Western Books

If you like McMurtry, you'll like this book. Sometimes the plot gets a little thin, and there are one too many coincidences for me, but it moves forwards so quickly you overlook any minor flaws. There was some very nice character development -- you can tell the author is doing a good job when a character's death gets to you.

A wild ride with a satisfying ending.

I have not read a western since "Shane" in the 7th grade so I was nervous when my book club picked this book. Despite my fears, this book was terrific--full of wonderful imagery and surprising characters. I would recommend to anyone who wants to travel back in time and be carried away by Spring's glorious storytelling. I cannot wait for her next book!

Edward Turrentine Bayard III is one character that truly comes to life from the pages. For about the first 50 or so pages, I just enjoyed the humor of the story and the witty writing style. Then the book really started to set in. Behind the humor, the wild & interesting characters and circumstances, one begins to see a view of American history from a new angle. The trip down the coal mine, the "marriage" of Avelina and Tilfert, the stay in the Chicago slums, and the brutal time on the frontier provide a compelling panorama of this time in America's history. At times, I just had to shake my head with "this is just too over the top" -- but then it all seemed to fit.

And, I so agree with other reviewers that the last chapter pulls everything together in such a satisfying way. As someone who has heard many a story told by an elderly person, the author sums up memory perfectly: "Never is being so permanent as in yesteryear, when...soft memory solidifies into story, and in that solid form, rejects the anguish of reality..... If we exist at all after we are gone, it will be as a story."

Turpentine is funny, interesting, and just a wild ride that will make you smile and think.

I am normally in agreement with the old saying "you can't judge a book by it's cover." Spring Warren's Turpentine is definately an exception to that rule. I knew the minute I saw the cover of this book with it's majestic buffalo head staring out onto a golden plain that I had to read it. I bought the book without a second thought. I was not dissapointed. What a page turner! Spring Warren's novel is full of interesting characters and is anything but predictable. I highly recommend this fantastic novel.

Turpentine is a novel that embodies many happy surprises: colorful characters, language so beautiful, shimmering and skillful that it seems almost water painted onto the canvas of the page, and a final chapter that not only concludes the story of Edward Turrentine Bayard, but somehow deepens it.


The unique characters Warren has developed and the outrageous circumstances that they find themselves in make this book a page-turner from start to finish. The reader cannot help but reflect through the hardships of Ned "Turpentine" the impacts that our choices emboss on our lives and on the lives of those we are entwined with. Even if the reader is not a fan of the Western genre, this is a novel that embodies the best of the Western while transcending it further to an exploration of the best and worst in the human condition.

My first English Ring was Andrew Porter's "singable" translation. It was my introduction to a world of sound-rhymes that is difficult to render even in German (a running joke in Bayreuth was that singers were asked to first translate the text to German, before starting work!!!). When my focus turned to meaning of words and sentences, I've discovered the Spencer translation, the most up-to-date version available in English. Besides an annotated text (with alternate endings included - previous versions of course...), comparing word roots with Wagner's own sources, we are also presented with introductory essays by Wagner scholars, filled with insight and devoid of one-sidedness so common in music scholarship. For everyone looking for THE version of Der Ring in English.

This is a very useful set of libretti and translations. The introductory material and the synopses are also of great use.

Thank you, Mr. Spencer. You have given us something very special. You have given us a complete English translation of Der Ring Des Nibelungen, and it's possibly the most Wagnerian translation ever put on paper. You have given us more knowledge about the Ring Cycle by giving us commentaries about Wagner and his mission to change the way we look at operas. You have also given us B & W pictures of recent renderings of the Ring Cycle, from the Bayreuth Festival to the New York Metropolitan Opera. And for that, we are very grateful. A+

I studied "The Nibelungenlied" in college and was so mesmerized by the story that I had a linden leaf tattooed on my back. Since then, I have read Nordic sagas of the Siegfried legend. This was my first read of Wagner's comprehensive version. It was breathtaking.

Wagner draws from all versions of the legend. In addition to "The Nibelungenlied," he uses "The Saga of the Volsungs" and other Nordic versions such as the prose and poetic "Edda."

Wagner's ambitious work was composed under the nationalistic fervour of 19th Century Germany. He believed "The Nibelungenlied" to be for Germany what "The Iliad" was for Greece or "The Aeneid" was for Rome. Thus he populates his German forests and rivers with mythological gods and faeries, and his human heroes are imbued with heroic courage and strength reminiscent of Achilles and Aeneas.

