Authors Books

The history is very imformative and gives insight to Scottish struggles for independence. The love story helps to break up the history - and it is continued in another book, The Banks of Boyne. High schoolers and up will love it.

This is the first book of it's size I've managed to read through in over 20 years. Having recently visited some of the places in the book, such as Iona, I was captivated by the book.
It's well written, easy reading, accurate in most of it's facts, absolutely inspiring.
My only negative comment is about a pro-catholic bias of some characters such as Columcile, who was portayed as catholic while he was not, and the glowing account of Queen Margaret who in fact did enormous harm to the Celtic church.
Still worth reading!

I found out more about Scotland's history in this book than I ever have in history classes. It was captivating and I was deeply engrossed in the history as I read. The only reason I don't give this a 5 star rating is because I could have done without the modern day portions of the book.

Being of Scottish descent, I was thrilled to find a novel which provided the meat of historical fact in such a palatable format. Anyone who saw Braveheart and wants to know more about the endless struggle for Scottish independence from England will be rewarded with total understanding by reading this book. Don't be put off by its length... it is very easy reading. Crow makes the characters come alive, and you find yourself engrossed and involved in their lives as history unfolds before you. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in exploring their ancestry and the heritage of faithful Scots.

I want to go to Scotland! The Fields of Bannockburn was totally engrossing. I was caught up in the book, by its history and its geography. I just had to know where all these places were! I'd read for a while, and then a placename would send me to the Scotland sections of Nicholson's Guide to Great Britain. The storyteller, Hamish, as the vehicle for the history of Scotland, was very believable as were the other characters. I had no trouble relating to Mary's quandry between her fiance back home in the States and Gareth in Scotland; it could have been me. Were I still teaching Language Arts in junior high school, I would and could recommend this book to that grade level. It would be a great adjunct to history, reading, and creative writing. What discussions one could have! What dreams of travel it could inspire: it would make one want to see the historic sites. My travel plans definitely will be guided by this book. Give it a try-you might want to go to Scotland, too.

Harold Brodky was one of the great writers of the last half of the twentieth century. This book is the proof.

Overall the book is ok. But, there are five or six stories that are so unbelievably good they more than make up for the mediocre ones and make this one of my favorite books of all time. Really, a phenomenal read.

He writes like nobody else. His stories contain moments that are so beautifully personal and intimate that they left me amazed and full of admiration. He captures youthful shame, compassion and indifference in a more direct an honest way than any writer I have read. His work is uneven, and there are parts that are an effort to get through, but when he gets it right he reminds me why I love literature, and how thrilling it is to be shown a person's truthful, inner life.

This book is just wonderful. The stories are told with finesse and rare magical writing and are told in layers and layers of emotional complexity. This is a fine example of the writing of a brilliant man who was lost to AIDS in the mid-80's. A highly recommended read.

This book of short stories provides a rare glimpse and unique cultural viewpoint of growing up in a mid-western working class environment in the late 1940s and early 1950s. ESsentially, the family lived an affluent lifestyle until his father made a few bad business decisions, lost their home, and later died from a lingering illness. The observations and insights Brodkey provides are priceless. He contrasts his position to that of a wealthy friend, whom he met at an Ivy League school and whose viewpoint and values reflect a totally different approach to life. He describes his mother's aspirations for his sister, whose *only* chances for a "better life", i.e., achieving social and economic advantages, was by dating the right class of boyfriend, as she was expected to marry into a higher social class. The "Quarrel" is a story about his visit to France with a very wealthy friend and their adventures and "fall out", when their social, cultural and viewpoints about life clash, resulting in a quarrel with wounded feelings that can never be repaired.

