Clubs Books

This is the third in the Moosepath series of books by Van Reid and it maintains his exemplary standard of good writing and is a delight. The story makes a great winter read as it uses all the atmosphere of the season - winter snowstorms, crackling log fires, spooky deserted houses. It follows on from the previous novel Mollie Peer although this story is complete and can stand on its own; but if I you intend to read Mollie Peer (and I recommend it most hightly) it would be best to read this novel after Mollie Peer or you will know what happens in Mollie Peer. This really is good wholesome storytelling at its best - not a watered-down-to-not-offend wholesomeness; but a rich, life-affirming novel of loveable characters in a rollicking laughter-filled old-fashioned tale that will bring tears of joy and sadness. READ THESE BOOKS!

if, like me, you're a bit plugged up from reading irvine welsh, noam chomsky, dave eggers, etc. van reid's "daniel plainway" might just do the trick.

i picked this up on a whim and afterward was scared i had gotten myself into something that was going to be a bit "precious and old-people-y", though i held on to a glimmer of hope due to the fact that "the onion" had read and liked the book.

in the end i couldn't put the thing down -- partly due to the author's way of jumping from storyline to storyline on a chapter by chapter basis, but mainly due to the fact that it was a delightful read. it reminded me more than a little bit of a rural american sherlock holmes adventure (the story is set in 1890s maine), but with tongue planted firmly in cheek (never irritatingly so though).

i won't divulge any details of the storyline, but i will say that i thought the book peaked about 2/3 in (when all the various threads finally came together) and after that it slowed down a bit. not bad, but perhaps mildly disappointing after such a fantastic build-up. one other point of note: if like me, you find yourself wanting to read the first two books in the series after finishing this one, you'll realise you've been given too many spoilers about book 2. will this affect your enjoyment of book 2? dunno. i haven't started that one yet... but i know how it ends.

i don't think you can go wrong with this one. regardless of your age or interests, a bit of good clean old-time book reading fun is coming your way.

Van Reid is just a great story teller. This is the best (so far) in his Moosepath trilogy.

Hurray for the Moosepath League!! Maine novelist Van Reid now has published a series of his comic, sweet novels, each more pleasurable than the last, featuring Tobias Walton and his companions Ephram, Eagleton and Thump. His most recent offering, Daniel Plainway: Or the Holiday Haunting of the Moosepath League, is the perfect Christmastime or winter fireside book. Woven with so many pleasurable amiable asides and subplots, the main story about a kidnaped boy and ancient Norse writings seems almost an afterthought. To take one example, Walton, whom Reid describes as "himself a pearl, and good things did seem to surround him", starts the novel losing his hat in a sudden wind; the peregrinations of that topper itself, and the goodwill it seems to bear from its owner, flow delightfully through the story. In another delightful scene, Reid waxes rhapsodically on the perfect qualities of snow for snowballs, leading to a delightful snowfall fight involving the novel's heros, villains, and local youngsters. A particularly pleasurable turn for me, a former classicist, is that the interpretation of the writings depends on hearing the Greek spoken in a seemingly nonsensical English phrase, "she'll bust her feeding." Although always lighthearted, Reid's novel is not without serious purpose, as expressed in the dialogue as to whether "there are so many people in the world willing to drive tragedy" or whether "there are as many, more, really, who are willing to put things right." In Reid's world, those who good-heartedly "put things right" - most especially the comical Moosepath League - predominate. I finished his book with a fair certainty that the same prevailed in my own place and time.

'Daniel Plainway' is the third foray into the adventures of The Moosepath League for Van Reid, following 'Cordelia Underwood' and 'Mollie Peer'. If you have not read those volumes, do so now.

In this episode, the charter members of The Mossepath League encounter their alter egos in the form of the Dash-it-All Boys, while the other members of the league match themselves against a secret society, obsessed with discovering lost Viking riches, known as the Broumnage Club.

