Richard Books

It's the greates visual experiens in body's beaty. As a dancer I want to thanks Howard's work.

...The embodiment of perfect human physical condition captured in a way that could not be imagined. OUTSTANDING!

Amazing beauty. This book makes me want to practice all aspects of photography. Waterdance was boring, but this one is true black-and-white tangible vision in print.

Any serious artist should have this text on their shelf. The simple anantomy of the human body is not enough as found in other similar texts, but this text offers not only dancers in motion but still poised with lighting that shows the muscles we completely miss in full light. The silver gelatin prints darken the skin enough to show each nuance. A must have.

It's art for artists.

Passion and Line is one of my very favorite books and I have thousands of books. It inspires me. It motivates me. It is the zenith of what the human body can be. I get chills each time I view this thrilling book. The hard work, the incredible discipline of the dancers is exquisitly captured by Howard Schultz. Bravo to the Artist Schultz and bravo to his subject dancers.

Nice, light read, with quirky characters and interesting plot twists. I wish it would be reprinted, maybe as a single volume with some of his other comedic novels. I first read this as both a Reader's Digest edition and later read the full novel from the library.

This book tells the saga of the Kwimpers of Cranbury County, New Jersey, who decide to teach the government a lesson by homesteading on the fill that was trucked in to support a highway bridge. The story is told through the voice of Toby Kwimper, the family's eldest son, an elementary school football star (he never got much further than elementary school on account of repeating so much), who the girls all find irresistible. Of course, Toby has his own way of resisting the girls so that they don't get the better of him. In fact, through honesty and good will, Toby manages to persevere through all the calamities that the government, the neighbors, and Mother Nature can think to throw at him, his family. This book was sheer delight to read. I just hope Toby's still out there on his land in Columbiana because I would love to meet him someday.

At the time I read this book, I hadn't even heard of it. My mother recommended it to me, for which I am grateful. The characters are funny, but at the same time they are real and touching. The other characters are a delight and the story logically progresses. The end is totally satisfying and, at times, totally unexpected. This book should go back into print.

This is one of Richard Powell's best books. It's main characters are a family of New Jersey Piney's. As Powell grew up in Philadelphia and later retired to Florida, he obviously knew a lot about the people and the places he wrote about. The Kwimper family is hysterical. Particularly the father, who feels he is helping the government by taking advantage of their various assistance programs. The book is a true satire in that regard. The main character, Toby Kwimper (played by Elvis in the movie version "Follow that Dream") is your classic big strong dope with a heart of gold. Like all Powell novel's it's very cleverly put together with great dialogue. If you like this book, check out some of Powell's better known novels: "The Philadelphia" (later made into a movie starring Paul Newman), and my all time favorite, and Powell's last and greatest novel "Whom the Gods Would Destory" (about the Trojan War, Helen of Troy, Odyssey cycle of stories - a truly great read). Powell at one time was a creative writing teacher at Syracuse Univ and it shows. He's one of my favorite authors.

"Pioneer, Go Home!" is great fun to read. I read it as a teen in the spring of '61 on a trip from Ohio to Florida. Mom, my Aunt and I went to the movies soon after we arrived. The movie was "Follow That Dream" starring Elvis Presley. As it turned out, the movie just happened to be based on the book I had just read on the way down to Florida! I read the Reader's Digest condensed version at the time. A few years ago, I was able to find a copy of the book. It really is that good! I have read and reread it many times. It is always fun! I would recommend it highly to anyone who loves fun books and has been to Florida in the 50's or early 60's. You will like the movie, too. This portrays a more natural Elvis than his usual movies do. The story takes you back to 50's Florida when it was unique in its own way.

I have been doing this exercise routine, or a variation thereof, for about four months now, and it has worked extremely well. This is a very simple plan, but doing just this amount every day is better for you than intermittently doing more strenuous or demanding workouts. And once you master this simple plan, there's no reason not to add on more routines/exercises. You can also do this several times a day (early morning, and then evening for me), which increases its effectiveness.

