Williams Books

I just finished reading Pea Ridge (called Elkhorn Tavern by Southerners), and was impressed with the treatment of the common soldiers' struggles both in and out of battle. The authors do a good job there. The maps are ok, but could be better (more).

What I find unfavorable (yet again) is the treatment of the South in general. The book is written from the 'all conquering, righteous Union' point-of-view. Take for instance the fact that Missourians fought on both sides. In the book the ones who fought for the North are labeled as "loyal". Are the ones fighting for the South disloyal? No! they were loyal to their state and the Confederacy...
While this book seems to be the 'best' coverage of this neglected battle, it still radiates with the current political correctness we all have to endure. Just tell things like they are (or were in 1862).
A good book, but could be better.

This book is a model for clarity in histories of the Civil War. The author describes troop movements and strategic decisions in an accessible manner. The meaning of the Pea Ridge campaign is made clear. In this book, you can follow the battlefield and get a sense of where people were at any given moment.

The South lost the West in this battle; the battle pre-saged many of the tactical innovations of the Civil War. This "sideline" battle is revealed as more important than most realize, an early indication that western battles would yield Union victories.

Many Civil War buffs, and most casual readers of Civil War history, have more than a parochial understanding of this pivotal battle. When Curtis's northern troops entered NW Arkanasas, during the winter of 1862, they knew they were facing a strong enemy.

Earl Van Dorn, recently promoted to commander of the Army of The West, had assembled a strong army and was anxious for success against Curtis's troops. He believed that he could defeat him and launch an overland campaign, against Union held St. Louis, ensuring his lasting fame. He was unprepared for what he would find with Curtis.

Curtis had entrenched his army, along Little Sugar Creek, which rests south of Pea Ridge Tavern along the Telegraph Rd. As the Rebels were wintering in the Boston Mountains, south of his position, Curtis had little worry about Rebels hitting him from the North. Fortunately, Brig General, Franz Sigel, detached from Curtis's army, and at Bentonville, was defeated, and pushed back to Curtis's position and alerted him of trouble in his rear.

Van Dorn's ingenious plan revolved around splitting his army, to traverse Elk Horn mountain, with troops under Ben McCullough taking the Ford Rd, to the mountain's south side, and his troops, commanded by Sterling Price around the north side. They would meet on the Telegraph Rd, north of Curtis's army and push them into Little Sugar Creek - blocking their means of retreat to Missouri. While conceptually, this plan was sound, in reality, the timing proved difficult and Union troops under Osterhaus and Jefferson C Davis, caught McCollough's rebels in the open. Battle followed in, and around Leetown. While the rebels were able to open the battle, their organization fell apart after brigadier generals Ben McCullough and McIntosh were killed on the field. Command of this sector fell to the next general in line, Albert Pike. Pike was leading the Civil War's first brigade of Indians, and was not up to the task. The union forces pushed them NE towards Elkhorn tavern.

Meanwhile, east of Leetown, Van Dorn's main body, unleashed a spectacular attack against Curtis's Union forces at Elkhorn Tavern. The rebels pushed Curtis's troops 1/2 mile south, along the Telegraph Rd. Even with the routing of the portion of his army, now being led by Pike, Van Dorn slept that night, confident that his troops would push Curtis's army into the Little Sugar Creek. This was the mistake that lost him the battle.

The next morning, after assembling his new battle line, Curtis's opened the day with the largest artillery barrage of the Civil War (up to that point). This artillery barrage caught Van Dorn's confederates unprepared. In the excitement of the previous day's victory, Van Dorn had not called up his supply train. Essentially, caught up against the east edge of Elkhorn Mountain, and in the open south of Elkhorn Tavern, Van Dorn's troops had almost no artillery ammunition, and very little ammunition for his infantry. Van Dorn was forced to retreat, east along Huntsville Rd.

Over the coming months, Curtis would pursue Van Dorn's army across north, and north central Arkansas. His victory would assure the Union, that Missouri would stay in the Union.

This book was extremely well written and easy to read. Shea did a remarkable job putting his text into easily visualized format. I was even more impressed with this book after visiting the battlefield, and using his maps, and pictures, to explore the battlefield (if you are interested in viewing my pictures of the Pea Ridge battle field, please email me at michael.noirot@gmail.com).

I highly recommend this book to all Civil War buffs. It will put the battles, west of the Mississippi, into proper perspective.