These adventures, however, are once again woven into the fabric of the continuing story of Bird, a small boy whose story has been heretofore a mystery, in great Van Reid style. That is to say brilliantly. Reid's talent for intertwining story threads is unmatched by any author in my eclectic library, and it is a singular pleasure to find recurring, peripheral characters scattered about the pages of 'Daniel Plainway', as well as 'Mollie Peer'. When these characters appear, it is sometimes to deliver a funny anecdote or story, or to be merely a small participant in an ongoing conversation; and whether identified by name, or left for me to surmise their identity myself, I always feel like a participant in an inside joke.

I would love to apprise you as to the identity of Daniel Plainway, or hint at how he is connected to young Bird, but I feel I would be diminishing your reading pleasure, not enhancing it. The best turn I could do for you, in regards to this review, is stress upon you the joy you will have in reading Van Reid's chronicles of The Moosepath League, starting with 'Cordelia Underwood', then 'Mollie Peer' and ending with 'Daniel Plainway'.

I feel confident when you are finished with this trio, you will be anticipating the fourth installment in this saga as eagerly as I am.

since we already know what the plot is about thanks to reviews, I just want to say that my favourite parts in the book are when Dawn & Whitney go shopping and when Dawn's dad and his date, along with others in the neighborhood, attend a classical music picnic. There is also a special surprise at the end of the book relating to dawn's life, read it to find out!

I enjoyed reading about the shopping trips, the music picnic, the carnivals, the baby sitting and everything else.

I really loved this book since I bought it. I think what made it more enjoyable was the way it was descriptively written, anne did a great job writing this book. The way she described the baby sitting jobs, the family dates right down to the detail and the shopping trips almost made me feel as though I were watching a movie of it.

I really love this book! It was extremely well written and Dawn and Whitney had a beautiful friendship. This book illustrates that just because you have a disability doesn't mean you're different from everyone else. Also Dawn's dad is in the dating game and dawn and jeff come along for family dates, that was also an interesting read. I think this is one of dawn's better books. A great read!

The book is very cool! When dawn meets Whitney, Dawn finds out that Whitney has a disease so Dawn asks her if she wants to be her baby-sitter. Dawn and Whitney really had a beautiful friendship in this book. Plus, Dawn's father is having dates with another girl and Dawn and Jeff are asked to come to their father's date.

Emerson's works require repetitous reading and re-reading. Anyone that says you can "get it" from a single read doesn't understand the man or the truths he reveals about life and the universe. To call Emerson a transcendentalist is a cliche and the one calling him this doesn't understand that Emerson was about the here and now.

His best works for a truth seeker are Self-Reliance, Compensation and the Over-Soul. I suggest reading Compensation at least every night for three weeks. The world changes once you do.

To put Emerson in the same category as literary writers like those other reviewers have done is an injustice. He definitely deserves reading and he is an American writer, but he's more akin to Lao Tse than any American poet or novelist. They have a moment or two, Emerson is constant.

Ralph Waldo Emerson was a transcendentalist (someone who espouses a philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical), and a Christian minister, who was also steeped in the rich philosophical tradition of the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita. His essays are classic literature at its finest, with a rhythm and cadence that are, even in prose, poetic and musical. The beauty of this prose, in my opinion, is unparalleled.

What Emerson has to say is every bit as important as how he says it. He was a genius with "rough edges" who challenged society to question many of its unexamined assumptions. He did get into trouble for this, and was forced to resign as minister of his church, but Emerson refused to compromise on truth. A rugged individualism and stalwart non-conformity were the cornerstones of his personal philosophy. Emerson was well ahead of his time (1803-1882) and remains so to this day.

Emerson was a far more prominent voice in America than many people today might realize. If you decide to read Emerson, you may very well find yourself repeatedly saying, "so that's who said that." Many profound and moving quotes are attributed to him. His essays, "The Over-Soul" and "Self-Reliance" are justifiably considered among some of the best writing by an American author.

Emerson's voice will certainly not be to everyone's liking, and that is as true today as it was in his time. Because of the style of his prose and the nature of what he wrote about, there will be many who read him and who simply put him aside. On the other hand, don't be surprised if reading Emerson sends shock waves through your central nervous system. For those who really get hooked on Emerson, as I did 32 years ago, he will remain a lifetime companion offering a wealth of insight into the eternal verities of the soul and man's quest for the divine. For my money, there is no finer essayist or "philosopher" than Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I can hundred percent sure Emerson's essays will be venerable as Shakespare's works someday,he changed my predujice of English,which I thought English has no quality as French or Russian,those had depth of thinking that English cannot instead of.Now I recently contacted Emerson's poetics ,also fall in love with those lyric prose,they really touched my heart,those are not kind of verbose,oppositely with philosophy of his unique stance.Nothing can prove its well inspirations,except read it.So,just start your reading right now.

