Karmic Traces is a fascinating collection of essays featuring twenty-four of Eliot Weinbergers writings taking the reader along his personal travels ranging from the Atacama Desert to Iceland to Hong Kong. Here are also to be found imagined voyages among strange religious cultures and even stranger animals. The capping work is "The Falls", wherein Weinberger recapitulates 3,000 years of history to uncover the deep roots of contemporary racism and violence. Karmic Traces is a highly recommended body of writing that is as vivid as poetry, as entertaining as fiction, and as informative as any travelogue of mind and body.

Aestheticians have, I think, long wrestled with the question of whether art's value lies in its spontaneity or its control. The spontaneous, like a volcano, will cover more intellectual ground, whereas the controlled, a sort of rose in the irion filings, gives us the precision of high aesthetic achievement. Here in Weinberger's book of essays, as much art as about art (or politics, culture, history, Iceland, and more), we experience the breadth & expanse of imaginative knowledge plus the exact control of fine writing & a clear mind; with Weinberger the volcano IS the rose in the iron filings. Nothing like essays anyone has ever written for school, nor like much of nonfiction available anywhere, these essays are moving in all senses of the word: they move from topic to topic, moving us as well. Weinberger, whose sense of language has come from years of translating Spanish and, recently, Chinese, is one of today's few intellectuals not affiliated with any university. He is thus as rare as an intellectual in medieval Europe unconnected to the Church; Karmic Traces, colossal & microscopic at once, is likewise as unique a find.

You can see the joy on these kids faces. And the text seems to get to the heart of what dance is all about.

In images and words, photographer Jim Varriale has captured the essence of dance -- the irresistable urge to move to music with every inch of one's being -- in Kids Dance: The Students of Ballet Tech. His photographs capture Eliot Feld's scholarship students' infectious passion; their unselfconscious delight in dance as a means of personal expression; and their willingness to embrace the discipline and study that makes "jumping for joy" on stage a very real possibility. Attractively designed, the book is very well written. Varriale's text is both simply stated and engaging, offering just enough explanation and detail to complement the magical photographs they accompany. In repose and on the move, these NYC public school children invite the reader to share their hard work and dreams. This is a new kind of "ballet" book, a collectible for all dance lovers, regardless of age. I cannot recommend it too highly.

Merlin's Harp is a great short read (one day ), that will transport the reader back to Arthurian times through the eyes of an important, but not much talked about player. The book reminds me of 'Forest House' by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It is light reading, yet keeps your interest. Merlin's Harp will give the reader new insight on Lancelot and Melwas, with a new revelation on Merlin and the Holy Grail

Merlin's Harp is an exquisite addition to Arthurian literature. Anne Crompton's writing is lyrical and beautiful. It leads you into the story and keeps you there. Her very original presentation of well known characters, well known story lines, and even objects such as the Grail is so very intriguing that you do not want to put the book down until you have finished it. Her central character Niviene is delightfully "odd" and fantastical. This is a Niviene no one has seen before. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is one of the few books that really does take you into another world. When you put it down, when you have read every page, you are left with a feeling of amazement and sheer delight in the experience.

George Eliot, (nom de plume of Mary Ann Evans), wrote a literary masterpiece with "Middlemarch." I was forced to read this in school at an age when term papers and grades meant more than absorbing the riches this novel contains. I recently gave it another shot, lured back into 19th century English lit. by easier reads, like Jane Austen, whose work I love, and the Brontes. But I don't want to compare apples and oranges. Let it suffice to say, I got back to "Middlemarch" 30 years later. And it was/is so worth the re-read!

Ms. Eliot created, with this book, an entire community in England in the mid-1800s and called it Middlemarch. She populated this provincial town with people of every station, local squires and their families, tradespeople, the rising middle class, (Middlemarch, right?), & the poor and destitute, ruthless and honest. She crowded them together, with all their ambitions, dreams and foibles, in this magnificent literary soap opera, and wove a wonderful web of plots and subplots. Ms. Eliot also wrote scathing social commentary and used great wit.