In his poetry, Wagner proves himself a genius. Like other masters of language, he deftly balances storytelling, emotion, and philosophy. Stewart Spencer's translation is excellent, especially in capturing Wagner's emphasis on alliteration.

See also Wagner's libretto for "Tristan and Isolde," another brilliantly written opera based on a medieval german text (by Gottfried von Straussberg).

I highly recommend this book. There are seldom times a book will give me chills, and it happened several times when reading this book. And if you are interested in the Siegfried saga, check out The Nibelungenlied.

This book would be an excellent addition to anyone interesting in Wagner's Ring cycle for a number of reasons.

First, the translation, which takes up three quarters of the book, is well done, with German and English directly compared on a line by line basis, complete with alternate or discarded or rejected versions of the libretto included in an appendix. The translation itself seems outstanding; some of Wagner's phrasing is difficult or impossible to directly translate into English, but even in the most convoluted or confusing cases the result is clear and compelling.

Second, there is a thematic guide to many of the most important leitmotifs Wagner developed (67 in this case), and in the translation of the libretto the authors have noted where these occur on a line by line, or sequential basis. This is of tremendous help as a reference for further study when listening and relistening to the music.

Third, while there is only little commentary on the operas and on Wagner's compositional journey through the Ring, there are a few photos from past performances, comparing vastly different sets for the same scenes, which are interesting. There could have been quite a bit more of this.

Finally, the glossary of character names could be useful to the student.

Overall, this is an excellent resource and reference to use while listening to the Ring, and for analyzing Wagner's libretto itself.

Matt Bourdoul joined a wagon train because the beautiful Jacquine Coyle and her family would be traveling on it. He knows there is something wrong because they are going to the gold country. Matt feels the danger and he must find out the plans of this wagon train before it is too late. Louis L'Amour is very descriptive of the setting and his characters. He paints a vivid story of danger, intrigue, and adventure. This is one of his best books. By Ruth Thompson author of "Natchez Above The River" and "The Bluegrass Dream

Writing as a Small BusinessQualifying Laps: A Brewster County NovelSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelTravelersNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil WarThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early Settlers

L'Amour does it again. Not only a captivating, well-written story but he shares a bit of history from the physical location of the story. Much overlooked, L'Amour is a tremendous writer who can create character, plot and drama in an efficient and exciting way.

When a group of Outlaws devise a scheme to rob a wagon train of white settlers for over $300,000, it seems that nobody will be able to stop them. With the cunning Sim Boyne as their secret leader, their plan seems foolproof. But they never counted on a young, honest gunman named Matt Bardoul joining their wagon train. Bardoul is skeptical from the beginning, but his interest in a girl takes him into the action. All this takes place in the time of the Sioux troubles of America and some of this history is given along the way. It is a good book, but you'll have to read it to see if the Indians take the blame or not this time.

I rated the book,Westward the Tide by Louie L'amour to get four stars.In the beginning, they used a great way of describing characters and built foreshadowing at first opportunity. I also enjoyed how they explained some important events durinmg that period, and the relationships between white men and Indians.When there were fights, they described what happened very clearly, and drew an almost perfect picture in my head. Halfway through the story, an Indian comes to a man, and explains the Indian's entire point of view of white men, and told what they are doing to the land. I thought this was very clever of L'amour, and it was helpful for anyone reading it to further undertstand that time period. The battles made the book exciting, but some parts of it lacked interest and were too boring.

Just one look at the beautiful and spirited Jacquine Coyle and Matt Bardoul knew that she was the woman for him. So when he finds out that she and her father and brother are planning to go on a wagon train, he decides to go along too. When he first learns about the wagon train heading for the rich pasture of the Big Horns and the gold which would be plentiful there, he finds nothing wrong. But soon he starts getting an uneasy feeling that something is definitely wrong. The wagon train would be made up of strong and innocent men and their families but they would be lead by a pack of the worst murderers, thieves, and gunslingers. Though Bardoul gets and urgently whispered message telling him not to go, he is still determined to go on the train because of Jacquine and the land at Big Horns. Bardoul doesn't realize that he is getting involved in a very deadly plot where the bad guys would stop at nothing to make sure everything goes according to their plans. Will Bardoul be able to figure out their plans before it's too late?

I just love Louis L'Amour's westerns and "Westward the Tide" has got to be one of his bests ever! With plenty of intrigue, suspense, action, and romance, for any L'Amour fan this is a must read. One of the best things I like about this book are the characters which are portrayed. Characters like Matt Bardoul, Jacquine Coyle, Brian Coyle, Clive Massey, Buffalo Murphy, Logan Deane, Ban Hardy, Portugee Philips, and more, L'Amour wonderfully displays the different types of people who made up the American frontier.

