Georg Trakl is the greatest German poet most english readers have never heard of. Most of his best poetry dates from the period just before and during his service in the Austrian Army during the First World War and this makes him a brief contemporary of Rilke. However, while Rilke's verses are each a world of incandescent beauty and spiritual profundity, Trakl's are intimations of death, decay and expressions of a world trapped in a cycle of hell. His poems are intensely expressionistic, dark and powerful. Simko's translation is excellent; though he makes a few word choices from the German that might be open to debate, he does an excellent job of preserving the poems' structure while transmitting their power in English. My only quibble is that I would have liked it if the selection of poems was broader.

This is a very fine book of translations. To read Georg Trakl in German, of course, is far better. His German is extroadinarily beautiful. Trakl was a magnificent poet; I would say one of my absolutely favorite poets. His techniques are marvelous. He comes from, and surpasses, the lineage of such master technicians as Edgar Allen Poe, and Charles Baudelaire. He wrote poetry as if he were composing music, modulating colors and emotional content rather than tones and harmonies. One has the sense that he was divinely inspired. His work is miraculous.

In 1914, my great uncle died in a Cracow sanitorium--the causeof death was overdose on narcotics, most probably a suicide. Throughmy earlier years, I was read my uncle's poetry at bedtime and warned of the danger that awaits the poet in this cruel heartless world. As a teenager, I experimented with poetry yearning to transcend the souless quest for social mastery that is adolescence. Finally, upon the eve that I was to lose my arm in an effort to attain a Villonesque apprehension of the reality of the gallows, I was approached by the ghost of my great Uncle, Georg Trakl, who recited to me his last poem, Grodek--whereupon my desire to versify became a crest of shame. . .for I was a player of games where he was a player of the sacred flute of pan. . .My silence is a song in reverence to the author of the poem Grodek

As a student coming from a merely conservative culture, I can relate with the Bradburds' expriences. I find the Komachies and the Malays(dominant ethnicity of Malaysia) having similar culture and tradition because of the religion; Islam. The wedding trays are very alike and men are considered to have more power than women. However, my mom wears the pants in my family ;-). I came directly from Malaysia to upstate Potsdam NY. It 's such a culture shock and quite an interesting experience. I understand the feeling of being FAR away from home....and let me tell you, it ain't easy!

As a friend, fellow ethnographer, and reviewer of other writings by Bradburd, I am very pleased to see this book in paperback (i.e., classroom usable) form and happily recommend it to others. It is highly readable, personally engaging, and very informative about people, settings, and ways of life that are not generally accessible to cultural outsiders -- even other Iranians. That Bradburd is able to help a reader gain an appreciation and understanding of the complexities of Komachi life is a credit to his skill as a writer -- both most of all as a researcher. Well done!

Is it possible to learn anything about another culture without skewing the data just by being there? Dan Bradburd argues that it is, and shows how. For general readers interested in finding out what field work is like, the book provides a diverting account. For anthropologists who think there's no point in going, a convincing argument to the contrary.

BERMUDA ATLAS AND GAZETTEER

Paradise lost, paradise found,
In pages that are bound.
A timeless treasure of pictures and words,
If you've never seen, nor heard
The Siren's song like those who've been.
You'll want to return again and again.

-----------------------------------------------------

1962

Thoughts of the past come back
To a place called "Cotton Patch",
It's not here in Tennessee,
But somewhere far across the sea.
A pale green house high on a hill,
I wonder if it sits there still,
Surrounded by banana trees
And childhood memories.
Salt spray on shutters in a storm,
A pony to ride in the neighbor's barn,
White steps on our roof to catch the rain,
I wonder if it's still the same.
Caves to hide in and rocks to climb,
Out all day, never mind the time,
Easter lilies grown to sell,
But we didn't have to pay for the smell,
Or the view--
Every day was something new.
Gnarled cedars on a sandy path--
I think I found it on a map
In the BERMUDA ATLAS AND GAZETTEER,
A book to ponder year after year,
To find the places I have seen,
Long ago and in my dreams.