The fortunes of Middlemarch are rising in this new era when machines and trains - fast, available transportation - are changing the world, the economy, the politics. Rigid social codes, the British class system, is in danger of being breached. Folks are out to make a quick buck, or a shilling - anything to acquire wealth and enhance social position.

Dorothea Brooks lives in Middlemarch. She is an intelligent, sensitive young woman, who wants to dedicate her life to important endeavors. She does not want to settle for a typical marriage and family, but looks toward a more noble cause. As a woman, a professional life is not open to her, nor is the pursuit of intellect, outside of marriage. She weds the elderly Rev. Casaubon, a cold, narcissistic man, thinking that by assisting him with his scholarly research and writing, she will find happiness.

Dr. Lydgate comes to Middlemarch to begin his medical practice there. He is an idealist, who has dreams of finding a cure for cholera and opening a free clinic. He meets blonde and beautiful Rosamund Vincie, who fancies him for a spouse...along with a new house, new furniture, an extensive wardrobe, etc.

A dashing, romantic Will Ladislaw, nephew of Rev. Casaubon, enters the story, as does Rosie's brother Fred, who wants desperately to marry his Mary, but is out of work and in debt. This cast of richly drawn characters continues to grow with the introduction of Mary's family, the Garths, the banker Bulstrode, friends, relations, and an evil villain or two.

This complex novel and portrait of the times, is one of the best reading experiences I have had in a long while. And it didn't hurt at all! :))

How is it that I am the first person to write a reveiw for, arguably, one of the greatest novels ever written in the English language? Perhaps I am simply the first to write a review for this edition (which, by the way, is superb: the notes are meticulous and fascinating; the introduction is probing and insightful).

Middlemarch is much more than a novel, it is a work of cutting insight into the deepest pathos of Human Nature. I have never (albeit I'm only 21) read a book so psychologically accurate as this. One gets psychological accuracy with Tolstoy, but surely one loses something in the translation. Middlemarch is like Tolstoy for the Native English speaker. It is written in that much-dreaded-by-students Victorian form, however, if you are willing to be patient and persistent, you will find yourself absorbed with the lives of the characters that inhabit this fictional English Province. The plot twists and gossipy townspeople are enough to keep the more shallow reader interested; but if you are keen on depth and understanding the nuances of human nature, then this book is sure to captivate you. Not that there is anything wrong with being either shallow or deep; I constantly found myself intrigued by the townspeople's gossip and the scandals, as well as finding myself pondering some of the puzzling behavior of the characters and (most of the time) identifying with them. I am under the belief that this book must be considered one of the finest works ever written in the English language. But I am simply a college student in the midwest and have no weight of influence to encourage the avid reading of Middlemarch; I suggest you consult Virginia Woolf's thoughts on the matter. She describes Middlemarch as "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people." If that is not convincing enough, Hermione Lee suggests that Middlemarch is "The most profound, wise and absorbing or English novels... and, above all, truthful and forgiving about human behaviour."

Nota Bene: If you consider yourself a humanist, Middlemarch is a necessity!

I was introduced to this book by a friend in high school. He had stolen the only copy out of my schools library.. since then it is has been an impossible task to find the book. I don't know yet if this is the right one! Villaurrutia is an amazingly dark poet who writes exactly what the mind is thinking! Great translation, but nothing close to what the spanish is really saying! -Jamie

An excellent collection of poems for the Modern Goth or anyone who isn't afraid of admitting that they've ever felt absolutely alone. Too bad it's so hard to find and the only published poems in translation from this poet. Dark in an age where it wasn't popular to be dark, accidentally rich in romance and rhythm, it brings literature back to a period when political statements took a back seat to the root of poetry -- writing about what you're feeling. Again, I wish there were more of Villaurrutia's work available.

Although this is #3 in a set of 15, this is my first book read out of the group. Mr Morrison does a wonderful job piecing together accurate accounts of the early stages of the Pacific theater, along with the well written chapters regarding the prelude to war with Japan. How he achieved this was by actually writing about the war during the conflict. So much more is gained by writing in contact with events, while the participants are still alive. This book is much more detailed with events than other similar books, and the writing gives a feeling of almost being there.

