Books and Authors Books

Casting Two Shadows is an incredible mystery with numerous twists and turns. It's a book that is hard to put down once you've turned the first page. As chapter and chapter unfolds you begin to think you have the story figured out and then another unknown key is revealed. The characters are well scripted and evolve in just the right amount of time, so they are people you empathize with by the end of the book. It is a shame that Colin Doran will not be sharing his talents with us in the future...he was a gifted author. My only question is when is Holywood going to pick it up as a movie option?

This was an amazing book from start to finish. I read all of the time and i cannot believe how much this book surprised me. I think my mouth dropped 5-6 times because of the suspense and shock! I will be reading this book over and over again because it really is THAT GREAT! Colin was by far a gifted writer and it's unfortunate that we will not be able to read another novel written by him.

I'm on page 177 and I just stahted the book yestaday. (insert my best Bostonian accent here). Anywaysssss, I'll be back when I finish it.
All joking aside; I can't put this book down. It's fun, easy, and interesting reading. I'm actually looking forward to the bus ride to work tomorrow so that I can keep going!

Luv you Colin,
Cousin Jen

Absolutely one of the best books I have read. The twists and turns just after I thought I had a good grasp of the story just boggled my mind. It was one surprise after another - and the ending, a complete surprise, (because I thought I finally figured it out)was fascinating! Definitely read this book. The ending makes it that much better. I think I read the ending three times when I finished the story because it was just so perfect.

What I thought would just be a drama turned into much more. Much like when you watched that first season of Lost and you realized "wait, there's a bit more going on here than some people on an island..." The book twisted itself into whole new forms and I thought it was great!

I read a lot of books and the most amazing thing about this one is that it made me feel the experience. I felt as if I was going through the twists and turns right along with the charactors. I went from flying with them to feeling for them more times than I would have thought possible.

THE CHANCE SHE TOOK was an excellant read. Kole Black did a great job with this novel--you think you may know where this story is going but he throws a twist in there and you are left with your mouth hanging open! This was a quick read and will keep you turning the pages. I guarantee you will be flipping through the pages so fast you will be done with it before you know it, because you will be so engrossed with this story. Remember this author's name because I see him bringing more 5 star reads to us. Get this book!

I am not the one to take the time to give an author the credit that is rightfully due to them, but after reading The Chance She Took, I had to break tradition and give Mr. Black some well deserved praise. The Chance She Took is a definite page turner!! Mr. Black is truly talented writer whose words allow the readers to visually connect with the characters. I eagerly await his next masterpiece and I am proud to add his works to my book collection. The Chance She Took is a definite must read and I would recommend that others buy this book and support this gifted writer.

My book club selected this book for it's February reading selection and I have to say that I was so surprised! I was expecting a sweet little love story, but nothing could have been further from the truth. This was some serious urban fiction! If you like a novel that is straight drama from beginning to end, look no further. Because Kole Black seriously set it off, up in here! Some of the women in my group say that they didn't like it because, it was way too much sex and drama and some of the characters died at the end of the story. But like I said "That's life"! Life ain't always sweet wine and roses. As a matter a fact, it's rarely that way. That's what made this story beautiful. It was so real! Because I felt like I knew the characters, and you either loved them or hated them.

Kole Black brought this grimy tale to life, in full color! And the plot twist at the end seriously busted my head! I really enjoyed this book! Plus, it ended on a cliff hanger! Now, I am fienin' for the sequel! LOL

Great, Great, Great novel!!!

The thing That I must say is the story is a PAGE TURNER! And that is an understatement! I saw this book being featured by an online book club that the author "ZANE" was part of. And they everyone in the club was going crazy over this book, so I had to check it out. Let's just say that my money was well spent!

The story is very, very sexy and the love scenes are very well crafted! Kole Black had me extra hot & bothered! (if you know what I mean>) I am an avid reader, and I read at least 2-3 books a month. So I know if it's quality when I read the first page. Kole Black is now one of my favorite author's! He has his own unique style. As long as he keeps 'em coming like this, and does not try to change his formula, he is looking at a very, very successful career.

I cant wait to read his next book!

