This is an anthology for thoughtful people. Every poem is excellent. There is an interesting reason for each poem's inclusion. I wish these editors would write another book.

"A Year in Poetry" offers 365 poems for each day of the year. The true genius of this anthology comes from the intriguing use of dates in the poems. Sometimes the date comes from the poem's title, sometimes it is the date on which the poem was composed by the author, and sometimes the date is related to historical events depicted in the poem.

The first thing I did when I saw this book was turn to significant dates in my life (birthdays, anniversaries, deaths) and read the poem for that day. It was more revealing than a horoscope, and much more engaging! I learned from this book that my wedding anniversary falls on the same day that Cleopatra committed suicide, commemorated in the text with an excerpt from Shakespeare.

This anthology is not a cheesy collection of "feel-good" poems. Some of these poems will inspire you, others will depress you, some might confuse you. There is a wide range of styles and authors in this book. There are poets that are familiar, and poets I've never heard of. Overall, the collection of poetry in this book makes me want to read much more than just the "poem of the day."

This book offers a great way to bring poetry into your daily life, and for those who are already poetry fanatics, this book presents poems in a new and intriguing light. It also provides a whole range of gift opportunities--who wouldn't like to read a poem composed on their birthday? This anthology wonderfully displays the variety, beauty and meaning of English and American poetry.

As a big fan of woodcuts, I fell in love with this book immediately. The simple, bold shapes and minimal use of color are wonderful. The book was originally created in 1923 by muralist C.B. Falls for his children. He went on to illustrate several other beloved children's stories.

I have always been Paton's admire. His tool of words in acting against the injustices that took part in South Africa, draw me closer to his books.

Finally, someone decides to honor this unbeleagured figure. Our white captain!

THis is a really concise and useful introduction to C.S. Lewis by one of the leading Lewisian scholars, Dr. Peter Kreeft. While it is only 71 pages, they are full of insight and wit.

The text is broken into five sections. Part one deals with Lewis as a romantic rationalist. Part two concerns "the funeral of a great myth", or, the attack on modernity. Part three discusses Lewis' religious philosophy. Part four is all about his fiction, and part five looks at Lewis' historical significance (the last dinosaur, as he put it).

I am surpirsed that this book is out of print, given its author. So for now you have to search for a used copy. It is, however, worth it. Just remember that it is very short. It is not a mangum opus by any means. But even so, it uses ample excerpts from Lewis' fiction, criticism, and theology making it a great way to see what types of his writings appeal to you. Enjoy!

The collection of thirteen essays edited by Peter C. Herman in Day Late, Dollar Short:The Next Generation and the New Academy is bound to become required reading for graduate students in English studies. The closely woven together essays embark on devising a better understanding of what Jeffrey Williams coins the "Posttheory Generation," which he defines as "the generation of intellectual workers who have entered the literary field and attained professional positions in the late 1980s and through the 1990s" (25). The members of this generation did not receive their theory first-hand, but rather "received the various approaches and epistemologies signified by the shorthand term Theory, second-, if not thirdhand. Theory is something we . . . are taught in graduate school, not something that we discovered for ourselves as its originary moment" (Herman 1). The scholars in this book find "most of the next generation has uncritically and unproblematically accepted these theoretical paradigms" and base the reasoning for accepting such theories without question on the uncertain job market that lies ahead for these Posttheory academics (2). Herman finds there is an "increasing, if subtle, pressure to write not what we feel, but what we thing we ought to say," so we may land a decent (e.g. tenure-track) job and an acceptable (e.g. research-based) institution with a livable e.g. (less than 4/4)teaching load in an ever-increasingly difficult job market where the corporatization of the academy is pushing the envelope on its members' academic freedom (4). Much of what the book states is not good news. The Next Generation has a bumpy road ahead of itself for those who seek employment in the New Academy.

In short, Herman's Day Late, Dollar Short: The Next Generation and the New Academy is an important, readable book. It is sure to spark much debate between the complacent past, frustrated current, and uncertain future professorate who follow the climate of life in the academy. Graduate students and faculty in English studies should carefully examine this book to gain insight into the theory wars of the past and the looming storms on the horizon, especially in light of the turbulent job markets and the possibility of corporatization of the academy. While the book does not sugar-coat the current or future academic conditions, it offers constructive ways of examining the fate of literary criticism's place in the academy so we may become active agents in shaping its future.

