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Book reviews for "Berg,_Stephen" sorted by average review score:

Crow With No Mouth : Ikkyu : Fifteenth Century Zen Master
Published in Paperback by Copper Canyon Press (01 September, 2000)
Authors: Stephen Berg, Ikkyu, and Lucien Stryk
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Something to crow about.
"Only one koan matters," Ikkyu writes, "you" (p. 67). "Believe in the man facing you now" (p. 21). While meditating on a boat when he was 27, Ikkyu Sojun--also known as "Crazy Cloud" (1394-1482), was enlightened when he heard a crow call (p. 9). As a Zen Master, he was considered sort of an eccentric rake (p. 13), and he never pretended to be much else. He loved sake. He loved women. "The crow's caw was ok," he writes (p. 58), but "a woman is enlightenment" (p. 64). Ikkyu scandalized his Zen community, and his poetry will offend many readers today as well. "Look me up if you want to," he writes, "in the bar whorehouse fish market" (p. 40).

These poems are "frank, naked, sincere" (p. 15), and full of vivid imagery of "erotic renewal" (p. 13). It's enough to say for purposes of this review, Ikkyu lives "in a shack on the edge of whorehouse row" (p. 40). These are the poems of a poet who is "all there" (p. 15), and fully present on his "long pure beautiful road of pain/ and the beauty of death and no pain" (p. 24), whether he is watching his four-year-old daughter dance--"I can't break free of her" (p. 60), watching the "snow moon tangled among black flowers" (p. 39), or "shuttling between whorehouse and bar" (p. 47). Question "flattery success money," he writes (p. 22). "This city these people where I live still are impossible" (p. 30). "Sing until you have no throat then words come by themselves" (p. 55).

I'm not qualified to comment on Stephen Berg's translation of Ikkyu's poems, but I can tell you this book is certainly something to crow about!

G. Merritt

Zen poetry as a beatnik would want it translated
Ikkyu wrote his verses in a four line form which has been reworked into couplets by Stephen Berg. It is important to remember that these are version by Stephen Berg not careful translations from the original - as reworkings often are the most accessible translations.

Ikkyu was not a typical Zen master - the monkish disciplines of celebacy and sobriety were not in his repetoire. While this makes him an oddity, it reinforces the ideal that one who is enlightened is one who is free. This freedom (often seen as indifference or non-clinging) is voiced in this poem "Ikkyu this body isn't yours I say to myself / wherever I am I'm there". His freedom from the disciplines is shown in poems that are explicitly sexual not merely erotic. A very tame example: "don't hesitate get laid thaat's wisdom / sitting around chanting what crap".

Ikkyu is definately a poet that students or would-be students of Zen should read ... in fact, we all should read it for the sheer fun and beauty of it.

haiku with an attitude
This is classic haiku from the 15th century zen master Ikkyu. Ikkyu was a headmaster at Daitokuji before renouncing the hipocritical attitudes of the monks. Ikkyu was far too hearty and robust to endure that fate. He was not afraid to toss a few obscenities into his writing. This is not your Mothers haiku. Ikkyu cussed and swore and ignored the authorities. This collection gives one a generous sampling of his haiku. This is a neglected genius that often is overlooked in favor of Basho and Ryokan. Those two are also brilliant but Ikkyu is the wild man of the group. He is Rimbaud blaspheming, Whitman yowling a barbaric yawp and Bukowksi drunk on the floor in one package. Its a great introductory collection to haiku and japanese poetry in general.


Megalodon: The Prehistoric Shark
Published in Paperback by Somerville House, USA (September, 1998)
Authors: Susan Hughes, Stephen Cumbaa, and Ron Berg
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Awesome book about a Giant Shark
I am glad that I had brought this book because it also comes with a replica tooth of a giant whale-sized shark that lived 65 million years ago the prehistoric great white shark or megalodon I loved the tooth but bad news was that my replica of a prehistoric great white shark got broken.

A very informative,fun book for the young paleontologist!
This book is informative and fun with up-to-date information on Megalodon that is easy to understand. The kit allows kids to excavate their own Meg tooth, a replica, causing first-hand appreciation of this great creature that lived 25-2 million years ago!


Naked Poetry: Recent American Poetry in Open Forms
Published in Paperback by Prentice Hall College Div (June, 1969)
Author: Stephen Berg
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A pioneering work. The first edition was superb!
I taught this book for many years to college poetry and poetry-writing classes. Must have loaned out my last copy, and I am desperate to find another.

Naked Poetry
This is a marvelous book. One of the finest compliations of the (do they have a name?) - the poets who came after elliot, biship, and pound, i.e merwin, bly, snyder . . . The thing that makes this book most valuable are the essay's contributed by the poets themselves on the topic of free verse. I love it.


