"a fragile union" is an intellectual and emotional odyssey that takes the reader from the '50s butch/fem bar culture smack in the middle of McCarthyism to 21st century assimilationist politics both left and right.

Nestle's razor sharp analysis misses nothing when examining and mining the queer "community," as well as straight society's triumphs, failures and acts of kindess, both large and small--even the small undergrowth of hope that swells in both G/L/B/T activism and lesbian mouths and cunts.

At sixty, Nestle's words and world brim with the intellectual and erotic power that fueled the founding of the Lesbian Herstory Archives in the '70s, drove the writing of two collections of essays in the '80s & '90s, co-editing of a dozens books of women's writing and volumns of lesbian erotica throughout the later half of the 20th century.

Get thee to the local women's bookstore and buy "a fragile union." Buy more than one and give them out as gifts of both desire and revolution.

In this collection, Nestle - an iconic femme - introduces us to her new Australian lover, who is also, in an American sense, a femme - or at least not a butch. The effect this has on Nestle's own sexual identity is explored, and this may be challenging for some past fans of Nestle's celebration of the butch- femme asthetic.

Buy it, read it, you'll love it.

Deedee Hamilton and Ryan MacAllister meet at his sister's twins' birthday party. Now Deedee and Ryan have known each other for several years, but neither have really gotten to know each other due to Ryan's cold, aloof manner (as a result of his wife being killed in an emergency room two years before). Both have deceased spouses, and both believe that they're happy with the way they've been living their lives so far. Yet it troubles Deedee seeing Ryan being so alone, so distant, so she resolves to get him to live again. They start to spend time together, and both become instantly extremely attracted to each other. (Yet they deny it and claim it's only lust.) After having a *wonderful* date together, they make love at Deedee's and the next morning agree to be friends and lovers. Nothing more, nothing else. No strings attached. They also agree to reevaluate their lives since both are secretively miserable with the current state of their lives. (Ryan had resigned from the police force after his wife's death. Deedee wants to start a family, but is a widow.)

FRIENDS, LOVERS...AND BABIES! was a truly enjoyable book about two people finding each other and deciding to live again. Funny, lighthearted, and a quick read. I got through it in two days. The fastest I've ever read a category romance. I was a little annoyed at how Deedee and Ryan "muse" a lot over things, and how Ryan was constantly "running his hands down his face." I *almost* put down the book when Ryan confronted Deedee after finding out she was pregnant. I was almost too uncomfortable with the accusations he was throwing at her. Especially the comment how she just used him for "stud service." But, overall, a wonderful read.

The innovative introduction is written in the form of a dialogue between coeditors Morse and Larkin. Addressing the interesting question--Why a gay and lesbian anthology?--Larkin notes that "all kinds of sparks result when you get us all together in one place." She also observes that the poems begin "to speak to one another" when so gathered. The introduction also recalls some highlights from the history of 20th century lesbian and gay literature, with an emphasis on poetry and anthologies.

The authors are a good mix of both well-known and lesser-known poets. The poems themselves cover many different themes and stylistic approaches. Some of the many highlights include Alexis De Veaux's narrative poem "The Sisters"; Maurice Kenny's "Winkte," a celebration of the gay Native American experience; and Irena Klepfisz's "death camp," a painful poem about the Holocaust.

If you have a passion for poetry, for lesbian literature, for multicultural studies, or for gay men's literature, you will want to add "Gay and Lesbian Poetry in Our Time" to your library. It is a remarkable volume.

Pay particular attention to "Releve", the story contributed by Patricia Wallace and her daughter. This story introduces us to Sydney Bryant, the private eye that Pat Wallace has featured in a terrific series for adults. The titles in the series include "Deadly Devotion" and "Blood Lies".

Other outstanding stories include those by Wendy Hornsby, Scott Turow, Stuart Kaminsky, and Sharyn McCrumb (and their collaborators). This is a book that parents can read and enjoy with their children. It might inspire them to collaborate on some mystery stories of their own!

I look forward to reading the companion volume, "Great Writers and Kids Write Spooky Stories". I

"When you think of a mystery, what comes to mind? A dark secret? An unsolved crime? A curious detective hunting for clues?"

The only mystery, the only secret, the only crime is how this anthology could be so easily overlooked. "Great Writers and Kids Write Mystery Stories" (1996) is a collection of stories written by some of today's greatest mystery authors in collaboration with their children and grandchildren. Jonathan Kellerman, Sharyn McCrumb, and Scott Turow are three of the thirteen award-winning writers that create wonderous whodunits with their offspring, ages 6 to adult.

While written at about the junior high/ middle school level, this complilation is enjoyable to all. The stories are five to several pages. Some are written with the child as the amateur detective, some are written as a type of psychological thriller.

The introduction serves as a "mini-lesson" on mystery writing. And, each story features a short personal introduction by the adult and child writing team on what it was like to collaborate on their included story. Other contributors include Barbara D'Amato, Ed Gorman, Stuart Kaminsky, Elizabeth Engstrom, and many others.

This book has the unique ability to be educational as well as entertaining. Those that enjoy this book may also enjoy the first volume as well: "Great Writers and Kids Write Spooky Stories" (1995).