Peter Books

I liked this book because it had recipes for all of the soy foods I wanted to learn about, including some for soy protein powder.

I have been experimenting with tofu for a number of years and found this book to be not only a great way to learn more about how to prepare tofu, but also why I should be eating more soyfoods.

Wow this is a great book,the auther came up with such intresting dishes.He even made my kids like tofu.I'm giving this to all my friends,5 stars.

This book gives an excellent overview of soy products and cooking with them. I have tried about a dozen of the recipes and each one of them was delicious! This is a great book to use when trying to introduce more soy products into your diet!

I loved the recipes and nutritional information. There is even a list of manufacturers in the back of the book.

Readers young and old will relate to Honigsberg's message that too much picnic is no picnic at all. The main character, Cocoa Mole, shows us the consequences of overeating and illustrates that the better choice is to indulge in the company of friends rather than self-indulgence. With whimsical and likeable characters, fun and enticing descriptions, and a clear, solid message, this book is an enjoyable read and subtle tool for teaching healthful eating habits. It gently reminds us to think before we eat, regardless of the vast array of tasty morsels available. The illustrator brings the characters to life with beautiful detail and a dash of humor sprinkled throughout. After your first read you'll find your kids going back for a second helping of this book.

If you'd like to encourage healthful eating habits, I highly recommend you share this book with the children in your life. I've sent this book to many of my friend's kids and they've all eaten it up!

Too Much Picnic
Book Review
By Chrissa Ventrelle

As parents, we try logic, discipline, and even bribery to encourage our children to make healthy food choices. Despite our efforts, the Center for Disease Control reports that the number of overweight children in the U.S. has tripled since 1980. Perhaps a wiser alternative to our ceaseless cajoling is for our children to read Peter Honigsberg's imaginative tale, Too Much Picnic.

In Honigsberg's third children's book, we meet the loveably gluttonous Cocoa Mole as he heads to a community picnic complete with tasty treats like wiggle-worm sandwiches and beetle crackers. Cocoa foolishly gorges himself with second and third helpings of Mama Squirrel's nut bread and Mr. Fox's wild mushroom pizza and soon suffers from a miserable bellyache. As his animal friends play and swap stories, Cocoa falls into a dreamy sleep where a fantastical journey with three Munchie Monkeys teaches him the repercussions of overindulgence.

Honigsberg takes the universal experience of overeating and adds a dash of fantasy to engage kids in thinking about healthy eating. Unlike so many children's books that rely on a preachy formulaic tone, Honigsberg teaches gently without skimping on Cocoa's dreamy journey. This makes Too Much Picnic a nice compliment to a nonfiction title that focuses more on the nitty-gritty of healthy eating.

The memorable illustrations by Ryan Jones are even richer than the homemade cream that Mother Fox brings to the picnic. Children will delight in the playful illustrations, like one where Cocoa sits on the edge of a giant chocolate bundt cake surrounded by decadent desserts. Jones' whimsical style enhances the dreaminess of this story and reflects the talent and humor of this first-time illustrator.

Children ages 4-8 will devour Too Much Picnic. Parents will find them pulling this book off the shelf more than once.

At the community picnic one Cocoa Mole gets to eat as much as he wants: so he does. Then it's time to play - but he's too full, and falls asleep instead where he journeys into the world of dreams. Ryan Jones' drawings are exquisite and fun additions to the story of a greedy mole who discovers it's more fun to be with friends than to stuff himself!

This is a fantastic book. I send it to all my friends' children and they love it because it is beautifully illustrated and funny. My friends say they actually enjoy reading it to their children because they keep spotting clever little quips in the writing. It's about time someone wrote a children's book that encourages dialogue on the important topic of children & overeating.