Michael Noirot
Saint Louis, Missouri

Even among Civil War buffs, Pea Ridge is pretty much a forgotten battle. Shea's book remedies that with clear, readable and moving narrative and keen analysis of the largest Civil War battle fought in Arkansas (and depending on which numbers you believe, the largest fought west of the Mississippi). Even more importantly, the book provides compelling reasons why Pea Ridge should NOT be a forgotten battle. He also spotlights the brilliant performance of Samuel Curtis, perhaps the Union's most underrated general, as well as the less-than-brilliant work of Confederate General Earl Van Dorn, who had all of Jeb Stuart's style but not of his skills.

Authors William Shea and Earl Hess tell the story of the campaign and battle of Pea Ridge, which is sometimes grandly called the Gettysburg of the West. The Union Army of the Southwest, commanded by Brig. Gen. Samuel Curtis numbered fewer than 11,000 soldiers, the same size as a single division in the Army of the Potomac at that time. Yet, while the vast legions of Army of the Potomac hovered uncertainly near Washington DC in February 1862, Curtis launched a winter campaign that took his small army clear across the Ozark Plateau and into northwestern Arkansas.

There, Union soldiers from Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and loyal Missouri met an equally tough set of Confederates from Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. It was one of the few times in the Civil War that the Northern soldiers were outnumbered. But in the subsequent battle of Pea Ridge in early March 1862, the 16,000-man Confederate Army of the West went down to defeat.

According to the authors, bad luck, uninspired leadership and Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn's many outrageous blunders negated the Southern army's numerical advantage. On the Northern side, Curtis and three of his four division commanders maneuvered their soldiers with skill. Even Curtis' erratic second-in-command, Brig. Gen. Franz Sigel supervised a decisive artillery bombardment on the second day of the battle. Three Yankee brigade commanders showed courage and initiative, but at least one unit commander had a yellow streak.

The book devotes a chapter and a map to the preliminary operation in which the Confederates missed capturing a Union detachment that Sigel had carelessly exposed. The March 7 fights at Leetown and Elkhorn, and the March 8 battle at Elkhorn are explained in detail with maps. The Army of the Southwest's later march to Helena, Arkansas is sketched out more briefly. A concluding chapter ably critiques the strategy and tactics of both sides. There is an Order of Battle and extensive footnotes.

Compare this book with Shelby Foote's short account of Pea Ridge in his splendid "The Civil War -- A Narrative." Foote was a great historian, but it sounds like a different battle. To take only one example, Foote says Van Dorn's two pronged attack was planned. Yet Shea and Hess note that the attack was improvised after the Confederate flank march fell badly behind schedule. This is typical of the kind of detail that the authors add to the history of this battle.

My only criticism is a lack of information on weaponry. Except for one Illinois unit, it is not clear whether Union infantry and cavalry units carried rifled muskets, smoothbores, carbines or Colt revolving rifles. The Order of Battle contains detailed data about the type of cannons in each artillery battery, but in one case the text contradicts the OB. For the Pea Ridge battle and campaign, this book is a keeper, despite my quibbling about weapons.

I have 5 year old triplets and went digging through my old books to find this one. They are just as mesmerized by it as I was 35 years ago - like Georgie and the boy in the Everlasting Lollipop - it's make believe that children want to believe because it tickles and delights their imagination with a touch of darkness in a way very little does today in a digital, dumbed down, leave-nothing-to-the-imagination era. I have a well-loved copy that I'll never part with. This would definitely be an excellent candidate for Harper to bring back, but only if it maintains its shape and hardcover quality - as they are all part of the mystique.

I still have a very battered copy of the Tall Book of Make-Believe from over 50 years ago. I wish it was in print now! Out of all the books I've seen illustrated by Garth Williams, this is the best. The stories and poems are marvelous, but his drawings and paintings are so beautifully nuanced and full of life, they jump right off the page. The tall format makes for some really interesting layouts, too. One of the all-time classic children's picture books.

My mother got me this book when I was a child. I loved it and learned from it for many years. When I had a daughter, I found a copy of it and purchased it for her. It was her favorite book. When she had children, she bought a used copy for them.

The trick, of course, is that each of us mothers read it to our children until they were old enough to read it for themselves. I found it stirs children's imaginations, teaches them about many important things and sparks their avid curiosity.

I am now a writer and fast closing in on retirement age. Much of what I know about my craft I originally learned from this book. Any child who doesn't get to read it and see the wonderful illustrations is doomed to lead a deprived existance, as far as I'm concerned.

I loved this book so much as a young child, but it finally fell apart from being read and loved too much. Now that I have a daughter of my own, I would love for her to enjoy it as much, but $150 for a used copy is realistic for a young child... Please Harpers, publish this wonderful book again, so the next generation of readers can have a chance to experience the wonderful stories, poems and drawings.