One of Peters's best plots. Despite Cadfael's absence in the middle of the narrative, this chronicle kept my attention. This is a deeply religious experience as Peters examines some of the origins of Christian dogma through her characters. As always it is Peters's style that sets it above the common mystery. Trurly one of the best of the Cadfael series.

This was thought-provoking and very interesting - really gave me a different perspective on how to understand the Chronicles of Narnia, and tied in Schakel's new way with all the chords Lewis' books have ever struck in you.

Brother Cadfael is one of those people who seems to exist out of time. He's smart, sensitive and quite a liberal little priest. He shines in this mystery. And though most of the mysteries in the series are easy to figure out, the pleasure comes as much from where the narrative takes you as from figuring out "whodunit" before the last chapter. Go ahead, you want to read it. You know you do.

If you're interested in an audio edition, check that you're getting the unabridged recording narrated by Stephen Thorne. If you're interested in the Derek Jacobi video, I warn you that the BBC rewrote the backstory of both Judith and Niall to make them more melodramatic; as compensation, they came up with one additional clever ploy on the part of the murderer that's worth seeing.

This May of 1142, spring has begun late; winter's prolonged grip has been reflected in human affairs. King Stephen, freed by a prisoner exchange after _The Pilgrim of Hate_, raised the Empress' hopes by falling ill, but her move to Oxford was premature; he's now in fine fettle, picking off the empress' outposts. While these events, and the war at large, have little effect on this story, they'll be relevant in the next book, _The Hermit of Eyton Forest_. Cadfael's worries are more immediate, but easing now that the crops have finally been sown and it looks as though the roses will be out by the 22nd of June, the feast of St. Winifred's translation.

The Widow Perle - 25-year-old Judith Vestier that was - lost her husband to a terrible fever four years ago, despite everything Cadfael could do, then lost her only child in miscarriage shortly thereafter. In the depths of her grief, she couldn't bear to stay in the house where they'd been happy, so she deeded the place to the abbey in exchange for an annual rent of one white rose from her favorite rosebush, to be paid into her hand each June 22nd. (As heiress to the Vestier clothier business, Judith has ample property even without the house; she moved in 'over her shop', as it were, with her widowed aunt and her cousin Miles.)

Since it pays for the lighting of Mary's altar all year around, brother Eluric - the altar's custodian - has always delivered the rent, but this year brings a small crisis. Eluric, given as an oblate to the abbey as a young child, grew up in the cloister; his annual meetings with Judith have been his first prolonged exposure to any woman. Despite his overly sensitive conscience, the inevitable happened, and he's asked Radulfus to relieve him of the duty since he can't help worshipping Judith from afar. Radulfus, not wanting to embarrass the boy publicly or to have a repetition in a few years' time, consults Cadfael and Anselm; Cadfael suggests that the abbey's tenant, Niall Bronzesmith, deliver the rent directly. After all, he's a widower and a decent man...

Unfortunately, other men of Shrewsbury aren't as innocent as Eluric or as decent as Niall, and seek Judith's hand in marriage for mercenary purposes. Godfrey Fuller, whose business complements Judith's very well, proposes marriage as a business proposition. Her chief weaver, Bertred, has an eye out for advancement. Even ne'er-do-well Vivian Hynde is trying to turn his charm into a soft spot for life. Small wonder that Judith has thoughts of the cloister - or that her aunt is gently nudging her in that direction. Both Cadfael and Sister Magdalen advise Judith against it, although from rather different points of view. :)

Then Brother Eluric is found dead in Niall's garden - not a suicide, as the brothers at first fear, but murdered, stabbed by someone who tried and failed to cut the rosebush down with a hatchet. Judith, calling on Niall to pick up a belt buckle he'd repaired for her, stumbles upon the scene - and when Cadfael tells her why Eluric crept out to see the rosebush one last time, she feels guilty that he suffered so much and she never noticed. Turning it over in her mind, she resolves to go to the abbey in the morning and make the house an outright gift - but the word gets out from her servants' gossip, and the next morning she's kidnapped, by someone who'd rather take a chance on forcing her into a marriage and getting *all* her property instead of only half. (Her cousin Miles is beside himself - getting a new boss like *that* isn't something anyone would want, even without a cousin's safety to worry about.)