How fortunate I was in my job to have received an advance copy of this wonderful book. As parents we have all slogged through other children's books with stories that adults can hardly tolerate. Here, you'll find the text as compelling for adults as it is enjoyable for the younger ones. The message is far from overbearing, yet one cannot help but be moved by the important point. And, on the topic of that ageless and timeless message, it is high time that someone broke through the wall of fear that typically, but unnecessarily, shields this topic from open discourse. I've mentioned this book to both of my sisters who each have children, and they cannot wait to get their own copies. I'm buying another one for my son's school's library. The artwork is also fun for children. I can best sum up my thoughts with this ironic twist - I just can't get enough of "Too Much Picnic." Read it yourself, and you'll understand why.

This is a fabulous book with excellent insight into the impact of trauma on the body. The authors offer a succint and easy read filled with information describing the dynamics of fight, flight or freeze that accompany every trauma. I gained not only helpful insight for working with children but insight into my own "freezes". Wonderfully helpful and a must-read for any parent or all adults working with children.

This is the best book in my library! I keep it next to me and reference it frequently. I have given 5 of them to family and friends with children. It is a bible for dealing with children who have been affected by trauma. Truly comprehensive, it provides a sensible protocol for understanding and healing trauma. Pre and peri natal issues are addressed as well. A must have for parents. Peter Levine and Maggie Kline have created a book for the ages.

Trauma Through a Child's Eyes does what it says it will do. It awakens "the ordinary miracle of healing." As a therapist, I have read countless theory and/or practice books. I have found myself either drowning in theory or bored by an author's list of do's and don't's. This book is refreshingly different. It is wisdom writ large.

As I read, I am drawn into a place of understanding:
-the body's natural tendency to protect itself
-a child's extraordinary ability to react to, renegotiate, and heal from traumatic events
-the responsibility we all have to respond intelligently and effectively to the trauma so prevalent in our world.
As I read, I am drawn into a place of hope:
-that we all have access to resilience
-that our children can thrive
-that there is a way to help that does "no harm.'

I highly recommend this book for professionals, parents, anyone interested in the "miracle of healing." It is intelligently and compassionately written by two extraordinary professionals who are clearly more interested in healing trauma than in their own renown. I have recommended Trauma Through a Child's Eyes to clients, colleagues, friends and family and I recommend it unequivocally to you!

This book offers clear explanations to the nature of trauma and how it affects the body--and subsequently, the emotions and perceptions and behavior--and how to prevent an overwhelming event from BECOMING traumatic for the long term. It is filled with doable and clear exercises, and helps demystify the concept of what trauma is, why things are traumatic, how to prevent trauma, the incidious way that traumatic events can impact later sensations and perceptions, and how to help heal those. A book by a leading figure in the field of trauma and the body, Peter Levine is a master.
Wonderfully clarifying for anyone who works with children--be it traumatized children or children who are exposed to 'normal' occasional overwhelming events such as falling of a bike--and to anyone who works with parents of children.
Highly recommended.

This book is a remarkable resource of information for anyone who has any experience or contact with children. It is not a heady read. Completely and utterly accessible to those who have no formal training in psychology (yet still riveting for those who do), it has many step-by-step guides (creative, physical, and emotional) for dealing with and assisting children through a myriad of life's trials and traumas, including random falls and accidents, loss of a pet, abuse, death, & bullying to name a few. This book also offers numerous skill-building guides to help a child develop their senses, mindfulness, awareness and boundaries, and several basic cases are presented of children they have come in contact with over the years with various presenting problems. Terribly informative, moving, healing, thought provoking and profoundly educational, this book will be one you'll recommend again and again. Not said tongue in cheek, if you were ever a child, you need to read this book.

I look forward each day to this book. Rev. Peter Panagore gets the point across and makes a person think. Anyone has time, Two Minutes a day, to read a page in this book.

Because it is only two minutes, there was no excuse for "not enough time" to read it every day. A very useful tool.

