I love to read poetry of other cultures but I always run into the problems with translations. I am often limited to the poetry in the languages I do know. What better idea then to have poets write translations. There are some fine examples of the poets represented from a rich culture Americans know so little about. It is truly a wonderful introduction to Dutch poetry.

This is quite possibly the best set of poetry translations I can remember reading. As a fan of both Dutch poetry as well as many of the first-rate Irish poets doing this translation, I expected to be pleased... but this far exceeded my expectations. I strongly recommend this anthology.

Webb is a natural teacher who is easy to follow from basic concepts to complex compositions. He has an innate ability to take painting beyond capturing likeness to how the subject is structured or feels. His book would be helped by more step-by-step sequences for technique or process analysis. Thanks Frank for a great reference book. Two thumbs up from Totino and Busby.

If you're looking for a general purpose, intelligent and informed book on watercolor, this is it. Webb -- formerly an illustrator/graphic artist -- has designed chapters on motivation, materials, setup, color and values, techniques, composition, design, all illustrated by examples painted by other top painters as well as himself. This is accompanied by pithy, appropriate one-liners quoted from philosophers, artists -- whoever his incredible memory finds the most apt. He encourages painters to experiment, take risks -- after learning the necessary first. As a watercolor instructor, and author of a book on outdoor landscape painting in watercolor, I recommend Frank Webb's two books, Nita Leland's book on color, and David Lewis' "Watercolour Painting Techniques." That's all you need for starters.

The author gives a highly entertaining tale of his experiences in general aviation, beginning with his flying lessons as a middle aged practicing attorney to his many trips to far away destinations and his eventual upgrading to faster and bigger planes. Most of us who own airplanes and read this book will identify with Frank. Once you start the book you will not put it down.

I was let down to see that such an intriguing book had only one review. I, having read this book at age 11, still enjoy this great story of the power of flight. My dreams of flying are somewhat as those of a New England attorny. But once he is behind the controls, his practice is simply work and he sets off to indulge his flying aspirations with many thouroughly enjoyable tales. The book is at times exciting, sad, and even romantic (in an airman way).

This collection of essays is pretty readable for a work published in the 60s. It's also amazing how much the debate has stayed the same - it still pits libertarians against cultural conservatives, with some of the essays in this book (Hayek's "Why I Am Not a Conservative", for example) remaining as crucial texts today. The authors in this book who remain famous are Hayek, Ropke, Garry Wills, William F. Buckley, Jr., and Russell Kirk. Unfortunately, the others are mainly of historical interest. All in all, it's worth reading just to see how timeless some of these arguments are and to see arguments of these important thinkers.

Meyer was a former Communist, but he atoned for this by the many contributions he made to the anti-communist cause and to the conservative movement. The latter, I believe, owes an incalculable debt to him. Before 1960, Meyer, who was at the time a senior editor of National Review, began arguing that there was no inherent contradiction between the two major streams of the Right in America, free-market principles and traditional values.

        He further argued that if the conservative movement was going to succeed, adherents of both lines of thought, natural allies on most issues, must be fused together. Supporters of a conservative economic policy, he taught, couldn't expect their policies to be enacted without the backing of social-issue conservatives. And it was equally true, he continued, that social-issue conservatives couldn't expect their policies to be enacted unless they allied with economic conservatives.

         The presidential elections of 1980, 1984 and 1988, as well as the congressional elections of 1994 and 1996, were manifestations of the wisdom of Frank Meyer.

This insider view to pro wrestling is a well-written, and very interesting view of this poorly-understood "sport". There are very few non-fiction wrestling books - most are published by the industry - but this one discussed the real life behind the scenes. There is not much information on Gorgeous George himself, it is more a discussion of that era of wrestling. A "must read" for real wrestling fans, especially thse who remember the pre-WWF days of wrestling.

One of the few good books on pro-wrestling. A must in any library on the subject. Fun to read.

