Ben Jonson might with some justice be called the forgotten master of 17th century literature. Bearing in mind the degree to which not just English poetry but English culture is saturated in Shakespeare, this is understandable. But ignorance of Jonson does him an injustice, and our poetry a disservice.

Jonson, although remembered as a dramatist, thought of himself as a poet. (The contemporary term for a playwright was "poet". Indeed Jonson may have been the person who invented the word "playwright" -- as a term of scorn for those who made plays with no more art than a wheelwright makes wheels.) Fantastically ambitious, he had the unheard-of audacity to include his plays -- considered a disreputable form of writing -- in a large book of his 'Works' (the very title audaciously claiming for his writing a respect due, in contemporary thought, only to more valued genres).

A modern theatregoer might be surprised to find out that what Jonson introduced as "the ripest of my studies" were not his plays, but a collection of poems called 'Epigrams' (printed along with the plays and 'The Forest' in his 'Works'). If Jonson is the forgotten master, 'Epigrams' could be called his forgotten masterpiece. Saturated with the poetry of Martial, Horace and Catullus ("for a good poet's made as well as born," as he wrote wrote of Shakespeare) Jonson's epigrams self-consciously and stringently set themselves the task of rebuking and praising the age.

'Epigrams' is full of the variety of Elizabethan and Stuart London (Jonson is a thoroughly urban poet): its charlatans, hypocritical creatures, would-be ladies, bad poets, braggarts and moneylenders; but also of its King (James I), genuine poets (two epigrams are addressed to John Donne), and cultured lords and ladies. Both in 'Epigrams' and 'The Forest' (a collection of poems ranging from lyrics to odes to long poems dealing with the "virtuous and noble") Johnson is keenly aware of, and interested in, problems of authorship and readership. His first epigram implores the reader who holds the book "to read it well", and there are a number of poems that warn off readers who misread -- who laugh at the wrong point, out of sheer stupidity, or in an attempt to pretend that the poet's satire doesn't apply to them.

Jonson's classical style -- free of ornament and wilful obscurity -- isn't immediately appealing. (Shakespeare is both, for instance, and Donne has a famous delight in obscurity.) His poetry, perhaps like Goethe's, isn't great because it of brilliance, but because of its strength, something that becomes apparent only when the poetry has been fully absorbed by a reader. The moral weight behind his deliberate and scrupulous art is embodied in the attentiveness of his poetry to words and syntax. (His syntax, by the way, is one of the most enjoyable and sophisticated features of his poetry.) Perhaps what T.S. Eliot wrote of Landor -- another patently classical poet, but much more limited in his ambitions and achievements -- could be, with greater justice, applied to Jonson: "He is ... a poet for those who want poetry and not something else, a stay for their own vanity."

Escape to the Forest is a compelling novel for young readers 9 and up, that tells a tale of terror, hunger and hope as the Nazis invade Poland and forever change the lives of ten year old Sarah and her family. Based on a true story, Sarah's will to live and her determination to find her way to the forest where her brother and other Jews are sheltered makes the book impossible to put down.An important addition to the Holocaust collection.

This book is good for relaxing and enjoying.It is filled with great adventures too. So sit down and treat your brain to a book.

Lin's work is pure art,
an exploration through the eyes of an artist.
Touching, feeling, seeing, being...
words that enliven the senses.
Many journeys, each different,
each ushering the reader to new "places."
Lin is a painter and celebrated tour guide
who uses the richness of her
perspectives and life experiences
to paint both scenery and content.

Exotic Dancing of the Soul is a deeply honest look at the richness of being human put to poetry. Being spellbound by Lin's ability to say so much in so few words, I am intoxicated and romancing the thought of sequels.

Randy Wall is one of the true poets of this age.

While many of his personal idioms have now become standard elements of American speech patterns, the full impact of his verse has not been adequatly appreciated. In fact, as Lawrence Barnett has argued, Randy Wall's observation that beer is water to him set a standard of analysis that all who come after must follow. Indeed for many it has become the water of our age.

In Experiments On Vegetation Control With Native Pathogenic Fungi we find a precise statement by Wall on the human condition as experenced by Wall just prior to his conversion to Christianity. As such this represents as vital last view of a man's soul as seen through the dark lense of Jack Daniel bottle.

This is a wonderful local travel guide! One is given not only the trails with their twist, turns, and elevation levels to walk along, but also the history of this one time busy and glorious area. The photographs that are used along with the text and maps illustrate the beauty, the luscious growth, and the historical value of the area. Many travel guides give one only the path ones feet need to take. Jeff Thomson has allowed us to also carry our imagination of what it would have been like those many years ago. This book is superbly written, and beautifully photographed. Even if one never explores these trails, the book is a worthy read.

In a tangle of purple thistles, a pair of shiny black eyes blink inquisitively. Then with a sharp chatter and a flash of cinnamon stripes they disappear. This book introduces young wildlife enthusiasts to many of the creatures that live in the wilds of North America. Knowledge of wildlife is carefully condensed to a few succulent facts that entice readers to become active observers. Characterictics, habitat and environmental concerns are briefly addressed, but the focus remans on idintification. Beautiful color photographs capture the creatures in their natural environment. At the back of the book is a section that gives pointers on successful wildlife watching and additional facts. It lists animals that typically share the same habitat, and suggest locations where these groups may be observed.

Faces In The Forest: First Nations Art Created On Living Trees by Michael D. Blackstock (Aboriginal Affairs manager, Ministry of Forests, British Columbia, Canada) is an impressive and scholarly presentation of a unique form of Native American art carved into living trees. The text carefully details the history and significance of this special art form, and black-and-white photographs present examples carefully delineated with extensive research. A fascinating and informative read, Faces In The Forest is a very highly recommended contribution to Native American Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

This little book is full of interesting information about creatures in the forest and how they relate to one another. Each chapter is cleverly linked to the next, so the book makes a little circle of nature. My child enjoyed the book a great deal, especially the chapter on beavers called "Busy Builders." A nice educational book with cute narrative.