S Books

brilliant psychiatrist, I recommend That's How the Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist by Susan Rako, M.D. The title comes from a song by Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." Rako's book is remarkably candid, freshly insightful, and wonderfully well-written. It is a great read. The writing just flows.

This is a must read for counsellors working with dissociative clients. It is well-written, easy to understand (although the problem of dissociative disorder is very complex) and gives practical advice and strategies.

Treating people with dissociative disorders is a very difficult enterprise for which most mental health professionals are poorly prepared. Education programs neglect the area and even otherwise reputable textbooks are unhelpful. Many members of the community and even quite senior mental health professionals display a lack of understanding and even scepticism and antagonism to the very concept of dissociation. This is directed towards those who suffer from dissociative disorders and those who try to treat them. Thus sufferers are often isolated from effective help and clinicians also are isolated, poorly prepared and often at a loss as to how to embark on the complex task of therapy when they do encounter people with such problems.

"The Haunted Self" provides a scholarly, comprehensive and practical work for everyone interested in the area and is particularly helpful as a guide and a resource for poorly isolated clinicians. It is a wonderful work of creative synthesis of 150 years of work in the field of dissociation. While not neglecting the work of more contemporary thinkers, the authors own their great debt to the work Pierre Janet carried out 100 years ago. With some important exceptions, Janet's brilliant insights into the field of "hysteria" and dissociation have been neglected in the English speaking world. The authors' enviable command of European languages gives them access to his and other important works not published or neglected in English.

The book provides an excellent balance of the theoretical and the practical. It is set out in 3 sections. The first deals with the authors' concept of structural dissociation, the second deals with chronic traumatisation and links it to Janet's theories while the third sets out an approach to treatment.

Traumatic experiences at any age can have serious consequences and this is covered in the book. In childhood,in particular, early trauma such as abuse and neglect, of a physical, sexual or emotional nature, exert pervasive, destructive effects, which may extend far into adult life. The authors point out that children have pathetically inadequate resources with which to cope with the horrors to which, tragically, they are sometimes subjected. They refer to Janet's concept of their having an inadequate "mental level" i.e. integrative capacity to cope adaptively with these experiences. They coined and developed the term "structural dissociation" to describe the complex response to such abuse.

The authors develop the concept of of "action systems." These are psychobiological responses which can be divided into two major groups - those in response to attractive stimuli and those which defend against noxious ones. Traumatic situations in childhood often evoke both responses simultaneously e.g. a response to an abusive caregiver in which fear and attraction are mingled giving rise to intolerable conflict. Such intense feelings and the unbearable terror and arousal produced by trauma are referred to as "vehement emotions."



The book describes the impact of these powerful feelings in producing a loss of integration and cohesion in the personality. As a result intolerable feelings and memories are segregated from complete awareness and traumatised people move between different identity states. In some states they are locked into traumatic events which are constantly re-experienced with their associated overwhelming emotions. In other states they are cut off from the memories and experiences of the trauma and are phobic and avoidant towards anything that threatens to remind them of the trauma and of the internal states which carry the trauma experiences.

Charles Myers' work with soldiers from World War I is recalled. He described splits into what he called "Apparently normal personalities" and "Emotional personalities" in response to combat trauma giving rise to structural dissociation.

The second section focuses on Janet's theories in relation to trauma. As the authors say, "the inclusion of Janet's work is not a romantic flight into history. His ideas on actions are most helpful and practical in understanding the plight of trauma survivors"

And so they are although, initially, I myself had to exert a fair amount of effort to understand and start to apply these concepts. I think most people unfamiliar with Janet's work would have similar problems but the effort is very worth while. Interestingly, although clinicians brought up with other theoretical models may share my problem, I have found that the concepts, are easily grasped and make perfect sense to people struggling with trauma related disorders. Concepts such as synthesis, presentification, personification and action tendencies and their hierarchies are discussed in depth and applied to clinical problems.

The final section on treatment begins with a useful section on assessment. It then outlines a three phase approach to treatment. The first phase involves stabilisation and symptom reduction, the second the treatment of traumatic memories and the third personality integration and rehabilitation.

Those who read The Haunted Self will quickly discern that it is the work of highly skilled clinicians not simply theorists. All who have battled with the problems of trauma affected people will recognise that the authors have travelled the same paths and will find their guidance very valuable.

I have stressed the worth of this excellent book to clinicians but a number of my more sophisticated patients have also found reading it very valuable. It is certainly a wonderful validation of this body of work that it does make so much sense to those very people who have to live their lives with the consequences of trauma.