Several years ago, I remembered that I read it as a child,
and went looking in the attic, the basement, all over.
When I finally found it, it was tattered, pages missing, etc.
I checked Amazon, ebay and other used book websites, and
finally found a very decent copy for $55.00. Don't give up-
keep checking and a copy will turn up. I am 56 years old
still reading it (it's the best children's book ever) and
will hopefully pass it on to grandchildren, - IF they can
pry it out of my hands !!!

This is a wonderful coming of age tale, and full of wise and wimisical insights into life that still hold true today.
I originally bought a copy this time for my grandson, but as I began to think of the novel, I knew I just had to get a copy for myself too, so ordered another copy from Amazon and had such a lovely read. Ana Jae

This book is brazenly a Catcher in the Rye Knock-off, with a few endearing quirks of its own. Even so, 30 pages into it I stopped reading and went and got Catcher in the Rye off the shelf and spent the rest of my Saturday afternoon reading all of it. Not to say this is a bad book, just a tad superfluous. I mean, I'm sure someone could redo Huckleberry Finn and it would be OK, but what's the point? If you want a first person narrative of the angst of a young man, read Catcher. Of course, this book is not a complete..., and it has its moments, but the whole is not as good as the sum of its parts, as is often the case for a first time novelist (Goldman was 26 at the time). There is plenty of room for original variations on the Catcher theme, which was revolutionary at the time, but this book does not fill the bill. I read it, I may read it again sometime, but it is not particularly fantastic, in my opinion. I know others are enamored with it, and I see some strong points, but don't expect too much. Other stuff by Goldman is better, most notably The Princess Bride.

One of my all-time favorite books (Rates #2 right after "One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest") and William Goldman's best. I discovered it when I was 15 and have read it a number of times since then, maybe even as many as ten, and I never tire of it. I quote it often: "What we are is either because of or in spite of our families, which amounts to the same in the end."

I believe this book should never go out of print. It should be shelved right next to Golding's "Lord of the Flies" (where you always find Goldman on the bookshelf) in the Classics section. Hemingway, Faulkner, Fitzgerald, and my man William Goldman.

This book was required reading at my friend's all boys high school many years ago. He recommended it to me and it became one of four or five books from my teenage years that have stayed with me. Many people have compared it to Catcher in the Rye. I can see the resemblance, but this book is so much better. It may not be, technically, better than Catcher but it has great heart and if you ask me, it's just a much better story. I have heard William Goldman say terrible things about this book; maybe because it was his first book he sees all kinds of errors or things he would write differently now, but boy, I just love love love it.
I reread it this week for the first time in 10 years or so, and it was just as funny and fresh as it was the first time. I have teenage boys who are not readers and am going to start reading this to them at the dinner table. I think they might pick it up on their own after a few pages.

I've read this book a couple of times - first when I was a senior in high school, again a couple of years into college, and then most recently as a first year grad student - and every time I've loved it. There are a lot of reasons(it's wry, sincere, frighented, hopefull, and terribly honest... not to mention beautifully written), but I think one of them is that as Goldman works his way through the complex weave of friendship, hope, love, fear, confusion, etc with which he fills this novel, amist it all he somehow manages to capture that rhythm by which life just goes on and on and up and down and you learn some lessons and other things leave you scarred but either way things just keep moving. It's a really difficult thing to accomplish in such a personal and straigtforward novel such as this, but when it is accomplished, it's wonderful.

That's just one stab at explaining one of many reasons that I loved this book, though. I recomend it wholeheartedly.

The young Hal and his instructor in the art of living the good life , Falstaff cavort through the first half of Henry IV as if life were going to be one long , irresponsible entertainment. The dramatic transformation of all of this , and Hal's casting off of Falstaff, and moving to kingly responsibility will come in the Henry IV Part II.
What is present here throughout is the tremendous richness of Shakespeare's imagination in his creation of character, and inventiveness in language , in his ability to create so many different moods and feelings.
'Falstaff' is one of Shakespeare's most beloved characters, and one of the great figures in the Comedy of world literature.
Enjoy.

In Part One of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," the titular king tries to defend his throne from a rebel army led by the hotheaded Hotspur, who has a long list of grievances about the king's treatment of his family, the Percys. Hotspur has allied himself with several principal figures including his uncle the Earl of Worcester, his brother-in-law Mortimer the Earl of March, Lord Douglas the Scot, and Owen Glendower, a Welsh chieftain with a vivid mystical imagination -- he is so egotistical that he insists an earthquake that occurred the day of his birth was a divine proclamation of his importance -- and a desire to usurp all of Wales from the king.