Other L'Amour books I highly recommend are: All of the Sackett books, including my most favorites, "Jubal Sackett" and "Galloway, "North to the Rails", "Broken Gun", "Crossfire Trail", and "Comstock Lode".

I read this series over the summer and compliment author Stephen Bly on a few levels. I'm not a horse person, I'm quite intimidated by anything bigger than a Golden Retriever. This series, and this book especially, made me feel like I was on vacation in Argenta too, watching all the fun unfold, and I wanted to jump on a horse and follow these characters as they galloped off to the sunset. The scenery depiction and town life felt so real I felt parched from the dust and in need to meet up with Dev if only for a few moments. This story had many laughs, deep, rich characters you truly get to know and care for, and a heart. Just like the Labor Day holiday signals the end of summer, turning the last page on this book was something I wasn't anxious to do.

Looking for an inexpensive get away? Journey with this series for a vacation you'll fondly remember and want to visit again and again.

I was given Wish I'd Known you Tears Ago as a gift. I read the book in one day...it's that good!

It's about a woman who basically runs to a place she loved as a little girl to rediscover herself. Towards the end of her journey she invites her college-aged daughter to join her in hopes of mending broken fences, and building a new bond.

Many strange things happen during the last days of summer that changes the woman's life forever...Will it be for the best? You'll have to read the book to find out.

One thing I can say is that you'll walk away with a few personal revelations of your own.

Stephen Bly is able to bring me to tears either with laughter or
pathos. How he can write so believably about females amazes me.
Having lived with school teachers and hearing their discussions
at holiday meals and family get togethers Develyn and her love
for her students mirrors several of the elementary teachers of
my various family members. But Mr. Bly doesn't stop with
believable characters, instead he keeps me reading to all hours
of the day and night to see what kind of "fix" his characters
will wind up in next.

Delaney perhaps was the least believable of the bunch since
most modern fillies would have solved the dilemma of pregnant
or not in the length of time it took to get to a pharmacy, get
back home and do the test. Then before they stewed for several
weeks would have repeated the test. However, the anguish Delaney
went through and the treatment of her mother throughout the
whole ordeal of pregnant or not parallels well with the relationship existing between daughters and mothers witnessed
in my own experience. With four sisters and myself and numerous
daughters the yin and yang of rearing girls does see-saw endlessly and never seems to be completely resolved with the
realization that both mothers and daughters can truly settle
down to a permanent and lasting peace of simply loving one
another undeservably/unreservably.

Cooper Tallon? What can I say except could we clone a few of
him for the widows of Texas. On the other hand I believe the
Hunter Burkes of the world may have been cloned already. Casey
Cree-Ryder's Jackson is every mother's wish for her daughters.
Which leads back to the fact that Stephen Bly does men quite
well also.

A wonderful tale of Wyoming and the yen most of us have of re-
visiting the wonderful times of our youth and resolving the
heartaches of our middle or senior seasons of life. Made me
want to revist the land of blue skys, wide open spaces and
typical Western people, culture and terrain.

What a hoot....you find yourself smiling or laughing out loud when reading this series. I think the heroine Develyn is capable of stimulating Stephen's creative powers in producing at least 3 more adventures. I didn't want Develyn's summer vacation to end. This is a fun set of novels to escape in....if you're due for a vacation...and there's none in the immediate future...get lost with Develyn and you'll feel as if you'd been there by her side.

A great conclusion to the Horse Dreams Trilogy. Well written contemporary western fiction. Have you known people who just seem to be able to make friends with anyone, from truck stop waitresses to wealthy ranchers, from precocious 10 year olds to eccentic senior citizens? Well, Devy-girl, the main character in this series is one of them! The characters are continuously developed through the trilogy. Each book allows you to get to know new characters, and yet the people you met and loved in the previous books are still continuing to grow and even surprise you in the last. Great life-lessons learned without being preachy. . . well at least it is in character for a middle-aged 5th grade teacher from Indiana.