One of my favorite stories is "Sentimental Education" where a male student sees a pretty young lady at the college he attends and longs to meet and date her. He occasionally sees her at different locations but is too shy to speak to her. He daydreams about meeting her as he falls head over heels in love. He discovers she signed up for a Medieval poetry class, so he changes his choice and signs up for the same class. Eventually they meet and discuss literature. The heart of this story is the strong physical and emotional needs that accompnay this "first love' experience. Brodkey is a tremendously gifted author who provides keen and sensitive insights into life as it was lived in the 1950s. He provides an interesting contrast of the viewpoints of working people and those who possess privilege, money, and therefore more power. This is a book rich with detailed observations about social distinctions and the human behavior that accompanies different positions in society. It provides a greater understanding of r life as it was lived within a particular cultural era. This book receives my highest recommendations. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Altough that novel describing the South, as it was portrayed so superbly by Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh. Author James Elders novel is a memoir that bring the reader to a time, when life was lived gently in the South of his youth. In an elegant but often funny prose, he recalls his life,that surely could not have been easy, being raised (in the absence of his parents) by a gentle but firm and old fashionned grandmother. But in his unique no non-sense style... you only feel his loneliness if you know how to read betwen the lines. The author's picture in the front page of his novel, tells us a lot by his look of sweet innocence, as he stood on the road in front of his beloved Flatwoods; And although it has been said that "You can't go home again" I for one would not mind returning there in the authors next book.

Pierrette L.Camps-Komarek

James Elders use of imagery clearly allows the reader to feel and live among the characters in his sweet novel. The reader feels akin to young Jimmy and definitely gets caught up in the day to day living of his beautiful south. A wonderful book for young teenage readers, it definitely will show them a life was before tv, videos and dvd's! A must read. Kudos!

This is a wonderful book that takes it's reader back to a slower time in the south. As James Elders shares his boyhood memories of life on his beloved "Pines", he also reveals how and why things changed in the south. This is a perfect book for every school library because young readers will learn about hunting, snakes, fishing, making cane syrup, and so much more. This is truly a great book.

Some books are meant to be devoured others to be savored. This one is the type to savor like a cool breeze on a lazy Southern evening. Jimmy's memories are like a cool mint julep something to be sipped slowly and enjoyed at a leisurely pace. It maybe stories about his dog, or the adventures he had astride his mighty steeds. This is a simpler time, when life was slower and lessons came from life and family instead of television. It is a book to reread again and again on those days when you just want to take a walk through the Flatwoods of coastal Georgia, and savor life one sip at a time.

Having spent a little time among the swamps and pine forests of Georgia, I found FLATWOODS AND LIGHTERKNOTS by James Elders a fascinating account of a boy growing up in that country. Nurtured by a loving family, young Jimmy couldn't imagine that life anywhere other than his home in a remote area west of Savannah could be as good or as interesting for a boy. It's a land of big and dangerous snakes, nasty spiders, chiggers, ticks and other forms of life that many people would find forbidding. Not so young Jimmy. His grandfather, Mr. Jim, taught him to carry a snake stick and his father, a former cavalry officer called Mr. Fet, taught him about horses and a number of other lessons of value to any youngster. His Aunt Augusta taught him many things, some of which he felt cramped the style of a growing boy, and a few uncles and unusual characters from the neighborhood imparted valuable information about life that was important in the flatwood country of Georgia or just about anywhere else. Jim Elders expresses a number of heartfelt convictions that make interesting reading. He comments, too, on the evolving face of the countryside as the freeways were built and the bulldozers changed the landscape from a habitat for wildlife to an area of housing developments and shopping centers. That's a story that has been repeated in much of the country, a sad story told very well by Jim Elders. Any serious reader should find this an interesting as well as an informative book.

And wonderfully well written!

This novel has a lovely romance in it but the book is really focused on a young woman's commitment to her family, Renee Parker's family means everything to her. Keeping them together and raising them happy and healthy. Fighting against prejudice and a government worker who is determined to split the family apart because it meets her criteria of what the younger Parker children 'need'. How Renee comes to find her own happiness and achieve her vision for her family make this a soul satisfying novel.

Total bonus seeing Jean and Shayna my two favorite people from the Author's novel Mirrors.

Don't miss the other novels from this author:

Love in the Balance
Mirrors
Legacy of Love
Never Ending
Dance in the Key of Love
Dawn of the Dance
Under the Witness Tree

FOR NOW, FOR ALWAYS is not only a beautiful story, but beautifully told. With delightful dialogue and a perfect balance of angst and humor, Ms Martin expertly places her reader in the midst of her imaginary family's life. Renee and her brothers and sisters are so real that I began caring about them from the first page. Renee's fear and dedication was so well depicted that I lost sight that this family was imaginary and I found myself searching for answers for them and wanting, above all, for them to stay together.