I received this book as a Christmas gift from my only child who has been mentored by Peter Panagore. He, and his book, have had a wonderful influence in our lives. I keep it on the nightstand with the family Bible and I refer to it every day. This is not a collection of Maine stories about "Maine folks", even though I do recognize some stories and know some of the people. However, it is a set of truly inspirational thoughts that transcend religion, class and time and show the common thread of humanity in all of our lives. We all seem to be searching for answers and often we turn to God. I advise you to do so with Peter and his new book. I start my day off watching "Daily Devotions" and having a cup of tea, both of these actions seem to fortify me for the upcoming day. Give it a try!

Peter and I were childhood classmates and I had not seen or heard from him for 30 years until we recently reconnected at a high school reunion. Shortly thereafter I received an email from him about his book. About the same time I recived, as a Christmas gift from a good friend, my very first Bible. Not having ever read a single word of the Bible I was a bit intimidated about where to start so I decided to buy Peter's book to see if it would help. As I started reading Peter's stories daily and making them a part of my morning "wake-up" routine, I noticed that I started to feel more positive about how I approached my day. Shortly thereafter I accepted an invitation to join a bible study group with the friend who gave me my first Bible and am noticing even more postive changes in my life. Peter's way of weaving theme's from the Bible into ordinary daily life events, in short easy to read stories, is an incredible gift. You are not overwhelmed with "preaching" from his stories and leave each one feeling compelled to ask yourself how you can integrate the message into your life. I highly recommend Peter's book to anyone looking for a simple way to add more spirituality to your life. It certainly has helped me begin my long overdue relationship with God.

The amusing and inspirational anecdotes combined with the author's conversational and intelligent tone makes this an appropriate read for people of all faiths. No matter where you are in your life journey, the messages ring true and resonate. It's a perfect gift book for yourself or for anyone on your list who likes a good story but doesn't have the leisure time to devote to a full blown novel or conventional story collection.

I bought this book used In (Quote= Very Good Used Condition ) And I could have got a better copy at a used book store. It looked like it has rode in the trunk of a car for a few years -.- Other than that it is a great book a must read.

The only reason I gave it 5 stars is because it it a great read.

As far as the condition it was sent very crapy.

I consider this book to be rather better than Bucheim's "Das Boot" (although that movie was excellent)...Cremer's account is very readable, in a more straightforward way, to me. He was a true submariner - Bucheim was not (he was a military journalist). And Cremer remained in the naval industry after the war if I'm not mistaken...I'm not certain which book was written first, but obviously both were written some time after the war so one must wonder how different they would have been had they been written sooner. Perspective changes with time)...Bottom Line: I highly recommend Cremer's book.

This is the way his crew referred to Peter Cremer, and for good reason. When all his contemporary U-boat commander's were going missing in the Atlantic, Cremer kept bringing his boat and his men home. This was no easy feat as the reader will clearly see upon reading this excellent and informative book. In fact many times his U-boat, its crew and himself included often bore the severe scars gained while pulling life out of the seemingly unavoidable clutch that death had on them.

Of 40,000 men serving in the U-boat Arm from 1939-45 30,000 were lost at sea. Higher then any other arm of any participating nation. Yet there morale and conviction never failed. This book gives you a glimpse of the courage it took for those men to go out time and again, after injury, suffering and the eventual realization that despite their efforts and sacrafices they could not prevail. They could merely buy time that in the end ran out like the luck of so many of there comrades.

This is not just a history of the Man and Boat but also reviews the events from both sides to illuminate how the initiative changed and why. You will leave with a better understanding of the Battle of the Atlantic and a respect for a worthy adversary.