I had this book for the past 7 years, and find it to be an invaluable resource. What makes this text so unique is that is has both a translation of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, and a translation and commentary on Vyasa's commentary of Patanjali. Vyasa is perhaps the most famous commentary on Patanjali. The Sanskrit into English translation is excellent. I have verified this and studied the text with a world-renowned Sanskrit scholar. This particular book is also good because it provides extensive commentary and recommended practices for Yoga. Before beginning some of these practices it is best to practice them under an enlightened Guru, if you are a beginner to Yoga. Studying the Sutras with a Scholar is another recommendation of mine if you want to get a clear understanding and come to profound realizations.

Again, this is an excellent text, and a text you will come back to again and again if you have a genuine interest in Yoga. I highly recommend this text if you are interested in going deeper in your understanding of Yoga philosophy and the Sânkhya-Yoga philosophy.

Nârâyana (Anthony Biduck), Co-Creator of Urban Yogis [...]

If you are really interested in Yoga-as a practitioner and not merely out of intellectual curiosity-this is one of the best books you will ever own. It is a thorough commentary on the Yoga Sutras from the viewpoint of a true Master practitioner, containing countless jewels of profound insight into Yoga practice. It gives hints, and even many outright disclosures, of the real techniques of Yoga. I have read a number of translations of the Yoga Sutras, and this is not merely the best, it is in my opinion the only real one.

If my house were on fire, and I had just a moment to grab a few things on my way out, this book would be one of them. Buy it and put it on the top shelf of your bookcase, where it belongs.

Having read the works of Georg Feuerstein and Swami Satchidananda, this is my third foray into the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and I would have to rate this as the best of the lot. This is not to denegrate the fine works of Feuerstein and Satchidananda; I simply prefer the work by Swami Hariharananda and I highly recommend it. For someone new to the subject, Hariharananda is quite informative, with lots of background information.

For both theoretical and practical study of Yoga Sutras and Samkhya philosophy this is the book to buy, read and keep reading. I don't know of any book on Patanjali's Yoga and Samkhya that comes even near the quality of Hariharananda's book!
It has the original texts of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and Vyasa's commentary in both Sanskrit and English and Swami Hariharananda's own Commentary translated into English from the original Bengali in which he wrote.
Although the introduction says that some of the esoteric exercises are not included in the English translation it does go deep into both practice and theory.
The book can be recommended to both beginners and other students alike as the translation of the Sutras to English is so clearly done that it makes some of the difficult text easier to understand.

If you are really interested in Yoga-as a practitioner and not merely out of intellectual curiosity-this is one of the best books you will ever own. It is a thorough commentary on the Yoga Sutras from the viewpoint of a true Master practitioner, containing countless jewels of profound insight into Yoga practice. It gives hints, and even many outright disclosures, of the real techniques of Yoga. I have read a number of translations of the Yoga Sutras, and this is not merely the best, it is in my opinion the only real one.

If my house were on fire, and I had just a moment to grab a few things on my way out, this book would be one of them. Buy it and put it on the top shelf of your bookcase, where it belongs.

This is a great book. It is extremely accessible. I am using it with great success for an Introduction to Ethnomusicology course that I am teaching at a Liberal Arts College. The students like the book very much. It stimulates a good deal of in-class discussion. I would highly recommend this work for anyone interested in music, dance, ethnomusicology, urban studies, popular culture, popular music, American studies, and more... It is the kind of book that affords multiple points of entry. Bravo Kai Fikentscher

If you're looking for a book that's an excellent reference for Underground Dance Music in New York City, then "You Better Work!" by Kai Fikentscher is great reading!

Kai Fikentscher's evolutionary study and rounded presentation of New York's underground dance music and culture is a lonely triumph for a subject matter that desperately requires equal exploration of peer contributing U.S. cities such as Chicago, Detroit and Washington D.C.

"You Better Work!" is a straight edge to which much of what has been said about underground dance music culture should be realligned.

It's evident through well-crafted and intricately expressed text that the author has really done his homework. His book shines, especially when compared to similar historical efforts that clearly lack the consistent impact found in "You Better Work!".

Not only should those familiar with underground dance music absorb this essential reading, but the effort should be required academically, with particular regard to music, culture and art.

In addition to explaining fundamental concepts and techniques, Fikentscher details an often ill-reported but critical importance of UDM - the DNA of African, African American, Latino, Gay and a dejected segment of American society which defines the fabric of underground dance music culture.

Kai's work is a rarity in ethnomusicology; it's accessible, entertaining, and enjoyable to read. His inclusion of 12 inch singles, top UDM charts, DJ and equipment photographs, in addition to his on personal exposes in relationship to the house scene in NYC make this study a rarity within a discipline full of bickerings over authenticity, theoretical concepts and musical hierarchies. "You Better Work!" is a rallying cry for aspiring musicologists and music fans alike. If you danced during this period, it'll bring back those sweet memories of Mr. Fingers, Frankie Knuckles, Ru Paul, Acid and the like.

