Janet Holmes has the rare ability to write layered, moving, lyrical poetry that transports the reader and allows her to think and wonder and imagine. Many of the poems deal with the beauty or sleek appearance of the surface while delving into the dirth of it just underneath. Juxtaposition also is used well. As great as her work was in "The Physicist at the Mall", an earlier collection of poetry, "The Green Tuxedo" soars to the next level of creativity.

Janet Holmes's poetry treads the line between accessible and intense. The poems about her father and about nature and relationships are touching without being trite. If you have refused to read any poetry more modern than Frost, because it is all too confusing, here you are in for a treat. The poems and their structure well-repay multiple readings and close attention.

This delightful story of a city dog's miraculous discovery is sure to charm urban and rural readers alike. The cut-out illustrations are equally pleasing, and very cleverly done. Buy it!

This is probably one of the most enlightening books about farming on the Plains that I have read. Farmer DeLoach kept a daily diary of his thoughts about the weather, crop prices, World War I and it's affect on life on the Plains, and other "routine" occurances. Editor Neugebauer has enhanced the content by explaining and documenting the historical events that DeLoach wrote about. For example, when farmers were shipping grain overseas during WWI, he feared starvation for people in the U.S. if the Germans kept sinking the grain shipments, yet DeLoach said no one could talk about it because of the sedition acts that had been passed. Editor Neugebauer explains the sedition acts and farmer DeLoach's fears. In another example, DeLoach mentioned that the President of the U.S. had appealed to cotton gins to shut down in an attempt to drive the price of cotton up. The attempt failed because too much of the bumper crop had already been harvested, Neugebauer explained. I found the editor's notes to be very helpful and the pen and ink illustrations to be outstanding. This book *shows* the kind of effort and persistence early farming on the Plains required.

This is really an excellent cookbook. I've had it for about a year, and I've made several of the recipes in it for my friends and family, and gotten rave reviews every time. The recipes are all pretty time consuming, so they are best when you are entertaining and are willing to invest the time to get an extraordinary dinner. The recipes use all fresh ingredients (nothing canned or prepared) -- the pumpkin bisque is made from real pumpkins and the polenta is made from cornmeal. The recipes, though vegetarian, are mostly not vegan and not healthy, (lots of oil, cream, and/or cheese in most of them) but as I said before, it isn't an everyday cookbook to begin with, so the health factor is not a huge issue. If you like spicy food and occasionally make an elaborate meal, buy it, even if you aren't a vegetarian.

This book was originally written for bureaucrats so that they might better communicate officialese. Yet it really goes further: it can be used, appreciated, by anyone wishing to improve or confirm their knowledge of written English. Gowers writes in compact, sometimes dryly humourous, style, as he corrects the often confused use of "which-that" and "who-whom", the employment or negligence of the subjunctive, and punctuation. It's an enjoyable,educative work relevant to today, with the English language changing and, perhaps, degrading.

This book was a major disappointment to a fan of most all of Janet Daily's novels. I generally like for there to be a little fire between the central characters. There seemed to be more chemistry between Chase and Buck than Ty and Jessy.
Also, I know this is just fiction but I think I hate Tara. She annoys me and just seems to detract from the story of two people who are very in love and trying to start a family while running a huge ranch. Having Ty die at the end of the story made me wish she had just quit with Calder Pride. I am sure I will probably read the next books, but I might wait until they come out in paperback next time.

7/29/02

I must say, "The Calder series" is one of my favorite family sagas. The characters are so strong I can feel their emotions when I read Ms. Dailey's books. This, in my opinion takes a truly good writer to inspire emotions so heartfelt that a reader can actually feel them. I would say, Ms. Dailey is one of the best writers I have come across in romance.

My favorite character is Chase, "Ty and Cat's father"..."Chase" has stood the test of time throughout the years in both love and heartbreak...I hope Chase Calder will be around for a long time to come in Ms. Dailey's up-coming Calder series, he gives her stories a rich texture that clings to old west code. If and when Chase is gone he would sorely missed.

I have just finish reading "Green Calder Grass", it was wonderful. Although, I will miss Ty Calder and I think this was a sad turn of the story, but that's what I love about Ms. Dailey's writing, real life does not always have happy ends!!!

I'm looking forward to the next Calder series.

Janet Dailey keep up the fantastic work.

Best wishes,
Cherie Ridenour

Readers will definately want to read the other books in the Calder series to truly appreciate the characters in this story. Dailey does a wonderful job of luring you into the story and keeping you there, with her wonderful detailed description and the love of the characters who we know so well. In this continuation of the Calder series, Chase Calder is back, along with his son Ty and daughter-in-law Jessy. Ty and Jessy face problems from the past in the form of Ty's first wife Tara, who forces her way back into their lives intent on starting trouble. This story takes some unbelievable twist and turns that will test the emotions of true Calder fans. Those who are looking for a story big on romance and "traditional" happy endings might be dissapointed, but for those looking for a story with strong Family roots, a deep love of land and family, strong characters, and a promise of more to come, will not be dissapointed. Well done Janet Dailey.