. Diet and exercise, or was there something more?

Lies and scandals.

i love the growning up gottie show
it of the chin, but anywayz, hi frankie, i just wanna say that u look soooooo fooooone,now we girls can see ur the real frankie
u look amazing

Frank Gotti's diet and exercise book really reveals the trauma of being overweight as a kid/tennager. I couldnt believe the before and after pics! And the heartfelt text inside. Frank was not afraid to show his sensitive side, in an effort to help others lose the weight as well. I applaud him--he has guts!....(and he's gorgeous!)....Katie Ross

This book explained in detail, how to survive in the workplace. It has many examples on how to follow the unwritten rules (usually gained from many years in the work environment). I plan to purchase books for my employees and other young adults entering the workforce

This book is spot on about being the "hard truth" about soft skills. We can often get caught up in what we think is "fair", what companies "should" do and how people "should" behave and all of those things are honestly irrelevant. It is not until people are ready to face the hard truths that they are able to make decisions about their willingness to make changes to their work styles that will impact their career track.

Peggy Klaus' sophomore effort - a sequel of sorts to her Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It - covers the personal skills required to successfully navigate today's workplace. Each chapter is on a different aspect of these so-called soft skills, from dealing with a boss to managing others, even daring the reading to ask some tough questions (am I in the right career? am I cut out to be a manager?) and of course a chapter is devoted review the important lessons from Brag! Don't worry, every chapter has something for everyone, from someone on the lowest rung on the corporate ladder to the chairman of the board. Unlike Brag!, which reads like an excellent refresher course for Peggy's couching sessions and seminars, The Hard Truth feels like a trusty companion to her couching work and is highly recommended for anyone in the workplace - from a two person business to a Google-sized corporate environment. By presenting each topic in a real-life situations/case study, this book is highly readable and enjoyable and would make for a great summer read. What are you waiting for? If you read this far pick up the book and share it with your co-workers when you're done. Better yet, pick up a copy for each of them as well!

Where was this book when I started in the workplace?! Peggy's essential pearls of wisdom will help you fast-forward your career and navigate confidently the perils of the workplace!

Ruth Stergiou, CEO, Invent Your Future Enterprises

More or less a book about being nice at work. More of general guidelines as opposed to structured advice on learning to deal with people. Perhaps a good launch pad, but a little thin in content.