This text is the unrivaled standard for anyone truly seeking insights into the rich culture of Underground Dance Music. No long is house music an urban legend, but this book invites debate, theory, and growth based on a solid foundation of research, interaction, and presentation. From the halls of academia to the dark places where the underground lurks; each and every reader benefits from Kai's research.

If your a fan of techno... read this book.

Classics? Read.

Soulful... get to know this text.

... then Work!

-Byron

I have read this book over and over. Astrid Varnay has so much to offer readers who love opera. It is a great book to read through, but there are parts that take a couple of readings for a trained musician to understand. Her intelligence is evident in every word and so is her humanity. She is most knowledgeable about the works of Wagner and Strauss, so those interested in lighter opera may not be as well served, but her concepts are important for all opera singers. This book is quite honest and those who want some "dirt" on old singers, conductors and impressarios will be well-served. Go for it.

In the pantheon of twentieth-century Wagnerian sopranos, Astrid Varnay ranks very high, though she is woefully underrepresented on available recordings today. Through the efforts of friends and supporters, detailed in the preface, her autobiography has been made available in English, and music and opera fans everywhere should be grateful.

Varnay's story, told calmly but with frequent flashes of wit, begins with the tale of how her parents, both opera singers, met, married, and made their careers in Europe before coming to the U.S. and settling in New York. Young Violet Varnay, as she was dubbed by a teacher who could not cope with her Hungarian name Ibolyka (little violet), worked as a secretary, waited in the Met standing room line and quietly prepared herself for an operatic career. She prepared so well with her coach and eventual husband, Hermann Weigert, in fact, that her resume was met with astonished laughter at her eventual Met audition. The powers that be were quickly won over upon actually hearing her, and her stage career began at the Met in 1941 as a last-minute replacement for Lotte Lehmann in Die Walkure. Before retiring in the late 90s, after a career spanning more than five decades, her voice and dramatic presence would take her to Bayreuth and all of the great opera houses of the world.

It is of course difficult to say how much of the structure of the book stems from the singer herself, and how much from her co-author, Donald Arthur; but one of the attractions of this memoir is the skillful mix of narrative, anecdote and self-analysis of Varnay's numerous roles. She draws portraits of her husband, family and colleagues that leap vividly from the page, without ever descending to mere bitchiness, though she does allow herself some jabs at Herbert von Karajan and Rudolf Bing. The ultimate impression is of a strong, self-aware but not overweeningly arrogant personality--someone one would like to meet and talk to in person. One is touched by her inexhaustible eagerness to perform, and her capacity for discovering insights into roles usually dismissed as worthy only of comprimaria singers. She is also not above laughing at herself, and includes some amusingly informal photographs. Highly recommended.

Astrid Varnay, who died in 2006, just months after her very close friend and colleague Birgit Nillson, is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance, with the release of the Testament early stereo recordings of the Ring from Bayreuth in 1955. From her Met debut at the age of 23 as a last-minute replacement for an ill Lotte Lehmann as Siegelinde in Die Walkure, on the day BEFORE Pearl Harbor, through her primary career as the premier Wagnerian dramatic soprano of the 1950s, to her second career as a mezzo-soprano singing character roles into the 1990s, Astrid Varnay is one of the great opera artists of the 20th century.
Born in Stockholm to Hungarian parents, raised in New York City, and moving to Munich after being widowed in her late 30s, Varnay had an absolutely fascinating career that she relates with humor and verve. Indeed, many stories are just hysterical, such as a Dallas Tristan und Isolde, where Varnay, tenor Max Lorenz (as Tristan), and mezzo-soprano Blanche Thebom (as Bragaine), took turns holding up a collapsing fake tree! Although never mean-spirited, Varnay paints amusing and sometimes sharp pictures of many of opera's greatest names. (She, along with many in the opera world, saves some of her sharpest points for Met manager Rudolf Bing.)
This should be in any opera fan's collection of opera books.