Charles Stanley is currently my favorite preacher. He teaches better about God and things about christianity more than any other preacher could. When I bought this book, I was so happy with it. I knew I was going to love it because I love all Charles' books, but this was 5 times as greater than I thought it would be! I recommend for all levels. It's great because each topic you want, you look it up and little verses about that topic will be in there. Great book for Charles lovers!

I have attended a few of Charles Stanley's program tapings in Atlanta, GA at the First Baptist Church of Atlanta. I have also enjoyed his programs on television as well as reading some of his books. If you are wanting a reading that will put things into plain english then this book is for you. Charles Stanley is an ordained Baptist Pastor yet he does not really preach to you. To me he is more of a teacher and put things into day to day english that even I can understand. He doesn't do the fire and brimstone preaching - He talks to you whether on tv or books as if he is talking in plain english just to you. He explains in details things you might not understand or just reiterates things you already know. So if you are ready to sit down and meditate on God's word then this is for you.

I only use "snack" to describe the chapters in this book because the subjects are offered in manageable amounts of nourishing, informative, fulfilling and soul satisfying nourishment. I read a subject or two each night as I lay in bed before I go to sleep. Very satisfying to my mind, body and soul!

If you have a question about anything Biblical or your personal life, this book is for you. In a concise, understandable writing, Dr. Stanley spells it out clearly. Add this book to your library.

This is a great book. This book will deepen your walk with Christ. It is easy to understand. Perfect for the new Christian or the seasond Believer. You will see Dr.Stanley walks with Christ, and his desire is for you to have a deeper walk as well!

William Trevor continues his short-story excellence with this collection. A wonderful, spirited read! Enjoy, and rest assured that if this is the first Trevor collection you're purchasing, it won't be the last! If you're a long-time fan, you will not be disappointed.

The powerful melancholic narrative in Trevor's 'CHEATING AT CANASTA is often unsettling and complex, but at the same time evocative and finely crafted.

These stories stay in your mind, the harshness of their conclusions, the solidity of them, strongly molded and resonating with fierce elegiac gravity.

Trevor is an eloquent storyteller and shines a probing light on elusive human intricacies and entangled relationships with a true master's touch!

Reviewing William Trevor's THE STORY OF LUCY GAULT on this site some years ago, I wrote: "There are very few authors whom one trusts to lead one into dark places, with the assurance that there will be some beauty to be found there in the end. Trevor is emphatically one of them." In that book, in his novel FELICIA'S JOURNEY, and in almost all of his short stories, Trevor writes about the lost, the lonely, characters who are very young or growing old, people who have been deceived, rejected, or bereaved. But he also has the gift of benediction. The title of his previous collection, AFTER RAIN, is well-taken; his ability to bring the sun out after the storm is miraculous -- to produce not always a happy ending, but at least acceptance and understanding, a quiet gift of grace.

The stories in CHEATING AT CANASTA are just as good, but they are rather more sad. Trevor still has the power to set up a nuanced situation in a very few pages: the impending sale of an old estate in Ireland, an accidental encounter in Paris recalling boyhood traumas. He can still create characters who pull at your heartstrings: a fifteen-year-old girl meeting an older man from a chatroom, a widower finding love again after the death of his wife. And in story after story, he can still end gently with hard-won wisdom: a separated couple coming together again only to realize they were better apart, an old clergyman in doubt of his faith finding peace at the deathbed of his domineering sister. But while all the endings seem absolutely right, none of them is entirely happy. Trevor's rainfall still stops, but now mostly gives way to a tranquil dusk. I appreciate that... but miss the occasional rainbow. [4.5 stars]

I was convinced long ago that William Trevor is a master of the short story. I so enjoy luxuriating in his collections that I now intentionally pass by the occasional story in "The New Yorker" in favor of the delayed but ever-so-greater gratification of an entire volume of stories every three or four years. The latest collection of a dozen Trevor short stories is CHEATING AT CANASTA. After reading the first three stories, I feared that perhaps Trevor was slipping a tad. While quite accomplished technically, they did not touch my inner being. But the remaining stories put any such fears to rest. Once again, Trevor proves himself a master of the short story in English.