While he is preparing for war against the rebels, Henry IV laments that his own son Henry (Hal), the Prince of Wales, is a shameful libertine living the high life in London and consorting with a gang of scurrilous miscreants. Indeed, Prince Hal's idea of fun is robbing people, and his best friend and accomplice in this activity is Sir John Falstaff, who turns out to be not Hal's peer but a middle-aged man. In a character transformation of an abruptness that can only be described as magical, Hal becomes a serious young man determined loyally to defend his father's kingship from Hotspur's assault after he receives an earnest lecture from his father about the dangers of acting irresponsibly as a public figure.

Not enough can be said about Falstaff, who is undoubtedly one of the most richly realized characters in literature. He is fat, lazy, cowardly, yet boastful, but not in the same way Owen Glendower is -- Owen really believes what he says; Falstaff is just trying to make himself look better than he actually is, but fools nobody because he prevaricates and embellishes without bothering to remember his previous lies for the sake of consistency. You probably know somebody like this in real life -- especially if you're ten years old. Falstaff's piquancy, in fact, so outweighs the stature of the other characters that his absence is sorely felt in the scenes in which he does not appear.

Most of all, Part One of "Henry IV" is a play of contrasts personified by Prince Hal and Hotspur, who incidentally is also named Henry. In their confrontation on the battlefield, it seems unlikely that Hal, who wasted many of his best days living as a rake, could conquer a seasoned warrior like Hotspur in a swordfight. But there wouldn't be much of a tale to tell if not to show Hal triumphing after his resolution to change his weak habits, and the play ends with the conviction that, despite his past mistakes, he would make a noble king himself.

This is the play where the Percy rebellion begins and centers around the Achilles-like Hotspur. Eventually, Hotspur (Henry Percy) and Prince Hal (Henry Monmouth - later Henry V) battle in single combat.

We also get to see the contrast between these young men in temperament and character. King Henry wishes his son were more like Hotspur. Prince Hal realizes his own weaknesses and seems to try to assure himself (and us) that when the time comes he will change and all his youthful foolishness will be forgotten. Wouldn't that be a luxury we wish we could all have afforded when we were young?

Of course, Prince Hal's guide through the world of the cutpurse and highwayman is the Lord of Misrule, the incomparable Falstaff. His wit and gut are featured in full. When Prince Hal and Poins double-cross Falstaff & company, the follow on scenes are funny, but full of consequence even into the next play.

But, you certainly don't need me to tell you anything about Shakespeare. Like millions of other folks, I am in love with the writing. However, as all of us who read Shakespeare know, it isn't a simple issue. Most of us need help in understanding the text. There are many plays on words, many words no longer current in English and, besides, Shakespeare's vocabulary is richer than almost everyone else's who ever lived. There is also the issue of historical context, and the variations of text since the plays were never published in their author's lifetime.

For those of us who need that help and want to dig a bit deeper, the Arden editions of Shakespeare are just wonderful.

-Before the text of the play we get very readable and helpful essays discussing the sources and themes and other important issues about the play.

-In the text of the play we get as authoritative a text as exists with helpful notes about textual variations in other sources. We also get many many footnotes explaining unusual words or word plays or thematic points that would likely not be known by us reading in the 21st century.

-After the text we get excerpts from likely source materials used by Shakespeare and more background material to help us enrich our understanding and enjoyment of the play.

However, these extras are only available in the individual editions. If you buy the "Complete Plays" you get text and notes, but not the before and after material which add so much! Plus, the individual editions are easier to read from and handier to carry around.

I am actually reviewing both Parts One and Two with this since they should be read together.The reason why I enjoyed these plays so much is because we see Falstaff in both of them. He is my favourite Shakespearean character - big, bawdy, rough, a liar and a cheat, but again we know what he is right from the beginning, and Shakespeare keeps him so true to character. These plays are a bit different from some of the other histories. There are more comedic parts in them for one thing. The plays are certainly used as a medium for introducing young Hal (who will become King Henry V). We see him as a young man, and watch him grow and see the influences that his society and the people in it have on his development. He doesn't appear to be growing up well according to his father because he is so irresponsible. King Henry IV was not England's strongest ruler. He was haunted by his guilt over the death of his predecessor, King Richard II. In Part Two, comedy still plays a big role, and we still see Falstaff's influence on young Hal until the shocking moment of Falstaff's death. The best part about Part Two though is the deathbed scene between old King Henry IV and his son Prince Henry. The play leads us to "King Henry V". Prince Hal does finally grow up and he becomes a very strong leader. Actually King Henry Iv, Parts one and two should be read before King Henry V. It is the correct sequence and we see Prince Hal grow and mature.

Henry IV remains one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, even though the tragedies and comedies get far more attention and seeming appreciation than do the histories. As an English major, I examined Henry's (Hal's) character, and I focused on his development from a somewhat foolhardy young man into a self-assured, even manipulative prince. It is hard to say which of these Hal truly is, or if he is a little bit of both.

