"Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now" is a delightful collection of short prose writings by Maya Angelou. Most of the mini-essays in this book are only 2 or 3 pages long, making this a good selection for those whose hectic schedules force them to do their reading in "found moments" during the day. In the book Maya reflects on various topics: spirituality, style, travel, sensuality, and being a woman. Many of the selections contain autobiographical reminiscences.

As someone who has read Angelou's book-length autobiographical narratives and poetry collections, I was fascinated to see her writing in a different mode. In "Wouldn't Take Nothing" she reflects on some of the people of her life: her son, her grandmother, her voice teacher, and others. Her musings on spirituality have an inclusive, multi-faith flavor.

Some of Angelou's observations may seem a bit obvious. For example, in the opening mini-essay she declares, "Being a woman is hard work." But what may obvious to some may be a revelation to others, and Angelou doesn't shy away from reaching out to that second group. And throughout the book her writing is graced with moments of wit and passion.

In the essay entitled "Power of the Word," Angelou writes, "I'm a spring leaf trembling in anticipation." I have no doubt that this appealing collection will leave readers trembling with anticipation for Maya Angelou's next book.

WOULDN'T TAKE NOTHING FOR MY JOURNEY NOW is conversational in tone and format. It is the first book I ever read in one day because, well, I couldn't put it down. I like Maya Angelou's perspective and refusal to compromise. I enjoyed learning about her multi-leveled life (this was the first book by Angelou that I have ever read, so it was my introduction to her life).

The passage I found most interesting in this book is where Maya says that she always takes a day off at least once a year to forget who she is. She said that she lets everyone know which day it is, and not to call her on that day. She takes a trip by bus or train, and if she runs into those she knows, she will avoid interacting with them. Maya recommends that everyone do something like this once a year, take a day just for themselves.

This is a very well written and thought provoking collection of life lessons. The book has no plot because there is no one story that can explain all of the things that Angelou learned about and formed opinios on. Angelou's writing is very poetic and flowing, yet at the same time meaningful and thought provoking. Each short chapter tells the reader about one message to think about or lesson to learn. Some are told as events in Maya's life and others are little stories that tell of important issues such as sexism, charity, or choices. In this book racism was not noticibly a factor in the majority of the writing, however, there are some chapters about racism in Angelou's life. The book mainly focuses on her life as a strong, bold, woman coming across difficult situations that challenge her morals. Angelou was able to fit all of the lessons she learned about in one lifetime into a short book to share with the world.

Joseph Girzone has written in this book his Christology. He follows the classical pattern of Christological works, but he expressed the simplcity of Jesus' message, as he does in his novels of Joshua. This simplcity can be very charming and inspiring. And at times it can be irrelevant.

In this book he sometimes repeats themes in separate chapters. For example, he writes about priestly celibacy. He believes that it is a discipline that should be changed. He writes early in the book about this and then repeats himself almost word for word later. This appears to me redundant and unnecessary.

Chapter 4, " A Humble, Casual Savior", sums up New Testament Morality. It is a very effective chapter, the best in the book. It is also the longest and needs to be digested carefully. Girzone also writes simply and that style can be deceiving. He summarizes Jesus' teaching in the chapter and manages to cover all the bases that New Testament moralists take books to write.

This simplicity of style is best appreciated when the book is read in small increments. Reflection should follow, even prayer.

The last two chapters concerning the end of Jesus' life seem unimportant. He simply narrates at that point. a point or two is made, especially about God's humor, but one would wish for a little more reflection.

Nevertheless as usual Girzone challenges the soul with his spiritual insights in the Savior.

