This is a servicable biography of Whitman that gives a solid and straightforward, though relatively unimaginative, overview of his life and writing. First published in 1955, it does a frustrating dance around the subject of Whitman's sexuality. But Jerome Loving's bio from the 1990s, it turns out, doesn't manage to unearth any more concrete evidence about this side of Whitman's life than Allen did nearly half a century ago. Allen's a little dull and unwilling to risk speculation where the record's blank, but writing before the Whitman 'boom' he's able to concentrate on the main outlines of his subject instead of the scholarly bones more recent biographers tend to pick. He sketches in Whitman's family and friends without bogging you down with exhaustive detail, and Whitman stays front-and-center through the tumultuous political crises that could easily swallow a lesser work. A good place to start if you've read the poems and want to know more about the curious man who wrote them.

If you've read any Ed McBain, you know what to expect--he established his style long ago and doesn't deviate, at least in the 87th Precinct series. These are all well written police procedurals, with a large cast of interesting characters, although character development isn't really the name of the game for McBain. Instead, these are plot driven books, about unusual (but usually believable) crime--Tricks features a troup of murdering circus midgets posing as kids at Halloween! And McBain is careful not to keep his characters in "series limbo"; although they don't age quite the same as you and I, things do happen to them--this book features an event that occurs to undercover decoy Eileen Burke that resonates through many of the subsequent books. It's a shame so many of the books in this series are out-of-print; they are good, quick reads. Bring 'em back!

This is a nice book for collecting the statehood coins. It has spaces for both Denver mint and Philly mint coins. What it lacks is any graphical depiction of of the US to use as an aid for the kids for whom you're presumably collecting the coins. But, the space for the complete coin set (both mints) is more important than a US map. Overall, a great organizer for collecting the coins...

i had never read anything of walt whitman's before, but i am now hooked. this is honestly some of the best poetry i have read in a long time. i definitely recommend it to anyone who's a fan of poetry!

The Whitman brand name has been a icon in coin collecting for years. When I started collecting in the early 90s, I used their folders, including this one. So what's the problem with this folder? The folder goes up to the year 2000. In 1999, a 10 year series of quarters was started to honor each state. That means as of 1998, there will be no eagle reverse Washington quarters until the year 2009, if at all. In other words, If you want to keep your Washington quarter current, you WILL NEED one of Whitman's statehood quarter folders. If you want to wait until 2009 for an eagle reverse Washington quarter, then stick with this folder.

As the parent of a boy adopted from Korea, I find this story follows ours quite closely. The process and the issues are the same for many adoptive families. The only thing missing from this book is any mention of a birth father. The birth mother's role is handled well, but there is no reference to a birth father. This book starts when Benjamin is nine years old. That's when the real questions about adoption can begin.

I have always liked coins. I have always regarded them as little pieces of art. However, I usually just put the ones I decided to collect in a bag or a drawer. I purchased The Whitman Guide to Coin Collecting because I wanted to start getting serious about coin collecting.

As someone looking for good basic information, I found this book a jewel. It contains the basic information any coin collector needs, particularly information about how to find and properly store coins, the history of coins, and how coins are graded or valued. In fact, although I was already starting to get serious about my coin collection (minor as it is), the book was so interesting, particularly when it discusses how coins themselves are truly history, that it really intensified my interest. I have spent a fair amount now on buying proper equipment and materials to store the coins I already had and have even begun visiting a local coin shop to purchase more coins.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest at all in coins. Because of the historical significance of coins, it would also be interesting for anyone with an interest in history.

I think this book is very good, but could have had a bit more thought! Robert Bateman did an excellent job of writing it and deserves a large pat on the back for writing such a captivating novel!

Spinner Publishing has done it again. They have pout together another timeless book that captures the very esence of New Bedford Massachusettes as the formner center of the whaling world. Anyone who like history or is interested in the people and areas of oldtime Mass must read this book

This is a nice keepsake for those who casually collect quarters. If you are serious about your collection, I recommend the "album" version of this product by Whitman.

Good for holding all the quarters [1999 - 2008], but fitting the quarters in their slots is *very* hard. I would still give this item 3 stars, since it does a good job of providing one comprehensive folder for all the state quarters [from both D and P mints]

true, the quarter slots are very snug, but i like the fact that it will hold all the state quarters in one book. Plus, it has lots of interesting info on the inside cover about all 50 states, and about the quarters themselves.