a direct quote from the book describing the U-boat crews,"Even in times of the most terrible defeat they preserved their cohesion and discipline.They endured long patrols under the most dangerous conditions and great privations.They were always ready to fight on,even with the heaviest losses.To the end of the war their spirit was unbroken.From watching the movie Das Boot,you get a really different picture of the crew morale aboard a German U-boat,especially after 1943,when the hunters became the hunted.Bucheims crew in his works remind one of the anti-war peaceniks of the 1960's.I have often wondered if his crew reflected more the Peace Movement of the 60's and early 70's since this is when he wrote his books.It seems Bucheim may have been trying to relate the experiences of the U-boatmen of WW2 to a new generation,but did he overstep his boundaries.Alot of WW2 German sailors believed he did,other endorsed Bucheim reluctantly.On the other hand a person could say that books like Cremer's are trying to apologize to the families of the men lost and to say anything critical at all would be a dishonor to the dead.From the pictures of the U-boatmen sometimes you can almost see a hopeless look in their eyes despite all the smiles.Remember a Captain is supposed to keep morale high at all costs,so his account might be a little(or alot) biased.Bucheim's account can be like a breath of fresh air,--at last some human traits we all can identify with--resentment at being used instead of the"Yavoh mein Capitan"of the lap doggie.

I'm just going to come out and say it, that, I found "U-boat Commander" a much better book than "Iron Coffins". There is much more tactical information, and Cremer served not only as a U-boat Commander, but also on Doenitz's staff.

Cremer, a KC winner, talks about the different types of torpedoes, and the technology used by both sides in the Battle of the Atlantic. Although, he heavily draws on Doenitz's memoir as a source, I think it does give an honest view of the battle of the Atlantic.

Interstingly, Cremer comes across as much less of a crybaby than Werner. I think Werner had "throat problems".

What a terrific book!

Unnatural Leadership stimulated my thinking on a number of levels. I read it on a cross-country plane trip, and came away feeling:
--A newfound sense of commitment to the work I'm doing;
--Energized about the possibilities of leveraging the principles as they relate to my own business;
--Eager to apply what I learned toward my own personal development efforts.

Not bad for a few hours where I might have otherwise plugged-in and zoned out!

Several things about the book make it stand out from the pack. First, the ideas are compelling and breakthrough. Second, it's written in a way that invites you to read it. Third, it's full of practical advice on how you can apply the principles described.

Most importantly, it's very clear that the authors have had the depth and breadth of hands-on experience to know--really know-- what the heck they're talking about. The book is not about theory. It's about what leaders really do to succeed in today's complex, rapidly changing world, as compared with what they once needed to do when their environments changed at a much slower, more predictable rate.

And there are some interesting surprises in this book. I, myself, am a management consultant, and thought I knew most of what there was to know about the latest-and-greatest ideas on the subject. Not so, I discovered when reading this book. You might say I was a bit humbled.

The bottom line is this. If you're connected to the world of Leadership Development in some way, and are interested in reading something breakthrough, compelling and really useful for a change, I suggest you read this book.

Pat

Dotlich and Cairo take a unique approach to a popular subject by writing a compelling book about the "unnatural" ways we must behave for effective leadership. Their ideas challenge our traditional leadership concepts and they do it in a very practical and innovative way. An easy to read book it's filled with lots of real examples of effective leaders. An added plus are exercises and practical tips for putting these ideas into immediate action. Definitely worth reading for those intersted in improving their own personal effectiveness as well as those in a position to drive leadership development in their companies.

I found Dotlich and Cairo's book very helpful in navigating the confusing space between what is taught in most leadership books/programs and what I've found works best. They balance up to the minute business smarts with valid academic research and history. GREAT READ.

What a terrific book!

Unnatural Leadership stimulated my thinking on a number of levels. I read it on a cross-country plane trip, and came away feeling:
--A newfound sense of commitment to the work I'm doing;
--Energized about the possibilities of leveraging the principles as they relate to my own business;
--Eager to apply what I learned toward my own personal development efforts.

Not bad for a few hours where I might have otherwise plugged-in and zoned out!

Several things about the book make it stand out from the pack. First, the ideas are compelling and breakthrough. Second, it's written in a way that invites you to read it. Third, it's full of practical advice on how you can apply the principles described.

Most importantly, it's very clear that the authors have had the depth and breadth of hands-on experience to know--really know-- what the heck they're talking about. The book is not about theory. It's about what leaders really do to succeed in today's complex, rapidly changing world, as compared with what they once needed to do when their environments changed at a much slower, more predictable rate.