(Note: I have also been eating a largely whole grain/vegetable diet lately, so some of the fitness can be ascribed to weight loss, but not all. I think they complement each other well.)

it is especially for people who aren't used to move a lot, for people who live a very sedentary life. and the book makes it very easy for them to change this life style into an active one. the workout routine it suggests is extremely easy to follow and helpful.

This program is simple indeed: 10 minutes of brisk walking or simple aerobic stepping, followed by 5 minutes of strength and flexibility routines using two-5 lb. dumbells. Plus lots of good motivational advice. This is the minimum program-you can expand it by speeding up the walk, adding arm movements to the steps, more weight to the dumbells, or by adding a few more strength and flexibility routines. This author makes no presumptions about your physical abilities-if you need to start working out on a bed instead of the floor, he provides you with the basic tools and urges you to get started. I bought a perfectly good copy from one of Amazon's associated stores for a few dollars: I am doing it every day, and it really works for me.

Richard Bradley is the Director of the Fitness Center at the Department of Transportation here in Washington, D.C. He created Quick Fit to give time-crunched federal workers a fast, simple workout that they could fit into their schedules any time, without even changing clothes.
I'm a federal worker myself, facing the same time challenges. I've tried Bradley's Quick fit workout, and it certainly works as advertised.
But the choice of exercises IS limited and you will probably quickly outgrow them. I recommend buying "Quick Fit" and using it to learn these principles:
-- It IS possible to pack a complete, effective workout into 15 or 20 minutes.
-- Fitness success lies not in WHAT you do, but in doing it consistently.
-- Consistency in exercise hinges on keep the whole thing simple and convenient.
-- The "perfect" workout is one that people will actually DO.
The only downside is that, at first, I felt self-consious working out in my civvies. But no one in our agency's fitness center gives a darn or gives me a second look. And I've noticed that a few other people now work out in their civvies, too.
Bradley's "Quick Fit" is an excellent book, and a good place to get started. I recommend it.

Don't have time to exercise? The last of the good excuses is gone with this guide to 15-minute, no-sweat workouts presenting 10 minutes of aerobic activity, 4 minutes of strengthening exercises, and 1 minute of stretches. Step-by-step illustrations demonstrate just how to do them, case history successes link exercises to positive results, and the author comes with credentials: he's directed the Occupational Health and Fitness program at the U.S. DOT for the past twenty-five years, and presented extensive seminars to business and government groups alike. With Quick Fit: The Complete 15-Minute No-Sweat Workout, even those who are most pressed for time have no excuse now.

My sister and I were so excited when we got this book, and we never forgot about it...We are 33 years old now, and it has kind of become our way of saying something is "fun"....whenever we do a craft or art project, we compare it to this book, "doesn't this remind you of when we played with Richard Scarry's rainy day book?" And its always a little bittersweet, because we no longer have our book. Imagine my delight, to find an old copy of the book, here on amazon! I can't wait for it to come in the mail, and I will surprise my sister!

I have such fond memories of this book, which I used to pore over a child, about 27 years ago now I guess.
I always remember the part about mixing colous and I'm absolutely sure it played a huge part in my early interest in art. I'm now an Art Gallery Director, so who knows where that next Christmas present might take your child?

I bought this book as a child about 25 years ago, and have never forgotten it. The activities and illustrations brought me hours of joy --it never got boring. As a parent, I am saddened to see that this book is now out of print, as I would love to be able to purchase it for my children and their friends. There isn't much out there which encourages wholesome fun and creativity these days -- bringing this book back into print would be a wonderful start.

I agree with the earlier reviewers. This book is the greatest. I have been looking for it for years, and would love to buy if for all my friends children (okay and for myself too.) Please re-release it!!!...

I also had this book as a child, (I got it 1975 for X-mas: I was 5)and never forgot it. It took me almost 10 years to find a copy of it, and now it is one of my most prized possessions. I remember that I was actually challenged by the activities in the book - it was not the typical 'color and connect the dots' activities. Mobiles, 3-D towns, greeting cards, as well as coloring and connect dots. It also teaches how to mix colors. It is divided into the months of the year, so activities coincide with specific holidays, etc. I am now an full-time artist, and I believe that this book had everything to do with what my career is now. THEY SHOULD REPRINT THIS! One of the best children's books ever! Definitely brings out an intelligent creativeness in a child.