David Leonard

This book is just wonderfull! I deeply enjoyed reading it - and much more :) - applying its concepts and practical guidelines into the complex clinical work with traumatized individuals. Myself, psychotherapist, child and adolescent psychiatrist in Ukraine - I found this book most clinically useful book I have read in few last years about trauma-related disorders. It gives clarity into this very complex dimensions of inner and outer lives of chronically traumatized individuals and it helps to empathically understand their suffering. From this empathic understanding well-paced and well-structured therapy can take place. And from my clinical practice I saw how useful and effective are concepts and practical therapeutic guidelines from this book. So I highly recommend this book for everyone working in the field of trauma-related disorders, and I also highly recommend this book to publishers for translations and publication in other languages. This knowledge must become widely available so we can better assist traumatized individuals in their inner healing. Special thanks to authors for their great work!

What an exceptional book! The step-wise didactic clarity and innovative content of The Haunted Self alone would suffice to justify making the book required reading material for all health professionals encountering trauma victims. However, it is also a remarkably thrilling reading experience, reminiscent of the "haunted-house" stories of my youth. One finds oneself led to familiar areas through "hidden stairways" and suddenly comes to perceive and comprehend things from unexpected angles.
As a psychiatrist specializing in trauma as a clinician, a lecturer and a researcher for nearly 20 years, I found this book to be a fitting and eloquent summary of over 25 years of innovative thought, thorough research and ongoing re-assessment of the theoretical and clinical applications of Trauma-Related Structural Dissociation of the Personality by Van der Hart, Nijenhuis and Steele, whose ongoing publications in leading journals I have followed avidly. The theoretical basis is coherently and systematically presented in the opening section, followed by a section which concisely and didactically addresses the clinical applications, from guidelines for patient assessment and formulation of the treatment plan, and then deals in detail with each stage, with ample guidance and clinical examples. The lay-out of the book also conveniently enables selective reading of independent sections and topics. There is a refreshing undercurrent of humility to the book - the reader feels encouraged to examine and comment freely.
Without seeking to replace or compete with other trauma theories or treatment modalities, the authors present an over-arching and unifying conceptual approach to comprehending the psycho-biological underpinnings of a highly variable and challenging population of patients, who quite commonly present with a complex and confusing array of atypical and changeable clinical and therapeutic issues, only partly addressed by current diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines.
The structural conception of dissociation enhances ones understanding not only of PTSD and Complex PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder and cases of severe protracted physical and sexual abuse, but clarifies the contribution of trauma to Borderline Personality Disorder, Somatoform Disorders and certain physical syndromes characteristically associated with emotional trauma and stress.

Dr Mike Matar, MD (Psych)

The South Carolina Coast is one of the best places. It's the south at it's best & hasn't surcumb to the Northern nonsense.

I picked this book up again yesterday having read it several years ago. I just finished a few moments ago and felt compelled to leave this review.

This book is a true delight. To those of us who have the low country in our blood, this book captures it all. I loved it even more the second time around. And even knowing about the tragedies that Mrs. Peterkin has endured I still cried. She is such a fine example of the indomitable southern woman or I guess I should say "Lady". I truly hope that one day I will have the distinct pleasure of meeting her.

My only regret is the book just ends too soon and too fast. I wish there were a sequel, I would love to know what she has been up to. And I would so dearly love a print of the watercolor that is on the front of the book.

I was not going to read this book, figuring it was yet another trivial book by a local person with famous connections (Julia Peterkin, a novelist who won a Pulitzer, was the author's mother-in-law). Was I wrong! This is one of the most riveting books I have ever read. Peterkin is a gifted storyteller with amazing stories to tell, stories that are right up there with the best fiction. I want to compare her to Flannery O'Connor, to Nabokov, to Kipling, to Dickens, to any fiction writer whose stories linger with us for the rest of our lives. Yet these powerful stories are true and open a window into recent times. Some of her stories prove that truth is stranger than fiction. They are in turns hilarious, outrageous, tragic, moving and illuminating.

Please, get this book. I don't know Peterkin but I wish I did. I picked up the book by accident and never put it down till I finished. Beg, borrow or steal it, whatever it takes to get it in your hands.

I have heard many of these stories through the years but was thrilled when I heard she was going to compile them in chronological order. I loved the way Genevieve told her life stories in a way that not only did I learn about the wonderful people in her life but the history of the area she loves so much. One of the many things I admire about Genevieve is that she lives her life and does not sit on the sidelines and continues to do so today. She has touched many hearts, mine included.