Jane Barcroft Forgy
9/6/00

A beautifully designed and thoughtful book. The watercolors evoke the pink gentile Bermuda I visited as a child. This book is a must for any history and nautical buff who wants to learn of the origins of the island,as well as shipping and sailing lore.400 pages of comprehensive, thorough, detailed information about this corner of paradise on earth

As a first-time visitor to Bermuda, I was looking for a comprehensive book to learn about the island's history and culture. I was struck by this sophisticated volume - it stood out among the others for its beautiful look and feel, more like a fine 19th century guide for the well-heeled traveler. I found the watercolors alluring and then, as I scouted Bermuda, I realized that the artist had painted with such sensitivity and grace that he captured the real beauty of his chosen sites. For instance, the magnificent painting of the cave in Tom Moore's Jungle is exactly as the mystical and enchanted grotto appears in real life. Yet the artist's style still adds something magical that photographs or other mediums could not match. The book is also a joy to read as well as behold. The author's writing style, while factual, is easy to read and the entries include interesting folklore and anecdotes about all the places of Bermuda. The book is at once a valuable reference volume, an atlas with sixteen fold-out maps, and a beautiful collection of exquisite watercolors. Although it is pricey, the Bermuda Atlas is well worth the money spent as the ultimate souvenir of the island.

I enjoyed the books throughly and Ms. Daniels is a gifted writer. I agree with all of the other comments. Ms. Daniels if you're listening, please get rid of those made up words. They don't add anything to the plot and had kind of a negative effect on the flow of the words. I hope you make this a series.

Body of Intuition by Claire Daniels (Berkley Prime Crime) is my kind of whodunit. The plot was intriguing, the clues fair (not too easy, not too hard), the charcters wonderfully developed and unique. And then there is the protagonist, Cally Lazar. If she wasn't fictional, I'd marry her myself. She is a witty, lively, smart, and good-hearted alternative healer who uses all of her skills to find a murderer at an ill-fated and sometimes hysterically funny intimacy seminar. I read the book in one sitting. And now I want to see the sequel. I rate both Cally and Body of Intuition five-star delights.

Cally Lazar is a recovering lawyer who joined a twelve-step recovery program to make sure she doesn't fall back into practicing jurisprudence. After she quit the legal profession, she became a masseuse. With some of her patients, she sees auras that enable her to know what is wrong and how to heal the patient.

Cally works with Tricia Snell, whose deceased husband insists he did not commit suicide but was murdered. Tricia convinces Cally to attend an intimacy workshop at the Inn at Fiebre where the same attendees will be present. She agrees to go and her friends Warren Kapp and Dee Dee Lee accompany her. When they arrive and start questioning people, it seems everyone disliked Seager Snell and had a reason to kill him, but the murderer intends to make Cally the next victim if she doesn't stop snooping around.

Claire Daniels has written a creative New Age psychic mystery staring a heroine that it is impossible not to like. The author writes in a breezy easy going and humorous manner so that readers don't feel overwhelmed from the complex plot with numerous viable suspects. This is the first installment in what looks to be a unique hit series. Let's hope in the next book, the author clues the reader in to why the protagonist quit practicing law though perhaps Cally was simply ahead of her time and just frustrated by judges Determining No to Aura-ology as supporting evidence.

Harriet Klausner

CHRISTMAS TREES AND MONKEYS, besides boasting one of the most unusual titles ever for a collection of horror stories, proves Daniel G. Keohane to be one of the very best (perhaps THE best) of the next wave of writers in this genre - and heads above many of the (for now) better-established names I won't divulge here. His prose is clean, assured, his plots and characters intriguing, his imagination sparkling, his approach widely varied so that one doesn't know what to expect from each story - which keeps the offering fresh. A story like BARK can be very simple is plot, but a powerful engine of suspense. AM is a super-spooky tale that would make great reading at Halloween. But as eminently entertaining as these stories are, at times Keohane steps into the realm of surreal literature with brilliant and achingly human stories like FEED THE BIRDS and the gorgeous WHITE WAVE OF MERCY (perhaps the best story in the collection), and THE MONKEY ON THE TOWERS, in which the titular preternatural simian is an enigmatic symbol of chaos and catalyst in the lives of numerous people (Keohane is very adept at shifting view points). There are also a good many stories with a religious theme, in which an intimate hell (RITUAL) or apocalyptic event (REDEMPTION, LAVISH and the unnerving zombie tale TWO FISH TO FEED THE MASSES) are brought about by an incomprehensibly harsh Creator more frightening than any literary Satan - and in which characters fight for redemption, or at least a modicum of understanding in the face of the bleak unknown. Though the last story, TANNER'S BOMB, is a little silly, every story in this book is impressive in its own unique way. Keohane is a master in the making, and any fan of horror in its many sub-categories will find more than enough to be impressed by in this first collection from a first-rate author.