"Ours is the signal honor of being the nation's bulwark. One day we must prove ourselves worthy."

Requiem for Battleship Yamato is about sacrifice-immolation on the altar of national survival. It was written not to needlessly lionize the wanton sacrifice of combatants in order to bring to an end what one historian called "a war to establish and revive the stature of man." Instead, it was written, and properly so, as catharsis: Yoshida Mitsuru, as a 20-year old ensign on the bridge of the Yamato during its final voyage, had witnessed War, and thus wished that future generations would no longer be called upon to "prove themselves worthy," and to bear the burden of armed conflict.

Yoshida's prose satisfactorily captures the spirit on board the Yamato prior to its climactic encounter. Yet there is no way to adequately describe what the men of the Yamato went through during the ship's final hours. One author called it "a glorious way to die." Alternatively, the battle could be described as a nautical siege, a maritime battle of Troy. There is no apotheosis in death; death is merely a release from duty. During the battle, one man struggles to keep the deck clean by throwing overboard limbs severed by bomb shrapnel or machine-gun fire. Below decks, men grapple with the bodies of their comrades; once-inviting hot tubs (the Yamato has several of them, we are told) are filled to the brim with the ranks of the dead. In the bridge, officers are mowed down by machine-gun bullets. There is no sanctuary aboard the most massive dreadnought ever constructed.

This is a highly readable book, redolent with poignant memories, written by a man who had the courage to confront his phantoms. Through Yoshida's book, many souls who fought during the Pacific War found a voice.

"Three thousand corpses, still entombed today. What were their thoughts as they died?"

In the 1950's and 60's, Japanese memoirs of the Pacific War flooded forth from the publishers. Saburo Sakai's "Samurai", Hara's "Japanese Destroyer Captain," Mochitsura Hashimoto's "Sunk!" are just the tip of the spear. But Yoshida's "Requiem for Battleship Yamato" is simply in a class by itself. The youngest officer on board the mighty battleship, he was present when the giant was ordered on her suicide sortie. Escorted by the anti-aircraft cruiser Yahagi and numerous destroyers in April 1945, Yamato's mission was sublimely ridiculous: sail down toward the Ryuku Islands (where a massive American task force was staging the invasion of Okinawa), attack the landing force, beach itself, expend all weapons and ammunition, then the surviving crew members would join the garrison in Okinawa's defense. It was no surprise that the force didn't even make it halfway before being annihilated by U.S. planes. Yoshida's book is poetic and is beautifully translated by Richard Minnear who also provides a superb introduction as well. Yoshida's account of the American air attacks which inevitably shattered the Yamato, the Yahagi and most of the escorting destroyers come off as not combat, but high slaughter. Veterans who survived idiotic orders and suicide charges will find a spiritual brother in Yoshida. Don't be surprised if you have a tear in your eye for the brave crews of these ships as you close this book for the last time.

Written as a tribute to his shipmates, "Requiem" is also a powerful anti-war book.

Although perhaps unsurprising given the scale of Japan's losses and the bitterness of defeat, the fact remains that there are relatively few accounts of the war by those who fought with the Imperial Forces, and even fewer available in English.

For this reason alone `Requiem for Battleship Yamato' would command attention even if it were only an average work. But it is not an average work; it is a classic in the truest sense of this much abused word, which must be placed alongside books such as `The Last Enemy' by Richard Hillary.

Written in a spare, almost poetic style, `Requiem' tells the story of the Yamato's last doomed sortie from the viewpoint of one of her junior officers. Alongside glimpses of life on board the great battleship, we gain an insight into the thoughts and personal lives of her crew as they prepare for what most realise will be a mission from which there will be no return.