When I read Heaven Is A Beautiful Place, I felt that I was sitting on Genevieve's front porch overlooking Murrells Inlet and listening to her tell the stories. I have heard the Peterkins and Chandlers tell wonderful stories most of my life and this book truly captures their collective spirit. I finished the book at 35,000 feet over the Atlantic, but it seemed to me she was there relating the story of the loss of three of those closest to her. In spite of many adversities she has always worked to make the world a beter place.

I recently bought "Cretaceous Dawn",by these authors,after reading several passages from both books,it appears to be the same book.

It's hard not to compare any book about humans encountering dinosaurs
to "Jurassic Park" but in the case of "Hell Creek" I liked the pace and
the scenario much better. The book appealed to my curiosity in science
fact and adventure. Hell Creek is not written in a dry scientific way,
it's well written, well paced and the characters are believable.

Humans are accidentally cast deep into the past and have to survive in
an alien environment with unusual encounters at every turn. I now feel
I know what the Cretaceous period was all about.

The Grazianos have written a real page turner, from chapter one to the
end, you can't put it down or stop thinking about it. Well worth
reading and reading again. A real "keeper".

This book is a page-turner! I read it literally overnight!

The story evolves around a scientific experiment turned bad and projecting a group of very different characters back in time, that is, 65 million years in the past. They are obviously trapped with little to no rescue to expect from present day people. Of course, the next thing for them is to find a way to get out by themselves, hence a journey throughout the territory of these fabulous living creatures, the dinosaurs and the early mammals.

Beyond the storyline, I believe the real intent of the writers was to have us share their love of this extinct world by putting their description in a nice, enjoyable format. They hit their goal bull's eye. The dinosaurs and, more importantly, their behavior, is credible. They take some initiatives as to the attitude of some of the larger hunters (T-Rex for one). Some of today's questioning about this specific species is: was it either a scavenger, or a hunter? Could it run or was it limited to fast walking? Was it numerous? Actually, the authors bring their own responses to these questions.

But more importantly, they describe a beautiful, pristine yet ferocious world that has the reader wish to jump into it physically.

Also, I was very pleased to see, for once, the Japanese female character of Yariko, as Far-East people rarely find their way among the top contenders of western novels' characters. Beyond Yariko's beautiful description, I found the group of heroes well described, each coming with a thoroughly thought-out personality.

In short, a very good book with a fast-paced drama, a never-ending tale of a long-gone world that has you sigh in awe at the end of the story.

When's the sequel planned???

Some earlier reviewers commented about the quality of the editing of this book -- not so! Whomever did the proof reading apparently used spellchecks and did not bother to read -- or else they do not know the difference between discrete and discreet. And let's not even mention the differences between loose and lose! Good writing does not deserve sloppy preparation. This kind of sloppy copy-editing is a major pet peeve. It is unnecessary and unacceptable.

That said, this IS good writing. Good character development, fast moving plot, well-researched and with enough suspense to leave readers looking forward to a sequel.

Earlier reviewers also commented about giving the book to a younger reader. My copy went to a grandson who shares the name of the hero. It is a little more graphically violent that I ordinarily choose for him, but there is no explicit sex, and what youngster does not love dinosaurs?

The Grazianos have given us a page-turner, based on scientific fact, and it is worth your time to curl up with it. Would I like to take a trip to the Cretateous? No, thankyouverymuch, I would miss indoor plumbing -- but I will eagerly wait for their promised sequel.

Two physicists, a paleontologist, a security guard, and a dog walk into a bar . . . Okay, not really. But, two physicists, and their dog, are working on an experiment in a sealed vault in a small university in South Dakota, when odd items begin appearing inside the vault, and then disappearing. They begin to suspect that they found something much more Earth-shaking than what they sought, and invite a paleontologist on staff to help them figure it out. A security guard catches the unauthorized staff-member there but, before he can do anything about it, everything blows up, with startling effects on the four people and the dog.

The quartet ends up in the same location, but sixty-five million years earlier, in the Cretaceous period, when mammals were beginning to get some numbers and variety, dinosaurs were dwindling, the Rockies were big, rolling hills, the middle of North America featured vast jungles and an inland sea, and humans were sixty million years into the future. The physicists use a complex equation to calculate where they have to be, at a certain time, to stand any chance of "reverting" back to their time of origin, just as the items that appeared in the vault had reverted back to the past, after a short time.

Thus launches an epic journey across a thousand miles of harsh, dangerous territory, with only their wits and creativity to help them survive. Their journey is long and loaded with peril, plus they encounter several surprises, not all of which are unpleasant.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, er, university, the police, led by Chief Sharon Earles, who reminded me of the police chief in the movie Fargo (ya, you betcha), had to figure out what happened to four people and a dog, who seemed to have vanished. Well, actually, four-and-a-half people and a dog vanished, as a second security was cleanly sliced in two, by the phenomenon that caused the disappearances. Is it murder? Did the missing people just leave, or were they abducted? Chief Earles calls in two more physicists, to help solve the riddle --- or will they end up helping themselves?