Ms Martin's characters and settings are vividly drawn. I can still see Rachael's pouty little face and I could almost feel the moisture in the air at the Falls. One measure of a good book for me is for the characters to stay with me long after I've finished reading the book, and these have. The realism and dimension of the characters drive this story and make the issues they deal with feel personal. The issues are important ones that too many families unfortunately do endure, but there is no preaching and no trashing of the systems that we all know aren't perfect.

In short, this is a very enjoyable and moving story, told with a masterful hand. And it is a story that should not be limited to the lesbian community. Don't miss this one.

For Now, For Always pulled me in and engaged me to the end. It's a story about a young lesbian, Renee, who gets custody of her four young siblings after their mother goes to prison, and then has her custody threatened by a homophobic social worker. All the characters are well-drawn; the heroine, her mother, her four siblings, and her new lover. Even the infuriating social worker becomes human in the author's skillful portrayal. The plot flows naturally and the message about the destructiveness of an intolerant legal system is not forced or heavy-handed, which makes it all the more effective. The ending is dramatic but feels inevitable; it left me totally satisfied.

I loved Marianne K.Martin's latest book. Her strong lesbian women are a pleasure to meet. All the characters are developed nicely. The story they tell is current, heart warmarming and very believable.

What would you give up to save your family? Would you give up college and a career? Would you give up a chance at a decent job and live on public assistance? Would you give up love?

Renee Parker never stopped to think about her choices. She was seventeen, her stepfather had committed suicide because he couldn't take care of the family and her mother was sent to prison for embezzlement. Someone had to take care of her four younger sisters and brothers and she was obviously that person. She's been handling the responsibilities and it hasn't been easy. Renee is trying to provide stability in the children's lives, go to school and work a job. Then there's the social worker assigned to their case, Millie Gordon. Gordon's years of experience tell her that Renee can't do the job and her personal prejudice against Renee's lesbianism confirms that the young woman shouldn't be given the chance to influence the children's lives. Fortunately, through numerous hearings, the skill of Renee's lawyer has kept the family intact, but each case gets harder. The youngest, Rory, has developed epilepsy and his attacks are becoming more frequent. One of these attacks brings nurse Olivia Dumont into their lives. Olivia's love for children draws her into the family where she discovers a different kind of love for Renee. Finally, Renee has found someone who can and wants to help her with the many responsibilities she has, but not if Millie Gordon has her way. When everything else fails, Gordon will use the women's relationship as an attack on the family and Renee has to make some serious decisions. She has always promised the children she would be with them "for now, for always," but she may have to break the law to do it and leave Olivia behind as a consequence.

Marianne Martin is one of the true wordsmiths of lesbian literature. She uses rich vocabulary to paint the images in her stories, both characters and settings. For Now, For Always is another of her books that gives the reader much to think about. This is the type of story that makes you want to take up a sword and sign petitions. Another well told, engrossing, intricate story told by an author who isn't afraid to step outside of the constraints of traditional formulas. This is definitely a book to be placed in your "to be read" pile.

Remember the first time you fell in love with a book? How you couldn't put it down? Remember sneaking it under the covers at night and reading by flashlight until morning? That aching for more when you finally finished it, and those wonderful butterflies?

We give five stars to Saint Marie's masterfully written sequel to "The Secret Keeping." Be you straight, bi or gay, this is a fascinating love story. Told with a golden tongue.

I bought this book because I found the first in the series, "The secret keeping", an absolute masterpiece. I started this one kind of carefully, not wanting to have high expectations, as they're a sure path to disappointment. Well, I could have rested easy with this book!!

Mamma mia, can this writer write! The same as with the first book in the series, I found "Keeping Mr. Right" extremely original, I can't think of anything remotely similar to this --especially in lesbian fiction, with this mix of intelligence, literary fluency, and complete regard and trust for the readership's mind. What an awsome treat!

Hats off to you, Francine Saint Marie. Gotta say I hate you a bit for the ending, though :-) You better hurry up with the third book in the trilogy!

WARNING: If you are accustomed to reading lesbian romance novels, reading this book may cause extreme bouts of euphoria.

