I'd love to read a weblog about Neil writing American Gods. How did he forge all those sources into a new story that feels true? But this is a weblog about an author going on tour. Honestly, who cares? Neil's a genius, but this is not what he's a genius for. Stick with the stories. Skip the blog.

The clinic I work at has this book, and it is amazing! It explains concepts in a way that you makes understand them, and more importantly, remember them. I love this book; I just hope someday I can afford to buy my own copy.

Memoirs may often cure insomnia, but not this hefty chunk of history. Travel back in time with John Salmon "Rip" Ford. Saddle the horses and hitch up your britches, you'll be heading out to the Texas of a newly independent republic. Ride from the Red to the Rio Grande and beyond with the doctor, lawyer, surveyor, journalist, trailblazer, legislator, and celebrated soldier of numerous wars.

Ford takes the reader from the earliest days of the republic to statehood, secession, and on into reconstruction. Meet the intrepid Texas Ranger Jack Hays. Ride from Matamoros to Mexico City with the "Los Diablos Tejanos." Trailblaze a trade route from San Antonio to El Paso with the Ford-Neighbors expedition.

Brilliantly edited by Stephen B. Oates, this personal narrative of a time, place, and adventure, all larger than life itself, is a must read for all who are interested in Texas and its history.

The projects in this book are pure eye candy! Very innovative techniques and projects, my favorite being the polymer clay eggs, of which I have made four dozen for Christmas presents!

Directions are very clear and the gallery of beautiful artwork throughout will get your mind creating ideas for your own beautiful pieces.

If you're looking for inspiration, the photos and the projects in this book are for you.Gives some basic step by step caneing instructions as well as an intricate butterfly design. Much more. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.

This is one of the most inspiring books I have seen on polymer clay. It really does get my mind going with ideas and makes me want to get right to "work." It's clear and precise in instruction, as well as attractive to even look through. It's my favorite

My kids loved this book. It's written by real kids who have gone through their parent's divorce and it opened a dialogue with my children that I would have never had if we hadn't read this book together.

I am a recently divorced mother of two young boys, ages 8 and 9. I could tell the divorce upset them, but I couldn't get them to talk about it--until we read this book together. It is written by kids and they talk about how they felt when their parents divorced. My boys could relate and it helped them start talking about their feelings. I recommend this book to any divorcing parent with kids between the ages of 8-12.

I was looking for a book to give to my nieces because my sister-in-law was getting a divorce and the kids were having a difficult time. This book was recommended by a therapist. The book did the trick--helped the kids talk about what was bothering them. I asked the kids why they liked the book and they said because it was written by kids like them. They thought it was great. That's the best testimonial out there.

Thic book is adequate for emergency medical information, but is not a good quick reference in the midst of a true emergency. In most things, it is quite lacking, and other emergency "handbooks" seem to be more user and cost-friendly. Although this book is part of my library, I found little use for it when I worked as an emergency small animal veterinarian.

This book has been a big help for me in my practice

Thanks for scholars like Nicholas Delbanco who hunt down biographical details that enrich our knowledge of famous authors lives. Here is a book that offers a savory meal for the literary gourmet. Henry James liked donuts. Stephen Crane chain smoked. Conrad the English stylist spoke with a thick Polish accent. Ford Madox Ford embellished his recollections with untruths. H. G. Wells treated offers of help with cocky independence.

The author contends that for a certain interval these men associated with and admired each others literary accomplishments. "South of London in 1900, a galaxy of talent assembled that beggars in accomplishment anything the English language has since produced." He provides quotations and photographs that demonstrate social intercourse between the big five. Between the initial overview and the concluding summary, three chapters provide respectively a view of Stephen Crane on a visit to England to meet the other masters of ficti! onal prose, a study of the collaboration between Ford Madox Ford and Joseph Conrad, and an examination of one of English literature's most famous disputes - James vs. Wells.

I found the book informative and interesting and recommend it to any admirer of any of the five writers singularly or in combination. About those we admire our curiosity is insatiable. Did Shakespeare like his eggs over easy or sunny side up? We have his Hamlet, his Lear, isn't that enough? Some might say no. We have Crane's "Open Boat", Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", Ford's *Good soldier, James' *Ambassadors, Wells' *Time Machine*. Still, it's natural to inquire about the virtues, quirks, and foibles of their creators. *Group Portrait* gives us a taste of the traits that rounds out these illustrious authors.

A sad epilogue to which Mr. Delbanco refers in his lead chapter is that this literary summer was so brief. Crane died in 1900. Eventually the other associations wither! ed. By 1906 the friendship between Conrad and Ford had coo! led. *Boon* published in 1915 dissolved Wells' ties to James with its ridicule of the latter. For a while there was Camelot albeit a loose confederacy of brilliant writers. A genius needs a tough ego to sustain him for the long haul to fortune and fame. An alternate lesson from *Group portrait, perhaps one not intended, but nevertheless patent, is that collaboration must eventually give way to ego.