I bought this book for my daughter, since she came home from school suddenly interested in writing poetry and I found it so fascinating that I bought another copy for myself. I've read Mayes's other books and loved them and sense that same person speaking, clearly and directly, but this time about a subject I've never really warmed to. And she's opened my eyes to another world, helped me tear down and push away all those cliches I had about poetry. Now I'm not so "afraid" when I read a poem that I'm not going to get it. She's very calmly shown me that a poem can just "be." My daughter loves it too and she's sixteen. Highly recommended for those who have always wondered why they never really understood what poetry was all about, but really wanted to.

I've bought and read many "Introduction to Poetry" books over the past several years, but this one is my favorite.

Most of the books of this genre are long on technical information, but lack passion behind the text. Think of a book about music written by a mathematician; The writer might get the technical points across, but the joy of experiencing the music would probably be lacking.

This book presents both the technical information necessary to enjoy poetry, and a selection wonderful poems that demonstrate the principles first hand. In fact, Ms. Mayes is so adept at selecting suitable poems that I think she could prove to be an anthologist of the highest caliber (hopefully she'll read this suggestion and take it to heart).

I recommend this book to anyone who has been baffled by poetry in the past. Enjoy the delights of this book for a time and you'll be hooked on poetry for good.

By the way, do the writing exercises too. You just may find your inner poet.

Anyone who is familiar with Mayes' books Under a Tuscan Sun and Bella Tuscany will not be at all surprised that she has written a book about poetry. In recounting the story of how she and her husband discovered and renovated their home in Italy, her writing moves with the rhythms of a poet's voice and savors words for their sounds and textures as well as the images they evoke.

The author of 5 books of poetry and a creative writing teacher at San Francisco State University for years, Mayes has turned her experiences into a simple, straightforward approach to reading, appreciating and writing poetry. Simple, however, does not mean easy. As Mayes is quick to point out, poetry requires concentration, contemplation and the suspension of our linear and time driven expectations. Even the results of reading and writing poetry, she cautions, are not what we might expect. "...many of us are overtrained to read for factual information," says Mayes. "Overly pragmatic, we look for a result, a conclusion."

Mayes' approach to studying poetry is to set the simple fundamentals that are common to all poetry before the reader and then let poems themselves illustrate her points. The book is divided into 11 parts, which cover everything from reading and interpretation, points of view, and imagery, to the mechanics of rhyme and meter, traditional versus free verse, and tips for would be writers. However, the thing that impressed me most throughout the book were her choices of poems to include, and her insightful commentary on them. These comments are offered with genuine pleasure and the graciousness of a friend sharing something she truly loves. There is nothing high handed or condescending in her discussions. Instead you feel like you've been invited to share in a delightful secret or been offered the chance to join a special club. This is a book that given the time and careful consideration it deserves will help you fall in love with poetry.

This is the best and the most classical fluid mechanics book that i have read. Read it through carefully and you will get much from it. Reading it from time to time can give you many new knowledge every time.

An excellent resource. A tough act to follow for any other author of BLT books.

This book is as much as a classic as BSL's "Transport Phenomena" (the bible) - it surely is a "holy" book to me!

Missed the Monterey Festival, however this book almost takes you right there - amidst the audience, the performers -both in the crowd and onstage. In color and b+w. HIGHLY recommended for Dead, Who, & Hendrix fans !

Elaine Mayes has captured the exitement and nostalgia of the '60's "Summer of Love" with this excellent book about the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. Packed with original and little seen photos of artists and audience, the book also has many quotations and comments that complement the narration throughout by the Author.
The book has introductions by Lou Adler and Derek Taylor, and covers the whole three days of events, with rare and candid pictures in each section. If you are a fan of genuine 'pop' and 'sixties underground', you will enjoy the close up sharp photos of such personalities as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Ravi Shankar, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Mamas and Papas, Country Joe and the Fish, along with Otis Redding, Simon and Garfunkel,Paul Butterfield Band, Steve Miller Band, Canned Heat, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Eric Burdon and the Animals, and many more that appeared on that special weekend in music history.
This 190 page book is beautifully printed in full color and also includes original artwork and posters by Tom Wilkes used in the Festival. Well worth the money for a keepsake book that immediately transports the reader back in time to that psychedelic, carefree era.

Elaine Mayes really brings the majesty and the momentous occasion that was the first ever rock music festival and soical happening, The Monterey Pop Festival, to the reader in photographs and in words. The book is beautifully designed and unfolds in a way that the reader can either perfectly recount those days in June of 1967 perfectly or for the novice, it is an accurate, historical journal.

I gave this book to a friend of mine that had attended Monterey Pop and she cried as she recalled the days of peace, love and rock & roll.

The actual marriage of Anna Maye Potts occurs on p.200 of this absorbing and wonderfully grounded novel. After much disappointment and hope, Anna and Louie finally become man and wife, and they make love for the first time in a motel room in Atlantic City, where they have chosen as the destination of their honeymoon.