Shaving
Published in Hardcover by Four Way Books (November, 1998)
Author: Stephen Berg
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Poetic prose; forget line breaks; rhythm, friend!
It sounds trite, but pioneer is the only word that comes to mind. Steve is out there practicing what I believe to be a long ignored art. In his writng, Steve finds the perfect rhythm that eliminates the need for line breaks, his pauses are reminiscent of Kerouac's dashes where he stopped blowing to inhale for another verse of "bop prose".Berg blowing beyond all limits and breaking all the norms! Beautiful, or at least thats the opinion of this Zen Berg hopeful-


Talked to Death: The Murder of Alan Berg and the Rise of the Neo-Nazis
Published in Paperback by Berkley Pub Group (March, 1989)
Author: Stephen Singular
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Vital reading
A relatively few number of people understand the monumental importance of the Anglo-Saxon race, both in God's Eyes and in bringing civilization and blessings to the world's other races. Some Anglo-Saxons have abused this blessing/honor, and some have tried to be worthy of this important calling. Mr Singular is one of the few writers to honestly evaluate the situation, to write bias-free of the Anglo-Saxons who simply try to be what they are. You will find few, if any, more accurate and factual reviews of what's going on in the world.


Oedipus the King (Greek Tragedy in New Translations)
Published in Paperback by Oxford University Press (March, 1988)
Authors: Stephen Berg, Diskin Clay, and E. A. Sophocles
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<*.Kill Father, Marry Mother.*>
Claimed to be the best of all Greek tragedies, OEDIPUS REX (or OEDIPUS THE KING..."REX" means "KING") by Sophocles is that classic story of the man who was doomed to kill his own father and marry his own mother. Everyone seems to know the basic plot of the story, but how much do you REALLY know?

This new translation of OEDIPUS THE KING by Berg and Clay proves to be successful...everything is understandable and rather enjoyable to read too. It's hard to believe that you're actually reading a play.

I suggest that you DO NOT read the original version of the play by Sophocles first...you might be discouraged by the difficulty of the language he uses. Instead, start with Berg and Clay's translation...it's so much easier to read, and more importantly, enjoy.

I felt that the action and plot was well-woven out, and the story tied together nicely; however, there was one flaw. The ending was too abrupt. Of course, I'm not going to spoil the ending for you now (you'll have to read it yourself) but I WILL tell you that if you're one of those people who hate endings that just leave you hanging, you might not like OEDIPUS THE KING.

I had to read OEDIPUS THE KING as an Honors English assignment (and usually what kind of books we have to read for school are good?). Nevertheless, I found the play interesting, but because of the so-abrupt ending with questions still dangling on the end, I give the book 3 stars. (By the way, in no other Greek tragedy are so many questions asked, so be prepared to have your mind boggled by this book!...Have a spiffy day! -Nick Chu

Naxos recording perhaps a bit too modern
The only budget series of audio books and recorded drama comes from Naxos. One of their more recent entries is a very modern version of Sophocles' in a translation by Duncan Steen. In fact, some might find it a little too modern with its use of idiomatic expressions such as "You can't pin that on me"--which might be taken as an ironic reference to the final horrible deed of the hero. But when the messenger the agonized Oedipus as calling himself a "mother f..." (although he stops at the "f") the effect is far too "modern" for comfort. You see, given a sound recording, we can only assume that the action is taking place in the nearly prehistoric past. I do not know the tone of Sophocles' Greek; but I do read that it is elegant and decorous. Therefore, I can only assume that this translator is doing his source a great injustice.

On the other hand, the dialogue MOVES. There is an excitement to this performance, although the Creon of Adam Kotz lacks some force. Michael Sheen is good in the title role, as is Nichola McAuliffe as Jocasta, Heathcote Williams as the Chorus Leader, and John Moffatt as Tiresias and the Narrator at the start of the recording. The Chorus itself is cut down to four voices, but they are handled nicely with stereo separation and are quite comprehensible. The music is meager but effectively used.

All in all, a very good if not perfect attempt at making one of the greatest Western plays accessible to a wide audience.

An outstanding prose translation of a classic play
"Oedipus the King" or Oedipus Rex is the world's first great tragedy. Almost everyone knows the tale of the man who murdered his father and married his own mother. The only question is, which translation do you read? Bernard Knox makes an excellent case for his prose translation of Sophocles classic. This is a version designed for the a filmed version meant for the classroom; as such, it is remarkably smooth and easy to read. There is little poetry left in it; if that is what you seek, look elsewhere. This edition comes with a nice set of introductory essays on the background of the play, the theater, and Sophocles. All in all, a nice little edition.


Principles of Bioinorganic Chemistry
Published in Paperback by University Science Books (May, 1996)
Authors: Stephen J. Lippard, Jeremy M. Berg, and Georg Klatt
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An informative introductory text.
Overall, this book is a useful reference for anyone engaging in a Bioinorganic course at the upper undergraduate or early postgraduate level. This book is sufficiently informative and can be used as a recommemded text for the upper undergraduate level in a course in Bioinorganic Chemistry.