Astrid Varney was born in Stockholm to two Hungarian opera singers. As a child she lived in South America prior to the family's immigration to New York.
Varney was trained as a singer by her talented mother and an older teacher whom she later married. Varney premiered with the Metropolitan Opera on Dec. 6, 1941 as Sieglinde in Wagner's
monumental "Walkure.' Since thay day Miss Varnay has traveled the world singing in great opera palaces and in regional companies.
Her comments on the life of a classical singer; various colleagues in the field and the various locales her craft has taken her to make for fascinating backstage reading for all of us who are opera buffs.
This biography is well written laced with humor and honesty.
I knew little about Varney prior to reading this book but am glad I made her acqaintance.
Bravissimo to this down to earth diva dedicated to her art!

I'm not especially interested in biographies of performers. Especially not autobiographies - these tend to be long lists of how wonderful the subject/author is/was and a bit of score settling to liven things up.
Varnay is not above score settling (in her genteel way, she eviscerates Rudolf Bing and she details her feud and glorious reconciliation with Karajan - a Salzburg Elektra that everyone should hear), but her narrative is quite gracious and restrained overall.
It's also engrossing to read. Although Varnay spends a little more time than perhaps she needed telling us what a hard worker and consummate professional she was and is, her actual thinking about the operas and characters she was involved in is fascinating stuff and a valuable guide for singers and perhaps actors as well.
Following her around the world to different opera houses and watching how things work (or, all too often, don't work) is engrossing and her comments on professional colleagues - always judicious - are usually quite on the mark.
There are only a few videos available showing Varnay's art (which is too bad) and not many more sound-only recordings (which is even worse). If you look, you can find her as Brunnhilde in Act III of Die Walkure (EMI with Karajan - they were getting along then) and a complete Gotterdammerung (Testament with Knappertsbusch)both from the 1951 Bayreuth festival; a couple of Ortruds from Bayreuth Lohengrins; a Senta from Bayreuth conducted by Knappertsbusch (Music & Arts); and the Salzburg Elektra with Karajan (Orfeo). There are also a couple of complete Rings available on private or semi-private labels and, allegedly, the 1955 Keilberth Ring due out on Testament. No Italian repertoire, alas, no Kundry, double alas, and no complete Tristan that I know of, triple alas.
My only complaint about this book, aside from that it wasn't twice as long, is that Varnay is and was so much a person of the theatre that it's hard to find the real person underneath. This is very much a narrative of the role of Astrid Varnay, great and hard-working opera star. Astrid Varnay the person is waiting backstage for the performance to be over, which is probably where she was for most of her life.
Still, it's a great treat to spend a couple of hours with a charming, intelligent, literate, kind, and witty companion who has so much good stuff to tell you. It's only afterward that you wonder whether there was a person behind all that dazzle who was sometimes frightened, lonely, introspective, or grateful and happy over little human things. I hope that person writes a companion volume someday. I bet she'd be wonderful to get to know as well...

This is one of Robert Carmeron's last books and it is one of his best. Seattle really lends itself well to this kind of photography, the city is so naturally blessed. The photography in this book is classic Cameron and the photos are so vivid. I recommend this book to anyone with an interst in this beautiful city or just an interest in great photography in general, you won't be disappointed.

Seattle is set in a very diverse geographical region. This diversity provides for ample breathtakingly beautiful and lush photographs of the metropolitan area. Lakes, mountains, trees, islands, bays, rivers - this area has it all and is cleverly photographed in this Robert Cameron book.
The book is fairly up to date although citizens or connosieurs of Seattle may notice the dated-ness of the book by the conspicuous absense of some new construction in the downtown area and the changing condition of other areas of the city. If you like pictorials, this is a great one to own and probably one of the best of the Seattle Metropolitan Area. I highly recommend it.

THIS BOOK IS A KNOCKOUT, IT'S 12 X 14, THE PICTURES INSIDE, MOST OF THEM ARE THE SAME SIZE AND ARE SO CLEAR IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE THERE, YOU LOOK AT SEATTLE FROM ALL ANGLES AND TACOMA, YOU CAN MAKE OUT PEOPLE IN THE BUILDINGS, THERE ARE OLD PICTURES FROM THE 1920's RIGHT NEXT TO TODAYS PICTURES, THE BOOK TELLS YOU WHERE AND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT, YOU CAN READ SIGNS IN THESES PICTURES, IT SHOWS HOW CLEAN THE SEATTLE AND THE PUGET SOUND IS, IF YOU LIVE THERE THIS BOOK IS A MUST, FOR IT WILL SHOW YOU AREAS YOU MAY HAVE NEVER SEEN, FOR THERE IS SO MUCH TO SEE, AND TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, THIS BOOK THIS IS THE PERFECT TRAVEL GUIDE FOR THE NORTHWEST, IT'S A 160 PAGES OF THE CITY, WATER, NAVEL SHIPS, FERRYS,AIR PORTS, AND MOUNTAINS, THERE IS JUST NO WAY TO PUT THESE GREAT PICTURES IN TO WORDS! "THANKS" ROBERT CAMERON

Stunning quality; if you've been there, you will easily be able to pick out your favorite spots, despite the distance. The captions are a little dry, but the pictures make this aesthetic book one of value.

