Ably edited for The James Dickey Contemporary Poetry Series, Without A Witness showcases the memorable poetry of Stella Johnston. Johnston uses language to pursue singular details or sequences of images and events within the context of experience and human perception.

I started reading this book on a Saturday afternoon at the beauty shop. I'm sure the other customers in the shop thought I was "crazy", because I would burst out laughing at some of the antics and comments in the book. I had to tell all who would listen why I was laughing so hard. Eric has "out-done" my girl Terry Mc Millian. He bought out the "grit" in each one of the female characters and gave a "generic" male point of view. Why do "pie-boys" act the way they do? It's the way of MAN that's universally understood - DOGS. I finished the book, EARLY, EARLY Sunday morning, after I took a three hour rest. (I could no longer keep my eyes open.) I'm anxious to start Eric's next chapter in the lives of the African-American male and female of the 90's. To make a long review short...READ IT, READ IT now!!!

The novel SISTER SISTER is absolutely remarkable. This hilarious story about Valerie, Inda, and Chiquita is like waiting to exhale all over again. The upbeat & exciting storylines of the trio stole my interest from beginning to end. The characters seem so real and so true, as if they were my own friends. It was really difficult to put down and I was utterly disappointed when it ended. After reading some previous reviews on the novel, I went straight out and bought the book myself. I'm looking forward to reading Dickey's other novels. Sister Sister is a definite must-read. I would give it 20 stars if I could.

Sister,Sister was too "GOOD." It was the last of Eric's books that I read. I enjoyed seeing how it all started for him and I wasn't disappointed in the least. I read the book in 2-3 days and hated that I finished it when I did. I've been a fan of Eric's for awhile and never seem to be disappointed with his books. I find it refreshing that he can write from a male/female point of view and he does it so very well. Sister,Sister opens the door to the saga that carries over into almost all of his books. You see just what somepeople will do to be in a relationship or so-called one anyway. Eric shows us, how some are blinded by the "thought" of love and how it can make you think and do some crazy things, in the name of love. The story was funny, witty and edgy. Just like I like them. Each page left me hunger for more. Much more. This one is a bestseller in my book. I thought it was clever that Cheaters filled in the blanks and cleared up somethings for me. Eric is an awesome writer and I turn people on to him every chance I get. If you haven't experienced him yet what are you waiting for? Forever a EJD fan and awaiting the next bestseller ALWAYS.

I must admit I was kind of scared to read this one. I attempted to read "Theives Paradise" but I could not get into it. But I loved many of his other novels.

The narrator, who is dedicated news producer, describes her marriage as strong and loving. She works nights, weekends, holidays, birthdays and all of the other very important dates. Her husband Charles is a middle school teacher - lots of free time. Her world turns upside down when she receives a call from a David Lawrence-the antagonist- who has been trying desparately to track her down. You see... his wife has been having an affair with her husband. Things begin to get ugly. Yet, the unique part of EJD story is the relationship between the narrator and David Lawrence. There is passion, lust, excitment, pain and craziness that is shared between these two couples as they try to save their marriages and find themselves. I definately was not prepared for what happened next.

EJD....excellant. It was wonderfully written. I really enjoyed the relationship between the narrator and her friend. David Lawrence was my favorite character.

Peace and Blessings!!

EJD has superseded my expectations with "The Other Woman." The nameless narrator is emotional, driven, and imperfect. She is realistic in her actions and thoughts. The book leaves you wanting to know more. Wanting to know where these characters are in a few years? Still having problems? Or have they changed, and grown? I guess that's what makes a book great, when the readers are left wanting more, when they feel like they know the characters and are genuinely interested in their future. Well....Eric Jerome Dickey has certainly left me as well as my book club members wanting more. "The Other Woman" is definitely his best work to date. If you've never read a EJD book before, read this one first! If you've read them all, then run out and get this one! You won't be disappointed! I Promise!!