At the beginning of the play, Hal spends his free time cavorting around with his friend Falstaff (who provides all of the laughs in the play and is cited as one of the best comic characters in all literature). In the first act we already see hints in Hal's sololiquy that he may not be as carefree as we are led to believe, and that he might betray friends like Falstaff to be the prince that he is expected to be. Read on in "Henry V" to see just how much of a polished politician Hal becomes--his battle cries and his "once more unto the breech, dear friends" is masterful in its persuasiveness and ability to induce his countrymen to fight.

Hotspur serves as a nice counterpoint to Hal in "Henry IV." Hotspur is the hothead and Hal makes his decisions calmly and rationally. This almost inhuman rationality comes into play again in "Henry V" and makes you long for the seemingly carefree Hal.

All in all, "Henry IV" is a great read and quite an interesting character study--I highly recommend it!

They enter the new world naked,
cold, uncertain of all
save that they enter. All about them
the cold, familiar wind--

--from William Carlos Williams's
Spring and All (1923)

Looking at Sandro Botticelli (1444-1510)'s Birth Of Venus (ca. 1482), one can actually feel the fresh and fragrant breeze, the golden light, the bounty; the Italian painter is approaching 40 when he paints this. Reading Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)'s "The Paltry Nude Starts On A Spring Voyage" from Harmonium (1923), one senses a mind utterly quirky, brisk, assured; the American poet is in his early 40's.

This collection lacks 22 poems which appeared in "The Palm at the End of the Mind", Holly Stevens carefully edited selection highly approved of by Harold Bloom. Missing are "Of Mere Being", "A Child Asleep in Its Own Life" and "For an Old Woman in a Wig" to name but three. It leaves out the added lines of "The Man Whose Pharynx Was Bad". It lacks an index of first lines. If you're going to buy a book of Stevens' poems spend the extra $10 and get the magnificent Library of America "Collected Poetry and Prose" which contains EVERYTHING, is a huge bargain and will keep you occupied for the rest of your life. Or possibly get Holly Stevens "The Palm at the End of the Mind" which eliminates a lot of lesser poems which could confuse a newcomer to Stevens. The Vintage people have thrown this together without much thought. It's better than nothing, but the other two books I have named are the one's to get.

"Her terrace was the sand/And the palms and the twilight" -- and those are only the first two lines. Dipping into surrealism and imbued with spirituality, his poetry is compiled into "The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens," which includes seven compilations of his work.

Over his lifetime, Stevens wrote several books of poetry, but his exquisite poems are best taken by themselves: the lush grandeur of "Sunday Morning," the hymnlike "Le Monocle De Mon Oncle," and the humid grittiness of "O Florida, Venereal Soil." He takes multiple looks at "Thirteen Ways of Looking At A Blackbird," and the lush "Six Significant Landscapes."

In other poems, Stevens dips into outright surrealism, like in the delicate "Tattoo" ("There are filaments of your eyes/On the surface of the water/And in the edges of the snow"), and also adds a meditative bent into "The Snow Man" ("For the listener, who listens in the snow,/And, nothing himself, beholds/Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is").

If nothing else, Stevens' poetry can be read just because it is exquisitely beautiful. He lavished details all over almost every poem he wrote, and gave many of them the quality of a dream. His descriptions are simply written, but brilliantly laid out: "When my dream was near the moon,/The white folds of its gown/Filled with yellow light."

His style tends to be a bit on the ornate side -- Stevens freely uses the more exotic terms -- such as "opalescence," "pendentives" and "muleteers" -- wrapped up in complex verse, sometimes with a rhyme scheme and sometimes free-form. And lush detail is added to many of his poems, with descriptions of the moon, sun, plants and lighting, along with dazzling descriptions of the colors.

But his writing is more than beautiful. Stevens' work often poses questions about death, life, religion, and art, taking the conventional and turning it on its head. His belief in the importance of his art is reflected in poems like "Not Ideas About The Thing But The Thing Itself," which ends with the portentous lines: "Surrounded by its choral rings,/Still far away. It was like/A new knowledge of reality."

Wallace Stevens is one of the most unique poets of the 20th century, and the sprawling "Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens" is a wonderful read.

Stevens is for me the great American poet of the twentieth century.
His music is the supreme music of poetry . Not since Keats is there anyone as rich in the most elaborate kind of longworded poetry.
His metaphysical meanderings may confuse but somehow find themselves justified by the memorableness of the great lines- and again the music.
No one comes close to him in the kind of deep and complicated beauty he presents- and again the music.
The meanings he makes are musical meanings, and the sounds of his lines sing in us ever more strongly , the more we read and reread.
Stevens is the kind of poet we want to memorize and always have with us inside, so wherever we go , we can stop and to ourselves recite lines of beauty in joy.
I may be wrong but I simply hear his poetry as the greatest America has had in the twentieth century - though lesser than Whitman and Dickinson.