And there are some interesting surprises in this book. I, myself, am a management consultant, and thought I knew most of what there was to know about the latest-and-greatest ideas on the subject. Not so, I discovered when reading this book. You might say I was a bit humbled.

The bottom line is this. If you're connected to the world of Leadership Development in some way, and are interested in reading something breakthrough, compelling and really useful for a change, I suggest you read this book.

Pat

Want THE definitive handbook on 21st century leadership?
This is it! David Dotlich and Peter Cairo have done a
fine job of ferreting out the qualities that comprise the
"new" type of leadership that's emerging in today's most
successful companies. "Unnatural Leadership" is a
tremendously illuminating book. Plus, it's a plain,
old-fashioned 'good read'. (Believe me, coming from a person
who generally finds business books unremittingly dull,
this is quite a compliment!) It's obvious authors Dotlich
and Cairo love what they do -- and their enthusiasm is
contagious!

This book has a chapter about Goddard College, where I am a graduate student. This college (Goddard)is definately "Utopian" and progressive. These colleges have made higher education both interesting and challenging for individualized education. This book is helpful in focusing on this unique type of education.

As a young student in the late 70's, I attended what was then called an "alternative education" school for two years of my elementary education. The knowledge I learned in this progressive school is a valuable part of who I am and what I have become. My fondest learning experiences came from these two crucial years. I am a strong advocate for progressive education and feel that new methods need to be examined and implemented in order to give students a proper education; reading Constance Cappel's Utopian Colleges gave me a glimpse into some educational institutions that are doing just that. I found it to be both interesting and intriguing in showing how some colleges are trying to change how we educate young adults in our country. An easy yet informative read, Utopian Colleges will introduce students and educators to some alternative teaching methods and educational philosophies; more publications such as this should be offered so students can be aware of the different choices they have for selecting a college for their higher education experience.

Dr. Cappel's book addresses both the history of utopian education and its present incarnation in Utopian Colleges. Speaking from personal experience, I know many of the stresses that provide for both compromise and solidarity within a utopian educational community do exist and have been greatly affected by their manifestations. The underlying work ethic the author shows to be true in the diverse selection of educational institutions featured in Utopian Colleges is a very important aspect of education that is generally ignored in mainstream education. Utopian Colleges shows that the utopian ideal in American post-secondary education was not a counter-culture product of the 1960's, but a long-held tenet which has sought to nurture the creative and intuitive genius to be found within each willing student. The extensive background information provided as a prelude to the present-day and historical outlines of several utopian colleges, along with the discussion of the nature of "utopia" itself are of great enough value alone to offset the cost of this book. This is a great text with which to begin a critique of the American educational system.

At this time when large universities such as Harvard accept money from bin Laden, the need for smaller "Utopian Colleges" becomes evident. Not only are the missions of these colleges more ethical, but their history of progressive education and its values give hope to American higher education. This book examines these colleges that create independant thinkers rather than the corporate robots of the major U.S. universities.

Dr. Cappel's book provides a comprehensive glimpse into the higher education system at work in America today. She clearly explains what her criteria for a "utopian" environment are, and then goes on to describe how each of the chosen colleges reflects these. Her mode of investigation is fascinating, and it is apparent that she made the most of her experiences at all of the institutions she visited. This book proves that, even among the widespread mediocrity that has become evident in American colleges and universities today, there are a few schools out there that still insist on following a dream and a vision, and creating the perfect learning environment that provides students with the finest education possible.

I like this book because this book takes the user from begining to expertise.

I would just like to say , that this book has been a real asset , in learning and developing my VB skills. - Couldn't put it down !!

I bought this book by accident thinking it was something else and I've never put it down since. It covers all the major points I wanted to learn and more. I read this before taking the MSCE training course. After reading the first 6 chapters I found I had covered the first 4 days of the 5 day VB course.