Super Reading Secrets
Published in Paperback by Warner Books (September, 1992)
Author: Howard Stephen Berg
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Didn't work for me
I took Berg's class and read this book, but I still can't read as fast or nearly as fast as him. I admit I read a lot faster now, but I can't say it is because of him. I owe it to practice. Simply, the more you read, the faster you will read and understand it better. There is no magic formula. One of the techniques Berg teaches is to use your hand as a guide to train your eyes to follow your hand, so the faster you move your hand, the faster your eyes move and therefore read faster. I actually read faster without the hand and using it just gives me headaches. Plus, if you really enjoy reading, I cannot believe reading a page in seconds will be an enjoyable experience. This may be a good thing for students trying to get all the information they need for exams. And the book provides some really good studying tips. Unfortunately when I read this, I already graduated. This is a must-read for all students. Berg is definitely a talented guy that can do what he claims, but you would have to be just as talented to used his speed reading techniques.

Personal review of the book 'Super reading secrets', by Berg
Peace. I am a messenger and warner of God (warning of Hell, and propounding good news of Paradise). With regard to this book, I have some declaratives I wish to promulgate:

1) It is indeed good because it is CHEAP.

2) It is good because it is CONCISE (251 pages).

3) It is good because there are EXERCISES to aid comprehension.

4) It is good because it contains SUMMARIES to aid memory.

In light of this awareness, it follows as a logical consequence that a pursuit of this book with an intention to speed read would indeed be prudent and judicious. The author claims that being able to read a page in 3 seconds is possible, and one may react with a sense of astonishment at such an awesome promulgation. This may NOT be possible, although being able to read a page in approx. 5 secs IS POSSIBLE. Five seconds is indeed quick but it is possible because I have now accomplished it using the techniques in the book! Praise be to God!

The book urges an 8 WEEK program. However, being a genius myself, I accomplished a speed reading ability (i.e. a page in 5 seconds approx.) in approx. 2 days! Praise be to God! Buy this book and try speed reading yourself even if you are not a genius (it is NOT a pre-requisite).

For the love of reading.....
If the decisions we make every day are only as good as the information we base those decisions on....then we have to read in order to be well informed. In this book you can discover the reading and learning strategies of the man who held the record of the world's fastest reader. Stephen Howard Berg uses a more visual method for reading, that lets you complete your reading in half the time.

He teaches:

Tools for comprehending, retaining and recalling information

Techniques for increasing reading speed

Strategies for increasing productivity at school and work

How to stay calm and focused under pressure

How to adjust your reading technique to accommodate pleasure reading or studying

Stephen Howard Berg can complete two pages in the time it takes most of us to read this sentence! He was listed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records for reading 80 pages per minute. If you wonder how some reviewers post so many reviews in one day, maybe they have purchased this book! I also think the more books you read, the faster you can read them.

Look for Stephen Howard Berg's public workshops and corporate programs. He has appeared in over 1,000 radio and television programs to discuss his cutting edge program.

Books are the main source of our knowledge, our reservoir of faith, memory, wisdom, morality, poetry, philosophy, history and science. --Daniel J. Boorstin, Librarian of Congress, 1984 report, 'Books In Our Future'


Speed-Reading the Easy Way
Published in Paperback by Barrons Educational Series (June, 1998)
Authors: Howard Stephen Berg and Marcus Conyers
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Disappointing
This book is a real disappointment. There's very little actual helpful material to improve your reading speed. Moreover, it hardly covers sub-vocalization, which is a mayor factor inhibiting your readingspeed. The hand exercises are silly and will not increase your speed. A large and useless part of the book only covers texts for practising, like you can't practise on any other texts... Buy another book.

Not Much Here
Save your money. More than half of this book consists of "practice" texts--and, of course, you can practice on any book you happen to be reading.

There are a *few* useful exercises, which include reading two lines at once, then 5, then whole paragraphs, then whole pages. You can't read like this for comprehension; the authors have you do it to get used to scanning segments of text at once , rather than single words. Another exercise has you read for one minute for comprehension, another minute at double that speed, and another minute at triple. These exercises DO help, but as far as speed reading instruction goes, that's it. Really.

There is also some very basic instruction on memory-enhancement techniques, nutrition, posture, previewing texts, and so forth--standard stuff.

In short, this book is a waste of money. Tony Buzan's book "Speed Reading" is far better. Some of the older speed reading books offer far more in the way practical instruction than this book does. "Double Your Reading Speed," published in 1964 by The Reading Laboratory, comes to mind.

Wow
Wow, it's amazing how much this book will help you improve your reading time. I can't believe I've been reading word by word my whole life when i could be reading huge blocks-and comprehend everything!


The Body Electric: America's Best Poetry from The American Poetry Review
Published in Paperback by W.W. Norton & Company (April, 2001)
Authors: Stephen Berg, David Bonnano, Arthur Vogelsang, David Bonanno, and Harold Bloom
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