Wallace Stevens is my favorite poet. This collection was prepared late in his life and is in a sense definitive, though the excellent Library of America collection is to be preferred as including a number of additional poems (including the controversial long poem "Owl's Clover"), as well as alternate versions of some poems, juvenilia, and also Stevens's essays.

Stevens is known, it seems to me, in two separate ways. In the popular sense, he is known for a series of remarkable early poems, in most cases not terribly long, notable for striking images and quite beautiful prosody. Of these poems the most famous is surely "Sunday Morning" -- other examples are "Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird", "Peter Quince at the Clavier", "Sea Surface Full of Clouds", "Tea at the Palaz of Hoon", "The Emperor of Ice Cream", "The Idea of Order at Key West", "Of Modern Poetry". The great bulk of these come from his first collection, Harmonium, and indeed from the
first edition of Harmonium, published in 1923. These were certainly my favorite among his poems on first reading. And they remain favorites.

But his critical reputation rests strikingly on a completely different set of poems, all later than those mentioned above. (Though it must be acknowledged that at least "Sunday Morning" and "The Idea of Order at Key West" as well as two early long poems, "The Comedian as the Letter C" and "The Monocle de Mon Oncle", are in general highly regarded critically. And that most of his early work is certainly treated with respect.)

I think it's fair to say that "late Stevens" begins with "Notes Toward a Supreme Fiction", perhaps his most highly regarded work. Of course the terms "late" and "early" are odd
applied to Stevens. His first successful poems appeared in 1915
(including "Sunday Morning"), when he was 36. He was 44 when the first edition of Harmonium came out. That's pretty late for "early"! And by the 1942 publication of "Notes Toward a Supreme Fiction" he was 63. Indeed, his production from 1942 through his death in 1955 was remarkable: two major collections each with several long poems as well as at least another full collection worth of late poems, some included in this _Collected Poems_ but quite a few more not collected until after his death.

What to say about late Stevens? The most obvious adjective is
"austere". But that doesn't always apply -- he could also be quite playful. However, there is never the lushness of a "Sunday Morning" or "Sea Surface Full of Clouds" in the late works. The sentences tend to extraordinary length, but the internal rhythms are involving. The poems are all quite philosophical, much concerned with the importance of poetry, the nature of reality versus perceptions of reality, and, perhaps more simply, with growing old. (A Stevens theme, to be sure, that can be traced at least back to "The Monocle de Mon Oncle".)

So: Stevens is an impossibly wonderful, remarkable, poet, either early or late. His lush and imagist early work remains a delight, and his philosophically involving late work rewards rereading and concentration. He is a poet to whom you can return again and again, and he will always be new.

It's amazing how soothing just reading William Blake's poetry is on the troubled soul. I always look for his work to ease my mind and lift my spirit. Everyone should treat themselves to his work. Peace be with you.

What to write for my last review? That was tough. Since I was a little boy I have always been one of those who had his face in a book. Books, books, books. When I began my jobs as a paperboy, and later at the grocery store, I began buying books. This hobby grew so large, that my father made our rumpus room a library for me. And it grew ever larger. By the time I enlisted in the Air Force, I had amassed quite a large number of volumes. While in Europe and the Middle East, I would scour book stores and began purchasing leather books. Some very old, and many in foreign languages. Since the Air Force only allowed for a 5,000 lb limit, I spent a fortune sending books home. When I left the service my house looked like a library. Running out of space, I began to make my garage a library. However, it grew ever larger. Therefore, I made use of my brothers garage, then my mothers, and eventually even had to make due with having to rent a few storage spaces.

Yes, it's that large. I was hoping to make a large home library some day. Books have been my life: Even though I write mostly about Asian films. And I was glad that VHS films came into vogue, as they afforded me the opportunity to begin amassing a large collection of Japanese films which I have a soft heart for. That got real big too! Anyway, back to the question as to what to write for my last review? Well, I just happened to stumble across this book last night, one of many. There is a poem by the gifted and enigmatic poet, engraver and painter William Blake. I do recommend the book by the way. Events in my life have gone in a very negative way, therefore, I have decided to impart a poem as my last review. Hope you like it. It's one I have remembered from my childhood. There are too many great things to write about, and I figured this would not be a bad goodbye. It is William Blake's "THE TYGER"

THE TIGER

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


William Blake (1757-1827)

A wonderful paperback edition, containing all the works of
William Blake, with a excellent introduction
of Harold Bloom. An priceless tool for students
and teachers

This is an outstanding resource for anyone interested in the works of William Blake. It's well organized and easy to work with. I'm very pleased with it.