I recommend this book for all begining VB programmers even if you want to start using VB6, read this book first for all your ground work.

This is an excellent VB Book. I constantly turn to it for code samples and commands when in need. It contains almost all the common VB Commands. Aside from that, each chapter is a lesson in itself.

I consider this book to be a lucky find for me. It is one of those uncommon books that explains things very well, starts from basics, and works its way up through more advanced and very practical and useful subjects. I originally got this book just because it was the only one I could find that covered serial-port communications for Visual Basic. Since then (having done a lot of programming in Visual Basic and having looked through many, many other books of various sorts), I find that it's one of the best books I could have chosen for learning about Visual Basic in general. It got me up to speed on several topics (pictureboxes, file I/O, writing database front ends, the basics of ActiveX, just to name a few things). I heartily recommend this book for beginners through advanced intermediates -- and for folks who already have programmed a lot in other languages and are looking to broaden out into Visual Basic.

"The Watch" is a long story placed third in the collection. It is a tale of loneliness. A man and an older man, his father, have a store that has almost no customers. An exception to the general trend is Jesse, a cyclist, who stops for cokes and comes to be an expected presence in the life of the younger man. Jesse is aware of the fact that he is expected and begins dimly to resent the fact. The older man runs off to the fever camps and the younger man and Jesse pursue him and finally manage to carry him home. Jesse feels guilty when the older man ends up being chained to the store to keep him from running off again.

A gallery of characters are featured in the stories. Along with the diverse characters, out of the way geographical places are described. Mostly the places are exrremely to the south or to the north. There is the unpublished writer and teacher from Jackson State who feels annoyed with someone who attended Millsaps. The geometry teacher who teaches in a sort of frustration in Houston and tells stories of WallWalla Washington is portrayed. The teacher drives a corvette. When he appears all bruised, he tells the students he fell out of his car and his wife drove away in it. Kirby, the narator, and Trish appear in several of the stories. Kirby and the narrator met in college. The style is laconic, indirect, artful.

The first story I ever read by Mr. Bass was "Fires", published in "The Quarterly", a now-defunct publication. Since then I've bought every published work he has put out. "The Watch" is a superb example of Mr. Bass' haunting and near-mythical prose about the lives of everyday people. His characters are larger than life and imbued with a strength of personality. "In Ruth's Country" is a beautiful, poignant story of modern-day star-crossed lovers. "Choteau" is a fine example of Bass' ability to create heroic figures out of ordinary people. "Mexico" grips one with such a strong sense of place that you can imagine yourself in any of the character's shoes. "Juggernaut" allowed me to return home to a simpler place and time that I'd almost forgotten over the years. Every story in this collection is as fine as any writer today is producing. Each character is true, and the prose is full of desperation and longing. If you liked this book, you will probably appreciate short story collections by Richard Ford ("Rock Springs" and "Wildlife") and "Borrowed Hearts" by Rick DeMarinis.

The stories in The Watch are both youthful and wise. Rick Bass is a master of the short story form and this collection is a wonderful representation of his earlier works of fiction. Highly recommended for someone looking to get into contemporary literary fiction. Back in '92, the book captured me.

i came to rick bass through the many stories he's had anthologized in the best american series, and each of those are more than memorable. the watch, his first collection, is simply amazing. lots of emotion and depth, and a structure that is often seeming-to-be loose, until it reaches a point where everything comes together. highly recommended.

One of my favorite short story collections. The language is beautiful. The characters, settings, and actions are all so persuasive, and complement each other so well. Finally, the stories are MOVING--not just witty or clever or inventive. Bass' stories have it all!

'The Wine Dark Sea' is a fabulous collection by an unjustly neglected author. Robert Aickman writes stories unparalleled by any other writer. It's not hyperbole to call him the finest spooky story writer of the 20th century.