This unabriged editon of the 100 year old story is WONDERFUL. Denslow's art was made for the story---you can't seperate 'em, but this artist did and rather critizing it like the other artist's picutres, I really enjoyed it! Charles illustrates like you are really there. HIGHLY recommended.

We gave this to our 4.5-year-old son for Christmas this year, and have been reading it over and over every since. The illustrations are spectacular, and the story is so beautifully extracted that -- especially with this audience -- it doesn't seem lacking at all. We are enjoying it to the hilt and plan to buy copies as gifts for other kids his age.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz The Kansas Centennial Edition By L. Frank Baum Illustrations by Michael McCurdy Foreword by Ray Bradbury ISBN 0-7006-0985-7, 600 Words

Dorothy and Toto are home again thanks to the University Press of Kansas' publication of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: Kansas Centennial Edition. The wizards at the Press conceived of the edition after discovering that L. Frank Baum's book, first published in 1900, was in the public domain. The original print story about a little girl and her dog may be a surprise to Kansans familiar only with the classic 1939 film version of the Wizard of Oz. Even Judy Garland might be shocked by the new edition's black-and-white drawings by acclaimed children's book illustrator Michael McCurdy.

As a child during the 1960s, I remember watching the annual television broadcast of the Wizard of Oz. The scenes when the Wicked Witch sent the Winged Monkeys against Dorothy and her friends were so frightening that I would hide behind a chair. Now as an adult, I find some of McCurdy's illustrations equally unsettling, but rather than hide from them, the drawings compel me to examine and reflect upon Dorothy's journey, a journey that may be interpreted as one from innocence to knowledge.

The most provocative of McCurdy's twenty-five scratch board illustrations is the one in which Dorothy confronts the Witch. The witch has the pointed chin and bony fingers we expect from fairy tale witches, but her eye patch makes McCurdy's witch especially sinister. The Witch tricks Dorothy into giving her one of her Silver Shoes, (they are ruby slippers in the film version). With one foot bare, the angry Dorothy grabs the nearest object, a bucket of water, and throws it on the Witch. "...I never thought a little girl like you would ever be able to melt me and end my wicked deeds," wails the Witch.

W.W. Denslow illustrated the first Wizard of Oz book and his illustrations have remained popular. While Denslow's illustrations are charming and whimsical, they have none of the psychological interest of McCurdy's. As unusual as McCurdy's artwork, is the new edition's forward by science fiction and fantasy author Ray Bradbury. Bradbury contrasts the Wonderful Wizard of Oz with Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland.

Bradbury writes, "...Lewis Carroll's cast of characters would have died here of saccharine or run back to hide behind the cold Glass. Baum settled in, delighted with bright nothings. If the Wicked Witch is truly dead it is because L. Frank Baum landed on her with his Boy's-Life-Forever-Sunkist philosophy. No witch could survive Baum, even today when witches beam themselves up."

A criterion for literature to be considered classic is its ability to be reinterpreted over time. In 1964, Henry Littlefield wrote an article in the American Quarterly entitled, "The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism." Littlefield suggests Baum's book is an allegory for the Populist politics of the 1890s in which "led by naïve innocence and goodwill, the farmer, laborer and the politician approach the mystic holder of national power and ask for personal fulfillment."

Baum was aware that a story holds different meanings for different ages. In the forward to the original Oz, Baum notes that most horrible characters and disagreeable incidents have been eliminated from modern fairy tales. "Having this thought in mind, the story... was written solely to please children of today. It aspires to be a modernized fairy tale, in which wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out."

One-hundred years after its initial publication, the children's classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum remains worthy of reading by every Kansan regardless of age. However, in Michael McCurdy's illustrations, adults may find new meaning for an old children's story.

Paul Hawkins is regional librarian for the South Central Kansas Library System.

I enjoyed this book very much. It takes one on an exciting journey through magical lands that come alive in this fantasy book. The characters in this book make it a delight. This book is a treasure, and anyone of any age would enjoy it.