If I could create my ideal afterlife or heaven, I would wish to be forever cradled in the gentle arms and soothing prose of Emerson. Who needs prozac or any psychiatry for that matter when we have access to such beautiful writing?

Although he was considered during his lifetime to be a profoundly radical thinker, Emerson, the Transcendentalist chief, after his death, was soon reinterpreted as a bland Bostonian Brahmin, a mystic anarchist who was only brave on paper. It cannot be denied that his philosophy of a joyful and affirmationist acceptance of life, and of nature, his anti-slavery activities, his attacks on the state and on the sensualism of bourgeois society, could have easily provided the formula for a complete overthrow of the moral order of his time. His libertarian thrust, his serene integrity, his indefatiguable optimism and common sense, however, will continue to find admirers, notwithstanding the fact that political identifications have changed and emphases have shifted, or otherwise one can simply enjoy the polished beauty of his prose style. Though by no means a deep thinker, Emerson's brilliantly epigrammatic, allusive, declamatory, pithy style provides instances where the reader may extrapolate a number of meanings from even the shortest utterances, and it is due to this quality, perhaps, that the Emerson enigma came into being, enabling him to appeal to such numerous and diverse temperaments. His best essays include "The Over-Soul", "Compensation", "Self-Reliance" and "Manners", in which he preaches, in the rhetorical manner reminiscent of his background as a Unitarian minister, his ideals of contenment, joy, independence and self-confidence -- tonics of the soul.

Although the Great San Dunes National Park is the draw, the San Luis Valley has much more to offer than a slide down the dunes or wade in Medano Creek, and the Wingers tell you where to go and how to get there. They also give you the cultural and historical context, flora, fauna and place name translations. Well written and beautifully photographed, this guide is essential for those who come to experience the place as well as the sand. They even suggest renting the classic Japanese film, Woman in the Dunes. Thanks, Charlie and Diane!

Excellent book...as a avid backpacker i was very impressed with the hiking/trail descriptions included...there a TONS of them...very good educational information about the dunes and the surrounding areas as well...I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to get a little more out of there dunes trip than a trip to the visitors center...while your there try and catch a sunset from atop the dunes!

This new guidebook covers ALL aspects of the Great Sand Dunes. There is something for everyone interested in this beautiful, unique ecosystem in Colorado: natural and cultural history, hiking and climbing and other recreational activities, and local events and attractions . . . this book has it all. Want to know about the eolian (wind) geology that formed the dunes? Want to know which picnic spots are the best? Want to know what rock pro you can leave at home when climbing The Prow route on Kit Carson Mountain? The Wingers seem to provide information and resources about everything! Their easy, conversational style draws you into the delights of the dunes and echoes the small-town friendliness of the surrounding area. And this is a guidebook that can travel with you - its quality binding and sturdy pages will hold up to frequent use, which is inevitable once you experience this special area of Colorado.

Charlie & Diane have surprised the hiking public once again with their great new guide to the Sand Dunes. Soon to be declared a National Park, this full color book is set up in easy to understand color-coded sections, a first that I have seen. It is focused on a small area, so understandably goes into great detail, something many guidebooks can not do as they pretend to cover a huge aray of peaks, or trails, or entire state or regional hiking concepts. If you like getting every last bit of info on a cool place like Sand Dunes, well, this is your book. You will probably wake up with some grit in your teeth, but that's OK, sand is the name of the game here.

This is an excellent guidebook. Most importantly, the maps and descriptions are very accurate yet still entertaining to read.

The guidebook encompasses short family appropriate hikes such as the Visitor Center Interpretive trail (.5 miles) to the more strenuous bushwhacking ascent of Carbonate Mountain (9.2 miles and 4,580 feet). A resource guide at the back of the book summarizes hikes by destination, difficulty, distance, and duration.