This particular collection, published several years after Aickman's death, gathers together several of his later stories. My favorite story is the eerie 'The Wine-Dark Sea' which tells the tale of a vacationer in Greece who, against the admonishments of his Greek hosts, takes a boat out to a deserted island. Once there he finds three exotic women who claim to be sorceresses. What follows is a magnificent story of magic, love, and betrayal. Quite simply one of the finest novellas I've ever read.

The rest of the stories in the collection are all fine reading, but none approaches the level of the title story. Of particular note is 'The Trains', the creepy story of two girls bumming through Europe who stumble across a mansion with a mysterious past.

As a previous reviewer noted, Aickman's stories aren't easy to read. You get the most out of an Aickman story if you go slowly, read every word, and occasionally re-read paragraphs. This method, combined with his lengthy stories, means that one story can take you up to an hour to read. It's a lengthy process, but the stories are worth it.

I'm only exaggerating a little when I say that it's a tragedy Aickman's stories are out-of-print. There was a very ..., complete collection released in the UK in 2000, but that doesn't help us Americans!

What the other reviewers say is true. Aickman's stories are painstakingly crafted, or at least appear that way, to maximize a feeling of subtle dread and darkness. There is rarely blood or death, but horror is always lurking, in these and other more poignant forms, just beyond the periphery. The titular story is indeed excellent, but I'm partial to the gloomier "The Trains", "Your Tiny Hand is Frozen" (which actually raised goosebumps once or twice), "Into the Wood", and "The Stains".

Highly recommended for horror enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. These are just great stories!

I strongly recommend the sadly hard-to-find fiction of Robert Aickman to ghost story aficionados, lovers of British literature, horror fiction readers willing to try something different and challenging, or just lovers of the short story form. Aickman's compelling, beautifully written, dreamlike stories are often puzzling, always atmospheric, and generally extremely memorable. The title story, a "strange story" (as the author liked to call his fiction) of a British tourist who journeys to a very strange Mediterranean island and meets three even stranger women, is typical of Aickman's bizarre, unsettling fiction. These stories are among his most accessible (although some readers will still undoubtedly find them opaque). If you are willing to risk being confused, Aickman's fiction is well worth your time. If you ever come across a copy of his first novel "The Late Breakfasters," which I don't believe has ever been published in this country, I would recommend that book perhaps even more highly.

This is the only book entirely by Aikman I have, and it has given me enormous pleasure. The title story is my favourite, though "The Trains" (I think that's the title - book is not to hand)was delightfully unsettling. Aikman, similar to Blackwood, weaves an atmosphere that surrounds the reader all too snugly, making the impact of each occurrence in a tale similar to having the wind knocked gently out of oneself. I first met RA in an anthology of 'ghost' stories, his selection being "The Hospice". Not a true horror story per se, but discomfitting, with a lasting, lingering impression which is still with me. Based on that reading, I've been collecting what I can find of his since. Nothing personal, but with Stephan King hardcovers on the remainder tables (and everywhere else!), it is a shame that this master of the "strange story" should be allowed to go out of print! Find him if you can, and settle in for a memorable and probably disquieting reading experience.

Enjoy!

Robert Aickman's "strange stories" are far from the usual horror fare, and readers who prefer straightforward, no-nonsense spectres are well-advised to steer clear of Aickman's work. But if you are a fan of the beautifully-crafted supernatural stories of Henry James and/or Walter de la Mare, Aickman will be *essential* reading for you. At his best, his stories are small masterpieces of the uncanny that are all the more disturbing because it's often not entirely clear what has happened. *The Wine Dark Sea* is an excellent collection, which brings together a number of Aickman's most evocative tales. Try "The Inner Room" if you're skeptical--if it doesn't work for you, then Aickman may not be your cup of tea. Some of the stories in this volume are a bit uncharacteristically direct--"The Fetch and "Never Visit Venice" for example--but even they have layers of multiple meaning that make them very rich and rewarding reading. ...................... so don't give up on finding some of the stories of this great and sadly under-appreciated master of the supernatural story.