This love scene is among the best I've seen in any work of fiction. We view the entire episode through Anna's eyes, a woman inexperienced in sex and craving for tender love. She feels that "the joy and freedom was lost to the suddenness and his bruising kiss, his angry struggling with her bra;" she notices that "the room was too visible and the light too harsh." The man she is in love with has a "lurid grin" on his face; when his shirt is off, she sees his "shaggy chest and gray, as he undid and stripped off his pants." There does come a point, though, when "the rudeness had turned to grace," and he strokes her back and kisses her when he sees her tears.

There is nothing sentimental in this almost brutal depiction of sexual desire and loneliness. As in the rest of this truly remarkable book, love always comes with heart-wrenching costs, and happiness always demands painful personal sacrifices. I read this book in a café in a single afternoon, identifying with Anna Maye Potts without any reservation, and was completely captivated by the story. There was deep empathy in my heart after I finished reading; it was as if the gravity and compassion the author showed in the novel also illuminated my own life, and I was sharing his anger, sorrow and, yes, also love, for this imperfect world and our imperfect lives.

The gritty realism and shattered lives of the characters here make this an outstanding debut novel. Henry delves deep into these mundane lives, slowly unearthing the humanity and complexity in characters exhausted by their day-to-day doldrums. This blue-collar odd-couple romance has zero by way of sap or senitment and was a genuine pleasure to read.

This is a great book in the tradition of Hardy, Zola, Norris and Dreiser. Alcoholism, adultery, violence and dialogue worthy of Chandler make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the American working-class experience. The power of the unspoken and even the unsayable is so strong between all these characters, but especially the two lead characters, who struggle under major personal burdens without whining about them. Reminds me of Cather, but also Carver, although a different milieu here. The only novel I've ever read where the protagonist in tough times is a woman working in a factory. No sugary ending -- you really wonder whether trouble is not as much ahead of these two as it was behind. Terrific piece of American realism, get it and read it.

As soon as the book was unwrapped and opened for inspection, my 5 year old wanted to dive right in. A mother can't help but love a book like that. Usborne's many pictures and small paragraphs of information are ideal for children. The content is astonishingly good, and the presentation is even better. I absolutely love the experiments throughout the book. They are easy to do and only require items I normally have around my house. My only regret is that I didn't have this book to read when I was younger. After this book, I believe Usborne could make a book on the anything seem interesting.

This has turned into a useful book. I homeschool our five children using a classical approach. Following the recommendation of The Well Trained Mind, I purchased this book. Initially, I was not as thrilled with this as with some of my other school purchases. References to macroevolution, the Big Bang, etc,,, as if those theories are fact don't seem suitable to a science book when you are training children in the beginnings of the scientific method. Unfortunately, this is a common approach. For those concerned about Biblical creation, the evolutionary detail is limited and can be easily skipped or discussed in light of the Bible.

On a practical level, this book is great. On numerous pages it offers little ideas to follow or use as mini-experiments or further research. It is easy enough for my youngest scholar to follow, and my oldest, a third grader, on busy days can read to the others.

We school for six weeks and take a break the seventh. The format of the book fits this perfectly. Each of the six sections can be read in a four-page spread weekly in six weeks, totalling the 36 weeks needed for school. This schedule allows one or two days a week for reading and a second day a week for experiments, field trips, or alternative reading/studying. (I usually read Tues. and Thurs. and do field trips and experiments on Saturday with Dad).

Overall rating of this book is positive.

As a future law-enforcement officer, I found this book immensely enlightening and enormously inspiring. Police officers are truly a unique breed, but not in the way most people think. The sensitivity, strength and fortitude evident in this book's character, as well as his struggles, really rings true to what I see will be expected of me when I get a badge pinned on me. All police officers must strive to live at a higher ethical standard than the common "joe", and with that awesome responsability comes enormous emotional challenges most folks rarely face. This book beautifully illustrates this proud-burden that our police must carry. This book is a must read for anyone comtemplating a career in law enforcement!

The author has captivated many years of personal experience in law enforcement to produce this brilliant, fictional novel that will leave you eagerly anticipating each new chapter. You, the reader, join Brad Phillips, as he experiences daily life as a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. You will feel the emotional intensity he endures to successfully get his job done with the utmost of courage, integrity and honesty. But would facing a challenging, criminal world on a daily basis give him reason to compromise all this? This book will keep you riveted to the last word!

If you're looking for clear, fun, expert advice about the books children truly enjoy look no further. Every parent, grandparent and teacher should have this on their shelf. This is THE best book to buy for a baby shower gift.

As a children's librarian I am constantly seeking out adults who like books for kids as much as I do--Valerie and Walter fit the bill. This is filled with books that kids will actually like and want to read--I wish I could give a copy to every school teacher who makes up a summer reading list full of books that were published 50 years ago and then wonders why no one read any of them over the summer. A wonderful resource for parents who care about what their kids read, as well. Bravo.