Up until the last story, I didn't think I would have a favorite, although a few will stick with me for quite a while. "Feed the Birds" will take you into the bowels of human depravity. "The Doll Wagon" outshines the old Twilight Zone story. Positively creepy. Thanks to Keohane, I will never see GI Joe the same way again! Ever.

The other stories are strange and thought-provoking (such as Y2Kay and The Storm of Generations). My favorite was "Tanner's Bomb". It was a darkly hilarious story about a trucker, desperate to drop his load so he could get home to his family in time for Christmas. He did, but not without dire consequences.

I not only enjoyed Christmas Trees and Monkeys for the stories, but for the way they were written. Mr. Keohane has his own unique style, which I found refreshing. I look forward to reading his next book. Highly recommended.

I've known Dan for a few months now and just picked this book up at a group signing we did a few weeks back. This is a stupendous collection of work from a writer with a serious future in speculative fiction. Excellent narrative skills combine with sleek dialogue and a wonderful gift for building suspense to create some of the coolest short stories I've read in a long time. Standouts for me included "Y2Kay" - one of the most unique takes on the Y2K crisis - and "Lavish" a truly great epic tale. Dan Keohane's work shines here and he will definitely be making a big mark on the genre. Don't miss this fantastic collection of stories from a serious up-and-coming author.

An excellent book, full of useful advice and support. As a Consultant Psychiatrist, I have been treating Chronic Fatigue Syndromes since 1982 and this is one of the best books on the subject, that I have ever read. I would thoroughly recommend this book to all sufferers and their relatives. The illness is extremely difficult to treat and is very frustrating for both the patient and also the therapist. However, books like this offer considerable hope and guidance.
Keep up ther good work.
Dr. Adrian Winbow, Consultant Psychiatrist

This book is easy to read and understand. Research in areas of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia is severely underfunded, however, Ms. Berne does a wonderful job of relating the most recent findings; many of which dispel the notion that this is about being just a little tired. I highlighted the symptoms that I had in several of the lists in this book and gave it to my physician to keep which she did. I also just hand it to friends and family when they seem skeptical. It does the trick.

This is the fibromyalgia/cfs book that not only "tells it like it is," but also demonstrates how to live gracefully and positively with the uncertainty and pain of chronic illness. Read every word not only for comprehensive information on causal theories, symptoms, and research, but also for the author's insights as one who has been fighting the good fight for many years.

"Chronicle of America" is a capsulized approach to American history from 1492 to present. Significant events are organized as newspaper articles that quickly break down the most important aspects of the event in a simple "who, what, where, when, and how" format. Contemporary illustrations and photographs are interspersed throughout each year to reinforce the newspaper approach.

Although especially handy for young students, this book is also useful when you need to just look up a few basic facts without having to wade through or locate more indepth works. Definitely handy to have around.

As a Librarian I use this book several times a week. There is nothing like it for putting issues in context. The newspaper format and photographs make it attractive to young people. I hope that a new edition will come out soon.

This book is a MUST if you are interested in American history. It very easy to follow having been written as a collection of news articles. I would recomend this book to anyone, even students.

This is a very welll written book but I feel it is not for someone who has just started exploring aromatheray. The summaries are very helpful. This is not a book you could read in one day for sure. It is full of interesting facts but at times one wants to just get into the healing sections quicker. I would suggeast this book to others but they would do better to get intro books on aromatheray if they are new to the field.

I had read several books on essential oils and aromatherapy. Some were filled with anti-Western medicine rhetoric, others were focused on cosmetics, while others contained good anecdotes with recipes interspersed. I use these, but was looking for something else, which I couldn't really articulate.

I haven't finished reading this, but it is exactly what I was looking for. It combines practical application with reasonable science while focusing on healing.