Joseph Girzone writes this portrait of Jesus with a knowledge of the person of Jesus. He walks the talk. Because he knows Jesus personnally, Joseph Girzone can make a difference in his writings. This is not an intellectual account of Jesus, it is not fiction, it is a walk with Our Lord, his friendship with Jesus. This book does have an historical slant, you have to read in between the lines to discover Joseph Girzone's inner life with Jesus. This inner life is instilled in all of Joseph Girzones books but his first book Joshua is still my personal favorite. At last someone writes about the person of Jesus in an intimate, simple way. So simple that you have a hard time believing that this is why Jesus came on earth. Like the famous song from the movie Alfie, Is That All There Is?. I have heard the saying the hardest action to take is to see with the heart and not with the head. Joseph Girzone has a wonderful way of writing to make this happen. He does not force us to believe in his Jesus. This is not his way, nor is it Jesus' way, he simply and beautifully brings Jesus alive in his writings. I have personally read many many books on the theology of Jesus but Joseph Girzone's books have taken the log out of my own eyes and left me with a more open heart to try to live my life more fully. To walk the path of the Gospel in a more straight forward way.

Father Joe's humble yet captivating book made it clear to me why God loves us: he created us in His image, he made us capable of great love and He would do anything to keep us close. In "A Portrait of Jesus", Fr. Girzone provided me with a three-dimensional Christ who enjoyed being human, who celebrated it, loved his human family and companions and was not ashamed to live among us. Never before did I understand how God could live with us and yet be misunderstood by man; in "Portrait", Jesus is an ordinary, blue-collar guy, quietly living his life until the Father calls him to his ministry. He is so peaceful about his place in the human world that everyone, including society's outcasts, finds his company fascinating.

Written in ordinary language, this profound little book made me joyful that I, too, am human, and according to Jesus' life, death and resurrection, worth saving and renewing, every day.

Too much religion focuses on shame, unworthiness and our failures to be what God expects. Fr. Joe helps communicate that it is Jesus who makes us worthy, and religion should be a human framework to support our spiritual lives with Him.

In returning to church after decades of abscence, books like this one help keep my spirit united with God, despite all the human difficulties of working within a church organization.

Thank you, Joseph Girzone! Long may you write!

Pawing Through the Past is the best Mrs. Murphy mystery yet. The animals are at their best. The viciousness of the murders suprised me. Rita Mae Brown very well showed the effects of the murders on the class of 1980. With them at each others' throats, Harry showed a side that I didn't know she had. It makes Harry's character even more human. All in all, this is an excellent book for the ones who read this series. This is also an excellent introduction for new readers that will make them want to read the others in the series.

Harry gets a little braver, Miranda and Mim get a little looser, and other characters become more well known. Crozet is holding a twentieth year high-school reunion (Harry's) and a fiftieth year reunion (Miranda's) at the same time, the only difference in the two being the cause for excitement. In Harry's a killer is running loose and class members are dropping like flies. In Miranda's a love interest comes. The suspense steadily mounts throughout the book as Brown creates a web of age-old secrets. The book is slightly reminiscent of "Wish You Were Here" in the way the victims are notified of their impending death. This mystery has a mind-boggling, suspense-filled ending.

The animals are a little more sensible in this book as compared to Brown's last one. They no longer do outlandish things such as drive cars, but they continue with their catty and sarcastic remarks.

The past of several town members becomes more well-known in this book and anchors them in our minds better. When I finished it, for a day or two I found myself slightly lost without these witty and wonderful characters.

All in all, this is a great mystery sure to be enjoyed. Just remember, in a small town, nothing is ever as it seems!

Ms. Brown's latest adventure featuring the folks of Cozet is just delightful. I've been a avid fan of this Mrs. Murphy series from the beginning and this 8th book is one of the best. Ms. Brown has weaved a delicious murder mystery centering around Harry's 20th class reunion. But although the construction of the mystery would be enough to keep most mystery readers turning the pages until the early hours, it is the continuation of the evolution of the characters that had me saying, "OK--just *one* more chapter before bed." I just had to know what was happening between Harry and Fair and, to my delight--Miranda and an old beau! This latest Mrs. Murphy Mystery is a true "must read" for all the fans of the folks and critters of this wonderful series.

