I pick this book up at a conference, it is easy to understand, and sets a bibical stand point on dance as worship. There are not to many books out there on dance, I suggest you add this your collection

I thought this was an excellent book and it describe how I feel about my personal relationship with God and I loved how chester wrote about his personal expirance and also the bible tells us all about dance I just loved it. I have been waiting for a book like this for a while and I hope chester writes more books on the subject there are not enough of books on the subject of dance and also about your spirit pertaing to dance a must for everyone to read
gf

Wow, this book is very understable yet very unique and complex at the same time. It has help me understand Israel and my role as a worshipper. If you want to be inspired then this is a must read..

The book also goes into the role of Ephraim and Judah and how they are diversed yet they will come together to worship God. And that worship will be what brings them together..

The things I like best about looking for Chester's, Michael's, Tom's, and even Toni's books are that I find both that most of the books are still available and surprisingly, a number of old friends are still lurking about. Amazon is going to have start serving coffee and small loaves of black bread if this continues.

After Chester, Michael, and Tom left Ave D, and Jamie left 6th St., the Ave D, 6th fl walk up apartment was turned over to one of the walk-ons from Butterfly Kid; a person I soon joined, sharing it and life and thus being able to attest to Jamie's history. However an added comment is relevant that Chester's recorder music comes alive to me as much from this tale of Blue Lobsters and culprits named Lazlo, as from the live listenings enjoyed on the street or in the Rienzie, and that is a clue to the readability of this work.

For those wanting to wander down the real fantasy streets of the Middle Ages of the Village or, for those wishing to refresh some memories, "Butterfly Kid" will romance and entertain you. Yes, many of us have read it and reread it again, but not just for the nostalgia. The tale is fun; the prose bringing the fantastic to bright color and the characters very much to life.

Pick up the next copy; read it quickly; check on its whereabouts regularly; and just hope who ever whisks it away enjoys it as much as we all have.

When Chester, Michael and Tom -- Anderson, Kurland and Waters -- were living at 63 Ave. D, I lived around the corner on Sixth Street. I read the Book when it first came out and was charmed. I knew everybody in the thing, which is a strange place to be. When it was nominated for a Hugo -- and lost to Zelazny's "Lord of Light" -- I was amazed. That book? Written by friends of mine? A Hugo? Wow!

The remarkable thing is that most of the book is true, with names slightly changed to protect the guilty. I know people who saw the Blue Lobsters. Really! The funny thing is that no one I know who knew Chester could keep the book on their shelves. You'd read it and then go look for it to loan to someone else to read and it would be gone! We figured that Chester recalled them to resell to new readers.

I was also surprised to learn that my girlfriend -- a charming woman, if a bit young for an old bohemian like me -- read it in high school. As an assigned book! Wow, the Eighties must have been strange!

If you can find it, read it. Search it out. It will reward you with the wonder of Chester's use of language, 'cause even tho' it's all true, Chester tells it better than it was!

And, yes, it was part of a sort of trillogy. The other parts by Michael -- and never, under any circusnstances Mike -- and Tom did exist. They weren't quite as wonderful to me as Chester's part, but worth reading if you find them.

Chester is gone, sad as that is. I haven't heard anything about TA in a while. Michael is still around and writing, good as ever, both SciFi and mystery.

A hue and cry should go out to the people who hold the rights demanding that they reprint it. It deserves to be easier to find even if the search is worth the effort.

If you do get your hands on a copy of "Butterfly Kid" don't expect it to stay on your shelf after you read it. I suspect Chester is still redistributing the wealth of his words.

First in a series of three loosely linked novels (Michael Kurland "The Probability Pad" and Tom Waters "The Unicorn Girl" are the other two in the series. All three books are among the funniest I've ever read, as well as complete with allusions to 60's culture and other science fiction. The Waters book, for example, begins in Berkeley in the 60's, and segues neatly into Randall Garrett's Lord Darcy universe. Please God (and publishers!), introduce a new generation to the glories of reality pills, lobsters with attitude, and slipping universes.

A Portrait of a Young Artist is a beautiful piece of literature that explores the development of Stephen Dedalus from a young man into an artist. The novel is somewhat autobiographical in that Joyce explores and analyzes his life though the main character Stephen, and through this is trying to make sense of his past and what that makes him. Stephen becomes more independent in his thinking throughout the novel. He is trying to find out who he is in relationship to his family, his peers, Catholicism, and his country. Joyce uses symbolism as well as language and syntax to show Stephen's development.
The language and syntax of the novel parallel the development of Stephen. Chapter one is written in stream of consciousness. Joyce uses this effective tool to really show how a five or six year old would be thinking. The novel begins with a story Stephen's father told him. Then it moves to him wetting the bed, then to his nextdoor neighbor, and then to the boys playing on the play ground. The writing is just as a little child would think. It seems illogical to an adult, but to a child it is logical. The word choice Joyce uses is also very effective. "Rody Kickham was a decent fellow but Nasty Roche was a stink." The word stink also parallels Stephen's age. In chapter three the language is more fully developed. " He feared intensely in spirit and in flesh but, raising his head bravely, he strode into the room firmly." Intensely, bravely and firmly show that Stephen is growing and maturing. By the end of the novel the writing is no longer in stream of consciousness and the language is complex. " A soft liquid joy flowed through the words where the soft long vowels hurtled noiselessly and fell away, lapping and flowing back and ever shaking the white bells of their waves in mute chime and mute peal and soft low swooning cry." Words are no longer just letters; they have meaning and purpose. In this Stephen fully realizes who he is he is an artist. He has completed his change from a boy to a man.
Stephen's development is also shown by birds, which symbolize freedom. The more freedom Stephen has the more he is able to explore who he really is. In the beginning of the novel the birds talked about are unpleasant. Stephen's governess Dante teases him with a poem about an eagle pulling out his eyes. Therefore, this eagle connotes fear as well as something with power, power over him. Then, the bird transforms into his rival and friend Vincent Heron. Instead of being controlled by the bird he is pushed by it, furthering his development. Then, the bird becomes something Stephen wishes to aspire to. " His throat ached with a desire to cry aloud, the cry of a hawk or eagle on high, to cry piercingly of his deliverance to the winds." Now, the eagle that had once tormented him was a symbol of freedom and life.
A Portrait of a Young Artist is not a book for everyone. It is not easy reading. There is also no plot line to pull the reader along so, the reader must be actively engaged in reading the novel. Also, Joyce uses complex jargon and phrasing. Some parts may have to be read through two or three times before their meaning unfolds. The reader also has to let themselves get lost in the writing, dive into the words, make them your own. The language and symbols Joyce uses are beautiful. He is a master and an artist of words which is what makes this book worth reading.