This is the third volume in a fifteen volume series. Volume III is a very thorough history of the rise of Japan militarily between World War I and World War II. The book ends with the Halsey-Doolittle raid over Tokyo launched from the aircraft carrier Hornet on April 18, 1942.

Morison's writing style is highly entertaining and his attention to detail unsurpassed. It is important to note that the author wrote this history right after the war's conclusion and from the perspective of one who had served on eleven different U.S. ships during the conflict.

Leah Newman's Robert Frost: The People, Places, and Stories Behind His New England Poetry provides an invaluable companion to the beloved poetry of Robert Frost. Newman not only provides the context of Frost's personal history as a backdrop for his poetry, but also provides key literary references, literary criticism, and annotations on the reception of his work in his lifetime. The essays accompanying Frost's poems are lively and warm, often punctuated by Frost's own words. Newman brings Frost's relationships to his family and his work to life in this collection, without diminishing the richness or subtlety of his poetry. I highly recommend this volume to life-long students of Frost's work as well as newcomers.

Lea Newman is able to make her reader's introduction to a major American poet easy, fun and memorable in Robert Frost: The People, Places And Stories Behind His New England Poetry. Newman's concise and informative essays accompany each of thirty-six of Frost's early New England poems including his "The Road Not Taken"; "Mending Wall"; "The Death Of The Hired Man"; and "Birches". Biographical information and his own commentaries provides insights into what Frost was doing and thinking when he wrote each poem. Newman's format of combining essay and poetry enables the reader to experience Frost's poetry with a fresh appreciation and insight. Robert Frost is "must" reading for anyone who ever thrilled to this great man's poetic genius and enduring wisdom.

Wow! I couldn't 'put this book down.' The plot was exciting and full of anticipation, the erotica, fascinating and feverish with hints of naughty fetishes, and the mystery, dark and intriguing! The story contains very delicious detail and description, guiding the reader through each and every experience, and the characters are unique; each possessing flawed, but very human qualities, bringing them to life.

Don is a 49-year old author, traveling the country in a run down trailer, searching for him self, and the passion that once drove him. Kelly is a crippled thirty-something ex-reporter, practically having given up on living after a tragic car accident that ended her career, her relationship, and her lust for life. Georgette Eliot brings together these two lonely and suffering souls, complete opposites of one another, where they find that their destinies and passions lie within each other. Side by side, Don and Kelly face the mystery of a brutal murder, a terrible suicide, a complex drug ring, and the challenge of learning how to live and love again.

Eliot successfully weaves together a tale of tragedy, secrecy, lust, and forbidden desires, leaving the reader tingling with delight! A must read for all lover's of eroticism!

Wow! I couldn't 'put this book down.' The plot was exciting and full of anticipation, the erotica, facinating and feverish with hints of naughty fetishes, and the mystery, dark and intriguing! The story contains very delicious detail and description, guiding the reader through each and every experience, and the charters are unique; each possessing flawed, but very human qualities, bringing them to life.

Don is a 49-year old author, traveling the country in a run down trailer, searching for him self, and the passion that once drove him. Kelly is a crippled thirty-something ex-reporter, practically having given up on living after a tragic car accident that ended her career, her relationship, and her lust for life. Georgette Eliot brings together these two lonely and suffering souls, complete opposites of one another, where they find that their destinies and passions lie within each other. Side by side, Don and Kelly face the mystery of a brutal murder, a terrible suicide, a complex drug ring, and the challenge of learning how to live and love again.

Eliot successfully weaves together a tale of tragedy, secrecy, lust, and forbidden desires, leaving the reader tingling with delight! A must read for all lover's of eroticism!