Wow... I am a die-hard sci-fi fan and have no use for mystery or drama. But totally ran out of books to read and was desparate. My mom sent me this about a year ago so I thought "it'll hold me over till I can get to the bookstore" RIGHT... it held me over for about a night because I just couldn't put it down!!! This story flows so smoothly... the author's voice is just perfect. And it wasn't just the whodunnit aspect either. That was awesome, but I never figure that stuff out. I did get some of it though (aren't you proud of me?) The best part of this book was the human relation. The way the characters interacted with eachother. Add the mystery and Wallah! I kept running to the living room to tell my husband about it. He took me to the bookstore the next day to buy every Joy Fielding book I could get my hands on. If you like fast-paced, smooth moving stories, this one is for you!

I fell in love with Joy Fielding with her book, Grand Avenue, and whenever I go anywhere, I am always on the lookout for her books. She didn't disappoint here either ~~ she writes with her usual blend of mystery, spice and love ~~ and it's absolutely wonderful!!

Happily married with a beautiful daughter, Bonnie Wheeler thinks she has it made ~~ till her husband's ex-wife was murdered and she became the prime suspect in a whirlwind murder investigation. Then everything in Bonnie's pristine world falls apart ~~ people aren't who they seem to be. Her father and brother ~~ the two men she was estranged from for so long ~~ reappears in her life, causing her to question her upbringing. Rod, her loving husband, is always working early and late at the TV station where he works, and his children suddenly become her responsibility when their mother died ~~ and so on. Fielding takes you on a whirlwind ride through Bonnie's hunt for justice and the truth as she runs from the murderer.

This is a quick read ~~ don't read it if you don't have hours to spare because you cannot put this book down at all!! Just like Grand Avenue, it is a book with a twist at the end ~~ just when you figure out who the murderer is ~~ you're caught off guard. This is a spooky book because it is realistic as well. Enjoy this book with the lights on and the curtains pulled ~~ and the doors locked! It makes for a great reading on those upcoming long winter nights...

Sure, the book consists of the formulaic whodunnit criterium: the good are really the bad, the bad are really the good. But I won't lie! The book Don't Cry Now is fantaaaastic! It's past 4 a.m now, I JUST finished the book and simply had to get out of my comfy bed to turn on the computer, get on-line and review this book.

This book is quick-paced from page one, has great style, both in writing and innuendo and is a suspenseful book that leaves you breathless. And despite that being a tired cliche, I really did find myself holding my breath while reading this book!! As far as mystery goes, it's a real teaser.

I gave the book four stars because of the hokey Electra Complex quality that was inserted in the novel. I found it to be a tad melodramatic and even took a breath long enough to roll my eyes at the whole idea.

Ugh, I wish I could say more, but don't want to give away the ending!!

If Joy Fielding is around much longer, Mary Higgins Clark is gonna have a real problem on her hands. Though I love MHC. Kudos to both authors.

Omigawwwwd, read this book!!

Readers who have never experienced one of Deborah Smith's novels will find On Bear Mountain an enjoyable trip into the myth, magic, lore, love, and loss of the Georgia mountains she obviously knows so well. Beyond the story of two lovers who struggle to imagine a future together, the book examines the ties that make a family, the iron chains of assumptions we hamper ourselves with, and the enriching importance of great art in everyday life. It is a wonderful book.

Those who have read other Smith novels, particularly from Blue Willow forward, will find imagery that is familiar here, including the transforming tornado, the photograph that links protagonists from childhood, and the sturdy chestnut beams of family tradition, as well as cigars and chop shops. I wished more than once that Smith would stretch her remarkable storytelling talent just a little further to find new images and symbols to lead us into her deep and delightful world. I recommend this book and look forward to her next one.

Another fabulous story by Deborah Smith! Deborah is a natural storyteller and nowhere is it more apparent than in her newest book On Bear Mountain. As you read, you just naturally slide into Ursula's world in the small town and Quentin's world in tough Brooklyn. Strong chemistry is evident in their first meeting but both of them carry a LOT of baggage and it takes a long time until they can admit their feelings for each other. Terrific secondary characters - Arthur, Janine, Angela, Clara, Mr. John- provide humour and heartbreak. This book was a long time coming but well worth the wait. Try Deborah's other 2 books: A Place to call Home and When Venus Fell. They are excellent, too.