All of this adds up to a wonderful novel that combines an adventure story, part Jurassic Park, and part Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear, along with a crime or detective mystery, with plenty of scientific tidbits sprinkled throughout. The science part emphasizes, in descending order of prominence: paleontology, physics, and geology.

The writing here is generally excellent, with vivid descriptions of settings and great character development. There is plenty of action and suspense, as well. However, the story does get a little slow, in a few spots, right after the characters translocate to the Cretaceous period, which, by the way, immediately followed the Jurassic period, whose critters were made famous in Jurassic Park (book and movie). The pace does pick up quickly, and then remain quick and steady after that, and those few slow spots did not detract from the reading experience, for me.

Who will like this book? Anyone who enjoyed Jurassic Park and/or Dinosaur Summer would, an this one has a bit more scientific meat on its bones. Anyone who enjoys a good adventure story, with pieces of detective work, education on several scientific fields, and even a touch of romance mixed in, should love this. I know enough about paleontology, physics, and geology to enjoy this book, but experts or amateur aficionados in any of those areas might find a flaw or two.

Who will not like this book? If you are squeamish, you might be put off by a few scenes. If you are strong in your beliefs of opposing the theory of evolution, I suggest you avoid this novel.

This book has also gone under the title Cretaceous Dawn. It is written by Lisa Graziano and her brother, Michael Graziano. Lisa M. Graziano is a piano teacher, freelance writer, and editor. Michael Graziano is a professor of neuroscience at Princeton University.

-- Chris McCallister, author of Coming Full Circle

I loved if from start to finish! The world that Payne created is intense and easy to fall for. Highly recommended.

If you're after a story as gorgeous as the picture on the front, this book is absolutely what you want. The character development is fantastic and she makes you fall in love with them within a few pages of meeting them--in fact, it's the kind of thing that should be read twice in a row. The end makes you want to start over and see the characters develop again. I'd even say it's better the second time around.

Unfortunately, S.A. Payne has horrible punctuation. She desperately needs a copy editor. I couldn't read it without a pen and some white-out to fix it, it was so bad. But the story was so good that, once I got into it, it stopped bothering me. If bad punctuation doesn't bother you, then you won't be dissapointed. Let's just say this: even the epilogue was good. If bad punctuation grates at your nerves, well, keep a narrow pen with you and fix it yourself. It's worth it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The most amazing part about it is that the plot is so detailed, complex, and believable. This book is most definitely NOT all about sex. There is suspense and drama. It would be a page turner even if there was no slash. Believe it or not, the plot is what makes this book great.

On the downside, there are some remaining typos, but they can be overlooked. I was a little disappointed that the post-pet recovery phase was cut so very short. I would have preferred a more gradual improvement in Rye and more detail descriptions of his progress.

All in all, though, it was an excellent book that I would highly recommend to anyone that enjoys slash and extremely light D/s stories.

I had originally read this on the author's website a while ago. It's nice to have it in book form. While there are some well worn themes in this that you find in other "original" works like Psi abilities and anarchy type communities, this story still feels original and not hackneyed.

I like that this story it isn't just an excuse for smut (although I rather enjoy smut). The fact that Ichi resists taking advantage of his "pet" no matter how many times the pet tries to tempt him makes this not your usual yaoi story. There is a romance, adventure, mystery.

To address some of the critical parts... as another reviewer mentioned there are times when it could have gone through the editing process a little more thoroughly for grammatical and spelling errors. Mind you on the website the typos were more prevalent, so I know that it did get proofread and much of it has been corrected but there are still a few errors here and there. Also the page layouts could be improved. The gutter is too narrow so sometimes when you are reading the verso (left side of the page) you almost have to break the spine because the words are tightly in the folds.

In any case I would hope that someday the author will write a sequel to this story. She's written some shorter side stories to some of the characters but I would love to read more about Ichi and Rye.

Heroes and Ghosts should be on all homoerotica lover's bookshelves. Payne is a master at capturing your attention and holding it relentlessly throughout the story that beautifully unfolds. I found myself not just reading text, but becoming wholly immersed in the tale of Ichi and Rye as they struggle to find and come to terms with themselves and each other. Romantic and sizzling, engaging and interesting... I highly recommend Heroes and Ghosts.

