These are the sounds and images we need from poetry, and find too seldom -- finely wrought passages of beautiful yearning, with a flat naturalism that is compelling and achingly true. Accessible on multifarious levels, these poems show us life on the inside of man -- a haunting look at times, but affirming in its struggle to survive on its own terms. "American Crawl" is fine storytelling -- and finer art.

I've seen a few of Paul Allen's poems before, and have looked forward to a collection. Finally, this volume provides us the chance to experience the range of this poet's gifts. Allen is very much a story teller in the Southern narrative poetic tradition that produced Warren, Dickey, and Bottoms. This is not, of course, to pigeon-hole Allen as a type of poet, but only to point up the fact that narrative poetry is a difficult feat, especially when the poet so effortlessly works in concrete images of such stunning power. But perhaps the most captivating quality in Allen's writing is its deep religious character, not in the ordinary sense, but in the sense that poetry is really about our desperate attempts to save our benighted souls. Allen catches those moments when we are aware of just how lost we are and just how frail are our efforts to get home. But there is hope, and that lies in the poetic sense. Allen's narrative style make his poems easy to read, but imossible to forget.

This truly outstanding and detailed biography of Jane Addams surveys the founder of Hull House, a social reformer who was one of the most admired women in American history. American Heroine recounts her life, work and ideas, providing chapters which go into far more depth and detail than most reviews of her life, probing the philosophy behind her works and the atmosphere of her times.

Jane Addams was a remarkable woman. This book is the best biography written of her life. She was a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in her later life. Her liberal views of American society are covered thoroughly by this author in his chapters of her early work at Hull House, and her later work for world peace. A must read book for every woman, because Jane Addams was truly an American woman.

American Ruins is far more than it appears. On the surface, it is a very well designed and exquisitely photographed essay on the vanishing farmsteads of the northern plains states in the USA. That's like saying the Mona Lisa is a woman.

On the next plane, the photographs-panoramics mainly, in black-and-white on infrared film-are beyond photography. They are a spiritual experience on paper that comes as close to the experience of truth as can be done without becoming it yourself. They are haunting, wistful, emotional evocations of the pain of time and loss, the invisible presence of people in what the picture does not, cannot, show, in the way that only black-and-white can push you out of "that" into "thisness." As the foreword puts it: "... as if the camera has recorded something going on inside your head and projected it onto a wall." Small wonder many feel black-and-white is the most difficult image recorder to work with, and also to many the most sublime when done well.

Sublime Mr. MacKenzie is. This is one of the most remarkably photographed books to come off the presses in a long time. Not just well done, but literally beyond compare; the sole occupant of its category. The photographs are closer to poetry without a pen than to the interaction between film and lens. Songs without words in an A-4 landscape book. The only thing to match them is the writing excerpts that "captions" them. (The captions in the conventional sense are Notes at the end of the book.) Mr. MacKenzie chose the excerpts himself, and he certainly did his homework well. Wallace Stegner is here, Robert Frost, Willa Cather, Henry Miller, Frank Lloyd right, and two writers who would probably be surprised to find their sentences thrust alongside the eloquence of this book. But here they are, and no the less eloquent:

"When family love is displaced onto land, every change that happens there has meaning: the calibre of the light and the texture of the clouds in a day, the big changes of the seasons, most of all the slow transformation of the infrastructure of the place itself as the decades pass. When the deflection of love is also a deflection of pain, the gradual decomposition of such a place can be excruciating, a kind of lifelong torture, and yet, at the same time, a hypnotic, unfolding story. As the place declines, layers of meaning are revealed."

=Suzannah Lessard, "The Architect of Desire: Beauty and Danger in the Stanford White Family"

To which Annette Atkins adds, in "Harvest of Grief: Grasshopper Plagues and Public Assistance* in Minnesota, 1872-78":

"Minnesota lost settlers during the dark days of the 1870s . . . but thousands remained. Some could afford to stay; some could not afford to leave. Debts held some. Others wanted to hold on to their investments of time and energy. Some held different attachments; as one man explained: 'I have lost my all here, & somehow I believe that if I find it again, it will be in the immediate neighborhood where I lost it . . . I have a child buried on my claim & my ties are stronger & more binding on that account.'"

In between is writing that calls our attention to what the unrushed eye can see: ". . . leaning barns and windowless houses, jutting up like wreckage in oceans of furrowed wheat and sorghum, architecture that looks more like a visible absence of something, like a missing tooth, than it looks like a presence of sun-curled clapboard and tatters of tar paper. It looks like ruins . . . of dreams that didn't work out."

Then he goes beyond all that, to the lives unseen in these pictures, flesh long gone but souls still there, a kind of spirit of determination to match this spirit of place: ". . . boredom, bad luck, debt, despair; about the blizzard that leaves you burning your inside walls to stay alive because if you go outside for firewood you'll vanish; about a summer erupting with wheat until the grasshoppers darken the sky and eat everything-wheat, vegetable garden, even the leaves on the trees; about a husband who tells his wife he'll be right back after he rides out to round up two cows-she watches him ride around the cows and keep going and he never comes back."