Everybody who has any relation to Seattle should have this book! To people who live there it shows their city from a different point of view. To people who like to get a detailed impression of the city and its close environment I really recommend it ! But this book (in my eyes) is not made for people who look for a "tourist guide".

Abraham Isaac Kook has had the Theophany. It is evident in his writing. It informs it. He has been reduced to nothing and raised up. His error and sin have been made whole, they have become the garments by which he understood his nakedness.

He has seen the same world made new. Here, even the shadows are golden.

The Union has been made in him. He has spanned the abyss. He has stood in the presence of Angels. He has proved the Divine. He has witnessed. And he serves the whole with his testimony.

His writing is accessible to everyone, all will benefit from it. Yet only a sweet few will cry tears of joy and affirmation. For our memories, this friendship will last forever.

To anyone interested in the miracle of being, I recommend this text. Don't waste time drinking from other men's buckets. Kook offers up the source. Drink freely, borrow his eyes.

This is one of the most profound books I've ever read. I cannot demonstrate the truth of what follows, but if ever words on a page can heal the human psyche, then this book might be a catalyst for it. As a non-Jew, I was deeply moved by the wisdom that fills every page of this book.

Rav Kook is the greatest Jewish thinker in the last 200 years because he most fully understands the spiritual crisis of the modern Jew. Although there were a number of dynamic Jewish religious leaders who took up the mantle of leadership in order to rebuild the shattered remnants of the Jewish world in the wake of the Holocaust such as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik and the Satmar Rov, their message was basically directed at a relatively small group of Jews. Rav Kook has a message for the entire Jewish people. His great contributions were: (1) to emphasize the dynamic nature of both the spiritual and physical worlds, and, one the one hand, tell the traditional religious Jew that the Torah is flexible and can stand up to the challenges of modernity and change, while on the other hand demonstrating the perpetual relevance of the Torah to the Jew who has a less than full commitment to it; and (2) to demonstrate the absolute necessity of the Jewish people to return to the Land of Israel and build a modern society rooted in the Torah. This fine book gives a sampling of these ideas and is a good introduction to the mind of this remarkable thinker.

This is an excellent anthology, and contains samples of a number of different kinds of writing Rabbi Kook Z"Ts"l did. There is the text of his perhaps most well- known work, "Orot" and there are letters, essays, and poems. Rabbi Kook was a remarkable poetic thinker, like Pascal, Kafka, Kierkegaard, . He was too deeply devout and tremendously learned-a master of commentary in all forms of Jewish sacred Literature. His writing is often difficult to understand as it is so richly poetic.
But behind it all is a philosophical system based on his reading of the Torah, a system which sees the Cosmos as a whole moving toward Redemption. And which in this sees the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel as central to this cosmic process. Rabbi Kook is one of the great religious Zionist thinkers, and his ability to see the good and positive in the works of others, non- religious Jews and non- Jews also make him a philosopher who can speak to us today.
This work should certainly be read by every Jew who wishes to understand the Jewish role in history. It should also be read by every human being who wishes to come in touch with the work of an inspiring thinker with a message of love and redemption for all of mankind.

Rav Kook was the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine and helped lead the continuing dialogue of Jewish Mysticism into the 20th century. This collection of his writings is both profound and beautiful. Some of the pieces such as 'The Lights of Penitance' might appeal only to scholars, but Kook's poetry can be appreciated by all. His idea of a unified Judaism where the secular and the holy both make up parts of the whole are very moving. Other themes include vegetarianism and a universal love for all people.

Viet Nam veteran Matt Reed returns home after two years of service. In his absence his father heavily mortgaged the family ranch for money to pay medical bills for his terminally ill wife, Matt's mother. After his father tragically took his own life, Matt was faced with paying the $ 100,000 mortgage in six months to avoid foreclosure.

"Absaroka" describes the area of Wyoming bordering the Reed ranch and the land of the Crow Indians. The interaction of the townspeople, the ranchers, and the Crow make up the back drop for this contemporary Western drama.