As the tension mounts and enemy forces close in for the inevitable kill, Yoshida provides a moving commentary on the Yamato's last days and hours, with poignant vignettes of such figures as the force commander Vice Admiral Ito, who had correctly appreciated the futility of the mission yet carried out his task with calm resolution.

With the Yamato entering her final death agony, Yoshida gives us harrowing descriptions of the effects of explosives and steel on human flesh - a timely reminder in this age of glossy propaganda of the true face of battle. Then there is the homecoming, with Yoshida's personal struggle to come to terms with the meaning of his survival while so many of his comrades are dead.

No review of this book would be complete without acknowledging the outstanding work of its translator, Richard Minear, who has also provided an excellent introduction. Thanks to his efforts, this work will not only be read with profit by the military historian, but anyone who seeks to broaden his understanding of the human condition.

young, naive and inexperienced the author chronicles his one and only combat mission. relating his service on the japanese battleship 'yamato' author mitsuru gives perspective not only on what he does but on what he feels. fortunately for the reader mitsuru is an articulate writer who has had the opportunity to rewrite his recollections numerous times over the years before settling on this 'definitive' edition. the book runs as a subtle parallel of stories between the events happening around the author during war and what he thinks and feels as he faces his own mortality. an excellent perspective of man in conflict.
also worth noting is the outstanding translation and introduction by richard minear.

This book is not for readers searching for details of battle, or apologies for participating in the miltary adventure against the US. Yoshida Mitsuru was an unlikely survivor of a suicide mission.

Some of the reviewers have found this book morbid, and focused on death. Mitsuru attempts to describe his feelings and unaswered question that haunted him for the rest of his life. Why was he saved, when so many other died? Was there a purpose to his life, and the life of his dead shipmates. These are questions that all men ask to some extent, but for those caught in a war, life and death are close and constant companions.

The normal thoughts of young men towards life and the future are put aside as their ship plows forward on a suicide mission.

Do not buy or read this book if you are not prepared to think about the personal cost of war. Some have described this as an anti-war book. I do not believe that is a correct description. This book is written by someone whose education and social standing required him to enter the Navy, and go to war. I view this work as a refection of an eyewitness and wounded survivor. Such an experience at such a young age makes one an expert on the war experience, not the root causes of war or their justifications.

Most men who shared Mitsuru's experience do not write, or even disuss their experiences. For some, just the thoughts of their experience is unbearable and the reason some end their days in mental hospitals.

When Mitsuru wrote the first draft of this book, it fell under the authority and censorship of the American Occupation, which did not approve of the text.

Which brings up the question not posed directly by this book. What "truths" were censored during the official investigations surrounding Pearl Harbor, the Bataan Death March, and other matters that impacted on the ledgends and careers of Americans of that time?

Was so impressed I gave out copies of the book to friends and told them where to buy Rhodiola!

This is a well-researched and well-written report on a valuable addition to any health and energy regimen.

About the only book I could find on Rhodiola, Very informative. It is great read for anyone interested in using Rhodiola for Energy.

This book has a wonderful history of the plant and it was a terrific read. It made me want to go out and buy some Rhodiola to give it a try! The best thing you can say about a book is that it inspires you to take action of some kind.

I was very surprised that the book doesn't mention the Swedish Herbal institute brand, as this is the world's best selling and the only product in the Rhodiola category that has science behind it. (Evidently those Swedes put everything through human, double-blind placebo controlled trials in typical Swedish precision fashion). This book must have been written before this brand was in the USA.

Now that I've tried every single brand of Rhodiola, I wish that the authors had mentioned that there are great differences between them. I've found only two brands that are consistently good, and settled in on the Swedish Herbal Institute brand as my daily preference.

I loved the way that the authors separate this book into sections based on the health condition, so that you can browse the book and get good suggestions based upon whatever you have going on. All in all, a great read.

I have had a number of health problems over the past several years which have dramatically impacted my imune system, energy, and vitality. I began taking a product (blend of Rhodiola and three other botanicals) formulated by Zakir Ramazanov and Don Bodenbach, and I feel better than I have in years, I have energy, and my body actually defends itself from stress and illness.