On Bear Mountain was one the best novels, I've read in long time. Nobody does it quite like Deborah Smith. The lives of Ursula Powell and Quentin Riconni are so different and yet so similar. Both were raised in poverty with loving families (one NY, the other in the Georgia mountains), both have been hurt by love and both have decided they would never allow another that power (love) to hurt them again. The one thing that they each have in common and that brings them together is a sculpture of a bear which was created by Quentin's deceased father. Once Ursula and Quentin meet, although there is major resistance on both sides they both discover that yes they can love and love they do. All the characters are so genuine and refreshing you find yourself feeling as though you are a part of the story. Take a chance and get to know the writings of Deborah Smith, she definitely worth it.

There are probably countries you can visit without a Lonely Planet Guide. New Zealand is not one of these countries.The way to enjoy New Zealand is to travel from place to place and not to pre-book everything ( you are too dependent on the weather to do that and also it takes away the feeling of freedom this country has to offer). The more flexible you want to be on a trip the more important it is to have a good guide. We arrived in Auckland with only a general idea what we wanted to do in our three weeks and we found that we left all other guidebooks in the suitcase and relied exclusively on the Lonely Planet to plan our trip. The guide contains all necessary information and is surprisingly up to date. The most important is that it is not a commercial tourism promoter but that it gives you an honest impression on what there is that you can do.

E.G. it was pretty clear after reading the relevant chapters that for our family it was more appropiate to go to Wanaka instead of Queenstown because the children were not yet at an age that they could enjoy all the thrills of the latter and that Wanaka, whilst offering jetboating and biking was more appropiate.

We had the book continuously with us during the driving and it made the journey so much more interesting through knowing always a couple of KM ahead what the interesting sites and spots were.

The book could have been priced at a much higher level; we still would have bought it.

Highly recommended for every would be traveller to New Zealand

When we were considering what to do during our month in New Zealand, travel agents were pleading with us to have everything lined up before "the Y2k rush." So, being the literal engineering types, we bought a couple of books -- the Lonely Planet NZ and the Frommers for Under $50/day -- and started poring through them.

Quite frankly, our initial impression of the Lonely Planet book was too dense to be useful to us. The Frommer's guide was more helpful and the author, Elizabeth Hansen, was available to "consult" on the trip on an hourly basis. Because we'd be toting our 18-month old, we used her services and pre-booked the entire trip.

Once there, we found the Lonely Planet book much more useful. The Lonely Planet guide excels at providing abundant information about towns, including attractions, restaurants and maps giving a rough layout.

For example, one of the folks at a Visitor center clued us into Farewell Spit, an area we were going to forego because it was well off our chosen route. As it turned out, Tahuna Park, our campground in Nelson was pretty bad (right under an airport takeoff path; lots of people permanently living there; undermaintained kitchens), and we didn't relish the idea of spending three days there as originally planned.

The side trip to Farewell Spit was long and we'd have to find some place relatively nearby to the Spit to make it a reasonable trip.

This is where the Frommer's guide was very weak. It caters more to the B&B crowd, and there isn't that much north (or west) of Nelson. The Lonely Planet book, however, paid for itself by suggesting a lot of options, providing maps of the little towns, and listing restaurants where we might stop at for "snack time."

If you do intend a trip to New Zealand, you'll definitely appreciate the Lonely Planet guide.

I found this book quite helpful while traveling throughout the North and South Islands of New Zealand. I quickly picked out the places and sites I wanted to see and just went. The maps included in the book are essential. The information was up to date and accurate. I only found one thing this book was missing (as with all Lonely Planet guides)-- area codes for phone numbers.

I've read this book--as well as the rest of the McKenzie saga--about four times now. Surrender is the next perfect continuation of the story. I love how Graham doesn't forget her previous characters and weaves them into each story she writes. I fell in love with Ian in Rebel, but fell more in love with Jerome. His fire and passion burn right through the pages.