And once again, I marvel over how Trevor seems to be able to write about anything, about anyone -- to weave a story out of the unlikeliest stray rags and scraps of yarn. Here, many of the characters are from the working class or lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder. Those who are not nonetheless are not among society's glamorous or smug. None of Trevor's characters (here or as far as I remember from his other works) would ever have expected their lives, public or private, to be worthy of the attention of a great writer or legions of sensitive readers. They are common, yet in Trevor's renderings they become uncommon.

A theme shared by all these stories is deception, even between two seemingly very close people. Yet the tone rarely is one of anger. Instead, it is one of gentle ruefulness, tinged with melancholy, at times approaching a world-weariness. The narrative is sparse, almost minimalistic. Yet Trevor's voice is so assured, so authoritative, but without ever being overbearing.

In truth, I can't imagine anyone who appreciates literate short stories not relishing the stories of William Trevor, including CHEATING AT CANASTA.

Life as it was lived before the ubiquitous use of anti-depressants. No Prozac in the water system here. Read and be enveloped by the emotion, the heart-wrenching reality of life in the raw. You can feel the sorrow, the embrace of an ineluctable reality, the inescapable path of Destiny. Feel the bleak damp in your bones, the drizzle on your skin. Smell the peat. These stories will linger with you for a long time. Another masterpiece by Ireland's favorite son.

A number of reviewers of this book have compared Benson's ghost stories to Montague Rhodes James - justifiably, since they were probably the two greatest Victorian authors of supernatural short stories after Sheridan LeFanu and Algernon Blackwood. But there are also differences, some subtle and some less so. For instance, James's stories, drawing heavily from his own experience, frequently have a whiff of the ecclesiastical or academic about them, while Benson's tend to center on a middle-class, often somewhat smug Englishman going about his daily routine with no greater concerns than what to have for dinner and what seaside resort to spend the summer in. James's supernatural creatures are almost always malignant and frequently solid, as in "Canon Alberic's Scrapbook" or "Mr. Poynter's Diary", while Benson's, while they can be heard, felt and occasionally smelt, tend to be more traditionally misty and sometimes more anguished than malevolent. As the useful introduction by Richard Dalby points out, the trademarks of Benson's stories (overbearing fathers, malice-filled women, men whose closest friendships seem to be with other men and for whom love of the opposite sex has disastrous consequences) tell us a great deal about him as a person, whereas about all one gets about James from his stories is that he had a great love of ancient manuscripts, was religious and was a profound scholar.

Another difference is that while James occasionally shows a bit of dry irony, Benson more clearly has a sense of humor. As other reviewers mentioned, he frequently inserts psychic interludes dealing with mediums, seances, and somewhat exasperated spirits, but he also points out that the mediums and seances depend on fraudulent tricks (especially in "Mr. Tilly's Seance," where the disembodied spirit itself gets irritated at the medium's chicanery). His attitude seems to be that mediums and spiritualists are less to blame than those who swallow their bait - if you want to believe that Aunt Martha has nothing better to do with her afterlife than answer your impertinent questions, he seems to say, don't ask me for sympathy! In stories like "Spinach," he betrays a clear affection for the likable young sibling mediums, even if they are clearly at least partly frauds. And in one of the book's most hair-raising stories, "How Fear Departed from the Long Gallery," centering on an ancient murder that will make any parent's skin crawl, he argues that the attitude of the other-worldly apparition may depend on how you approach it, not the other way around.

Having said that, the one thing James and Benson have in common that separates them from lesser hack writers is that in both cases, the persons who tell the story are likely to be pottering along in their daily lives, totally oblivious to signs of trouble, when something sudden and terrible comes out of the darkness and either almost overwhelms them and carries them off, or actually does so, never more terribly than in "The Face." For those whose acquaintance with Benson may be restricted to "Mrs. Amworth" and "The Man Who Went Too Far," both frequently reprinted in anthologies, this book will open up a whole new, and somewhat frightening, world.

Benson was a good friend of classic ghost-story writer M.R. James, and was among those present that Christmas Eve when James read aloud his first ghost stories.