If you use the "look inside" feature to read the table of contents, you will see a synopsis of the benefits many people (whom I know personally)are experiencing on the Ramazanov/Bodenbach formulation called Frutaiga. It's great to know there are companies putting top quality(highest grade available)extracts in the right amounts into their products to genuinely produce the results Brown chronicles.To learn more about how this has impacted me, see ilivewell dot us or theeliteteam dot biz

This book has a wonderful message about being yourself. My four-year-old daughter loves the illustrations and asks for this to be read to her often.

Ruby is a new girl in a new class. She is afraid to be herself. She finds a girl and little by little starts dressing like her and supposedly doing the same things as she does. This other girl is Angela, who gets very upset with Ruby and tells Mrs. Hart the teacher.

Ruby is a little girl who is nervous and insecure about herself. She is afraid she will not be accepted or liked if she is who she really is.

We read Ruby the Copycat in my second-grade classroom, and the kids really gravitated toward it. The illustrations are appropriately stylized to clearly deliver character emotions, and there are subtle details in the pictures that breathe more life into the characters. Ruby reminds me of the nervous child in all of us that seeks to fit in. I highly, highly recommend this book for in-class reading. Buy a class set!

When I was 9 years old, I read this book at a daycare where I stayed. I read it every single day. One day, I remembered it, after forgetting for years, and came here to amazon.com. I was overjoyed to learn that yes, they had this book. Its a great story your kids or even you will love for years to come. I recommend this book for ages 1-100. You'l love it!

I have mixed feelings regarding this book. On the one hand the book is funny and deals with a real life problem of kindergarden and primary school children ("he is a copycat" is a regular accusation at my house). However, reading this story after reading Peggy Rathmann's three other books: "Gorilla", "Officer Buckle and Gloria" and "Ten minutes till bedtime" is a little disappointing. The three books mentioned are totally hilarious and I feel they are all unique and special works of art. This book however, although very good, does not come to their masterpiece level.
"Ruby the Copycat" is written with a neutral voice without "taking sides" - just telling the story as it is. Reader can understand both Ruby, the copycat, and in a way even understand why she is copying (Ruby is the new kid and Angela's ribbon is so very charming) but also see the point of view of those being copied - as Angela, whose every act (red ribbon in hair, rainbow painted shirt) is copied by Ruby. At first this is nice and Angela whispers back at Ruby "I like your ribbon" - but after a while Angela does not whisper any more... Ruby is stripping her of all individuality. These are an adult words but the book is written in a language every child can understand and the pictures are there to strengthen the words. Ruby wins the readers heart in the end when following the teacher's advice (don't we all wish for such teachers) finds her own unique "thing" and now the children copy Ruby's "hopping".

I think this is the best of what I guess you would call Pipes' "Revolutionary Trilogy." "The Russian Revolution," perhaps two or three times the length, is impaired a bit by Pipes' sometimes tedious moral-pointing. "Russia Under the Bolshevik Regime" seems a bit less ambitious than the other two, and in any event it is surely the one least likely to survive the torrent of new material that is becoming available after the fall.

What distinguishes Russia in Pipes' eye is the tradition of "patrimonialism" -- as a political category, a coinage of Pipes' own, though with its roots in Weber, in Hobbes and Bodin, even in Aristotle. Pipes means to denote "a regime where the rights of sovereignty and those of ownership blend to the point of becoming indistinguishable, and political power is exercised in the same manner as economic power."

"Despotism," Pipes continues, "has much the same etymological origins, but over time it has acquired the meaning of a deviation or corruption of genuine kingship, the latter being understood to respect the property rights of subjects. The patrimonial regime, on the other hand, is a regime in its own right, not a corruption of something else."

This is a brave assertion, and Pipes remains faithful to it. Indeed, the core of the book is perhaps his chapter entitled "The Anatomy of the Patrimonial Regime," where Pipes tries to show how utterly different is the tradition of governance in Russia from the tradition in the West -- even in Western nations that we might think of as "reactionary."