Beauty of a special kind, these-of death, decay, the falling to ruin-but life of a kind all the more: eonic, seasonless as a century, brutal cold and brutal heat, wind vying only with grass for endlessness, and to the human who endures these and thus surpasses the self, transfiguration. Into this, the Great Plains, families came, filled with grit and ambition and not a few starry-eyed dreams. They are still here, here in these pictures. Look around the corners and there they are, in the boards of the barn they nailed, among the leaves in the trees they planted. With all that's in this book, we can see what we never would have before, the eyes of dreams become the last remains of a rainbow.

That said, this is what books used to be in the highest sense of the craft. And still are, if only we seek out and buy the work of presses like the Afton Historical Society.

This is the book for people who didn't think that they liked landscape photography. MacKenzie takes you through a voyage to the abandoned worlds of farms, schools and other building in the middle of the nowhere lands of midwestern America. Here we find that ruined farmhouse, strangely sculpted by the winds and snow of many winters, but not depicted as some quaint, picturesque image, but as a stark vision in long Puritan panoramic views that work to make the landscapes appear as through they are suspended in time, a strange reminder of once active places, now abandoned and ruined, but notheless spectacular in their setting. This is the photographer that will make you throw away your Nan Goldins and your Cindy Shermans and discover what is it that makes photography the newest vibrant member of the visual fine arts.

Ronald B. Allen's guide to worship in the Psalms: "And I Will Praise Him" silently asks the implied question "And will you?" This text is a technical and personal experience in the study and practice of Worship in the Psalms. Certainly the Psalms represent too large a subject to tackle in a brief work, and yet the reader finishes the book with a sense of "being there" in the Psalms. "And I Will Praise Him" is a great aid for those who are on a quest to gain greater understanding and benefit from this daunting and often perplexing book of poetic praise. A mountaineer needs the proper gear in his pack before he climbs a mountain, and so also anyone seeking greater spiritual heights through the Psalms must first load their pack with the equipment necessary for a successful journey. By way of introduction Ronald B. Allen begins with not only a definition of what a Psalm is, but goes further to explain "how a Psalm is". Here we gain the understanding of a genre of Psalms including Psalms of praise and Psalms of lament. Following, the text includes a detailed, but manageable explanation of the poetic devices of the Psalms, because "We must learn to read poetry well if we are going to read the Bible well. " Our next piece of equipment is a proper understanding of the ancient Hebrew's practice of praise; vocal, public and loud! Allen thoroughly establishes that the Psalmists intend praise to be congregational and vocal "to share with those who will understand best our excited boastings in the wonder of knowing the living God. " The reader is also equipped with a telescopic sight so that the praise of God might be seen "on target" as the Psalmists saw it. Finally Allen takes into account the origin of the mountain of the Psalms so that in understanding its creation we can appreciate the beauty, depth and might of the praise written by God and man. "And I Will Praise Him" fills the pack with the equipment needed for the journey into the Psalms. Praise is an Imperative! This is the one singular point that is established throughout this book as the basic understanding of the Psalms. Ronald B. Allen's book seeks to place praise in the context of life, or is that "place life in the context of praise"? This is the thesis of this book; that we should, no... we must, praise Him throughout all our days no matter what our circumstances may be. "Praise is a matter of Life and Breath. "

Rarely can you find a book that will both touch your heart and challenge your mind. Dr. Ron Allen does both in this study of worship in the Psalms. A tender scholar, Dr. Allen lets us see God's passionate heart for His people that leads God's people to the appropriate response-worship! If you're looking for a book that will inspire you or a group to grow in love with God with your heart, soul and mind, choose "And I Will Praise Him." Interactive questions makes for easy discussion. Hebrew-made-simple explains the greater depth. Ask any of Dr. Allen's decades of seminary students if his life matches his message and you'll know why his classes and books take an honored place in their understanding of God's Word.

Why are you guys advertising you have 7 books available but you are telling me that this is back ordered until June 2? My class starts on May 28. You want me to take a chance on a chance?

If you are like me, you frequently do not have the time to search all of the environmental periodicals for useful articles. This latest intallment of an annual series compiles some of the most important magazine articles from the previous year into a single volume. The editor (John Allen) has done an excellent job not only in selecting the articles, but also in ensuring that the selections represent the diverse field of environmental science. Each volume also contains an index that cross-references the topics as well as a list of important web sites that supplement the topics.

As an environmental educator I have found this to be an exceptional reference tool for my classes. I frequently have my students purchase copies rather then send them to the library to copy the articles directly. As many libraries can't afford a complete set of environmental periodicals, this is a time and money saving reference.

I have also found that this book can be an enjoyable read for anyone who has an interest in environmental issues. Most of the articles are short (3-5 pages) and presented to the non science audience.

These "Are you a...?" books all present sound backyard science in plain kid-speak, inviting early readers to enter the spider's world in a humourous and engaging way.
My daughter, who's 6, and a beginning reader, loves the way these books don't talk down to her. They're easy, but not babyish -- just the right combination for building a love of reading that will last a lifetime!