I have to not only recommend the guidebook, but the Great Sand Dunes area as well. I have spent many days hiking in Colorado (as well as other states and countries), and the Sand Dunes is truly a wonderful place for its unique beauty and ruggedness.

Last July 4th weekend, I hiked up Tijeras Peak which rises to 13,600 feet. The trail took me trough alpine meadows to an open expanse of lakes surrounded by peaks up a steep snow chute and eventually to the summit of Tijeras with awesome views that truly have to be experienced to be understood. And I had the summit all to myself.

I look forward to many more days in the Sand Dunes with this guidebook.

I have long been fascinated by Coca Cola as a product - its world wide marketing and dominance is just mesmerising. This book takes a good look at this phenomenon and is marvellously entertaining to boot. The stories of Coke's determination to get their product to the boys at the front during the war are brilliant, and others of the war with Pepsi are highly entertaining. This is well worth your time. My husband was most sceptical, saying that it is just a giant advertisement for a soft drink. I told him not to be so difficult, and to get me a Coke.

This book include many information to understand the history and business operation of The Coca-Cola Company.Especially, an infomation of secret formula of Coca-Cola, so called 7X, was very interesting. Through the book, we can learn when and where Coca-Cola was invented,why Coca-Cola went to foreign markets, how New Coke was introduced, why Classic Coke was came back and so on.The detail footnote and bibliograhy of Mark Pendergrast also support us to study the business history of The Company.I look forward to reading the revised version of the book.

The real story behind the most famous brand in the world is an amazing trek through one of the most interesting centuries of world history. It is superbly written by a man of uncontestable credentials: Harvard B-school graduate and professional journalist who was born and raised in Atlanta. His style is both witty and informative, and while he shows his affection for everthing that the company means to the American way of life, Pendergrast never loses his keen sense of objectivity. This book should definitely be required reading for anyone interested in Pop Culture, U.S. History, Marketing, or just a great tale well told. This is by far one of the best books I have ever read.

Benjamin Zuckerman - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Explore the personalities, events, deals, and ordeals, that Coke has endured over the years. From the morphene adicted doctor who created the tonic to the modern day financial and brand building wizards, this book covers Coke in a way no other book does. The author, Mark Pendergrast, has many ties to Atlanta, and some of the historic figures in the book. This history combined with his research in to the company provies for a fantastic, presumably 100% factual doccumentary, chronicaling the history of one of the worlds most well nown companies.

I read this book and simply couldn't put it down! I bought 8 copies of it to give to family and friends as gifts. I'll never look at a Coca-Cola product the same way again. From a business or historical perspective, this is a great read!

A man is poisoned during a chess match, and Wolfe gets called by the daughter of the arrested suspect to clear her dad and find the real killer. Naturally, Wolfe must do this while staying firmly ensconsed in his Manhatten brownstone, while Archie Goodwin does his legwork. The story quickly develops a natural suspect after an initial series of interviews of all the people surrounding the death. But it also takes an interesting twist when another dead body is found. I enjoyed that just enough clues were left in the story to allow me to figure out who the killer was just before Wolfe announced it. Here's a hint ... the method of murder was a little different than you may originally think it is. Enjoy!

For some reason the Amazon listings don't include the audio CD version of this outstanding book.

Michael Prichard's reading style is ideally suited to this great story about chess players and the "perfect murder." The variations in personalities at the Gambit Club prefigure the chess stars of the 70s.

From a view of character study, this one is really, really good (and great to listen to also).

My 5th Nero Wolfe book, and I loved it. I caution new readers that the Nero Wolfe books are an acquired taste. For women the Wolfe character is edgy. But, this puzzle of who poisoned what, etc. really grabbed my attention, and I dreamed about it for days (a good sign for me). I can tell that I'm finally getting into these books because I envy Wolfe's life. He's a recluse, and that's my big goal in life -- a recluse with lots of help to do my chores. It'll never happen, and that's why reading these books is satisfying a longing in me.