It has all his writings: letters, anotations scribbled in the margins of other people's books, everything. Only downside: it doesn't show his illuminated printing.

Helene Hanff is a fantastic writer and I so enjoy her gentle sense of humor. This book is a follow up to 84 Charing Cross Road and details her long over due trip to London.

The irrepressible Helene Hanff finally gets to visit London after the publication of 84 Charing Cross Road. This is the diary of her stay in this richly historic and sublimely cultured City. She is suitably amazed by London and the English countryside, and understandably confused as to why lifelong Londoners don't appreciate the beauty by which she is surrounded.

Helene's love affair with London and specifically, with Russell Square, is breathtaking in its specificity. She meets some fantastic people. It would be difficult to forget, if I had any desire to do so, the lovely interactions with Pat Buckley, Joyce Grenfell, and The Colonel.

I'm luckier than most. I don't have to pack a bag to visit Helene's London - I live here. I'm off to visit Russell Square in order to view it through her eyes.

Finally able to visit London, the author leaves the states
and describes vividly her experiences there. Lively, fun
and brief. Quite satisfying.I felt I knew Helene....

Years ago I read 84 Charing Cross Road,as a Reader's Digest condensed book found in a flea market cheap...Later, loved the film with Anne Bancroft..then fairly recently saw there was a sequal... Hooray she got to England.. I enjoyed the adventure as much as she did..Lovely little book ~

for anyone who's read 84 charing cross road, this book is a delightful follow up to the original. you will come away loving helene hanff, and wishing you could have her as a friend.

I just went on Amazon to purchase a copy of DUMPED by Sally Warren for yet another dear friend who is going through a painful (aren't they all) divorce. I was amazed to read the "Superficial and Useless" review written in 2000. What? Superficial? Useless? Trite cliches? Is this reader for real? Each time I pass a copy along to a "DUMPED" friend, not only do they find it insightful, comforting, and enlightening, but they also swear it has helped them through their ordeal more than any other book on the market. Each teller's tale rings true. This is a marvelous book! I've lost track of how many copies I've shared with wonderful women who have been DUMPED. Until today, I've never heard anything but the highest praise for this work. I wish this reviewer well, but totally disagree with her review.
Susan Varian, Longwood, Florida

It was very bizarre how many EXACT conversations I found in this book that I had had with my husband (now ex-husband, of course) - this book is the best thing to read when you are dumped! I carried it around with me for months in case I needed a pick-me-up.

For the first time in my life, I found myself being the "Dumpee". Somehow, in the fog of hurt I found the book Dumped! I began reading the preface and immediately found three things that had happened to me that are "classic" in being dumped. I was hooked and rapidly read this wonderful book. It was of great help in my realizing what had happened, what I could do to pull myself out of the slump I was in, and to realize that I am still a likeable person. I have since passed Dumped! on to friends who have been dumped...seems to be an epidemic lately. Buy it...you'll like it!

A friend gave me a copy of this book "Dumped" and it has been like finally having a friend who understands what I have been through. Six months ago,my husband left me for another woman after 16 years of marriage. I didn't know that there was Hell on earth until that happend. When you are dumped, it is really hard for other people to understand the trauma and emotion. While I got sympathy at first, after the first few weeks, people don't want to talk about it anymore and yet I couldn't seem to control my own emotions and began to feel like a pariah. While I understood that, I really didn't understand a lot of my own emotions and trauma. Ms. Warren has put it all in perspective for me and really made it easier to cope with this dramatic change in my life. I just hope that many other women ( and men) will have the chance to read this book. I would suggest that it would be useful to read it before you may be faced with a breakup as it would really help you to understand the signs and perhaps deal with them without so much pain and trauma. Thanks for your help Sally.

This book is a bunch of trite cliches and not worth much in terms of trying to understand what's happening to you when you go through something so devastating. It's all about buying yourself lattes and getting massages. It is really a recycled version of "The Rules" applied to a breakup and it is not worth your money.

I have been fortunate enough to know Dr. Hablitzel. This book is a wonderful gift. I would recommend it for everyone. Dr. Hablitzel not only cures illnesses, he also teaches us lessons on how to live.

WONDERFUL

I just finished reading this book, which never left my hand across a span of 4 hours. I traveled alongside William on a journey of his life stories from his career. An absolutely fascinating book, chaulked full of raw emotion and stories of healing. This book will leave you deep in thought and rejuvenated, ready to make the best of the rest of life. A must read in my opinion!