Benson didn't have the genius or the highly literate background of James, but he did know how to write a good ghost tale, and he did just that. His stories, as has been mentioned elsewhere, deal largely with a man or two men going on holiday and finding horror instead. Women often get the worst of it in his stories, either being innocent victims or horrifyingly evil antagonists; it doesn't often happen that a woman in one of his stories is a regular person who helps to solve whatever mystery is entangling the characters.

One classic in the misogynist vein is "The Room in the Tower", in which a young man experiences a recurring nightmare of visiting a school friend, whose frightening mother always speaks the same words: "Jack will show you to your room; I've given you the room in the tower." Our protagonist knows that he must, at all costs, avoid that room, but he always awakes before the evil inside can overcome him.

"The Step" is one of the finest ghost stories ever written, about a heartless English businessman in Egypt who begins to hear someone following him down the street, at night... and what happens when he confronts his pursuer.

For those who, like me, love the ghost stories of the Victorian and Edwardian era, this is a must.

E.F. Benson, perhaps best known for his amusing 'Mapp & Lucia' comedy-of-manners stories also wrote a respectable body of ghost stories which are gathered together in this excellent omnibus anthology. All make for quality reading as examples of the English supernatural genre but a few stand out as darkly-luminous masterpieces, unforgettable in their haunting hold upon the reader and written with real verve. 'The Room In The Tower' is an undeniably chilling narrative of vampirism featuring a truly terrifying female revenant - the words spoken recurrently by Mrs Stone to the protaganist: "Jack will show you to your room: i have given you the room in the tower" are enough to instil a frisson of pervasive dread every time one reads this story. 'The Sanctuary' is a delectably macabre tale of damned souls and secret diabolism at an English country house complete with a hidden Satanic chapel for nocturnal celebrations of Le Messe Noir. 'The Man Who Went Too Far' unfolds by awful degrees the seductive but injudicious immersion of an artist in the deeps of nature mysticism which can only culminate in the most hideous revelation of truth and the sign of the cloven hoof - it is marvellously written, exquisite prose and descriptive passages and has a most beguiling undercurrent. 'The Cat' likewise is utterly engrossing and 'Mrs Amworth' stands as a unusual classsic of the vampire tale. But these are just a few of the delights this packed volume offers to the curious reader, there are many other marvellous tales to cause one to look over one's shoulder as the clock strikes twelve and a sighing midnight wind scrapes the twigs of an overhanging bough against the window. Quintessentially English, wrought with a delicious lightness of touch and a hint of a stylish insouciance but nevertheless conveying a genuinely disturbing charge of the uncanny these tales will be read again and again. E.F.Benson's contribution to the field of supernatural terror is of a very high standard. This anthology is well-worth obtaining.

I have been soaking up horror anthologies like a sponge for well over two years now. I would have thought I would tire of them, but I just can't get enough of the atmosphere and the gloom these types of tales relate.

My current favorite is this dense book compiling the supernatural tales of E.F. Benson. At the moment I am only about of a third of the way through. Perhaps I should wait until I finish, but judging by the variety of stories here, I feel safe to say that I highly recommend this hefty volume.

Many may find some of these tales a little dated, for science may have disspelled a few of the subjects covered. But for the most part these are timeless tales, rich in description, drenched in dark moods and never failing to surprise with the seemingly endless ways Benson appears to construct a solid ghost story cleverly and elegantly.

I'm not given to superlatives, but I find it hard to express anything to say about this book where superlatives or comarisons to the greatest writers of this genre without seeming trite. There ARE a few contemporary authors of the Victorian-Edwardian Era, which the Benson Brothers bridged, who have a story or even several better than many in this collection, but just mentioning these names says more about how great E.F Benson is- I'm talking about J.S Le Fanu, M.R James, Villiers D'Isle Adam and in the modern era, the list is even more impressive: Flannery O'Conner, Thomas Liggoti, Clive Barker, Issac Bashevis Singer and Peter Straub(who has quietly taken over the crown as America's Horror Short Story king with two masterpieces "Houses Without Doors", "Magic Terror" and several novellas masquerading as novels). I urge you to read E.F Benson's Book of Ghost Tales, then demand that some publisher do a public serviced and re-publish Benson's two nearly(?)as talented brothers R.H and A.C Benson who, from the few tales I've read in anthologies and old magazines may well be as good or,dare I say it?...even better.