For anyone unfamiliar with Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries I'd highly recommend this novel. While it is not my favorite of Stout's Nero Wolfe stories, it is a nice introduction to to Nero Wolfe and his confidential assistant Archie Goodwin. Wolfe is a 285 pound orchid collecting genius of a detective who almost never leaves his office for work. he can be cranky and avoids work whenever possible. Archie is a sarcastic ladies-man who's job is to do the leg work for Wolfe as well as keep him focused.

The opening sections of the book illustrate the quirks of the main characters and as I said make a good introduction for new readers.

The mystery itself is interesting and full of the twists and turns that I have come to expect from a Nero Wolfe novel. It is written in Stout's signiature sytle and kept me guessing for much of the book. In the end, Stout does a good job of tying everything up and showing the logic behind the solution and how Wolfe and Archie got from point A to Point B to the solution.

A Review by Alex

Jerin is playing the usual twelve players with messengers running in a room with Jerin alone telling the layouts of each board. A man had come in with some hot chocolate for Jerin. The man's name was Blount. Later that night, Jerin dies and Blount is thrown in jail because they all think he did it. Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin have to solve the mystery and see to it that Blount is innocent. The only way they can solve it is the use of his daughter, Sally.

I really love and enjoy the fact that this book makes me think and makes it so I use my brain a little. It is a mystery, so therefore I have to be smarter than Archie. I was always trying to figure out if it is someone or not and when I read to find out it's not one person I try to guess who it could be. This book also gave me suspense, I got so excited when they were about to do questioning with someone like Sally or the mother. I always find out something new and clues of the killer. This book was also a perfect read when it came to pages, only 137 pages and the text was a bit on the small side but still made it a perfect size. Not too quick and not too long. This book always gave me a surprise.

This is a great mystery for those who love to use their brain figuring things out. Gambit is a really exciting book to discover new suspects and an unexpected murderer. You will dive into the book and not want to put in down caused by the eagerness to read about who did it and why.

Georgie by Robert Bright was sent in a very timely manner and is in very good condition for a used book. I am very pleased with the service.

I have been a first grade public school teacher for 38 years. I discovered the Georgie books in the 70's and started reading them to my first grade classes. When I realized how much the children, the parents, the school librarian, the other elementary teachers, and I all prized them, I started reading them to my daughter and son who also adored them, beginning with Georgie. He is a sweet faced, kind little ghost who looks after Mr.and Mrs. Whittaker. He is also very funny and gets himself in and out of many predicaments. I haven't seen these books for years and I was so afraid they were gone forever until I found them on Amazon com! Now I am ordering them for my three grandsons as I know they will love them as much as their mother did.

I RECENTLY VISITED MY OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND AS IT WAS A SUNDAY, I COULD ONLY VIEW IT FROM THE OUTSIDE. AS I PEERED INTO THE LIBRARY'S WINDOWS, I RECALLED SEVERAL BOOKS THAT I HAD CHECKED OUT OVER THE YEARS. ONE OF THESE WAS GEORGIE (ACTUALLY A FEW BUT I DOUBT THEY HAD ALL OF THEM). I RETURNED HOME LATER THAT EVENING AND CHECKED MY SHELVES. I ALSO HAD A FEW ROBERT BRIGHT BOOKS THAT I HAD PICKED UP SECONDHAND TO READ TO MY BOYS WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER. IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW SUCH SIMPLE YET ENDEARING CHARACTER SUCH AS GEORGIE HAS STAYED WITH ME ALL THESE YEARS. I INTEND TO FIND THE REMAINING GEORGIE BOOKS AND ADD THEM TO MY PERSONAL LIBRARY. I CAN ALWAYS CLAIM THAT I GOT THEM TO READ TO ANY VISITING CHILDREN BUT WE BOTH KNOW THEY'RE REALLY FOR ME.

I had this sent to my granddaughter who is two years old. She loves it! Her father has to read it to her every night. He said that he remembers it as one of his favorites.

I loved this book as a child, and I came across it quite accidentally a couple of years ago. My youngest daughter, now 6, counts this as one of her favorite books. Now we read it to each other, almost every night, although I always secretly hope that she will let me read it to her. I love reading it to make it come even more alive (the big door GROANED so...). Her favorite part is when Georgie goes looking for a new home and a ghost at another house turns him away.

It's such a fun book!