There are other virtues to this book. His introductory chapter on the environment is perhaps worth the price of admission, as he retails the grim arithmetic of topsoil and grain production. His discussion of serfdom provokes all kinds of questions about the relationship between serfdom in Russia and slavery in the West.

A work of just 318 pages can hardly pretend to be the last word on the history of a great nation, and Pipes maintains no such pretention. I take it as given that much more could be said to inform, expand upon, or criticize, Pipes' perspective. But as a framework for approaching the study of Russia, it is hard for me to see how it could be bettered. As a provative contribution to the literature of political analysis generally, I should think its claim is equally strong.

Richard Pipes does a good job at laying out the workings of Russia's Tsarist Regime. What I found to be most interesting and persuasive is Pipes' frequent contrasts between Russia and Western Europe. For instance, he looks at the status of the nobility and the strength of the church. In both instances, Pipes draws a clear path as to how, in Tsarist Russia, these institutions became virtual extensions of the state bureaucracy (in sharp contrast to Western Europe, where they often served as brakes on royal power). In addition, Pipes places Russia squarely in the sphere of Asian (specifically Mongol) influence. As evidence, he points to close similarities between the Khanate and Tsarist "patrimonialism." In doing so, he de-emphasizes the oft-stated argument that Russia was the close heir to Byzantium. Finally, Pipes continally demonstrates how Tsarist policies laid the groundwork for the Soviet system (though the latter took those policies to a far bloodier and more extreme conclusion). My only criticism of the book is that Pipes does not deal directly with the issue of Russia's "national minorities" (beyond a quick mention of the Jewish Pale of Settlement and several Polish rebellions against Russian rule) and the attempts by the Tsarist regime to "Russify" those groups. I think that this would have been quite relevant to look at in Russia during this period. I am looking forward to reading Pipes' writings on later events in Russia.

This book is an absolute must-read! Before I read this book the history of Russia was a weakly connected sequence of contradictory events to me - that I wasn't able to organize in my mind in any comprehensible way. After reading this book I see a clear picture of my country's history. I suddenly understand what is going on. Every historical event, every action of a historic person suddenly falls into place, I see their meaning. This book provides you with an understanding of the real issues that have been troubling Russia for the past 1200 years. You will understand Russia and you will understand its people. The mext time Russia is on the news, and you have some Russians making a statement or conducting some action - you will understand where they are coming from when they are doing that.

This is indeed a brilliant book. Any one who wants to understand Russia should read it. I can not praise it highly enough. Please get a copy and learn and enjoy.

When I purchased this title in a used bookstore for two dollars, I was somewhat apprehensive about its scholarly quality, author biography not withstanding. Upon reading, however, I must say that I felt Pipes admirably illumined what is a very complex economic, social, and cultural subject. Specifically, his thesis concerns the manner in which the Russian state, under various formative influences, developed an essentially proprietary attitude towards land and subject alike. In Pipes' view this has been the primary determinant of all Russian history following Mongol domination. I myself make no pretenses to be an authority on the subject, but Pipes' use of evidence generally convinced me of the credibility of his claim. I would recommend this title to anyone interested in a general account of the pre-revolutionary Russian state apparatus.

Richard Doster's "Safe at Home" is a wonderful discovery! Set in the last days of segregation in the deep south, it explores the fraying edges of a small town's struggle to resolve its cultural identity when the centerpiece of the community -- its minor league baseball team -- drafts its first black player.

It's a story that artfully captures both sides of the civil rights journey -- set to the sounds of window fans and creaky front porch swings, smells of popcorn and cigar smoke on a ballpark breeze -- a poetically crafted tale of conflict and redemption that totally transports the reader.

Best of all, the real hero is the game of baseball -- an edge-of-your-seat experience of the great American pastime during one of our nation's most turbulent times.

I understand there's a sequel on the way. I can't wait!

I generally read only non-fiction, so I approached this book with some hesitation. But this is a fascinating story, quite moving and timely. The combination of history and baseball are so well integrated and the characters shine through all of it. Given the sorry state of baseball today, this story helps us remember what it was like in simpler days. At the same time, on the heels of an African American running for president, we are reminded of how far we have come and of the sacrifices and courage of those who came before. I recommend it highly and look forward to the sequel.