My compliments to any reader who deduces what happened to Judith before Peters reveals the solution. Eluric's murder - and another later on - are fair puzzles. (Ever the forensics expert, Cadfael takes a wax impression of a distinctive footprint from the damp earth beside the rosebush, to give the town cobblers a chance of catching Eluric's murderer by the heel, for instance.) Niall Bronzesmith, quiet as he is, has problems of his own; after his wife's death in childbirth, he fostered their daughter with his sister Cecily's cheerful family outside town, since he couldn't take care of a small baby alone, although he loves her very much. She's too little to understand why he only comes for frequent visits, and he needs to arrange to bring her back to live with him before she starts thinking he doesn't want her.

Lovely story.

You know how when you read a series of books the plots begin to run together ... not with Ellis Peters. Although I recommend reading each of the books in the Brother Cadfael series in order, this is my favorite.

In many ways the plot is actually quite trite, female widow needs husband who's not interested in her money. But the way Peters puts her elements together is unique to her and our hero.

Although I figured out why the murder was committed and by whom, I didn't work out how until the end of the book. As usual Morse was knocking back the beer, flirting in his subtle way and actually got a "little"!!! bit friendly with a suspect. A good read.

The only thing really wrong with Morse is that he smokes too much. If you want a really good read in your mysteries, here it is.

If you like to be kept guessing this is the novel for you. It is also fun to read about the interaction between Morse and Lewis. These two deserve each other.

Dire times for Shrewsbury

In this book the second of Ellis Peter's Brother Cadfael series we find Shrewsbury in 1138 in deep trouble. The forces of King Stephen are approaching and citizens are scrambling to align themselves with the victor. Unfortunately those in the castle were aligned with the Empress Maude and paid dearly for it.

This book introduces us to the crafty Hugh Beringar a worthy friend or foe to Cadfael. Part of Cadfael's dilemma in this chronicle is to determine which Beringar is. They are evenly matched for foxiness, but we hope that Cadfael's age may assist him in the end.

This series is a must for the medieval lover. It is an excellent mystery and will keep the reader guessing.

One Corpse Too Many : The Second Chronicle of Brother Cadfael by Ellis Peters After watching a number of the Brother Cadfael episodes on PBS, I was pleased to learn that the series was based upon the books written by Ellis Peters. One Corpse Too Many is my first adventure into the written version. As in most cases the written version is much richer and even more entertaining than the television version. As I read the book, I cannot but help hear Derek Jacobi's voice as Brother Cadfael. The written format adds much to character development, especially of secondary characters. Ellis Peters also helps us with the very interesting historical facts surrounding these exceptional episodes of our beloved Brother Cadfael.

This is one story which I had seen on PBS, which inspired me to read the original. What a treasure lay waiting in my bookcase!
I found that all Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael books are "Excellent Mysteries", even if I occasionally question her private brand of clerical or secular justice. But the literary gems of extreme value are those five novels which enhance our understanding of the protagonist's character. An additional bonus to the delectable mysteries themselves with their beautifully landscaped setting of England or Wales is our introduction to medieval customs and monastic ritual.

I promise to be careful not to give anything away which might diminish the reader's enjoyment of future novels in the series (20, plus a prequel book of 3 short tales). My favorites are #1, where we realize the importance of Cafael's devotion to his Saint Winifrid, also Welsh. Next comes #2 because we have the wonderful relationship with Hugh Beringar, his friend and fellow sleuth--no matter which of the warring cousins they seem to serve: King Stephen or Empress Maud. My last 3 favorites are those novels which reveal Cadfael's gradual relationship with Olivier--no hints or spoilers. Thus the unlikely hero who has retired from the world to pursue a life of inner peace within the cloister becomes increasingly more human; he earns our sympathy, respect and love.

Forget the clever plot on this one--for it is the unique and fascinating countredance of personalities that makes this novel precious. Each side in the battle for the kingdom is distrustful, trying to outmaneuver the other. Readers must decide for themselves who gains the most, who loses the most and who has the last laugh. Brother Cadfael certainly enjoys great freedom of movement--missing many masses and daily offices in purusit of justice--thanks to the old Abbot's pious nature and shunning of secular matters. Ellis Peters offers us much more than mystery artfully blended with medieval history; she presents great insight into the human heart and mind. Savor each novel and Brother Cadfeal will surely become your favorite herbalist-detective.