Though I've always admired the work of Frank Lloyd Wright in photos, I only made my first personal visit to one of his creations recently. Though only 1,200-square-feet, the Pope-Leighey House in Mount Vernon, VA, is charming, graceful, innovative and exciting -- and ultimately the reason why I bought this book, which tells readers about other Wright homes and buildings open to the public across the U.S. and around the world. As a travel guide with such a definite focus, the book seems a real winner, providing not only background on the various Wright sites but also detailed directions and even driving itineraries for certain areas where travellers can see more than one architectural wonder on the same trip. Then why take the extra star away from the review? Unfortunately, the book's photographs, all black & white, failed to do justice to the beauty of the Pope-Leighey House and in general don't seem to capture the grandeur, majesty and marvel which I've found in other volumes on the architect and his architecture. But this seems a minor limitation when the book's chief merits are so practical.

Now in its revised, expanded, and updated third edition featuring five new entries for buildings recently opened to the public, Wright Sites: A Guide To Frank Lloyd Wright Public Places is an excellent guide to public places built by the renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Extensively illustrated with black-and-white photographs on nearly every page, Wright Sites presents the address, access information, tour information, and detailed commentary on sixty-six sites in the United States, from Texas to Oregon. Also included is a short listing of sites in Asia and England. Ably edited by Arlene Sanderson, Wright Sites is an excellent guide to its subject matter, printed on heavy paper stock for durability, a "must read" for all Frank Lloyd Wright architectural enthusiasts, and certain to spark interest in anyone with an especial love for architecture as art.

Hildebrand really puts you into a selection of Wright's built spaces; you can imagine what it is like to move through and experience the changing spaces (height, length, turns) in several of Wright's famous houses, even if you've not visited in person. Hildebrand's extended discussion --and demonstration through stunning "3D" exploded diagrams-- of the primordial concepts of Refuge/shelter (those dark fireplace cores and inglenooks) and Prospect/outlook (distant elevated windows) applied to buildings dating to different stages of Wright's practice is most original and convincing. Author's scholarly prose is serviceable rather than equally soaring. Highly useful small plans (newly corrected and with compass indications!) and evocative B/W photographs supplement those amazing diagrams by Wm. Hook.

Wright's buildings are some of the most appealing in history. Why?

Hildebrand applies a landscape theory developed by Jay Appleton (books also available on Amazon.com) - our early ancestors sought homesites high in the qualities of PROSPECT (ability to survey the surroundings) and REFUGE (protection from environmental and other threats), and thus we are programmed to find these qualities appealing.

Wright's large windows, sheltering eaves, solid stone, welcoming hearth, etc., are rich in Prospect and Refuge which give the subconscious signal "This is a great homesite!"

(Also see A PATTERN LANGUAGE, by Alexander, for more patterns underlying architectural appeal).

I was 10 years old when the Phillies finally won the World Series. I say "finally" for me, because at the time I could only remember the failures of 1976, 1977 and 1978, which were burned into my memory. But Fitzpatrick points out that the franchise waited much longer than I did, through some of the worst years in baseball history, before breaking through in 1980. And they did it with a group that was constantly at each others' throats, united only by their quest for a championship that most believed they could never achieve.

Written with great humor and respect for the history of the city and its team, this book is a quick and worthwhile read.

Well-written, concise, and never dull, Fitzpatrick captures the year that was in Philadelphia professional sports: 1980. Each of the four major pro sports teams in Philadelphia had outstanding seasons that year (all reaching the championship level), but only the Phils brought the title to Broad Street. They did it under downright bizzare circumstances and proved that the elusive "chemistry" between teammates does not always make a winner. The book also brings in a bunch of cultural references from that year and richly describes the woe of the early Phillies teams and how the team has performed since then. I look forward to the sequel when Jim Thome is on the cover instead of Mike Schmidt...