The book is written in the context of the UK medical system, which doesn't match the US system very well, but it isn't hard to generalize the concepts to a different venue.

In the back are several appendices listing the recommendations and summarizing the findings.

Definitely worth the time and money.

As a Health Education Specialist it is my job to work with clients in finding ways to improve their health. It is also my job to provide the most acurate health information. I make a point to check and double check any informational source that I might use as reference in considering possible avenues.

I have found this book to be extremely helpful in making such decisions pertaining to aromatherapy. It is full of actual case studies, physicians reference notes, reasonable scientific methodology, and sound references. This is one of the only books that I know of that successfully convinced me of the possible use of aromatherapy with more traditional allopathic methods.

If you should choose to pursue aromatherapy as a means to improving your ailments, I do stress that you address your concerns and your plans with your physician to ensure not only the best possible outcome but, your safety as well.

T.Schmenk, M.Ed.

There need to be more books like this one. An important topic like prematurity needs more attention.

Dail R. Cantrell was recently nominated for a Book of the Year award for Equal to the Task, one of the best books on the subject ever written. This book is a good companion.

I thought this book was wonderful. It helps people who have never experienced life in the NICU get a glimpse of it. I have quadruplets and all 4 of my babies went through the NICU at Chidren's Hospital in Minneapolis. Dr. Ronald Hoekstra took care of my babies and he is as wonderful as the stories in this book make him sound. It is very difficult and hard to explain what life is like in the NICU and this book does a marlvous job of conveying that. I have given this book to many friends and family members to help them understand what I went through.

I loved this book. I often read and the gym on the exercise bike and my mind will wander. Not with this book! I was engrossed with the stories and tears came to my eyes often as these people of faith go through very challenging times. Although written to partially explain how the Christian faith of these parents and some of the staff helped them through their individual ordeals, it was not offensive. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the wonder of new life.

What I truly loved about this book, aside from it's fun, compact, easily tote-able size, is that it tells the story of many beloved New York holiday landmarks and traditions, from the Thanksgiving Day Parade to the Tree at Rockerfeller Center. As a New Yorker, these are integral aspects of Christmas--Celebrated and admired year after year with little question or understanding as to where their traditions stemmed. This book takes you back to the first windows ever displayed on 5th Ave, while telling fun, quirky stories about the Macy's Parade balloons and how in the early years, they were actually released into the air at the end of every parade. This was eventually halted when an airplane almost crashed into one, and ships on the Atlantic reported strange floating sea creatures! I have always loved New York during the holidays and I feel as if this book has increased my appreciation of them by giving me a greater connection to their origins. It's a quick read, which is good in one aspect, (it covers a lot of topics) but you don't get a whole heck of a lot of detail on each topic. Though, it is just enough to keep you interested and moves you right along to the next topic. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is becuase none of the photographs in the book are color. Personally, I would have been willing to pay slightly more for the book to get color pics.. You just dont do justice to Christmas anything in black and white--but its nice that there are a few pictures, especially that of the first Rockerfeller Christmas tree ever, that workmen erected on the then construction site during the depression. The men spent so much of their time their, they got their own little tree and decorated it with cans and other things that were strewn about... But truly this book would have been much improved if color photographs were included. Otherwise this is a fun coffe table table medley of history and tradition!

This book couldn't be made better if you tried. Daniel Pool did an excellent job describing New York at Christmastime. From Rockefeller Center to Tiffany's & Co. This book describes everything to see, from store windows to parades, to movies.

This is a must have for anyone visiting New York this holiday season, and a beautiful book to add to any collection.

I bought this book to share with my three sons, as we are taking our first family vacation to New York this Thanksgiving, and I was looking for something to enhance their appreciation of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectactular. Without even looking I knew the author was a New Yorker. Reading this book feels like listening to a narrative by someone in your family, describing the charm of your own home town to a young adult or out of towner. Of course this town is New York City-the very heart of the Christmas Spirit in the United States! This book gave me what I was looking for and so much more. As if the sheer sight of New York at Christmas isn't enough, the history and stories shared by the author has deepened my love of the Holidays, this sensational city and the people who experienced it in the past and in the years to come.