I think the story could have been better had there been more interaction between Risa and Jerome. It seems they spend more time apart than they do together. And the times they do spend together, they are working against each other rather than making amends.

All in all, however, this is a wonderful story and quite a page turner.

Passionate and thrilling to the last page. Heather has again thrilled her readers with another saga of the McKenzies' of Florida. Jerome is a dashing, not to mention gorgeous, Confederate sea captain constantly thwarting the Yankees by superbly running their coastal blockage. Risa, a 'military brat', is strong-willed, courageous but yet compassionate. Risa becomes entangled in secret covert operations by trying to assist her friend and one time rival, Alaina McKenzie. Therefore, she is captured,by Captain Jerome McKenzie, and held hostage to prevent delivering the information she has knowledge of. Typical! Yes, unless the writer is Heather Graham. Knowone can keep you in suspense and constantly weave a passionate veil like Heather. This will become one of your favorites, along with 'Sweet Savage Eden', 'One Wore Gray', and 'One Rode West'. I understand that Heather is currently working on the final saga of the McKenzies, this time the heroine being Jerome's younger sister. Can Ms. Graham deliver a novel more passionate and thrilling than 'Surrender', well, we'll just have to patiently wait and read other Heather Graham/aka Shannon Drake novels!

This book is another one of Graham's that I couldn't put down. I read it all in one day. Just couldn't wait to see what battles Jerome and Risa had to face. I, too, live in Florida and love to read stories about it. You can really get a feel of where the characters are at and their surroundings. This whole series has been fantastic and can't wait to see if we get to know the next generation. Oh, and thanks Heather for not leaving poor Risa out in the cold. I really felt sorry for her in "Rebel". Sure am glad she's much happier now!!

Katherine Carlson, a turbo charged attorney whose crusade is defending gays in the military, asks for her old law school rival JAG Major Sean Drummond as co-counsel on a high profile case that threatens the US alliance with South Korea. Captain Thomas Whitehall, a seemingly straight arrow officer, was found in bed with the corpse of his young lover, the South Korean Defense Minister's son. Whitehall is charged with rape and murder, and anti-American protests rock the Korean Peninsula.

As in 'Secret Sanction', Sean and his no nonsense investigator Imelda Peppercorn must work through a wall of brass obstacles to get at the truth. This task is complicated by the belligerent and manipulative ways of lead counsel Katherine but helped by the CIA station chief who's actually a good guy, a rarity in this type of novel. The Koreans have been running something a lot like Nelson DeMille's 'Charm School', and a local police chief is one of its graduates. Sean gets beaten up and shot at a few too many times, but he comes up with the clues that the CIA need to conclude that the kid's murder was part of a North Korean plot to change the balance of power in the world.

The set up is tedious and the plot incredulous, but the action and final showdown make up for it. John Rubinstein, a superb narrator of action adventure stories, really brings Sean Drummond to life and is a big part of what makes the audiobook version work. I'm ready to move on to 'Kingmaker'.

A driving, smart-alecky first person narration, complete confidence in representing a background and setting, and a compelling plot that becomes more and more twisted.........

This is what Brian Haig brings to his military-legal series about Major Sean Drummond, and it makes for a compelling page-turner.

This time, Sean's in Korea, reluectant co-counsel in a gay murder-rape case, defended by a hot-shot female attorney who was his law school rival. Now Sean is the "baddest dude you'll ever see; Airborne Range with a CIB," and the girl lawyer is a specialist in gay military legal defense, so sparks are supposed to fly.

But they don't. Sean Drummond is a great character, and he is pretty fully realized -- even after two books, it is easy to see that there are still plenty of unplumbed depths here. But the other characters are stick-figures. Haig's idea of character development is to have somebody be black, or female, or gay, or tall, or "typical Army". For a real stretch, he may have a character be tall and gay.