I liked the book because I am a history major but some parts are hard to get through. It is a classic however and is a great stepping stone to use when reviewing ancient history

Cornelius Tacitus knows perfectly what the cardinal human characteristic is: `From time immemorial, man has had an instinctive love of power.' And, `the reward for virtue was inevitable death.'
His book is a mighty illustration of the ruthless fight for the top spot: emperor. The ambitious and the wealthy fight one another without mercy. `The truth is that revolution and strife put tremendous power into the hands of evil men.' The vanquished are brutally slain.
For Tacitus, the most important factors in the power struggle are money (`money was the sinews of civil war') and control of the military (`the lesson that an army can create an emperor'). If you could `reward` your soldiers, you could win. However, the legions were not interested in war itself only in looting, plundering, raping and enslaving. `The men wanted campaign and set battles, as the prizes here were more attractive than their normal pay.' The victims were innocent peasants, women and children.
Overall, `Italy found it hard to put up with such hordes of infantry and cavalry, and with violence, financial loss and acts of lawlessness.'

While the `Annals' contain more human touch, the `Histories' are nearly completely centered on military, diplomatic and tactical manoeuvres, followed by terrifying and merciless violence after the battles (`the fury of the soldiers').

This for mankind severe and pessimistic book is a must read for all those interested in the lessons of history and for lovers of great classical literature.

Every now and then a pivotal moment in history is witnessed and recorded by a master communicator. The mid-first century of Rome was such a time and Tacitus was such a communicator. The Histories will forever be a benchmark of good history with its observations on human nature and behaviour along with their impact on history. The historian will do well to read Tacitus not just for the historical lessons but for his approach to history as a record of human activity. While observing and commenting on the human element in history, Tacitus avoids making moral judgements and remains as objective as possible in the midst of turmoil, wars, and rumors of wars. His beloved nation and people were suffering under the barbarity of fratricidal war yet he remains above the madness and records the events with passion tempered with objectivity. His example is one that has remained difficult for others to follow.

A word on this translation in particular - I found Mr. Wellesley's translation very readable and poetic. He seems to have captured the literature value of the text as well as the content. Well done.

Most people don't need a review of Tacitus's work. Most people want to know if a particular translation is any good. With that in mind, I recommend this Penguin edition of Kenneth Wellesley's translation. The translation itself is highly readable, and Wellesley indicates the rare instances where he emends the Latin text in footnotes. Wellesley also uses the footnotes to help the reader keep track of some of the less prominent characters in the work, a feature which is a big help for the non-specialist. Probably the best aspect of this edition is the map section at the end. The book contains 11 maps that include maps of large areas, maps of cities, and diagrams of important battles. Wellesley also refers the reader to the appropriate map through the footnotes. This review makes it sound like the book contains a lot of footnotes, but really there are usually just one or two a page. The one minor defect of the book is that the index only contains personal names. A general index would have made this user friendly book even better. But like I said, this is a great English copy of the Histories.

Reading Tacitus' Annals I oft remembered Thucydides' account of the Peleponnesian wars. An important theme of the latter work was the corrupting effects of prolonged war on the morals and intellect of the Athenian people, who were ultimately degraded so much that they voted the destruction of the people of a small island just because they had chosen to remain neutral. Tacitus, on the other hand, seems to have dedicated himself in this work to examining the corrupting effects of absolutism on the Roman people after the fall of the Republic. He shows how absolute power brought out the worst traits in the character of rulers like Tiberius and Nero, who grew more and more tyrannical with every year on the throne, and how members of the illustruous Roman senate and other sections of the Roman political society turned into a horde of spineless sycophants, informers and debauches. There were still a few honourable individuals, but as Tacitus shows in an endless series of judicial and non-judicial murders, most of these paid the price of sticking to the ancient traditions of liberty and honour with their lives. Tacitus also deals at length with the relations of the Romans with the subject peo-ples. I may be wrong here, but it seems to me that in such passages Tacitus draws a parallels between the fate of these enslaved peoples and that of the enslaved Roman people -the first a slave to the Romans, the second a slave to the emperor and his bureaucracy made up of ex-slaves. Many subject peoples rebelled and some like the Cherusci under Arminius (towards whom he does not seem averse at all) could successfully preserve their liberty against the in-trusion of the Romans. Those Romans who dared defy the tyrant on the other hand, and especially those who could wisely remain independent and yet stay alive, were far fewer, Tacitus seems to imply. Insofar as it demonstrates how closely liberty (including liberty of thought) and morals are intertwined, this work is still relevant today as a central work of liberal humanism.