Richard Doster has a wonderful and accessible writing style. The dialogue is natural, intriguing, and compelling. You feel like you're at the warm sunny ball park. This book was just what I needed to satisfy my baseball craving in the Major League Baseball off-season. I can't wait for the sequel!

Safe at Home is by far my favorite fiction read of the year. I couldn't put it down!

It's hard to believe this is Doster's first book. He has that rare ability to tell a story so well that it doesn't matter what its about. For example, instead of saying that a preacher is nervous and unsure of what to say, he writes: "...he ventured into the uncomfortable unknown, and had no idea of where he was leading. He cleared his throat, hesitated, looked down at the notes he didn't have..." WOW! There are countless other places throughout the book where Doster crafts the most enjoyable language to describe the events and characters. At one point I thought the only shortcoming of the book was that he had not fully developed the character of Percy Jackson, the black ballplayer. Then I realized that this was intentional as the story revolves around Percy, but is really about the other characters and how they react to an upheaval in the relationship between the races. The ending didn't let me down - no romanticized happily-ever-after or pandering tragedy. I'll buy the sequel the first day its out!

American playwrights aren't good at creating a career of playwriting. Why, I can't say. They write dynamically for a given period and then off they go into putting the holy bible on stage or some such epic. They become mystics, like Allen Ginsberg. Shepard wrote plays for a while and then, I think, Hollywood put the zap on him and he was gone. His occasional pieces today are weak imitations of his former self. Money and fame may be responsible. Who knows? Here gathered in a single anthology are the key works, on which his life's reputation rests. "True West" sets the stage: we have real dramatic conflict, exciting dialog (of the sort last heard in Albee's "Zoo Story"), and high theatricality. The rest of the anthology is well worth reading, but for my money Shepard wrote a fine short play but his long and longer pieces are less interesting. Shepard has said in interviews that he sees plays as an outlet for ideas. The problem as I see it is that he has none.

I like to call this collection Best of Shepard Vol. 1. This collection belongs in any actors collection. Sam Shepard is a true, unique American voice. His eccentric characters, sparse writing and classic plays. I've seen "Buried Child" on-Broadway and scenes from "Buried Child", "Curse of the Starving Class", "Savage Love" and "True West" in countless acting classes. One of America's greatest writers.

This collection of plays is extraordinary. Shepard threads tales of cartoonlike characters bound by the direst of circumstances excellently.

The basic text of the most exciting playwright of recent decades. The place to start when discovering the American drama as reader, actor, or teacher!

11th grade English Essay
Phillips Academy, Andover

"True West"

The play is about the struggle between modern society and more traditional ways of life. Lee and Austin represent two disconnected brothers with drastically different upbringings who have come to accept different norms. Against the growth of the city and the suburb, their spirit of the Wild West, though diminished, still exists. They steal and fight just like cowboys and highway robbers. Yet, both Lee and Austin are scared and frustrated. Lee doesn't know if he should try to blend into the new ways, and Austin doesn't know if he should go back to the old ways. And this play about two writers writing about the West is in itself a Western story. It has all the excitement and violence of a rider's life.