I've never read another book like "Good Books Lately: The One-Stop Resource for Book Groups and Other Greedy Readers." It's clever and smart without being condescending. Completely accessible! The book is a blend of history, anecdote and How-To. Whether you're in a book club, or just an avid reader on your own, this book is helpful. It gives great tips on being a more active reader and participant in discussion of books.
I had the good fortune of attending a reading of this book by the authors, Kira Stevens and Ellen Moore, and they are even more charming and clever in person! I was in tears with laughter listening to their encounter with Oprah - very funny stuff! Don't worry, the Oprah story is in the book, so you can get a good laugh too!

At last there is a lively resource book for book group discussions! With easy to follow chapters, this book gives the reader the tools to deepen any book group discussion. Whatever book type your group prefers, Kira Stevens and Ellen Moore have created a one-stop easy reference guide. I find that I often return to the book before book dicussions, making Good Books Lately an invaluable investment. The authors have made the analytical art of book discussions accessible, and fun. For all of us "greedy readers" - this is the ultimate reference for book lovers everywhere.

Everything one could want to know about starting a book group in a helpful, informative, and entertaining format. A great read from authors who are not just PhDs in English but clearly women who love reading and writing. In addition to detailed descriptions of just about everything one would need to know to get started and keep going, the authors provide lists of books that have proved to be most popular with reading groups. Loved the part about their meeting with Oprah. This is the sort of book just to keep handy to refer back to when you need inspiration or validation in what you're doing whether it's preparing for a group meeting or analyzing a book on your own.

What a great book! Most how-to books can be dull or hokey, but the advice in this book is interesting, creative, fun and often hilariously funny. The authors take an important topic and make it very accessible. I was pretty nervous about starting a book group before I encountered "Good Books Lately," but now I'm encouraged and excited! After just starting this book, I felt like Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens were good friends of mine! This book's a great reference that I'll use and recommend often.

I absolutely loved this book on book groups. A friend of mine recommended it because I was complaining that our book group had gotten a little dull after 7 years. Now, we have reinvigorated our group with the help of this book. Every book group needs to read this book. Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens are absolutely brilliant and incredibly funny.

I bought this book for my mom - she is a pre-school teacher and was telling this story to her class for years without having the book. The kids love this story so much, so she was excited to be able to bring her new book to share with her kids.

The Gunniwolf is a classic story about a little girl who wanders off into the woods, where she is confronted by a wolf. She is, of course, frightened, but she and the wolf soon establish a cordial relationship. In fact, the wolf wants nothing more from the little girl than that she sing a little song for him. Although the Gunniwolf story has been around for years, the illustrations in this new version make it particularly appealing. A young child can enjoy the book simply by turning through the pages.

This was my favorite book as a child. I am so excited it is back in print. The text is the same, but the illustrations are different. I prefer the older illustrations, but that may just nostalgia. This has been a favorite of all four of my children. It is fun to read aloud and teaches an important lesson about obedience.

The Gunniwolf should be in every home with children 7 and under. It was consistantly the favorite picture storybook for my kindergarten classes over a 20 year time span. The book was out of print for a long time, and I was delighted to see the book become available again. My only regret is that the wolf doesn't look a bit more scary in the new illustrations. The text is excellent for using voice inflections, and to incorporate movement via hand movements, nodding, etc. Why this story isn't better known is beyond me!

This story is a classic and has been presented in many cultures using familiar places and customs. I liked it mainly becasue of the lack of violence. Most importantly my three year old grandson loves it.

I don't really feel it is necessary to add my humble opinion about Neruda, his poetry, or this particular collection of poems. If you are even considering purchasing this book, then you are on the right track. I would, however, like to add a few comments about this particular edition.

I was somewhat confused because one reviewer stated the book was only in English, although the book claims to be a bilingual edition. I purchased it anyway due to the difficutly in general of finding some Spanish language literature in this country, and even on this site, with the intention to return it if it was only in English. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find it was indeed a bilingual edition. The cover art is quite different on the copy I received - just an observation.