A self-described "working class intellectual" with a passion for collecting jazz records and a "flunky gig" as a file clerk in a VA hospital, Harvey Pekar pioneered the literary comic genre. His long-running series American Splendor portrays not caped superheroes with bulging muscles, but the everyday life of an ordinary guy in Cleveland. Pekar's autobiographical vignettes are introspective, honest, and often funny, candidly revealing his flaws and failures as he pushes on heroically in pursuit of love, companionship, and creative fulfillment.

Pekar's realistic dialogue (the characters speak in different dialects, which helps you "hear" them in your head) accompanies a wide range of art styles by a number of comic artists, from the quirkiness of R. Crumb to the stark realism of Greg Budgett and Gary Dumm and the meticulous, photographic detail of Gerry Shamray.

For me, this book was a great introduction to an addictive series. Chock full of amusing anecdotes and musings on everything from race relations in Cleveland to the joy of a good pair of shoes, it's a slice of life in comic book form.

I've been a fan of Harvey Pekar's work for over fifteen years. The first time I ever read his self-published comix, American Splendor, I was impressed by its examination of everyday life. His self-effacing humor grows on those who want more than mainstream comics starring spandex-clad teens with superpowers. Compared with Pekar, Spidey has it easy.

I was happy when this movie tie-in release of his early collected work was published. The everyday brilliance of the real life interactions between Pekar and his friends, co-workers and loved ones merit more attention by discerning readers. It would behoove anyone who cares about the comix medium to claim a copy for their personal reading enjoyment. This volume is not for collectors, but for fans of alternative graphic literature who want more meat and potatoes rather than the visual eye candy of more mainstream publishers.

Pekar has been described as a "working class intellectual" (The Comics Journal), and this label is respectfully accurate. He comes from a generation who grew up devouring a culture that had more respect for intelligence than is common today. Instead of just mourning this trend, Pekar rebels from it in true beatnik fashion. His long-time association with R. Crumb (who drew the very first American Splendor story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story") attracted other artists within Cleveland as well as from other locations as the series has progressed.

The everyday heroism of Pekar working a civil service job in order to create his vision of the potential of graphic literature comes through in every page of this collection. I am glad that there are other collections and issues of American Splendor that are available. It would be grand if future generations of comix fans could gravitate around the work that Pekar has never tired from creating. Even at the worst of his lymphoma and chemo treatments, he has never quit observing and relating the drama of everyday life.

i own i think every american splendor collection book there is, and this one is my favorite. there's a few in particular that really blow me away (the one with pekar wondering around a park, reflecting on his past marriage, his present, and whether there is a God is spectacular). there are a wide variety of artists, from the goofy robert crumb drawings to more serious ones. there are certainly weak points IMO, but not as much as in the other collections. while "the quitter" is his most consistent i've read so far, there's no replacement for finding a really cool comic collection like this and reading through it, finding a bunch of random pekar stories and seeing which ones you enjoy best.

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar is the largest published collection of the comic series, containing the complete text of American Splendor and More American Splendor. With an introduction by R. Crumb and art by Kevin Brown, Gregory Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, R. Crumb, Gary Drumm, Val Materick, and Gerry Shamray this is 320 pages of a classic American comic.

Pekar's work is a cerebral approach to the comic medium. Many of the panels have no dialog and only illustrate the external while the text reveals the thought stream of Pekar's mind. His ability to portray the inner workings of his thoughts, in a humorous and sympathetic manner, is the key to the success of his writings. The comic is a working class version of Seinfeld with a populist self-made intellectual as the leading character. Yet there is a Existentialist angst to this work that puts it in a class by itself.

This collection of Pekar writings from the 1970s and 80s was issued on the heels of the film "American Splendor," and it collects some of the best of Pekar's earlier work. Although not exclusively chronological, the presentation of the material gives a good idea of Pekar's life from his post-high school days through his meeting and marrying Joyce Brabner. (For a strictly chronological memoir, see Pekar's recent The Quitter.)

In the later Pekar work, the centerpiece of much of it is Pekar's obsessive-compulsive anxiety. But a lot of this work focuses on what might be described as Pekar's existential anxiety: his terrible loneliness, his anger and alienation, his dark reflections on the meaning of life, his desire for recognition, his regret over wasted opportunities and adolescent hubris, and his worries about future contingencies (financial security, illness and death, old age). The Pekar who comes through in these pages isn't the lovable crank of the film. Rather, the person who comes through is the outsider, a self-educated man, extremely knowledgeable in literature and music, who disdains a "normal" lifestyle and seeks freedom through nonconformity. Perhaps the finest single piece Pekar has ever written, "I'll be Forty-three on Friday (How I'm Living Now)" speaks to all this. The collection's lead story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story," in which Pekar winds up asking "Who IS Harvey Pekar?" is a perfect set-up.