Who else would steal a dozen toasters and TVs? Austin and Lee were lawless and wild, daring enough to do anything. Austin's car is like a horse, and driving out is like going for a raid. "Lee enters abruptly into kitchen carrying a stolen TV set." The sentence has such an air of ease as if Lee entered with a Shopping bag. Stealing is no more than a normal part of Lee's life. He lives off of it, like those high-way riders who plunder by-passers in the old days. The wholesale raid of the toasters shows the wilder side of Austin." It was toasters you challenged me to. Only toasters. I ignored other temptation." He says to Lee after the thievery. These words make Austin sound like a warrior who has just beaten his rival in some major battle. The only irony is that the major battle was about stealing a dozen toasters. Austin is bragging about his lawlessness, and that is a very cowboy thing to do. Not only are these brothers such "professional" thief, they also are more than violent. From Lee "ax-chops(ing) at the typewriter using a nine-iron" to Austin trying to choke his brother with a telephone cord while their mom is standing on the side. It is hard to get worse than that. It is like a misplaced scene from a Old Western movie. Not only do these pair of thief like to kill each other, they also have that independence and individualism that Western heroic images render so forcefully. On top of living on the desert by himself, Lee also says "I don't sleep." , and does not seem to eat breakfast. "Do you Eat Breakfast?" "Look, don't worry about me pal. I can take care of myself." When Austin asks him if he needs any help with money, "Lee suddenly lungs at Austin, grabs him violently by the shirt and shakes him with tremendous power." Lee wants money, but he is going to get it by himself, not through his little brother. Lawless, violent, and independent, Lee and Austin are depicted in the play as the "True Western Heroes" borne at a wrong time. This, however, is only the first layer of the play. It makes the story entertaining, but not meaningful.

"Yappin' their fool heads off. They don't yap like that on the desert. They howl. These are city coyotes here." The deeper meaning of the play is about the difference between the city "coyotes" and the country "coyotes". The country "coyote", Lee, is older, lives on a desert, use to catch snakes, and uneducated. The city "coyote", Austin, is younger, writes screen plays, does not remember having ever caught snakes, and has an Ivy League education. The brothers grew up together, but went onto totally different paths of life. But they don't merely represent two disgruntled brothers, but the struggle between the different ways of life. In Austin's eyes, the place where they used to live is "built up", but in Lee's eyes, the place has been "wiped out". But the struggle is not that simple. At the same time of feeling deep nostalgia, and refusing to adapt to the new way with help from his brother, because "it is too cold up there." , Lee also says the new houses that he saw were "like a paradise" with "Blonde people movin' in and outa' the rooms." Lee is deeply rooted in the old way of life and very unprepared socially and mentally for anything other than roaming around and stealing things. He likes comfort like anyone else, but the life of those living in those houses is like "paradise". They are far and aloft, and are not in his reach. Lee wants to write something to change his life, and Austin tells him that he can really turn things around and buy a ranch. Lee's excitement was obvious, " (laughs) A ranch? I could get a ranch?" We can see that it is very clear that even when Lee tries to change, he is only trying to change back to the old ways. Austin at the end of the play suddenly made a deal with Lee asking his brother to bring him to the desert. This shows the conflict at the other end of spectrum. Austin has more money, and has a seemingly good life. But is he really happy? Is his frustration with life any less than Lee's? No. The society that he has so well adapted to is of little comfort to him. He tries for years to get a screenplay to production, but at the whim of an executive, the deal goes to his brother. Austin is frustrated, and though he types betters, suffers as much. Lee asks Austin "maybe we're too intelligent..... One of us has even got a Ivy League Diploma. Now that means somethin' don't it?" But no, it doesn't mean as much as it seems.

The truth is, the old West as it was disappeared long ago. It is no longer filled with rugged mountains, uncharted rivers, cowboy hats, and one does not have the freedom to roam around for thousands of miles with only wild animals as his companion anymore. The untamed natural world went away a hundred years ago with the railroads, and has been changing even more ever since. It is sad to see the past go by for those who grew up as a part of it. Faced with new situations, some of these people try to adapt, some have no chance to adapt, and some don't even want to adapt. And for those who have adapted, they wonder if the decision to change in the first place was valid after all. They wonder if they should go back. That poor Lee had no chance to adapt. He was left out by progresses, and envies dearly the seemingly much more comfortable life that others have. Austin at the same time is in the mainstream of modern life, but he is just as troubled and depressed by commercialism. However, within all these confusions and fightings, all these differences and changes, there is something that has always stayed the same, and that is the true spirit of the West, the "True West". The motivation for people to go to the West in the first place is also the motivation that made the world more modernized. The struggles that the first settlers of the West faced were no different from the struggles that people now face as they move into new ways of life. That spirit is not limited to time nor place, it is about the fundamental human eagerness for new and for more, and at the same time, the unquenchable ties to the past.