This was a great book and I loved the dialogue. I am not particularly fond of love stories but this is a cute love story. It is one of those books that makes you feel good and smile when you are done reading it. That Neola was a trip.

Cousins is raw, real and original! The dialect is flavorful. The characters are emotional. The passion is sensational! Fantastic writing.

This book is absolutely wonderful! It reads well and the dialogue is genuine. I couldn't put it down. I laughed, cried and laughed some more.

Cousins has a down home, hot and spicy, misty rain, warm slow dripping home made molasses, dip me in it with a fresh hand made buttermilk biscuit kind of flava.

All I can say is that I want to live in Sweet Water, North Carolina. If this place is not real, it should be. If the characters aren't real, they need to be.

Every page is gripping! Every love scene is inviting! Every plate of food is digestable! This author has an imagination that's out of this world! Her talent is unshakable!

Cousins is absolutely the best book I've read all year. The author keeps you captivated. The characters have such strong personalities you actually feel as if they are still with you when you put the book down. I didn't want to put it down until I finished. I would love to see this book in a movie! Excellent writing!

W. Eric Croomes writes from an eclectic sociological view of the relationships African-Americans face today. Researching deep into our past and bringing it all forward into today's world. Will make you think deeply. Not a book one can read lightly. I have found myself referring more than once back to this book in explaining relationships and the way we deal with them to young people I work with and to my own daughter. The poems are artfully written and thought provoking. The story of Kwasi Benefo will make you think time and time again. Why, how, am I making these mistakes in my relationships and how do they relate to me in the here and now. I have pages dog eared and underlined to refer back to. An important read and study into the psyche of the African-American relationship. I recommend this book highly!

I must admit that I've never been one to purchase and actually read a book of poetry but this one was truly different. This is not your average book of poems. Through this literature you experience various avenues of life as well as cultural events that take you back to the beginning of the Civil Rights movement and beyond. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Dance in the Dark..." and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys reading.

Powerful. Dance in the Dark is a romantic masterpiece. Each page illuminate heart felt words that move in a rhythm that captivate the spirit. The author of Dance in the Dark pours himself into this beautiful work. Only one that has truly taken a look inside of himself can write like this. It's not difficult at all to hear his voice throughout the book. Mr. Croomes has learned to "Dance in the Dark" and challenges us to dance as he leads us on a journey of spiritual truths of love that dares us to find purpose.

This book was wonderfully written. Readers will understand how the author relates not to just one but many aspects of our lives today. Highly recommend.

DANCE IN THE DARK offers reflections that explores the concept of love and culture in the African American community from past to present day. Along with poetry, Croomes incorporates history and mythology as he addresses the complexity of the issues at hand and how it has impacted us as a people. Croomes offers several interesting pieces throughout the book including "Letters to Eve," "The Edge of Love," and "Diary of an Ex-Queen".

When I first picked up W. Eric Croomes' DANCE IN THE DARK, I was looking forward to seeing a different but unique perspective from the poetic standpoint. While DANCE does offer a beautiful variety of poetry, the heavy commentary that is presented throughout takes away from the book's overall essence.

While Croomes offers poetry that is both passionate and intriguing, my main criticism is that the various essays take away from the book overall. There were times where I felt that I wasn't reading a poetry book due to the content at hand. While I found DANCE IN THE DARK to be interesting, from a poetic standpoint it didn't captivate me as other poets have. Despite this, I do commend Mr. Croomes on a worthy effort.

Reviewed by Kanika (Nika) Wade
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Not only is this an entertaining story with interesting characters; there's something about it that makes you want to go have your own adventure. The books the ladies read throughout the year are familiar to most people - but it's how they take their book club discussions to the next level and actually live a theme from each book that will really get to you. You'll enjoy the story but you'll enjoy even more all the inspiring ideas it gives you.

it was good. not exactly predictable, so that's always a plus. simply put, just a light enjoyable read. i'll be looking for the follow-ups to this novel.