If you are buying this book for the original Spanish version, then I can highly recommend this book. However, I must agree with several other reviewers as to the quality of the English translation. Honestly, and I hate to say it, but it is terrible. I realize that translating great poetry is a formidable task, and that certain license may need to be taken, but I have many other bilingual poetry editions (in several other languages as well) where the English versions are faithful to the original and yet beautiful in their own right, and where I have even felt occasionally that a reading of the English version can actually enhance the overall experience of the poem. This is definitely not the case with this translation. After reading the Spanish, I would find myself peeking over at the English, and thinking to myself, "What on earth was Tarn thinking?" Some of the liberties Tarn has taken... At one point, I seriously felt like taking a Sharpie to the English versions to obliterate them entirely. Realizing that this was probably a little extreme, and would certainly destroy the Spanish poetry on the other side of the paper, I have settled on making copies of the Spanish versions and putting them in a notebook so as to avoid the English versions entirely. I realize this may sound extreme, but only if you have not read the translations. Even if your Spanish is intermediate, you would probably be better off with this book (or a Spanish only version if you can find one) and a good dictionary.

All of that having been said, the introduction is adequate. And, of course, Neruda is remarkable.

Every review here mentions the spectacular nature of Neruda's captivating poem. As he said himself, he follows the philosophy of Rimbaud and arms himself with a "burning patience" that allows him to "enter splendid cities." However, the translation falls short of the quality of Neruda's words. Tarn inserts his own interpretations/images in his word choice which result in the creation of a new poem--ocassionally distant or discordant with the original. (quick example: in Canto XII, Neruda twice uses the word "río" in one of many instances of repetition in the poem. Tarn replaces the first use with "torrent" and the second with "Amazon." He effectively removed Neruda's use of repetition and inserted a proper noun which carries with it connotations perhaps not intended by Neruda. This is merely one of many instances where Tarn's translation subtly, but importantly changes the poem's meaning). However, if you are a lover of Neruda poems and have a reasonable grasp of Spanish, this is an essential for your collection.

6 stars for the poem, 2 for the translation = overall score of 4 stars

Neruda is easily one of the 20th centuries greatest poets. The Heights of Macchu Picchu is an excellent poem (Tarn's translation is a good one). It weakens a bit towards the end, but the first 2/3 of the poems is wonderful stuff. And Robert Pring-Mill prefaces this edition with a great essay that really takes you into the meaning of Neruda's poem.

I printed this book in 1986 in Bandon, Oregon using a Vandercook Universal #3 Press, Lutetia type from Harold Berliner's Typefoundry on Arches laid paper.

There are several inaccurate assumptions in the reviews here. Most importantly, this is not a Tarn translation. It is by the poet David Young, editor of Field Magazine at Oberlin College. His translations of Rilke are equally stunning.

This is an English only edition: Farrar, Straus & Giroux owns ALL English versions of Neruda published in English (or did so at that time) and the Neruda Estate owned the Spanish. It took 18 months to receive permission for 155 editions of the English and the Spanish permissions were far more daunting.

The binding was done by Greg Campbell at Campbell-Logan Bindery in St. Paul, Minn. I used green Roma paper over boards with red cloth 1/4 bound spine.

The full page line drawing of the condor was done by Jack Schroeder, a well known artist from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I asked him to draw the condor as if embracing the sense of "sloping height", and "Incan priest." I think he accomplished it well.

I hope this helps and falls within Amazon's guidelines

Pablo Neruda, born in Chile 1904, is one of the greatest Latin American Poets to have livedwas one of Latin Americaýs greatest poets.

The Heights of Macchu Picchu (considered by some to be his finest poem) was inspired by his journey to this famed ruined Peruvian Inca city. These poems take on a progressive journey within both the past of Latin America and the roots of the poet himself.

Lovers and devoted students of poetry will be caught up in Neruda's poetic power, hopefully capturing the quintessence of this great poets mind. Others, like myself, who are occasional readers of poetry, may need to reread his words, but, through the rereading, Neruda's own spirit will descend into you mind.

Pablo Neruda speaks to the heart and struggle of us all, as he writes, "How many times in wintry streets, or in a bus, a boat a dusk,.... in the very lair of human pleasure, have I wanted to pause and look for the eternal, unfathomable truth's filament I'd fingered once in stone, or in the flash of a kiss released." Highly Recommended.