My Hero of Christian Theolgy

I have read many books about Bible and Jesus ranging from missionary works to the works of scholars such as Prof. B. Metzger. Never have I come across a Book such as Strauss' Life of Jesus. About 1000 pages (in English)of rigorous and detailed analysis of the Life of Jesus in the four Gospels without bias (as far as I can tell).It is a big loss to the humanity that Strauss not only was denied teaching positions (for which he was overqualified: knowing Hebrew, Greek, Latin as well as German and having a genius' intelligence) also his marvelous work(s) were suppressed and kept away from the humanity. I hope and pray that many more Christians will have the opportunity to read this enlightening book of Strauss and learn some of the facts about their scriptures and Faith which are kept away from the believers by the Church for millennia. (My use of millennia about one month before 2000 may sound inaccurate, how ever if we take Matthew's word that Jesus was born in the Days of Herod (not paying attention to the fact that Luke assigns birth of Jesus to the time when Quarinius was Governor of Syria which didn't take place until a decade after the death of Herod the Great(Strauss' Life of Jesus & Westminster Dictionary of the Bible))and knowing that Herod died around 4 BC. (Westminster Dictionary of the Bible) also considering the two year(from the killing of children under two year of age) stay of Jesus and His Mother and Joseph in Egypt (Only in Matthew, no other Evangelist noticed this incident including Josephus who recorded detailed life of Herod (Staruss' Life of Jesus)) before Herod died, Jesus must have been born around 6 BC so that for those faithful to Matthew (rather than Luke) true second millennium was 1994. Therefore we are already in the second millennium. TOO BAD WEE MISSED THE 2ND MILLENIAL CELEBRATIONS.)

In concluding, Strauss is a forgatton hero among Christian Scholarsip

My God Have Mercy on Strauss.

This was a labor of love by the editor, me, for this best-seller of 1847 is unknown today because of the ruthless campaign of censorship by powerful church leaders, who only permitted a small-print, forbidding limited edition for scholars who needed it. This user-friendly edition is large print, illustrated with interesting biographies and pictures of David Friedrich Strauss, the father of today's popular studies of the historical jesus (while his own career was ruined for writing this masterpiece). The other biography is of George Eliot, whose masterful translation from the German came 13 years before she became famous as the author of Silas Marner, Middlemarch, et al. This is an oversized book, yet paperback to keep the price down

T.S. Eliot raises some intriguing questions in Choruses from the Rock concerning the knowledge we may lose in information or the wisdom we may lose in knowledge. Patricia Sloane's book belies these losses, for in her book no knowledge is lost in information and no wisdom is lost in knowledge. This book is by far the most amazing piece of scholarship it has ever been my pleasure to come across. Ostensibly about a couple of Eliot's early poems, the book is packed with insights into so many different threads of history and literary history that it would be impossible to list them all even in a much longer review. I would not hesitate in calling Patricia Sloane the most careful reader of them all. The book is full of surprises every step of the way, and the surprises always strike the reader as exemplifying the art of reading at its very best. I would call what Patricia Sloane does the art of "corrective" reading, for she shows us in innumerable and always highly convincing ways that readers who have found innuendoes of anti-Semitism in some of T.S. Eliot's poems have simply missed the point. The so-called anti-Semitic passages are actually criticisms of anti-Semitism, occasionally in the most playful of ways. One of the things this amazingly scholarly and wonderfully readable book does is to explore and expose the nature of prejudicial readings that find fault not because the fault is in the text but because they read the fault into the text. Patricia Slaone traces with easy-going relentlessness all the intricate connections that can possibly be found in Eliot's poems - between Eliot and Dante, on the one hand, or Eliot and James Joyce, on the other. These connections then highlight innumerable others, implicating Homer as well as the Bible in refreshing new connections that finally culminate in the largest possible context the human mind is capable of holding. While reading this book I kept saying "yes, of course," though what I found myself assenting to is not so much an example of Alexander Pope's famous observation about what often was thought but never so well expressed, but a completely new arrangement of this observation, for reading Patricia Sloane's first volume in a projected trilogy strikes the reader more in the nature of what never was thought until Patricia Slaone has finally expressed it. And now that she has, we cannot help but think it. Her book on T.S. Eliot is probably the best out there. I am certainly looking forward to the volumes to follow.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in Eliot's poetic method in general, especially of the earlier work, and obviously the Bleistein poems in particular. A must read for any academic whose work touches upon (supposed) anti-Semitism, the Bleistein and Sweeney poems, and Eliot's method of allusion and satire. I'm looking forward to reading the next two volumes in the series of which this is the first.

Arwin

(Shyamal Bagchee, who wrote the introduction, is the Vice-President of the T. S. Eliot Society and the founder of the Yeats-Eliot Review.)