"Daring Chloe" by the sublime Laura Jensen Walker

What book lover hasn't wished that they could float down the Mississippi with Jim and Huck? Or be sitting in the courtroom while Atticus Finch gave closing arguments?
All her life Chloe Adams has been "Chloe the Timid." The rest of this Adams clan isn't mysterious or spooky, but our little caterpillar is definitely just a bit kooky. On one branch of Chloe's family tree is Julia the perfect. Another little twig is Chloe's cousin Erica, a Nellie Olson carbon copy.
Chloe's wedding march towards happily ever after comes to a screeching halt when her betrothed breaks up by text message Chloe is shaken to her core. Her Aunt Tess's sons volunteer to make Chris disappear Soprano style.
Fellow Paperback Girls book club babes Tess and Becca whisk her away, on a Mend Your Broken Heart Cruise, what would have been her honeymoon.
When Chloe thinks back on how she met Becca flashes of lime green polka dots and a fake red nose come to mind. This fellow book nut works at the local book store, and that's how she made an entrance into Chloe's world. Becca is the friend who would scuba dive for the thrill of a shark encounter. At the thought of a little deep sea diving all Chloe hears is the Jaws theme.
When they return from the honeymoon that wasn't Becca and Chloe become roomies at the condo where the lovebirds were supposed to build their nest.
At the next Paperback Girls pow-wow the plan is hatched: They'll build adventures around the book club choices. Jane Austen's "Emma" inspires a night of harmless matchmaking,
As they go along the escapades become more outrageous and bold. There's a rafting trip in Huck's honor. On a camping trip thanks to "A Walk in the Woods' Chloe is ready to face down a bear for the safety of the others. This tame grizzly is a slobbering Newfoundland.
Julia the Perfect is falls off her pedestal when Chloe has to face the "scene of her nightmares" the bridal shop. The last great voyage of the book finds the Paperback/Getaway gals in Nutella rapture in Paris. While there Chloe falls in love--with the Eiffel Tower. And the butterfly starts to emerge from her cocoon in a little chapel in France.
There's part of a quote in the book (every chapter begins with a quote), from "French Women Don't Get Fat" "Laughs are like wild mushrooms, they don't come to you." Well, Laura Jensen Walker can serve up laughter and tears on a silver platter.
"Daring Chloe" is a slice of heaven for bookworms everywhere. Bookworms are actually a species of tapeworm. As we watch Chloe take flight into her chapter you realize Laura Jensen Walker is the kind of author you want as a tour guide, no matter where she takes you; you just want to be invited along for the ride. "Daring Chloe is a book lovers feast--Bon appetit--it's quite delicious, and it's also tres magnifique.

Laura Jensen Walker's books are always fun to read, and usually when I pick up one of her books, by the bottom of the first page, I wonder exactly when it is that she tapped into my brain. I didn't connect with the main character, Chloe, that directly in this novel, however it is for the most part a very enjoyable read. One of the things I appreciate about this work of chick lit is that it doesn't revolve around the heroine's job---or loss of her job. Though she's fearful, she's not angst-ridden like most chick-lit heroines. She's down-to-earth and relatable. The idea of a group of women of different ages and backgrounds not only forming a book club but planning 'adventures' based on the novels they're reading makes me want to go out and start a similar group. However, a couple of times, I found myself skimming through a lot of their discussions of the books (or the rabbit-trail conversations these discussions led to) because they didn't seem to further the plot much---and they came across as somewhat of an advertisement for certain books or movies. But each adventure the ladies went on were fun and reasonable. I love the fact that they had to save for a year to take their trip to Paris instead of being able to just pick up and go at a moment's notice, as would happen in many other chick-lit books.

Where I did get a little frustrated was in the last 25% of the book, which is basically a travelogue of Paris. Not being enthralled with Paris/all-things-French myself, the frequent use of French words/phrases/sentences and the blow-by-blow of everything the ladies do in Paris got a little tedious for me. But if you love Paris and have always wanted to visit, you'll probably thoroughly enjoy that part. All-in-all, though, an enjoyable read and a great start to a new series by one of my favorite authors.