Joyce's portrayal of turn of the century Ireland with all of its complex social and political problems is an excellent backdrop for this story, and he vividly describes Stephen Dedalus' role in a complex story. First, I enjoy Joyce's writing style and his ability to develop Stephen's character. It is easy to relate to Stephen's development of thoughts.
I enjoyed how Joyce starts the story with Stephen as a boy, because this shows his vulnerability and dependence upon his parents for his political, religious, and social views. His interaction among the boys at Clongowes brought back my own memories from elementary school and my own interactions with students. He wants to be accepted by his peers, and Joyce shows this by his embarrassments and fears in taking a stand. Stephen is small in stature and in his confidence, but his triumph when he talks to the rector is an excellent scene because it shows Stephen developing his own independent thoughts and being able to stand up for them.
I enjoy Joyce's vivid descriptions because they include the physical realm as well as Stephen's thoughts. This is shown throughout the book - one scene in particular is when Stephen goes to Belvedere College and he has an encounter with Heron, Boland, and Nash. The four are walking on a country road, discussing their favorite authors, when Stephen states that his is Lord Byron. The boys laugh, claiming that Tennyson is the obvious choice. They pin him down and try to get him to revoke the statement, and he refuse to do so. I admire Stephen's strength in his own opinions, this example shows that he has developed his own ideas and will stand for them. Joyce's imagery makes the scenes, including Stephen's emotions, come alive. He writes, "At last after a fury of plunges he wrenched himself free. His tormentors set off towards Jones's Road, laughing and jeering at him, while he, half blinded with tears, stumbled on, clenching his fists madly and sobbing" (57). Stephen's emotions come alive; I can relate to the hot, angry tears he feels.
I also appreciate Joyce's writings concerning the political and religious situation in Ireland. Somewhat unaware of the problems surging in Ireland at this time, Joyce describes indirectly these problems, which fills in the reader as to the political, religious, and social context behind Stephen's life and development. One scene which made these problems clear to me was the Christmas dinner squabble between Dante and Mr. Dedalus. Stephen quietly sits back and soaks in his relatives' opinions in amazement at the scene. This scene is one of those that is when a child realizes that life has problems and the world is not in order, as he hopes. I recognize this mark of change in Stephen's confidence in his family and country.
Stephen's development is one of the greatest aspects of this book. Joyce causes Stephen's thoughts to evolve - he starts with childlike, unconnected thoughts to more complex, opinionated ones. His own desires and opinions are made known as he matures, and his own unrest becomes increasingly apparent. Furthermore, the style of this book is complex - one must read between the lines and have some kind of concept of Irish conflicts and culture in order to truly understand the full meaning behind this book. It is sometimes hard to follow Joyce's jumpy style - there is no full plot structure. This is not the best book if you are looking for a fast, easy romance novel, but it is rewarding in that it causes one to think about its themes and Stephen's development of the independence of his own soul.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is my first exposure to James Joyce. I will admit that while I was reading it, the book was not enjoyable. I started out confused by the jumping around at the beginning and the lack of movement made it hard to stay awake at some parts. The book is about Stephen Dedalus who takes us through his adolescent years. It takes place in Ireland in the midst of the Catholic and Protestant battle. In the first chapter Stephen is trying to fit in with family, friends, and even his country. In the second chapter Stephen starts to separate from his father. At the end of this chapter, Stephen gives in and has his first sexual experience with a prostitute. In chapter three, he listens to Father Arnell's moving sermons. After he hears these sermons, he immediately goes to confess his sin to a priest. In chapter four he discovers art, and in chapter five he alienates himself further from his family and country.
As I mentioned before, my first run through with this book was not a happy one. It may because it was rushed, but as I looked back through it the second time I was amazed at Joyce's style. Although there was not very much movement, Joyce's description and imagery was outstanding. I had never before enjoyed a book with tons of imagery, but Joyce's imagery is what made the book real to me. I also thought the different themes throughout the book were remarkable. While I was reading the book through the first time, I did not pick up on many of the themes and symbols. It was the when I was looking over it later that I saw all the symbol of the birds, the imagery of the water, and I saw how Stephen was moving farther and farther away from his father and gaining freedom. At the beginning of the book, Stephen sees the birds as vicious. When we get closer to the end of the book, he sees them as beautiful. This shows how Stephen is breaking away and his freedom. As the book progresses, you can also see how Stephen comes to know that his feelings of love are normal. At the beginning when Stephen said he wanted to marry Eileen, Dante is appalled, but as Stephen watched the girl in the ocean he realizes that it is all right to love. I also liked the connection to the Greek mythology. I think it ties into the book very well.
In the end, I have to say that I liked the book. If I did read it again, it would be much more pleasurable to be able to pick out all the symbols, themes, connections, and imagery as I went through it instead of waiting until after to see how it all comes together.