If you have read THE SECRET KEEPING, (which you'll want to do before you read its sequel), then it won't surprise you to discover that FORTUNE IS A WOMAN is not your ordinary romance novel. In fact, there is nothing even remotely ordinary about this book, and thank goodness for that! Francine Saint Marie's second novel is a rich, absorbing, and powerfully evocative tale of love, sex and (more than two) modern women. This book will sweep you off your feet, take you on a wild and unexpected ride, and leave you dangling precariously off a giant precipice. Fortunately, though, you won't have to wait several months like I did to be rescued, as the third book in the trilogy, THE STOLEN KISS, has finally been released.

FORTUNE IS A WOMAN is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read, and this is no doubt due to the fact that its style is every bit as engaging as its substance. The language is exceptionally fluent overall, the prose vivid, tight and polished, and the dialogue so eloquent and sharp-witted it begs to be read over and over again. The author possesses, in addition to her golden tongue, unfettered imagination, and keen intellect, a special gift for developing larger-than-life characters, and allowing the reader access to their very depths. It is easy to get lost inside these women.

Francine Saint Marie's books are the crème de la crème of this genre, and FORTUNE IS A WOMAN is a bold and ingenious work of art, a masterpiece of lesbian fiction that will stir your sensibilities and warm your blood. It is a book to be devoured, and savored, at once. So what are you waiting for? Treat yourself!

While my review may be a short one, thank goodness "Keeping Mr. Right" wasn't ....!

Risky and risqué. Bawdy and eloquent. This is a courageous and beautifully written novel. And, very, very sexy!

I can hardly wait to read more of Ms. Saint Marie's offerings!

Dear Joan
Another Dear Joan

No, Francine! You can't leave us waiting several months for the third one! The ending knocked me down and left me hanging - upside down!
Keeping Mr Right is somehow different from The Secret Keeping and it took me while this time to get into it, once I did, it was like drowning. I don't understand how this writer achieves it but her writing, and her thinking, is just so captivating and enthralling. Time after time I found myself gasping at her use of language. It's funny, it's fast, it's clever, it's sad, it's beautiful, it's . . . And I'm in love with Lydia Beaumont! I can't really explain it but I've never read anything like it before. How long do I have to wait?

Jean Genet wrote masterpieces...this autobiography is a masterpiece too !!!

Jean Genet wrote masterpieces,this autobiography is a masterpiece in itself !

Edmund White is perhaps best known as a novelist but this biography of Jean Genet may well be his magnum opus. (And I find it astonishing that it seems to be out of print as of May 2007, since there is no other decent English biography of Genet available.) It's a monster of a book, but it's one of the more readable literary biographies that I've come across--not least because "literary" in Genet's case also means social and political and scandalous. Readers who have never read a word of Genet may question the need for perusing this book, but it was my introduction to the work and, as I work my way through Genet's prose, I appreciate difficult or seemingly unfathomable passages all the more because of White's memorable explication (although I can't share White's enthusiasm for the plays).

Genet's "rebellious" worldview--which often comes across as much a stage-managed affectation as a genuine philosophy--may be unattractive to those of a more traditional ethic (and I include myself among that group), but it's never boring. Much of Genet's writing depicts, glorifies, and justifies his careers as a thief, as an outsider, as an anarchist; he was also a notorious freeloader who forsook the attractions of materialism yet siphoned the wealth of others--and who sapped the remarkably patient generosity of his publishers).

Genet idealizes his years at Mettray (a colony for adolescent delinquents), his life as a thief (which ended in 1944, after he had completed two books and earned the approbation and support of Cocteau), and "the erotic charm of prison" (his many convictions for petty theft earned him sentences totaled nearly four years). And it's a good thing his writing is so remarkable: as White never tires of pointing out, Genet was a famously bad thief who spent so much time in prison because he was most adept at getting caught.

White covers far more than Genet's own life and work and lovers, however; this biography is also a decent introduction to the Parisian literary set that included such luminaries as Cocteau, Beauvoir, Duras, Giacometti, and Sartre. Since I was more interested in the literature, I had feared that the appeal of the biography would flag once I reached Genet's later years, after he had stopped writing and spent his time supporting various political causes (Algerian independence, pro-Palestinian movement, Black Panthers). But these chapters, too, were riveting and essential for an understanding both of his life's ethic and of his posthumously published "Prisoner of Love."