The plot keeps you turning the pages. Drummond can't just defend a guy on a murder charge, or course; he has to end up saving the entire political-military situation in Northeast Asia with one hand legalistically tied behind his back. As with his previous outing, SECRET SANCTION, it eveually strains our credibility -- an open-and-shut murder case, with all evidence pointing to the accused, suddenly solved by making the assumption, "but what if they were ALL in on framing the suspect?"

But Haig plays fair enough. Even if he isn't always in the realm of the "probable", it is always "plausible". Pretty wild and unlikely, but it could happen, and no trotting out of ESP, killer robots, or any other make-believe plot devices we've seen in some recent thrillers. With the compelling first-person narration, I look forward to his next book.

Sean Drummond is summoned to Korea. He's a JAG lawyer, and in this case he's going to act as the military member of a defense team that's mostly civilian. They're defending a gay army officer who's accused of a rape murder. As if the savagery of the crime isn't bad enough, the victim is the son of the Korean defense minister, and it's beginning to look as if any sign that the defendant might get off with anything less than the death penalty could cause the U.S. alliance with South Korea to tumble into the ocean. And that's just the beginning of his troubles.

The civilian lawyer he's working for is a woman he fought with constantly in law school. She doesn't know how to try military cases without antagonizing the army, doesn't care if she does antagonize them, and is basically culturally insensitive to the Koreans, also. The result is that Drummond spends most of his time trying to repair damage she's done, or forestall what she's about to do, so that the case doesn't completely come off the rails. It comes off anyway, but in a fashion that's unexpected and interesting, and suspenseful enough, that the last third of the novel is great. The minor characters (a pair of lesbians who are co-counsels on the case, an army non-com who's their legal assistant, various officers, the defendant and his colleagues) all are well-drawn, and the whole effect is very good.

I would recommend this book highly.

I am glad I read this book. I have been waiting for it since I read Glory and I found that a huge disappointment as it wasn't up to HG's usual standards. The story line was predictable if you've read others in the series. However, HG was able to make history come to life by weaving a story that was enjoyable and entertaining.

Once again, Tia is the fiesty Graham heroine who is independent, strong-willed and does what she believes in. Taylor is her nemesis, the Alpha male who is domineering and protective. I agree with the common grouch that this book seems a little rushed as all the loose ends had to be tied. All the characters from earlier books in the series are featured.

However, the epilogue seems to be an afterthought as it does not tie in with the family tree. I agree with a fellow reviewer who says that Tia had 4 sons and a daughter, but the name was not Hope? What happened? One would have thought the editors would be sharper than that. I would also have loved it if the family tree had been completed rather than leave us readers dangling. Other than that, good writing.

WOW ! What a finale to this 6 book series. I've read them all & couldn't wait for TRIUMPH. The story of Tia & Taylor, was a beautifully told romance. The book also kept you in tune with the other characters you fell in love with in REBEL, SURRENDER, GLORY and of course the ones that started it all, RUNAWAY & CAPTIVE. I could not put this book down, as with any other of Heather Graham's novels. The only disappointment is that the story of the MacKenzie's is now complete! Hats of to Heather Graham !

What a fantastic finish to the McKenzie Saga. I will be extremely sad to see it go. I'm not a big reader. I found Runaway, in hardback, on a bargain books shelf last year. Being a fourth generation Florida native...I was interested right away. I couldn't put the book down. I was so excited later, after logging on to amazon to find that it was the first in a series. I bought the remaining four and read them in a week. It was so interesting to hear about places I've been or lived...I could picture it all happening in my mind. I was even more excited to see Heather Graham write Triumph...the final in her Florida series. Just like the others..I couldn't put it down. It told the wonderful love story between Taylor and Tia while keeping us up to date on the characters we'd come to love in the first 5 books. While I did enjoy the relationship between Tia and Taylor, it was somewhat predictable if you've read the other novels. In each novel, a member of the McKenzie family falls for someone from the other side (North or South). They hate each other at first...get married not long after they meet...and then spend the entire book in conflict...not admitting their love until the end. Still, it's a good read. I was however disappointed that the family tree wasn't finished at the end of Triumph. The tree was actually one of my favorite parts of the book. I enjoyed the series, but I do hope Ms. Graham chooses to catch back up with the McKenzies again soon. As she said at the end, the book ends just when Florida starts to become a major influence in the South.