Daring Chloe is a great summer read that will have you booking your flight to Paris by the last page. Chloe is an endearing character who is jilted by text message and leaps from her bookish comfort zone into life on the edge - with a little help from her friends. Laura Jensen Walker's snappy prose and beautiful description make us all yearn for adventure, and for good friends like Chloe's.
Debbie Fuller Thomas

I found the Spanish easy to understand, though his philosophy went over my head!

Aunque no estes de acuerdo con todas las ideas de Octavio Paz, las reflexiones y los analisis de esta mente birllante ayudan a entender nuestra magnifica raza. La escritura lleva al lector al pasado y al presente, para poder entender la condicion de Mexico y su gente. Todos los Mexicanos deberian de sentarse a devorar este libro que clarificara las costumbres de nuestra gente y nos ayuda a entender que tiene que cambiar en nuestra politica para tener un pais mas prospero.

Paz, el ganador del Premio Nobel de 1990, escribo tantos libros destacados-Sor Juana, El arco y la lira, pero este representa el cumbre de su poder artistico. El escribe sobre el hombre mexicano en todas sus formas y tribulaciones. El libro es, al mismo tiempo, un ensayo(o mejor, un libro de ensayos), un analisis, una historia, y, sobre todo, una pregunta-en que consiste este hombre cuyo origen forma parte de la conquista de America, un proceso ya en proceso.

Empieza la obra discutiendo "el pachuco"-una figura del medio siglo XX que representaba la ambiguedad y la frenesi del hispano en los estados unidos durante ese periodo. Despues de esta discusion, continua explicando la cultura hispana desde la epoca precolumbina hasta la revolucion mexicana. Termina la historia con este evento, y la unica cosa que le hace falta a la obra es un analisis de la historia contemporanea.

Este seria el primer libro que le recomienda sobre Mexico al nuevo estudiante.

Octavio Paz, el escritor que haya definido nuestra vida como "olvidado asombro de estar vivos", nos habla de sus ensayos escritos más que hace cincuenta años. Su "La Dialéctica de la Soledad", uno de sus ensayos más destacados, presente sus puntos de vista sobre la soledad no solamente mexicana, sino también la de hombre presente mismo. Paz trata varios temas ensayísticos con la cristalina claridad y persigue un proyecto casi filosófico: muestra la alma mexicana con sus raíces aztecas, su plaza en la vida antigua y contemporánea y, finalmente, su visión de "soñar con los ojos cerrados". Justamente por este ensayo mismo atrevo a recomendar todo el libro tratando de la soledad, cuya presencia en nuestra vida diaria es tan obvia. Además, un interesado en la obra de Octavio Paz debería leer su discurso que había pronunciado en el año 1990 con el motivo de agradecer el galardonar de Premio Nobel. Leyendo Paz, uno descubre que Paz ya contestó muchas de nuestras cuestiónes inquietantes ...

Octavio Paz wrote the definitive sociological book that deciphered the Mexican character. He correctly diagnosed that, in fact, the Mexican was stuck in a labyrinth and condemned to find a way out, and in many respects is still trying to find that way out. He understood that he would receive harsh criticism and he did. However, he stayed true to his calling as a man of letters and delivered a book that must indeed be read by anyone wanting to understand the make-up of the Mexican or the serious scholar searching for understanding in the field of Mexican history. I strongly and without reservation recommend this book, it will change your outlook on this important country and most importantly on the inhabitants and descendants of it forever.

I was in the bookstore yesterday and saw this book reprinted with new cover---a sign that it's been doing great in the market! that says a lot about it's content. I got this book over two years ago; from time to time I took it out from the shelf and it always entertains and brings great romantic feelings! I really hope the editor could do more of this kind of book! I have compared this book with other books of love poems---the unique collection of poems from all around the world, modern and ancient, make this book so much more special. The poems seem to use very effective language and words and put together the most sensual pictures with very little words. Very entertaining and enjoyable! BUY THIS BOOK AND CITE ONE A DAY TO YOUR LOVER LIKE I DO! DO IIIIIITTTTTTT!!!!!!!

186 pages filled with amazing poetry. This book connected.... to both thought, and pleasure.