Overall, White makes a convincing case for Genet's importance, arguing "Genet and Celine are the most discussed twentieth-century French writers after Proust." I'm not sure I would go that far (Camus? Sartre? Beauvoir? Ionesco? Beckett? Gide?), although I suppose it depends on who's doing the "discussing." Nevertheless, White has certainly presented a solid case that Genet belongs in the top tier.

This is the most detailed study of Genet ever written - and it deffinately sheds some light on his character both in writing and in life. I refer to it constantly when I am reading his books. I wish there were biographies like this of some of my other favorite authors - without a doubt I am excited to read White's book about Proust.

Following the rags to riches life of Jean Genet is an interesting reliving of French literature and history. Edmund White is certainly capable of empathy and psychological understanding for Genet, unlike in his biographies if William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg. Though White makes the mistake of trying to incorporate some Michel Foucault, the homoseuxal philosopher, into his own penal insights into Jean Genet, the works and the man. Other than that fact, this handsome book is one long guitar solo at the altar of Genet.

Most of Genet's life is well-known, and partly used as the subjects for his novels. Genet was an orphan, had foster parents, and went to reform school. He had a bunch of early gay relationships, and he stole a lot of books. In prison Genet wrote Our Lady of The Flowers, and later shows it to Jean Cocteau, who is pissed off because he didn't write a similiar work first.

Genet wrote five novels and a few plays around and during World War II. They books are originally published anonymously. The books become an overnight sensation. As Genet becomes old and bald, and when the flamboyant Cocteau becomes bored with him, heterosexual Sartre and multisexual Simone de Beauvoir, both sort of yuppies of their time, become enamoured with the idea of hanging out and slumming it with Genet, a real thief.

Sartre saw him as a good example of his existential philosophy, and wrote Saint Genet. This book of his life came out when Genet was in his mid-forties. Genet doesn't write very much during the last years of his life. He does become involved with the Black Panthers and Palestinians.

Genet lived in Tangiers with his young Kiki. He wrote a final book that was banned before his death in 1986.

Genet's life was one long homosexual rollercoster ride. Genet's long life is an achievement which White gives a literary form in this tribute and gentle biography. As far as literary biographies go, this one is up there with the biographies of Oscar Wilde, Sade, and Frank O'Hara.

Read this book a while back. Liked some stories better than others, but all were written well, all the characters unique.

Robert Levin has the natural talent to manipulate words and bend them to his will. His flair for the dramatic make each of his stories come to life right in front of you. One story in particular, The Profundity of Madness is a nonstop, verbal declaration of emotions. His characters are so true to life and his wonderful flow will keep you reading and wanting more. I would highly recommend this book along with his others, The Lizard and the Fly, as well as his new novel that is coming out April 2003, About Face. He's already received an affluent critique by the NY Times and they say the book is "Absolutely Brilliant!" This is the author to keep an eye on, he's definitely going places.

I really enjoyed this book. You can't get the stories out of your head and definitely don't want them to end. After finishing this book I bought The Lizard & the Fly which I would highly recommend also.

Read this collection on a weekend away. I found it very thought provoking. The characters are well-drawn with unique voices. Give it a try when you have time to kick back, laugh a little and perhaps shed a tear, as well. You'll come away wanting to read more.

Read this collection on a weekend away. I found it very thought provoking. The characters are well-drawn with unique voices. Give it a try when you have time to kick back, laugh a little and perhaps shed a tear, as well. You'll come away wanting to read more.

I have been aware of this book with its' familiar title since childhood but I only recently read it. I feared it would be a dull dry-as-dirt retelling of war stories of forgotten dead men. I was pleasantly surprised. The book is not at all dull but
presents Graves war experience in an exciting fast pased way. I had to skim the first part about his childhood. Every biography has a dull childhood section dealing with the subject's juvenile trails and tribulations and conflicts with family members. I find these universally uninteresting.

Graves was 17 when the war started and volunteered for officer candidate school within days. He became a lieutenant in the Royal Welch Guards and eventually was promoted to captain in charge of his own company of infantry by age 21. Unlike
our present system where college is mandatory prerequisite for a young man seeking to become an officer, social standing determined that Graves would become an officer rather than an enlisted man.