The plot has many surprise twists which include intrigue, romance, environmental issues, post traumatic stress syndrome, Indian rights, and relational issues. Bochmann has developed genuine, believable characters. Some are corrupt and unprincipled. Others are feisty, heroes and heroines that create empathy, dislike, admiration, or warmth.

Although I expected the story to end well, the final chapter came to a dramatic surprise ending that exceeded any expectations I had. Joan Bochmann is rich in imagination, a gifted communicator, and dedicated to impact her readers with an important and timely message.

I found "Absaroka" absorbing, fast paced, and uplifting. Another Raven Publishing triumph.

Review by William Phenn for Reader Views (05/06)

A Western writer with a modern twist, that's how I would describe Joan Bochmann.
She was raised in the high Yampa River valley in Colorado. Her love of horses brought out by her father, while her mother instilled in her the value of literature. These factors are what make up this compelling novel called "Absaroka."

"Absaroka" is a moving story of a Vietnam Vet and his struggle to regain his normal life after the war. Matt Reed is a veteran of the Vietnam era who comes home to find his mother has died, his father old and ailing, and his home about to be taken away by unscrupulous people and his town on the verge of extinction.

Matt hooks up with a few of his friends from diverse backgrounds to battle the forces that are threatening Matt and his town. They encounter many obstacles at every turn in their valiant effort to save the town and Matt's home. Though the story is modern day, the struggles are as old as the days of the Wild West. Cowboys, Indians, a Damsel, and a Villain make "Absaroka" a compelling read.

"Absaroka" is not like any western I have read to date. It is modern, exciting and was a pleasure to read. Joan has presented this story in a way that has earned it my very high approval. If you enjoy westerns and all the wonderful things that comprise a good western, you will enjoy "Absaroka." I give it an A.

What an absolutely wonderful book this is, it was a delightful reading pleasure from beginning to end. Set in Wyoming, we meet Matt Reed as he is returning from Vietnam. He desperately needs the peace and security his families ranch will bring to him, but soon that is shattered and Matt is left with another war to fight.
Jake, Matt's father dies shortly after his return and Matt learns that their beloved ranch has been mortgaged and the deed is held by none other than Matt's arch rival from years ago, Paul Pringle. Why is it so important for Paul to own Matt's ranch? Is it just revenge against Matt or is there a more sinister plot beneath it all? You'll be surprised.
Now Matt has six months to come up with $100,000.00 plus in order to save his homestead. The odds of winning this war are totally stacked against him. However, miracle do happen I am happy to say.

A form plans in Matt's mind, a form filled with wild horses, the help of a Indian named Joe Little Hawk, a family friend named Hank and a woman who will be more than a friend to Matt, Jill King. You are in for a treat as this story unfolds.
This book is extremely well written, keeps your attention, has characters that wrap around your heart and a storyline that resembles the great movie, "Rocky." I had to smile as I put the book down, sometimes the good do win.
Don't miss this one. Highly recommended.
Shirley Johnson
Senior Reviewer
MidWest Book Review

The moment I began reading this book I couldn't put it down. I found ABSAROKA captivating. The walk through this book evoked a multitude of emotions. Matt weathered the intense grief over the loss of his mother during his stint in Vietnam, and the tragic loss of his father shortly after his return. The experiences of Vietnam and his return home brought a shadow of shame and lack of respect displayed by society. Fear was another emotion felt over the shocking realization that the family ranch was close to being claimed by a ruthless banker, and more pronounced, his fear of failure as a man.

During Matt's struggle to find a way to reclaim the family ranch, he faced death by an Indian tribe. However, the more compelling focus was with each perceived failure or roadblock Matt faced. He was forced to come face to face with the nightmares of his past and rely on the foundation of integrity and self-worth he had grown to value with each passing day to meet the challenges he faced. His tenacity combined with the support and love of his friends allowed him to sucessfully retain the family ranch in a unique way, and more importantly the true value of personal identity, dignity and love.

This book is definitely a keeper in my library!

This book is an excellent choice for any reader. It moves quickly and precisely from beginning until the end. The protaginist is a true-to-life man who deals with the hardships of life in Wyoming after the Vietnam War. I found myself entranced by the story and the setting. Matt Reed is truly a character for the ages. I was constantly taken back to the 1800's through a modern day hero. This a book for anyone who has ever struggled against the gravest of odds in there life and dreams to come up a winner. Do yourself a favor and buy this book and two for two friends it will pay you back ten fold. As for myself I hope the author continues the epic saga with another novel. I wait anxiously...