So far I've read 3 books by Dickey: Between Lovers (pretty good), Friends and Lovers (okay, but Dickey can do better), and now The Other Woman. The Other Woman was the best of the three and I now have his entire collection of books in my possession and can't wait to read them all.

The Other Woman is such a sensual, emotional, and painful story. When I closed the book after reading the final page (which only took me 2 days) I sighed and said "wow" out loud. I liked all of the characters and I could understand every point of view in the book. While my life isn't filled with as much drama as the characters portrayed in this novel, I still feel that it is very realistic and think many lessons can be learned from it.

I enjoy Dickey's writing because he takes the reader so deep into the life of a limited number of characters and portrays their complexities in such a realistic way that you can't help but to fly through his books in record time. He definitely speaks to the dilemmas faced by contemporary professional African Americans in their late 20s early 30s.

As an aside, I am also from Delaware and one of the characters in the book is from Dover, Delaware so I really enjoyed the fact that an author finally acknowledged Delaware and portrayed the state very realistically. Dickey gets 5 stars if for no other reason than because he gave a "shout out" to Delawareans.

Deliverance Review
Deliverance, written by James Dickey, is a very suspenseful book full of action and drama. In this book, you are viewing everything through Ed's eyes. Ed is a middle-aged man who in turn loves to do athletic things to make himself younger. Ed is a follower of a man named Lewis in this book. Lewis is the type of person who lives his life through thrill and excitement. Lewis decides to plan a canoeing trip down a very fearsome river. The surrounding woods where the men stayed at night were also filled with danger. The trip that Lewis planned was suppose to be a peaceful one but turned out to be a very tragic one. We see Lewis go from crazy to mad and Ed from a follower to a newborn leader.
I would say that this book starts out a little slow and at first made me want to quit reading. Well my friends, this is one book that you will not want to put down. Once Lewis and company make it to the river, the book goes directly up hill. Everything from there on out is exciting and thrilling. I would recommend this book to any person who loves to read books full of action and people who are in tune with nature. This is a great novel and would love to read it one more time.

Whoa! I stumbled across this novel as I was glancing at the "Modern English Library's 100 Greatest Novels of the 20th Century." I have never been as involved in a book as I was in this one. Dickey, a tremendous author and poet, literally warps his readers into the story. Great characterization and vivid details make this novel a chiller. This is the perfect novel for a rainy weekend... It takes a hold of you and doesn't let go until you turn the final page. Read it!

As good as "Deliverance" the movie is, the book is even better. It goes into more detail about the motivations that led each character to the fateful canoe excursion. Unfortunately, I read it after having seen the movie numerous times, so I kept picturing Bert Reynolds, John Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox in my mind. Author Dickey is a great storyteller at the top of his game. That the novel also conatins a greater social significance is also a given. Mostly though, it is a fine exploration of the modern American male and how dealing with his testosterone urges can get him into trouble.

Haven't read all of Henry Hart's biography of James Dickey yet--just got it two days ago--but it appears to a fair, factual, detailed account of the extraordinary life of an extraordinary man. Reading the introduction has made me see the connection between the title and a subject--lying--that evidently intrigued Dickey for years--I'm glad to know that the title Hart used was actually Dickey's own choice. The language Hart uses is somewhat stilted--I agree with Erica Da Costa in The New York Times that he could have applied "his own poetic imagination".

James Dickey was a figure of vast contradicitons. In this thoroughly researched biography, Henry Hart explores the life and the fictive sources for his creative gift. Far more than an account of dates and events, Hart offers readers a highly perceptive thesis about the sources of Dickey's own creativity that at one and the same time explains a great deal about his gifts even as it also explains the wreckage of his private life. These were not separate spheres to be kept forever in neatly contained boxes. Rather his propensity for the creative possibility of the lie facilitated his strongest writing even as it left a trail of wreckage in his own life and the lives of those who loved him best. This is an important biography that will not likely be replaced.