Graves participates in several trench warfare battles. Trench warfare as Graves describes is a monotonous and dirty business. Rats are everywhere. Groundwater seeps relentlessly into living and fighting spaces. The men live in warrens of chambers cut into ground branching away from the main trenches. To break up
the monotony and to show that he's not a coward, Graves often volunteers for scout duty. He sneaks into no mans land at night to assess the enemy. On occasion the senior officers order suicidal attacks in which every man of the company must go over the top and charge fortified machine gun positions. Graves
tells of one attack in which his company was ordered to take part. Three companies go before his and each is destroyed with 100% casualties wounded or killed. Graves and his men are crouching poised at the top step of their trench waiting for their turn to attack when the attack is suddenly called off. In a later attack Graves is wounded by shrapnel and left for dead for over 24 hours before receiving medical attention. He recovers fully from these wounds but is assigned to training duty after his recovery.

Later parts of the book deal with Graves' first marriage, his education at Oxford, a failed attempt at shopkeeping and a post war teaching position in Cairo. I found these of less interest than the war scenes. Graves lived to age 90 and went on the write the immensely entertaining I, Claudius and over a hundred other books.

Robert Graves simply and elegantly recounts his experiences as a young, (initally) idealistic officer in the British Army. A friend of Sigfried Sasson and Wilfred Owens, Graves, in my opinion, is the better writer of the lot. His writing is so lucid, we feel the impulsiveness as he enlists (and receives a comission, as was his due to his place in Edwardian society), and we also gradually come to understand the pointlessness of the carnage and the horrors of the war.

The book is at its most moving, however, as Graves re-tells of his leave back to England - the comparisons to Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front are erie - I was particularly moved by part where Graves remembers the family of a deceased friend he was visiting, the mother pacing the house at all hours of the night ... it really made the human costs of the war feel suddenly very personal.

As other reviewers have mentioned, it is an excellent memoir of the war, and in my opinion, the best first - hand account of the war in the west.

A sad commentary on our society that only the audio versions of this book are available. With the increase of interest in the First World War recently it is to this book that many people should turn for a gripping, factual account of life before, during and after the Great War. Mr Graves documents the pastoral quiet of England in the early part of the twentieth century and abruptly descends to recounting, in cold detail, the dreadful slaughter of the trenches. Through some of the most famous battles in history he survives, physically more or less intact but from the dry words; modest, English, reserved, we glimpse the true weight of the burden that such memories impose on their carriers and understand better the terrible toll that the War levied on all the nations of Europe.

Along with Sigfried Sassoon's "Memoirs of an Infantry Soldier" and Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front", Graves' personal account of poetic inspiration in a background of horror is World War I's best first-hand chronicle ever compiled. The realism and power behind this book are electrical. Graves' coolness in the trenches while composing sonnets and seeking a blissful state of mind is almost disturbing when contrasting it with the demonic state of destruction and death. His unnerving pace and tranquil descriptions seem to underline an innocence lost in years past.

I came upon 'Goodbye to All That' relatively late in life. I had enjoyed his fictional biography of Claudius, but here was Graves, speaking to me of his own youth, across a gap of more than seventy years, with a candour one hardly dares hope for in contemporary autobiography. Yes, he had loved, both men and women, and he dared admit it. He writes, not just with courage but humility, of his harrowing years on the Western front, which saw the wholesale slaughter of most of his generation. Along with fellow poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, he gave the lie to the 'honourable death' for King and Country. Despite their valour, the friends he lost had been slaughtered like cattle led to an abbatoir, and he spares us nothing of their suffering. A truly courageous book in every sense. I can't speak for the audio rendering, but its disappearance from the bookshelf would be a tragic 'Goodbye to All That' indeed.

La prosa de Benedetti cautiva al lector. Leer esta novela me produjo un sinfin de sensaciones; desde sus arremetidas contra los puertorriqueños y las puertorriqueñas ( que lei con pena ) hasta la forma en que sus personajes adquieren una profundidad psicologica poco vista en la literatura ( cosa que desperto en mi una gran admiracion hacia el autor ), toda la novela posee una carga emocional, intelectual y, existencial que le da grandeza. Para mi humilde entender, esta novela es superior a "La Tregua".

Esta fue la primera novela que lei de Benedetti, y desde entonces he leido todos sus libros.