Erotic love is one of the highest forms of contemplation. ~Kenneth Rexroth

The Erotic Spirit is a collection of beautiful poems mingling together in a land of sensual nirvana. The minute you enter the pages of this stunning anthology, you will find you have entered a sacred sanctuary of desire. You may find yourself startled by the mirroring of emotions. When Sappho (6th century BCE) wrote: "Eros seizes and shakes my very soul like the wind on the mountain shaking ancient oaks," did she imagine women in the future knowing exactly what she was talking about?

Sam Hamill has included moments of beauty to blur the distinction between spirituality and sensuality. The two become one in a swirling of seductive soul expressions.

When I think of you,
fireflies in the marsh rise
like the soul's jewels,
lost to eternal longing,
abandoning my body

~Izumi Shikibu (970-1030)

Rarely have I read a "Preface" so profound in content and so enlightening in regards to poetry. The "Notes on the Poets" section is also essential to your enjoyment and I was so pleased Sam Hamill included information on each poet. Suddenly a poem becomes all the more significant when you read about Sappho jumping from a cliff because her love was not returned.

Sam Hamill is a poet and the author of over thirty books of poetry, translations and essays. He shows a deep understanding of erotic love and has included poems of longing, passion, compassion, sexual love, adoration, devotion and ecstasy.

There are poems from Egypt, Greece, China, Japan, Turkey, India, America, England, Thailand, Mexico, Spain, France, Lebanon, Pakistan, Estonia and Costa Rica.

Featured Poets: Sappho, Anakreon, Asklepiados, Praxilla, Rufinus, Marcus Argentarius, Catullus, Philodemos, Ovid, Petronius Arbiter, Tzu Yeh, Agathias Scholoasticus, Cometas Chartularius, Paulus Silentiarius, Li Po, Otomo No Yakamochi, Yuan Chen, Li Ho, Ariwara No Narihira, Li Hsun, Ono No Komachi, Izumi Shikibu, Liu Yung, Samuel Ha-Nagid, Ou-Yang Hsiu, Mahadeviyakka, Jelaluddin Rumi, Francesco Petrarch, Ikkyu Sojun, Kabir, Vidyapati, Mirabai, William Shakespeare, Bihari, Robert Herrick, Anne Bradstreet, Se Praj, Andrew Marvell, John Dryden, Jonathan Swift, William Blake, John Keats, Walt Whitman, Charles Baudelaire, Emily Dickinson, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Antonnio Machado, Yosano Akiko, Anna Akhmatova, Pablo Neruda, Kenneth Rexroth, Hayden Carruth, Denise Levertov, Carolyn Kizer, Robert Creeley, Adrienne Rich, Roberto Sosa, Robert Kelly, Lucille Clifton, Jaan Kaplinski, Sam Hamill, Gioconda Belli, Olga Broumas, Maurya Simon and Dorianne Laux.

Within these pages there are poems by an Indian Princess who became a saint, poems by one of the most influential poets in history and even poems from a woman who is considered to be the first poet in America.

Poems to Adore:

Plum Blossoms - A poem describing longing while lovers are apart. The clouds become love notes as a poet drifts in an orchid boat.

Yuan Chen's Remembering - Passion, daydreams and mountains keeping lovers apart.

Fires Run Through My Body - An anonymous Kwakiutl poem describing love as pain. There is a similar theme in Yuan Chen's Remembering where pain is embraced.

The Erotic Spirit will make you breathless! Some of these poems stir up such deep emotions it is as if the poems burst from the pen in order to experience a union with the page on which they were being written.

100 Stars!

~The Rebecca Review

Poems from Walt Whitman, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, Shakespeare, William Blake and Pablo Neruda are just some of the poets listed in this anthology. Out of my 25+ poetry books, it is the one I reach for first if I am looking for something romantic or erotic. Included is a little notation about each poet listed. It's a wonderful little paperback that has gotten re-read often at my house.

I purchased this book as a bon voyage gift for my new love who had to leave the country for a few months during the throes of our blossoming romance, and it has done a tremendous job of helping keep the home fires blazin'! He says it's the best poetry book he's ever read. The poems perfectly capture all aspects of the longing, lust and yearning of lovers throughout the ages. If you're looking for the perfect romantic Valentine's gift for your partner, this is definitely it. A must-read for die-hard romantics everywhere.