This is a must read book for anyone working in health care and anyone who is experiencing a health care crisis in their personal life. The book will touch your heart and bring tears to your eyes more often than the original Chicken Soup For The Soul. And it is better written than Chicken Soup.
The book shares stories of the courage patients have when they face the challenge of dying from disease. Each story will teach you about the strength of the human soul and leave you celebrating life. This is a book about the celebration and joy to be found in the experience of disease. The book illustrates that disease is actually a gift that teaches us many valuable lessons. We should not be afraid of the gifts we are given, but embrace them.
You will want to buy more than one copy so you can share the hope with those you love.

Dr. Hablizel is a story-teller of the first degree and the people and places he brings to life on his mystical and mysterious journey through medicine will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

"Dying Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me: Stories of Healing and Wisdom Along Life's" is a unique, sensitive collection of life and death experiences encountered by physician William Hablitzel. In his view of death as the great teacher and enlightener, Dr. Hablitzel embraces the "uncomfortable duality" of being "both a physician defeated by death and the witness enriched by it (p. 10)." This luminous book of journeys with the dying has all the elements of the greatest teachings about life's meaning. Finding miracles in the everyday events, listening to the science, learning to overcome fear, embracing the unknown in death, and the miraculous process of human growth are all themes developed in these chapters and stories. Bridging the gap between science and faith, "Dying Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" is inspirational literature of the finest grade -- and especially recommended for medical and health-care professionals, as well as non-specialist general readers, who must deal with end-of-life issues with respect to their patients or families.

WHILE I WON'T OFFER MUCH NEW TO PREVIOUS REVIEWS, I JUST HAD TO
COMMENT. THIS BOOK IS SAID BY SOME TO BE FICTION BUT IT HAS BOTH
PICTURES OF THOSE MURDERED AND AN EXTENSIVE INDEX. I AGREE IT IS
HARD TO BELIEVE BUT IF TRUE, AS I BELIEVE, IT IS THE MOST
EXTRAORDINARY STORY ONE CAN IMAGINE. I TOO COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. THERE ARE SO MANY INTERESTING CHARACTERS AND LOCATIONS AND THE BOOK IS SO WELL WRITTEN AND "CONSTRUCTED/DESIGNED," IT IS
SIMPLY AMAZING. I WON'T SAY MORE - GET IT, READ IT AND I THINK YOU WILL AGREE THAT IT WAS WELL WORTH IT. IF NOT, WRITE A REVIEW AND LET THOSE OF US WHO FEEL DIFFERENT KNOW WHY.

Sir Ranulph Twistleton Wickham Fiennes BT, OBE (and holder of the Polar Medal with Bar!) is undoubtedly the greatest living British explorer. He also served as an officer with the Special Air Service Regiment in the early seventies at a time when I was attached to that Regiment as a corporal in the Pay Office. We met briefly then and again in the late eighties when I was involved with Operation Raleigh. Though "Ran" - as he introduced himself on the latter occasion, has no reason to recall either meeting, I will always remember this man as someone with great presence who has come to symbolise great things and great achievements. In many ways he is the most British of men.

In his book "The Feather Men," the reader is left wondering whether or not it is a work of fact or fiction. It is an enthralling and exciting read and I am surprised it has not yet been made into a film.

Throughout the world there are certain "standards." For example, people might refer to a specific make of car, as that country's equivalent of a Rolls Royce. This is because Rolls Royce has become the standard for excellence in the making of cars. Similarly, when describing the world's Special Forces, they often refer to certain elite organisations as that country's equivalent of the SAS.

I had the privilege of serving with the SAS over 30 years ago but was never SAS trained. Ran Fiennes was and, therefore, knows what he is talking about. That is why you will be left wondering.

Altogether and excellent book.

NM
British Army Major (retired).

A few words on The Feather Men,I bought the book on an off chance and it was so gripping that I could not put it down.For a factual story it makes even the most far fetched fiction look run of the mill stuff.People like Ranulph Fiennes are truly a cut above the rest,a must read for any one who is interested in special services operations.

A few words on The Feather Men,I bought the book on an off chance and it was so gripping that I could not put it down.For a factual story it makes even the most far fetched fiction look run of the mill stuff.People like Ranulph Fiennes are truly a cut above the rest,a must read for any one who is interested in special services operations.

Could not simply place the book down. Had me gripped from start to finish. Quite a lot to take in with various names being slung around the place early on but if you bare with this and keep concentrating it is greatly rewarded.
I had the pleasure to ask Sir Ranulph Fiennes whether the book was fact or fiction, he said that was up to the reader to decide and he would not say or comment.
great book, great man.