Mario Benedetti goes for a chronicle of very difficult times for Latin America. Times when democracy was not that present in our daily lives, independently if we were argentinians uruguayans, chileans or brazilians. It was a time when some larger countries from the northern hemisphere were deliberately financing the cruel dictatorships in the south cone as part of an overall cold war strategy. Despite those facts, Benedetti raises above the day to day issues without forgetting the overall context to build up a story about authority, about class, about hierarchy full of human feelings and never falling in any melodramatic tone. A beuaiful book, a must read for anyone interested in Latin American history and literature

Benedetti sin duda tiene esa capacidad increible de crear personajes con tanta vida propia, con tanto pensamiento, mente, sentimientos, sensaciones propios, que es practicamente imposible no sentirse absorbido por su lectura. Son personajes tan profundos, que sufren y sienten de una manera tan profunda y tan verosimil, tan humana, que uno se siente totalmente incluido en la historia y puede aprender muchisimo acerca de la integridad mental y espiritual del ser humano.
La historia de Gracias por el Fuego retrata un Uruguay de manejos politicos, de caudillismo, un Uruguay que aun luego de mas de un siglo de vida independiente, no ha logrado adquirir una mentalidad de progreso y de 'no quejarse'. Siendo ese Uruguay el telon de fondo de la historia, se desarrolla un conflicto de personalidades fuertes, de vidas intrincadas, de extremos que se tocan, y aparece la prosa de Benedetti, llena de conceptos y de combinaciones de sensaciones y sentimientos que solo el sabe escribir tan brillantemente. Pocos autores en sus novelas muestran capacidad para abstraer la emotividad compleja del ser humano y poner el lenguaje a su servicio. Gracias por el fuego es un libro para lectores con juicio critico, con sensibilidad, y con capacidad de introspeccion.

Es una novela exlente, de esas que le encantan a Benedetti y le salen tan bien. Tiene elementos de critica social pero tambien de amor, de ruitna y de desesperanza. Creo que ese es el gran logro de Benedetti lograr manejar la vida rutinara de los hombres y lograr contar una historia a partir de ahi. Muy recomendable.

After reading thousands of book proposals and pitches from authors and would-be authors, the majority have no idea how to write a realistic marketing plan. The bulk of these proposals are written with the assumption the publisher will do the majority of the marketing. Instead Shel Horowitz, creator of FrugalMarketing.com, shows writers how to use easily-reached resources to sell books.

Valuable tips and insights are scattered throughout his book including areas such as endorsements, book reviews and awards. Tapping into your personal networking possibilities and even hooking the traditional media and how to give a great interview. Also in GRASSROOTS MARKETING Horowitz will teach you the straight story about how bookstores work then libraries and the online bookstores like Amazon. Finally in his advanced marketing section, he covers speaking to sell books, trade shows and book fairs, affiliate and joint-venture marketing, advertising and direct mail plus how to extend your brand and increase your profits. This book is another valuable resource for any book author or publisher.

As you explore the tips and resources in GRASSROOTS MARKETING, you will increase your value to a publisher and most importantly--sell more books. For every author or would-be author at the earliest stage of their creative process, I recommend you study and apply the insight in this book.

Shel is well-known in small press publishing for his efforts to aid small publishers, authors and others in selling more books without using techniques that make you uncomfortable. This book collects much of the wisdom gained over those years.

I'm especially happy to see that he starts with the most important part: the contents of the book. If you don't think about your readers and what they most want from your book as you craft it (writing or editing, as the case may be), then selling the book will be much harder later. From there he discusses building networks, taking advantage of the strengths of the Internet, using more traditional media, giving good interviews and other important publicity topics.

Unlike many other books, Shel doesn't stop with publicity. This book talks about a cohesive marketing plan every step of the way. Other important sections include the hows and whys of selling through the book trade, and ways to sell books outside bookstores, whether it would be through speaking engagements, through the mail, or through various conventions, fairs and trade shows.

This book is full of solid information, and almost every theoretical discussion includes practical examples used successfully by real authors and publishers.

"Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers" by Shel Horowitz offers much more than book marketing tips and techniques.

The first and most basic question you should ask yourself begins in Chapter Two: What's Your Publishing Strategy? Shel's "been there done that" with each strategy and presents a straightforward discussion of four publishing options available to writers today. This chapter alone can save you years of confusion, heartache, and disappointment, and most importantly hard earned cash.