Of course, there are also lighter moments in this collection. Mr. Boats (wonderfully illustrated by R. Crumb) appears here a couple of times, and he's always good for a bit of gently funny homespun wisdom. "Mrs. Roosevelt and the Young Queen of Greece" and "On the Corner: A Sequel, June 1976" are touching pieces about the bittersweetness of memory. And the penultimate story in the collection, "Common Sense," would make even a dyed-in-the-wool misanthrope love humanity.

Highly recommended.

This book is informative and very well made. Hundertwasser is one of my favorite artists and I own several books about his life and work. This is one is (so far) the best. The Taschen book reproduces his work beautifully, showcasing the washes and color use that make his work truly sublime. It also contains some wonderful photographs of the buildings he designed, which make one wish all construction could be so imaginative. This book was more than I expected for a very fair price.

This book really shows off Hundertwasser and is a great addition to any art collection. This is another hit by Taschen.

REVIEW SUBTITLE: A Serendipitous Purchase

While I had come across references to "the art of Hundertwasser," because I knew only of him as an architect and consider architecture an art, I assumed that the colorful work adorning the cover of this book was one of the Gaudi-esque architect's occasionally fancified plans. As a number probably know, however, it is not. Rather it is but one of Hundertwasser's many paintings.

Though I'd expected a book on architecture, I was not disappointed to receive one focusing on H's development as a painter. In fact, I was elated, for splashed across approximately 2/3rds of the 197 pages of this book are what had originally attracted me to him: the "lush opulence" of what I now know are his watercolors and paintings.

This book, however, is not just a visual feast. In addition tracing his development as an artist, the text includes and discusses H's thoughts on topics such as those noted in the Table of Contents I've included in the commentary following this review. And while some may seem esoteric, the discussions are not. In fact, they're fascinating.

That most of the focus of Taschen's retrospective of H and his work is on water colors/painting is not surprising, for so few of his structures were ever realized. However, approximately 30 well-illustrated pages are devoted to H's theories about architecture, his architectural models, and the utopian structure he was commissioned by the city of Vienna to build.

I was certainly correct in one assumption I made when I ordered HUNDERTWASSER: With the words "Taschen 25th Anniversary" attached to its title, I could not go wrong. Nor will anyone who purchases it.

Note: Lest you give any weight to L. Egan's comment about the book's "downsides," please read my response to his review.

I am a quilter, and bought this book largely because of my love for batiks,(which are cotton fabrics hand dyed)and on recollection of a show I saw 32 years ago on Hundertwasser in Toronto's ROM.I like it,big time.Yep,there's no gold leaf in them thar hills and curves of Hundertwasser repros,if it bothers you enough,grab a gold leaf marker and add it yourself.Taschen offers value for your money,if you want gold leaf,you may have to add another 20.00 to the cost of the book.I have no problems about the quality of the repros.Anything that looks like pale brown,try and doublecheck,it is likely it is gold leaf. The artist may not have alot to say as other painters,but his designs,and color sense are really got me going into my studio.
I am glad I got it!

Any book about art or an artist that doesn't make me fall asleep gets five stars from me. The only downside (but it still gets five stars) as that you don't get the full representation of the pictures and need to look at the description to see the medium. For example the foil overlay. Still wonderful. (Feb 17, 2008)

I eventually found a small, beautiful, cloth-bound catalogue of his Australian and New Zealand exhibitions (the one I have was produced in 1973 by cicero, gmbh and titled 'Hundertwasser 1974 Australia') and there you get glimpse of the phosphoric metallic brilliance that I find missing in many of the books about Hundertwasser - although for the price of these books, no complaint. This book and the catalogue are a good combination. The catalogue I was able to find at a very reasonable price of $30, but it took a bit of searching. (April 16, 2008)

The Hunting of the Snark is a whacky piece of poetical silliness by Lewis Caroll. Complete nonsense, no-one knows what a Snark is, or why Snark hunters hunt it, or why anyone would want to become a Snark hunter to start with. Anyway, the poem is definitely amusing at times with some of the humour he slips in.

The Hunting of the Snark seems to be a very, very short imitation of The Canterbury Tales. The first chapter (titled a fit) introduces all of the occupations of all the different people going on a journey. However, instead of going on a general pilgrimage and telling tales along the way, their trip is very specific to hunting.

The Baker actually attempts to tell a story, but the Bellman (who leads the group) says there's no time for storytelling. They have to catch the Snark before nightfall.

Along with the Bellman and Baker, a Banker, a Bonnet-maker, a Butcher, a Boots, a Billiard-maker, a Barrister, a Broker, and a Beaver tag along to hunt for the Snark. The Beaver is afraid of getting cut by the Butcher, so he puts on a dagger-proof coat and talks to the Banker about buying an insurance policy.

