Mordecai polishes his translations of Chinese poetry, moves the junk & households of other Californians, and stays on various back porches & Big Sur getaways finding love and friendship in the 1970's of our memories. Along the way, we ourselves grow to love and appreciate the joys of these marginal characters, the heirs of Steinbeck's Mack and the boys of CANNERY ROW. A magical book!

Mordecai is a zen/bohemian who interacts with the entire social structure of the Big Sur and Monterey area through the moving and hauling business that he runs along with his irrepressible sidekick Buck. Between them they get into more trouble than his good luck (melanoia- the opposite of paranoia))can stand. A comic look at both the bohemian and yuppie foibles of the early 1970s.

Would you want to read someones recollections on art gone by, I doubt it. Perhaps you want to hear the love-less dissection of art by an academic, probably not. Maybe you'd like to see someone capture the beating heart in a subject that by it's very nature evokes stares, of course you do Malcolm. Lord Clark draws you into his diction, not because he wants you to bear witness to the eloquence of his analysis, but because he has remembered that there is more to seeing than meets the eye.

Whether you are a student of the arts, religion, history, or life you will learn from this work. Mr. Clark speaks with the authority of an educated and thoughtful expert on the subject and with the voice of a formidable author as well.

His work is as densely packed with meaning as you might expect to find in the writings of Reinhold Niehbur yet is possessed of a wonderfully literary mask. The writing is so well done, one might accidently read right over the meaning in the haste of seeing what will come next.

If you're the highlighting or underlining type, I'd recommend saving such marking for the second read as more of the true significance bubbles to the fore. Put aside your expectations of a "typical" art history text and prepare for an incredible enlightenment.

Enjoy!

Biased or not, Mr. Clark, P.E., has written a wonderful book! It's a bit tough to find, but the book expertly and hilariously defines the differences between the soft sciences/liberal arts and the hard sciences. I'd recommend it just for its definition of "partial credit" between the two worlds mentioned above.

The best book of engineering humor ever written. Well, okay it may be the only book of engineering humor ever written. Write me directly (SClarkPE@aol.com) with ideas/comments... Steve Clark, P.E.END

A wonderful story of relationships: significant others, familial, and community.

A moving story of advenure, hardship, learning and sharing. I was very moved by this touching story of love and sharing.

A delightful series of stories told by a husband and wife team who have made searching for gold in Alaska's wilderness their life's work. It is humorous,sad, thought provoking,and LIFE. A true love story. The authors share their triumphs as well as their failures on their journey to the Eldorado Gold Mine. It is a light and enjoyable read.

On The Trail Of Elder Brother presents a collection of 16 stories retold by two Micmac authors. This is a magical universe peopled with witches and magicians, man-eating moose, whales, birds and more. Every tale has moral and aesthetic purpose as well as prophetic or holy meanings. These tales will be enjoyed by children to whom they will always be new. They also remain a treasured resource to adults.

The authors are direct descendants of the Micmac Indian nation and have assembled sixteen oral history tales which reflect the Micmac heritage and belief systems. On the Trail of Elder Brother is a rare glimpse of Micmac tribal values and a recommended pick for any avid student of Native American history and culture.

This book is simply fantastic. For the practicing obstetrician, it encompasses almost all the issues dealing with the specialty, concerning operative techniques. For the student, there is a lot of new approaches to subjects that other books do not show. For example, there's an entire chapter on symphysiotomy, another on external cephalic version, both subjects very rarely seen in such depth in common textbooks. There's also a very good chapter on surgical basics, dealing with needles, sutures and knots. In short, i recommend this book for those who truly love Obstetrics' practice.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Hankins in person and want to express my sincere thoughts. Dr. Hankins is a gifted surgeon and very intelligent man.He has compassion, as well as talent.I recommend his professional expertise. Cheryle Anderson

This could be Coolidge's best book. I have owned a copy of it for years and have read it many times. Coolidge's ear for language is unique, and the high-point of his work (for me) are the series of books he wrote in the 1970s and 1980s.

Moving away somewhat from his earlier, more experimental work, Coolidge here approaches a more personal and lyrical style--"approaches" being the key word here--this is radical, exciting poetry that graduates of MFA programs will abhor.

PAIN AND OTHER PETTY PLOTS TO KEP YOU IN STITCHES is an amazing, visually delicious book. The authors and artist have created a wildly eccentric universe where bizarre is normal. Only with creativity freewheeling at its fastest could these images and stories emerge.

In Pain and Other Petty Plots, Alan Clark has created a masterpiece of biological and psychological dysfunction that will leave the reader's relationships with hospitals forever scarred. Through a stunning array of paintings and stories, some written by collaborators, Clark guides the reader on an unforgettable journey through his sly and cruel mythos about a medical facility staff in the service of pain. Surrealistic torment and human folly serve as the foundation for a unique vision that disturbs while it amuses, and ultimately serves as a warning on the limitless possibilities for self-destruction in all of us.

Perfect company for those long waits in doctor's offices or hospital clinics. A must for ER visits.

-Gerard Houarner, author of THE BEAST THAT WAS MAX; ROAD TO HELL; VISIONS THROUGH A SHATTERED LENS

As a student of nineteenth century French painting, I think this may in fact be the finest book ever written on Parisian painting in the time of Haussmanization. Clark manages to offer an intelligent Marxist-based claim about class and the emerging Parisian landscape in the 60's without losing sight of the paintings themselves. While most scholars feel the genius of this book lies in his wonderful discussion of "what couldn't be seen in Olympia", I find the first chapter "Environs of Paris" equally fascinating in its discussion of Manet's Exposition Universelle of 1867. A MUST read for any lover of Parisian history or Manet.

I like to think of myself as a person who is curious about a wide range of things, especially in the realm of culture and the arts. Most art history books, however, put me right to sleep, with their endless catalogs of curatorial details about brushstrokes and paint textures and influences and provenance. These detailed analyses almost never situate the paintings in any sort of context and almost never explain WHY we should be interested in these details, other than to prove ourselves worthy connoiseurs to others in the know. Clark's book is a refreshing change from such mandarin drivel. Clark begins with a lengthy discussion of the social context of the paintings he is about to discuss and only then proceeds to extended analyses of particular paintings. Clark is interested in the larger ideas and trends of the period and, most important of all, actually USES the details of the paintings as evidence in the course of making an ARGUMENT about what the paintings mean (hint to other art historians: having an argument contributes significantly to the interest of a book or article). In addition, Clark's argument about the nature of the social changes occuring in France in the 1860's and 70's is compelling and thought-provoking (be forewarned: some Marxism is involved). I found myself actually learning things about the paintings Clark discusses, and looking at them over and over again, trying to find more in them, in much the same way as I would go back to a book or a poem after reading a good piece of literary criticism. I think this book will appeal to anyone who wants to learn more about either 19th-century French painting or 19th-century France. Clark is a stimulating and perceptive guide to this crucial period in the history of painting. Bravo!