For all his faults, James Dickey was a writer of extraordinary power and gifts. He redefined nature poetry and wrote of the outdoors with savage beauty. His reputation is in partial eclipse right now, but that is surely a temporary situation. No writer of his importance can stay buried for long. That said, Dickey was, in addition to being a genius, a scoundrel. Certainly not the first literary genius to push the envelope of misbehavior, but he ranks with the best of them. This outstanding biography by Henry Hart has received some potshots from critics for focusing much attention on Dickey's scandalous side. Well, sorry, Dickey's scandalous side was immense and to downplay it would have been intellectually weak. And, sorry again, but dishonesty on the scale Dickey publicly displayed can't simply be excused as a byproduct of "creative temperament." Hart's book is spectacular in the depth of its research, and yet the writing is so strong that the book never bogs down. In the end, once the anger of Dickeyites has subsided, this biography will emerge as the standard Dickey biography, all the more valuable for its unflinching honesty. It's an outstanding portrait of a complex man.

I just want to say, as a middle-aged woman who has neglected her hair for decades I was lucky to find HAIR RULES! The hair care advice has made it simple and easy for me to take care of and protect my hair. Also, the interview with the dermatologist, Jeanine Downie, MD, was fascinating and invaluable. What a great combination -- simple hair care and sound medical advice -- in one book. Wherever Dickey is, I want to say thanks x 1000!

The best hair care book I've come across yet! This book is comprehensive but simplistic. It is the first book I've seen that teaches me, as a black woman, how to take care of my curly/frizzy hair. He includes hair grooming for natural hair styles. There's also an incredibly helpful section that teaches you how to shop for products and how to use them, no matter if you wear natural or relaxed styles. He also gives guidance on the "taboo" subjects of wigs, weaves, and hairpieces. He doesn't push any products--unlike other books--and his only interest is in sharing his wealth of knowledge. I love this book!

This a wonderful book for black women w/ kinky hair. For every black, white, latino woman in the world this book is for you. If you don't have it, go buy it.

Dickey's wild tale of interracial romance is beautifully written, with a fantastic grasp of dialect (with the exception of Kinikki, who reads like a cartoon character). Both main characters, Jordan and Kimberly, share the first-person perspective, and both are drawn complex and believable. The female supporting characters are equally well-concieved (take hellcat Wanda, gold-digger Sharon, or the sweet but strong Zoe), but surprisingly the males leave much to be desired. Jordan's friend Soloman, his brothers, they seem two-dementional compared to the depth of their female counterparts. Only Kimberly's ex, Peter, is fleshed out to believability. On the whole, the story is an entertaining one, with some scathing critiques of racial boundaries, for blacks and for whites. However, the insane and unnecessary twists in the ending take a lot away from the story. Why bring J'nette back into the story at all? Why villify Soloman? Why take away a characteristic from Kimberly that was fueling the entire preceding story? In the end, it seems as though the book is apologizing for the interracial affair by making Kimberly a more acceptable choice. Sadly, the conclusion tears away at a good deal of what might have been learned from the book. My recommendation? Read the book, skip the last hundred pages or so.

The topic of interracial dating has gotten its fair share of debate. To be honest, it's a subject that will get some "sistahs" heads moving quicker than a speed of lightening. While this subject has caused many heated discussions, Author, Eric Jerome Dickey's in his novel, Milk in my Coffee, set in New York City, decides to tackle this issue in his own creative style.

The main characters of this book are Jordan Greene, a young, professional brotha, reared in Tennessee; and Kimberly Chavers, a young, white artist, who was raised as a military brat. This story set in motion when Jordan and Kimberly meet on a cold December day in a cab ride. Although this book focuses around the romantic relationship that eventually ensues between Jordan and Kimberly, the lives of Jordan's girlfriend, Janette, brothers, Reggie and Darrell, along with his best friend, Solomon, and his girlfriend, Zoë, as well as, Kimberly's best friend of Jamaican descent, were all smoothly intertwined and added flavor to this novel.