The Beaver is involved in a hilarious scene with the Butcher later, when the two attempt to compute sums. But perhaps the funniest scene of the entire book is in the Barrister's dream when the Snark declares sentence on a pig, only to find out the pig has been dead long before the trial even began.

I'd highly recommend this short poem for Carroll fans, even though it's not big enough to contain but a small portion of what's to be found in the Alice books.

I have read a great deal of nonsense in the past, but this was by far the best nonsense that I have ever read. There is no point, no meaning, no sense, and no boringness. It is a delightful poem (which is well written and very fun to read aloud) about a crew on a ship hunting a snark. The crew includes a captain who only rings a bell, a beaver, a cook who only cooks beavers (the beaver and the cook did not get along well), a man afraid that the snark would turn into a boojum and make him disappear, etc. As you can tell, this makes for an insanely silly poem. The subtitle is rather fitting, as my sides were definitely hurting from laughter when I was done. Well done Mr. Carroll.

Overall grade: A+

Nonsense poems can easily miss the mark
Yet, this masterpiece has that spark.

"How do you kill a _____?", you ask
To find the answer was the hunters' task.

"What was their fate?", you wonder
Did they ever catch their elusive plunder?

A paragon of haunting Carollian lore
Be in no doubt that you'll finish wanting more.

This poem is just great!

First, this one of the most delightful pieces of writing that ever appeared in (more or less) English. It succeeds as a sustained exercise in illogic. I am sure that only a mathematical logician like Dodgson could possibly have pulled it off - only someone with such deep understanding of reason could master unreason so completely.

Second, Martin Gardner's commentary adds depth and background to the reading. Gardner explains terms that are now obsolete, but also adds his own analysis and a rich history of the Snark phenomenon. It should be no surprise that Gardner is still best known as the long-time editor of Scientific American's column on Mathematical Games, a mathematician himself.

I can't add much to the scholarship or praise that already surrounds this incredible poem. I would like to point out, however, that most non-native English speakers are unfamiliar with this poem. Many of them have only ever seen the serious side of the English language, and have never seen English at play. I consider this short work to be the ideal introduction to the very best of English-language nonsense.

//wiredweird

What a beautiful book! I'm sure that every state would love to have such a stunning pictorial review. Anderson is a master.

Idaho Discovered does an incredible job of capturing the beauty of Idaho in pictures. The pictures are breathtaking and the quality of the book is outstanding. I would highly recommend this book!

Idaho is one of our scenic treasures. This book doesn't really do it justice. There is something lacking in many of the photos and I wonder if it isn't in the printing. A lot of the photos lack 'pop'. I would like to compare the book to the originals. It is a nice collection of images from around the state giving you an idea of the variety of scenery available in Idaho.

I truly "discovered" Idaho in this book. Having spent several years of my high school days in Northern Idaho, I didn't ever dream that such beauty surrounded me. I have since traveled over alot of the state, country and some foreign countries, and have been astounded at the scenery which had been practically in my back yard. There were landscapes that were breathtaking and Anderson's ability to capture the most minute detail of each one was magnificant. Of course, skiing, hiking and biking to some of these locations was an added bonus that most people don't have the opportunity to experience. I discovered this book on [the photographer's] website...

As a native Idahoan, this is the first book I have ever found that truly represents the entire state. Idaho is a very diverse landscape and a huge area to cover by any means of transportation. Kirk Anderson's commitment to intimately discover and share his Idaho journey is a gift to all who know or wish to know this beautiful state. The photography proves to be of the highest caliber. Great !

This is a must have for anyone who owns or is considering getting a Lodge (Tipi). The experienced Lodge owner or the Newbie will find a wealth of information here. It is everything I heard it would be and more.

I have read the Laubin book a number of times and have decided to get into tipi building as a result. The stories and history that the Laubins present in this unique and very personal book are moving and very revealing of a couple who shared a rather loving adventure through life with their constant life deep in the history and life of native Americans and their culture. Well worth reading. Recommend this title and "Make your own tipi" by James E. Jones if you can get a copy of that rare title.

Some of the best information available on tipi living. When they were still living, we used to visit the Laubins at their cabin home beneath the Grand Tetons. A day spent in their company was worth a book in itself. A walk through the pages of western Native American history.

Abit outdated, but provides insight into some pioneers of the 1950's. Definately worth the read if you are into the subject of Plains Indian lifestyle.

Enough said, you want to know anything about Tipis, how to build one, etc, this is THE book.