The Dwarf Dinosaur, by children's author Esther A. Barnes, is a youthful, adventure-packed tale sure to appeal to the young ones. Norman is a dwarf dinosaur. That means he is very, very tiny, much smaller than any other dinosaurs he knows. But Norman's size has its advantages too. For one thing, he is able to escape from huge man-eating dinosaurs and other creatures because he can hide in tiny crevices where his enemies can't reach him. But Norman is also very lonely. He longs for a friend his own size. In his search, Norman stumbles upon an adventure he'd never dreamed of -- but can he still find a friend like himself?

St Augustine's City of God is a work for the ages. It was not only a great apologetic to the Christian faith of the 5th century; it is an apologetic to Christian faith for all centuries. It is the story of history unfolded in two exact opposite cities. It is the struggle between the two cities against one another. It is the story of the fall, grace, redemption, and salvation of man for those who live in the city of God. For those of the other city, it is the exact opposite. It is the story of the fall, judgment, damnation and ultimate destruction of those who loved themselves more than they loved God. This was the story of love, by one of the greatest saints of the Catholic Church, Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.

The reason I give 4 stars out of 5 is because of the amazing difficulty that comes with reading this book. This is a VERY VERY heavy read, and one should be familiar with the prevailing Roman philosophies of the day, as well as Roman history.

Augustine talks of Plato, Cicero, Virgil and others frequently through the book. He also talks of the history of Rome, and these factors play a heavy note in his book. An few survey classes of Philosophy, and a World Civics class as well as a decent understanding of Christian history at this time, and theology is also a must. You should be familiar with the scriptures. Because of all these factors, you cannot just pickup and read this book. You'll have to know what Augustine is talking about to some level before you read this.

Other than that, this book is brilliance, and while some parts will be a little dry, it is very inspiring. You see Augustine write, sign, and stamp the doctrine of Original Sin, Amillinialism, and doctrines concerning Grace, the Trinity, and various "problems" concerning the Canon of Scripture.

He setup Christianity for the next 1000 years, and is still felt strongly today in Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox circles.

Any thinking Christian is daunted by this three-pound monster, but he owes it to himself to read it, front to back. The Great Doctor of the Latin Church here set forth the tenets for the entire Church to come, based on diligent studies of Scripture. Augustine is surprisingly readable when discussing history and even rises to humor when he discusses ancient Roman religious practices. He anticipates many of the great existentialists by over a millenium and a half in his treatments of the Old Testament. At the end of an exhausting journey, one is left with a reaffirmed faith and renewed strength in the promise of our Savior. No man should be deprived of the nourishment of the mind and spirit contained in this book. Happy reading

Like one of the reviewers above, I, too, set about the daunting task of reading this book from cover to cover, and it took me a good six months to complete it. But what a wonderful and worthwhile investment of time it was! It would do the modern Church well to read this book since Augustine places the City of God (i.e., Christ and His Church) within the context of the pagan world in which we live, and its message is as applicable to today as it was 1,500 years ago when he first wrote it. Most impressive, his grasp of both classical and biblical history and his profound understanding of Scripture is unparalleled by almost any author I have ever read, from Jerome's time until the present. If for no other reason, Christians should buy this book to gain an appropriate understanding of the last days and the rightful interpretation of the book of Revelation. Most of today's books on this subject pale in comparison to Augustine's exposition of this lofty and (sometimes) arcane subject.

Although I didn't like most of the stories in this anthology, there were a few that I really, really, really loved. And they made it worth the price of the book, over and over.
The introduction by Frances Mayes is a gem and really sets the tone. Especially if you were wondering why a report on 9-11 would qualify for "travel writing". (After you read that introduction, you'll -unbelievably - have to agree that it does).

The story "40 years in Acapulco" is worth the price of the book by itself. I came away feeling almost guilty like a voyeur, as if I had just gotten a sneak peek into somebody elses life. I was literally transported.

The 2000 version is much more upbeat than this one. But then, I suppose we were living in a much more upbeat "travel" world then.

If you like short stories and travelogues you'll love this book. These are the best of the best. And like some reviewers have already mentioned, there are a wide variety of experiences and information in this collection of essays. I found myself laughing in Devin Friedman's "Forty Years in Acapulco" and Lawwrence Millman's "In the Land of the White Rajahs" and learning new information from Molly O'Neill's "Home For Dinner." I admit, however, that I did enjoy soem of the essays much better than others, but they are all very well-written and image provoking. It's as if I traveled the world without leaving my room.

Scott Anderson's "Below Canal Street"is worth the entire price of the book: a vivid description of the city on September 11th. The aim of the essay is not to upset or exploit, its goal it to take you there and make you see the whole through each tiny detail. You walk with Scott through the day, seeing as he did. A beautiful piece.

The rest of the essays are all well written, with this year's selection more varied and relaxed than last year's (The Best American Travel Writing 2001). Frances Mayes was an inspired choice for editor and you can sense her professionalism (she is an English professor) throughout.

I look forward to the 2003 edition!