This book weaves a myriad of folk motifs into the fabric of reality, creating a vibrant tale about the connections among generation, about how the actions of our ancestors can affect out contemporary lives-and how the presence resonates in us.

The story creates a foundation in the 1860s-when a Dakota warrior-Ghost Horse, lost his love-Red Dress. Since then, their spirits have sought to be reunited, and it is the playing out of this drama that shapes the sometimes violent fate of those who have come after them. The story jumps to the 1980s,where Charlene Thunder, a teenage descendant of Red Dress, is in love with Harley Wind Soldier, a traditional dancer of Ghost Horse's lineage. When Harley's soulmate, Pumpkin, dies, Charlene suspects her grandmother, the infamous Anna Thunder- who is both revered and feared by the Dakota community.

Charlene and Harley strive to make peace with the ghosts of their pasts while contending with the living. Other significant characters include Jeanette McVay, an American college student studying the tribe; Crystal Thunder-who must escape to Chicago to find her past; Herod Sall War-a member of the community who provides spiritual guidance; and Margaret Many Wounds-Harley's grandmother who he sees walking on the moon.

The story combines the mythic and supernatural aspect of the Dakota heritage with the contemporary Dakota tribe to serve as a very entertaining and interesting text!

Susan Power's "The Grass Dancer" is marvelously enjoyable. It tells of people on a Sioux reservation whose lives intersect and intertwine, briefly, or over a lifetime, and how their relationships effect one another. We meet these people much as we most often do in real life, starting with the present and working backwards. The story slowly unravels the mystery of why the characters behave the way they do. Each chapter is told from the perspective of one character and charts the incidents which develop their personality. Ghosts of ancestors visit the present day characters and bring a sense of identity and purpose to them. It is a wonderful tale of the continuity and validity of the tribal culture and the interconnectivity between all the characters - past, present, and future. Using realism and mysticism, traditional Sioux and contemporary cultural elements, and above all, fluid, picturesque language, Ms. Powers has written a book which is wonderful on first reading and will develop more meaning with each successive one. I highly recommend it.

If you are looking for a book that is engaging and compelling, Susan Power's "The Grass Dancer" is it. Indeed, this book is at once exciting, poignant, and meaningful. I have to say that, among the numerous books that I have read since high school, this one ranks (at least) in the top 20. When I put down the book, I felt as though I had just awoken from a beautiful dream.
Power recreates the world of magic and spirituality in a tapestry of beautiful language and webs of stories. "The Grass Dancer" is about the traditions of the Dakota Indian people-both past and present-and the narrative switches from one narrator to another, giving us multiple perspectives into the lives of these characters. The chapters go back in time, so that events unfold in front of our eyes, making the present situation of these characters understandable. Each character seems to be finding a way to be complete, and at the end of almost each chapter, each one of them sprouts strong and resilient, like grass that is hard to pull out. Power brings us in a journey through time and space, illustrating the power of imagination, such as the possibility of walking on the moon.
Grass serves as a symbol of power, particularly Indian power. Dancing becomes a way in which an Indian keeps his or her hopes up, making it a dance that is imbued with a kind of survival energy. Power's message in this book can be summed up in this sentence, where she writes, "...look at the magic. There is still magic in the world."
This book is infused with humor to keep you interested, and spirituality to keep you inspired. The presence of love among characters is so moving that it will stir your emotions. All in all, Power hits every aspect of an Indian's life: the dichotomy between Indian and white culture, the problems that arise out of dual heritage, disease, spirits, magic, ancestral powers, religion, and love. I would re-read this book, whether it be for inspiration, or simply for pleasure. Perhaps you would find the same joy by reading this incredible story.