I share my enthusiasm for Shel's book as a result of one my own thousand dollar mistakes in publishing my own book, "U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within." Obviously, in the massive world of publishing, there's no one book, resource, or person that can provide all the answers. Just as there's no fail proof path to avoid every pitfall an author or publisher may face. And for some, we learn best from our mistakes. But I can attest, had this book been on the market when I began, I may have avoided at least one of my most costly learning experiences.

The book also provides a clear picture that it's the writer's job to know how to position their book idea in the market place to be able promote and sell it, even before the writing begins. Shel shows you how with useful examples. Understanding this process will help pave the way to meeting your publishing goal.

The third benefit of Shel's book is the wealth of resources and links that guide and direct you to some of the most trusted, respected, and credible sources in the publishing industry.

And best of all, after reading this book you can make an informed choice to begin your journey and be in control of your destiny along the way. Since each writer's passion, knowledge, skill set, and end product is unique, I found no better resource to help you begin.

There's no question, "Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers" moves to the top of my personal library of writing and publishing resource gems.

Debra J. Slover, author
U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within
Leader Garden Press

Shel Horowitz is an accomplished professional consultant and practitioner in the art and science of small press publishing. Shel draws upon many years of hard won experience and expertise to write and publish "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers", a 292-page compendium of descriptive commentary, advice, tips, techniques, resources, instructions, and examples of how an author can go about successfully marketing their book in a highly competitive and often volatile marketplace. Shel has included seven different marketing models that authors can draw upon to create inexpensive yet very effective websites as part of their overall book marketing strategy. Also included are two complete, full-length marketing plans that are actually based on two of Shel's author clients. Examples of eight actual press releases and six successful media pitches are provided as templates. Exemplary anecdotal stories drawn from some forty-one authors and publishers, plus about a dozen publishing industry experts, provide aspiring authors with real-life examples of what they can do to promote and marketing their book regardless of genre. Enhanced with a 16-page resource appendix listing dozens of useful books, website, publications, book coaches, organizes, etc., "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers" can be considered an informed, user friendly, 'how to' book marketing seminar/workshop in a single volume. Of special note are Shel's commentaries on why books (and their authors) fail in bookstores, online marketing, and operating profitably in a market where only about ten percent of self-published and small press titles sell more than 1000 copies. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is favorably cited on seven occasions within the pages of "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers". Nevertheless, there is no conflict of interest when strongly recommending "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers" to the attention of 'midlist' authors of major publishing houses who find themselves shouldering the burden of promoting and marketing their books, self-published authors who have established their own imprint, authors who utilize the services of Print-On-Demand (POD) companies to turn their manuscripts into finished books, as well as authors whose books are published by small presses and niche publishers. "Grassroots Marketing For Authors And Publishers" is the ideal reference manual for anyone having to promote a book with little or no available capital for publicity and promotion. Indeed, studying Shel's advice and instructions carefully could well make the difference between commercial success or failure for an author or a publisher.

GRASSROOTS MARKETING FOR AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS is the 17th book on my publishing shelf. While each of those previous 16 books, including Horowitz's previous "GRASSROOTS" book, had much to offer, they were lacking in practical advice for those of us who are not Captain ManyBucks.

This book will not tell you how to write your book, how to edit your book, how to get your ISBN, or how to get your book printed. Other books abound which offer you that. What you will find are 290 pages of affordable goodies: multiple examples of marketing plans and media releases, a cornucopia of websites to explore, and an up-to-date appendix of resources. The author provides examples for both fiction and non-fiction projects. (About half of my books claim fiction is a losing proposition. Very discouraging!) Horowitz, a long-time advocate of frugal ways, doesn't waste pages on pie-in-the-sky schemes (such as how to appear on Oprah) that are beyond the scope of the beginning author/publisher.

Horowitz admits: "Temptations to spend or even squander lurk under every rock and tree..." Personal experience bears that out. GRASSROOTS MARKETING FOR AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS has effective, low cost ideas that will keep me too busy to do any squandering!

Yes, it's indeed possible to make money self-publishing---without 50-grand to risk on a first project. I have, and that included some squandering...er, learning, along the way. This compact book has exactly the things I have been looking for relating to my current project. An enthusiastic 5 stars.

-Byron C. Justice,
Author of VIOLENT NIGHT