While on the cab ride, Jordan and Kimberly began having an interesting conversation and would before long learn that they lived within close proximities of each other. During their dialogue, Jordan would soon find himself becoming relaxed, intrigued and even attracted to Kimberly. These feelings began to make him feel uncomfortable. After all, Kimberly was a white woman, and Jordan had never had any interest or the intention to date one because he was only "down" with the sistahs. Therefore, he couldn't understand his current thoughts and more importantly, why his body temperature started rising in Kimberly's presence. Jordan was always known for his "power to the people" stance, so this cab ride really perplexed him. On the other hand, Kimberly was at ease engaging in conversation with Jordan and had no problems in finding him attractive.
From that very moment in the cab, Kimberly and Jordan both had an attraction towards each other. Kimberly even invites Jordan over to her place on the very day of their encounter.

Jordan would eventually succumb to his feelings for Kimberly and a romantic relationship would soon develop between them. Although Jordan and Kimberly are comfortable with their relationship, they soon learn that they must ignore the negative comments and stares from some of their friends, family members and even strangers. They decide to take a chance on love by following their own hearts and not focusing on what other people had to say about them. With a few twists and turns, Jordan and Kimberly learn that what matters most in life is the power of love, and when it's all said and done, everyone's heart beats the same way, whether their skin is black or white.

After reading this novel, I now see why Dickey is recognized for being a master at the craft of writing. His characterization and dialogue are superb throughout the entire novel. Dickey knows how to pull the reader into the story from the very first page. This novel is entertaining and thought-provoking and clearly demonstrates that the color of a person's skin has no barring on love. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this page-turning novel. You won't be disappointed. I certainly wasn't.

Reviewed by Carla J. Curtis

Being a sister that (I have to be honest) gets a little twinge when I see a "brother with another" I was first hesitant to read this book.. However I did and from the very beginning it hooked me.. I found myself feeling the character Solomon and his interaction with Kimberly.. I even put my guard down and said this couple is working out, regardless of all the "drama" they encountered. He wrote a book with the emotions of a woman in the character of the man.. I felt he realistically portrayed some how sisters react when they see a "brother with another". However, I loved it when he threw in the suspense, with the ex-husband situation, the betrayal of the best friend the loss of a job, the love of family, the realiness of the sister-n-law and his brother. Eric wrote real situations most of us can relate to.. Just when I had accepted the fact that this brother was loving this woman, he threw in the big surprise.. This book, caused a gamut of emotions for me.. I absolutely loved it.. And when the surprise was revealed in the end I silently smiled and said YES!! I am glad I picked it up and blocked out the hesitation and gave this author a chance.. I will be now be backtracking to read his other novels..

Probably the most important book ever written has as much to say to us today as it did in 1766 . Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nation" establishes the theoretical framework for Capitalism covering every aspect of an economic system that has created the highest standard of living known to man. Adam Smith shows how the interplay between labor, stock and land serve to generate the wealth of a nation. The keys to wealth are freedom, productive men, productive stock, and productive land. Smith says that the role of government is threefold - to protect the land from foreign invasion, enforce contracts and maintain a physical and legal infrastructure that promotes commerce and investment. Government produces nothing and therefore the expense of government reduces the wealth of a nation. Taxes are akin to a proportional reduction in the productivity of labor, stock and land and so should be kept at a minimum in order to increase the wealth of a nation. Any government role beyond the promotion and protection of investment reduces the wealth of a nation and of its people Adam Smith would oppose the many government programs that litter the landscape of the Federal Government today. Welfare, Social Security, education spending by the government, and other non-defense or infrastructure related expenditures diminish the productivity of the people and consequently their wealth. The majority of the people in the United States would have been much wealthier had it not been for these programs.
Adam Smith was also a proponent of free trade. He understood that countries varied in the productivity of the land and the people and that only through free trade could the advantages inherent in different lands and peoples be harnessed to increase the wealth of nations. He opposed guilds and unions which only protected the few at the expense of the many and consequently reduced the wealth of a nation by reducing the productivity of its people.
Adam Smith was truly a man for all season and for all time. It's unfortunate that our politicians and educators are more familiar and enamored by the idiot Karl Marx than they are with Adam Smith. For if they revered Adam Smith as much as they revere Marx we would all be wealthier and happier.