"Are You a Spider?", by Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries, is a good book for children. The collaborators use a simple text and appealing, colorful illustrations to describe the lives of spiders.

The text opens, "Are you a spider? If you are, your mother looks like this and spins webs." The reader is thus invited to put herself/himself into the spider's place. The book illustrates the process of building a web, and shows other essential aspects of a spider's life. Overall, a very informative and enjoyable book.

What a book! All the poster/lobby card compilations by Hershenson and Allen are great, particularly Volume 10, Serial Movie Posters, which I suspect is their best seller to date, soon to be topped by this one.

We can argue about the "B Movie" in the title, since many of the posters and lobby cards shown are for exploitation, road show, and drive-in films, and there are some A features to be found in these pages as well. But that's a quibble.

What images! These were intended to get the farmers off their wagons and into the theatre, and they do serve that purpose. Have a gander at the incredible poster for I LOVE TROUBLE (39), a masterpiece in several senses of the word and from many points of view. The poster for TOMCATS (237) exhibits a very poor understanding of human anatomy but it would cause any healthy male of any age to fumble unconsciously in the general direction of the fly of his trousers. A number of posters and lobby cards feature the immortal Mamie Van Doren, protruding further than seems humanly possible (100, for instance) and Jayne Mansfield (for example 112) is no slouch along those lines herself.

I'd love to have seen a poster for BOP GIRL GOES CALYPSO starring Judy Tyler, but one can't have everything! Highest possible recommendation, and keep those hands away from that fly.

This volume from the series of books from Bruce is fantastic.The beatifull artistic designs of the posters contained in this volume are true classic examples of the fond memories I have from my youth when drive-ins were at the peak of popularity. Although the films were Ed Wood grade z type shlock fare the posters promoting them were class a in artistic design. The general rule of thumbs used by us frequenting the weekly drive-ins was the more outragius off the wall display on those posters(usualy a scanty cladd female and verball quotation to entice the movie going individuals) the most likely the film is a real turkey.Many of us loved making the weekly treck to the driv-ins just to see if the latest presentation could topple the king Plan 9 From Outer Space in realy bad filmmaking.The color posters contained in this volume all are examples of classic poster designing that sadly is lacking in "bland" fare that has been created for film posters from the late 80's to the present day.I highly recomend this gem of a book to any lover of film posters, the price for it is "dirt cheap pocket change" considering the outstanding content it has.A truely unique one of a kind book that I long have searched for and untill now, was never available.

...this books writting styles are in no match with any other book that i have read pure genious.

This book -- billed as "a portable George Garrett" is just that. It includes samples of his work from many years and shows how he can master almost any form. The stories of his family and of his academic career are especially engaging. But the volume contains one section from his magnificent stories of the Tudor period. This is a book by an author who has not received his due of acclaim.

My company recently entered into contract negotiations with a company in China. I found this book to be very helpful and informative as we went through this process.

I found Mr. Foster's book to be an insightful analysis of the need for increased cultural sensitivity both in and out of the world of business. His descriptions of various cultural practices and norms are fascinating and informative. A highly readable book;I look forward to future works by this cross cultural expert.

I picked up this book in the Las Vegas airport as I was leaving Las Vegas. I wish I had got it at the beginning of my trip. Here's my story: my brother and I both went to Vegas for the first time. We played quite a bit of blackjack. Our last night there, I got wiped out early and retreated to the nickel slots. Shortly after I left the blackjack table, a Japanese guy came and sat down next to my brother. He started coaching my brother and teaching him some basic strategy, and sure enough my brother started really doing well. My brother shared the strategy with me, and it turns out it's the same strategy that's in this book.
The basic strategy is this: obviously if you have a hand of 17 or higher, you should stand. And obviously if you have a hand of 11 or less, you should hit (since you can't bust no matter what card you get). So the only question becomes, what do you do in that "gray zone" where your hand is between 12 and 16? The answer is this: if the dealer has a high card (7 or higher), then HIT. If the dealer has a low card (6 or less), then STAND. The only other thing you need to know about is money management, and basically it sums up to this: if you are ahead, especially if you've doubled your money, then WALK AWAY. Don't stay and get greedy or you'll give your winnings back; your average blackjack session shouldn't last more than an hour, usually. There are also a few other rules in the book for how to handle splitting and doubling down when you're playing multi-deck (which is pretty much everywhere), so get the book and check it out. It's a thin little book that reads quickly and is well worth checking out during your flight into Vegas. Good luck!

A quick easy read. NO CARD COUNTING. Simple tips and strategies make the game fun for the amature, and almost completely remove the house advantage in Blackjack. You gain confidence and can relax and enjoy the game because you know you are doing it right. Using the easy techniques taught in this book, you can even the odds. Don't lose another winning hand because you are too lazy to read a few pages. A must-read for anyone who intends to visit a blackjack game, especially first-timers.