Adam Smith's "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations" is quite possibly the finest work of economic theory and capitalism there is. Not only does Smith cover a lot of theories, but his language is also excellent, making "The Wealth of Nations" not only an interesting, but also a very easy book to read.

Just as interesting as his discussions on economic theories is the glimpse we get of 18th century Great Britain.

To understand capitalism, this book is a must-read; to understand the world, understanding capitalism is a must; to save the world, implementation of laissez-faire capitalism is a must.

I am reviewing the Modern Library Classics version with an introduction by former labor secretary Robert Reich. To minimize repetition, the differences for this version: This massive book is complete and unabridged (all five books). There is a great added feature in the form of small summary notes in the margin that accompany each paragraph. Adam Smith was a masterful writer of prose and communicates some of the most important economic and philosophical ideas in the history of western civilization. Economic theory never read so beautifully.

An interesting choice for an introduction is Robert Reich. He is one of the few intellectuals from the left, and while I disagree with him more often than not, I respect his thought process. He offers his interpretation of Smith and how the ideas found in TWoN fit neatly with his positions. Selective reasoning or not, Reich does offer a nice summary line: "In these times, as when Adam Smith wrote, it is important to remind ourselves of the revolutionary notion at the heart of Smith's opus-that the wealth of a nation is measured not by its accumulated riches, but by the productivity and living standards of all its people." Nicely said and I agree. I just disagree with Reich and his ilk on how the "wealth" of the modern nation is achieved. Adam Smith offers the roadmap, but it is up to us to keep lawmakers in DC or [insert any central government here] from regulating and taxing us to death --relegating Smith's work to the dust bin.

Blair Walker has done an excellent job creating a believable character and hero, Darryl Billups the reporter, who I could really relate to as an African American professional. The plot of "Hidden in Plain View" is very fascinating and the murder method of the serial killer is completely original! Once into it, I could barely put the book down. I am now ready for the NEXT Darryl Billups mystery! A special thanks goes to Blair Walker for coming out and discussing his novel with our Book Club. It definitely provided us a new perspective on the book and writing in general.

I got this book in the mail by accident, because I wanted the Hidden In Plain View about African American quilts. I'm glad about the mixup, though, because I had never heard of Blair Walker. This brother definitely has a fresh writing style and a different world view. And his main character, Darryl Billups, is witty and kind-hearted. I could relate to the way Darryl and his girlfriend Yolanda have a normal, loving, respectful black relationship, something you rarely see in literature. And sisters, you will not believe who is killing the buppies dying in this book. I didn't particularly care for the incest scene, but it did make a strong point about the killer. There were some other freaky things in the book, but they weren't objectionable. And I loved how the pace zips along without boring lulls. Blair Walker, you go boy!

Blair Walker sweeps you along on another incredible case of his nemesis, Daryl Billups, and what a case it is. He allows you to walk in the footsteps of the murderer and see through their eyes without ever once looking in the mirror to tell you exactly who it was. From this vantage point the reader experiences the insanity even though they can't quite grasp the process that makes it tick. Hidden In Plain View provides the reader with enough suspense to keep them in the pages and enough thrills to insure completion. Congratulations Blair on another intelligent, insightful and well written offering to the literary arena.

"Summer of Deliverance" is an eloquent and compelling work by the son of a remarkable (even sometimes brilliant) self-destructive poet. Christopher Dickey pulls no punches in this memoir about his relationship with his father, James Dickey, who died in 1997. Once a loving and focused parent, Dickey began a steady decline into alcoholism, half-truths, and embarassing showmanship after his first novel, DELIVERANCE, was made into a successful film, in 1971. All of Christopher's pain and heartache are here--everything from his father driving his first wife (Christopher's mother) to drink and an early death to the poet's frightening bout with alcoholic hepatitis in 1994. Christopher does a workmanlike job of dramatically organizing his assemblage of details and facts. And, to his credit, he accesses himself just as relentlessly as he does his father. Also, like his dad, Christopher has an uncanny eye for the poetic. Whether it is recalling lyrical lines of conversation with the elder Dickey or simply remembering poignant moments (e.g., when his father, frail and hooked to an oxygen machine, utters with heartfelt forthrightness, "Son--I do love you so much"), Christopher pens it so winningly right. Quibbles? I question his speaking so harshly about the University of South Carolina. For both USC and Dickey prospered by his tenure there. Still, with SUMMER OF DELIVERANCE, we have a clearer picture of both the frailties and the greatness of a legendary poet.

Summer of Deliverance, written by James Dickey's son, Christopher Dickey, is a fascinating mix of biography and autobiography. It tells the story of a man who lived life to its fullest yet drank most of it away, and the son who struggled in his shadow.

James Dickey, while an accomplished and prolific Southern poet, will always be best known for his best selling novel, Deliverance. The novel, and its subsequent film adaptation, is the story of a fateful canoe trip taken by four suburban Atlanta men down a North Georgia river.

Born to a wealthy Atlanta family, Dickey spent his early career criss crossing the country with his wife, Maxine, and their two sons, taking several teaching positions along the way.

Dickey began to garner national recognition with his appointment as the Poetry Consultant to the Library of Congress, an honor second only to the Poet Laureate. He was commissioned to write and recite a poem for Jimmy Carter's presidential inauguration. Disappointed to learn that he would not be reciting it at the actual swearing in, a la Robert Frost at JFK's Inauguration, but rather at a televised gala the night before, he was barely able to recite the poem, after enjoying one too many beers backstage with Paul Newman before the show.

But it was the release of Deliverance that put him on the literary map. Deliverance was based on an earlier Dickey poem titled Springer Mountain. Chris Dickey spends a surprisingly short amount of time discussing the actual writing of the book, yet devotes four chapters to the filming of the movie. While James Dickey only made brief appearances on the set, including a cameo as the sheriff, Chris worked the entire shoot as a stand in. Colorful stories of Burt Reynolds' steady stream of female visitors, local inmates being used as film extras, and the unfriendly locals are well documented.

The success of Deliverance brought instant fame and fortune to Dickey, and to say that it went to his head would be a gross understatement. It fueled an already growing drinking problem, which led to marital infidelity and mental abuse of wife and sons.

Chris describes a father who could build you up to make you feel so special, only to tear you down with one of his drunken episodes. He dragged his wife down until she developed a drinking problem of her own, that she died from in 1976. Two months later, Dickey remarried a woman more than half his age.

Soon after, father and son ceased to communicate, an impasse that lasted 20 years. Chris became a respected journalist, covering the turmoil in Central America for The Washington Post, and is now the Paris Bureau Chief for Newsweek magazine. But his father's failing health drew brought him home to Columbia, South Carolina, to care for his father, and to try and begin a dialogue to help work through their problems.

During their time together, James was completely sober, and they spent a great deal of time talking about their lives. Slowly they began the healing process before James died.

Summer of Deliverance is a compelling study of the dichotomy of a public personal and the private reality. The result is a poignant story of forgiveness and understanding between father and son.

We've had many books from authors who grew up as the children of difficult, self-obsessed geniuses, but Christopher Dickey's memoir of his father, James Dickey, ranks at the very top. "Summer of Deliverance" has the ring of bitter truth, and Christopher Dickey is just as hard on himself as he is on his father; this isn't "Daddy Dearest," thank God. The chapters on the making of the film version of "Deliverance"--an abortive collaboration between father and son which ended when the father died--are both hair-raising and delicious. (I'm surprised Burt Reynolds hasn't sued!) "Summer of Deliverance" had the effect on me of making me want to go back and reread all of James Dickey's poems and novels immediately, as well as to check out Christopher Dickey's other books. I suspect most readers will have exactly the same reaction.