This book of clever insect poems is so much fun! These poems for two voices are filled with insects, wit, and humor! Reading poems for two voices is a great bonding experience. I would recommend reading them with your children - if you do not have children, read the poems with your significant other! :) My husband and I love reading these poems together. You are guaranteed to get a giggle out of it! Enjoy!

Joyful noise is a great book to read with another person. It is filled with poems for two voices about insects. It has from Book Lice to Water Striders, House Crickets to Grasshoppers, Water Boatmen to Fireflies. I really enjoy reading it with one of my friends!!

Here are fourteen poems about, of all things, bugs. Some may wonder at the subject matter; some may be disgusted. By the time you're done reading them, however, I'm sure you'll no longer feel that way.

Speaking of fireflies, book lice, and honeybees, Fleischman shows the unique perspective of each. At times his poems are hilarious, with the worker ant complaining in time to the languid satisfaction of the queen; some are poignant enough to touch your heart and make you think twice about that caterpillar you shuddered at the other day.

What makes these poems truly wonderful, however, is the fact that they are "for two voices". For full effect, they *must* be read aloud by two people, sometimes in chorus, sometimes speaking alone, and other times echoing each other. In such a manner, the already-delightful poetry becomes alive.

Shaffer is a gifted poet, generously allowing us to see the world from his sometimes tilted (like a pinball machine) but generally optimistic viewpoint. His verse is accessible without being simple, and often cheerful but not sappy. And it comes with instructions! If you like your poetry dense as ancient fruitcake and studded with indigestible pellets of unidentifiable allusions you may not enjoy this book, but I found it refreshing and strongly recommend it.

Portable Planet is that rare book of poetry that gives you both immediate pay-off and a lifetime of contemplation. From the opening poem, "At Play in the Fields of the Word," Eric Paul Shaffer makes you laugh ("None come to the door but grim vendors of an angry God and trademark plasticware") and makes you think ("Today, I define 'freedom' this way: with nothing done, the future is full"). Each of Shaffer's poems hits you with power and precision. Shaffer has more to SAY than any other living poet I've read. Unlike most acclaimed (and rather boring) poets, he never hides behind safely ambiguous imagery; his voice is loud and clear, and playfully challenging. For example, consider this line from his long poem "The Western Room:" "From Japan, America is the land of the rising sun, inscrutable." From his poem "Yadokari: Hermit Crab, Okinawa," you can also learn how to live your life: "Life is kind. Move on. Carry what you can." If I were forced to choose my favorite, I'd pick "On the Verge of the Usual Mistake." (His titles alone are both funny and thought-provoking.) If you buy only one book of poetry this year, make sure you buy Portable Planet. It doesn't get better than this.

Portable Planet liberates American poetry from the stuffiness of the Academy and the silliness of the Slam. Here is a book whistling with fresh air, open vistas, and good humor. Portable Planet should be made into our next National Park, but hurry and get your copy, before the next administration sells it off! If Walt Whitman had looked under his own boot soles, he would have found Eric Paul Shaffer--and Shaffer would have been giving old Walt a hot foot. This book burns!

This is by far Lew Welch's most intelligently written book and it was done as a graduation thesis for Reed College in 1950, when he was stil in his early 20's. This was an important time for Welch. He was still attempting to find his voice and was just then making his first contacts with William Carlos Williams. Later, when Welch became part of the Beat scene, he would look back at his own innocent days at Reed and try to recapture the excitement and importance of his explorations of Stein in his failed novel, I Leo. But this is not the voice of the hard-drinking, semi-messianic Lew that we find crowding out his talent in his later works; this is the voice of a subtle thinker saying (without the smoke and whistles of today's English departments) some important things about Stein. Considering the date, this is an amazing thesis. William Carlos Williams admitted that he had learned some important things from Lew's thesis, and it continues (now in book form competently edited by Eric Paul Shaffer--but please don't hand this perfomance to Shaffer--Lew Welch is clearly the star in this show) to remain of value for students of Stein's work. We only wish he could have continued to have written so lucidly and to have lived on to help us through some of the stranger developments of American criticism and poetry that now appear--unfortunately--to have become the norm.

Shaffer's stunner of an introduction, as well as the insight and organization of this book, made me see poetry in an entirely new light, as well as the brilliance of Lew Welch. Shaffer's work is extraordinary. I can't wait for the upcoming release of Shaffer's own work, PORTABLE PLANET. He is a very real talent!

Any one interested in the deeper mechanics of how our language makes meaning out of sound, and how sound itself is interesting into and unto itself should add this book to their collection. I have profitably reread Eric Paul Shaffer's introduction several times for his analysis of Welch's and Stein's interplay as artists and poets.

(...)I was never much of a poetry fan. Until I met Shaffer's poetry that is.

I met him at (a bookstore) on Maui and was invited to his poetry reading. With two young children I rarely made it out of the house in the evening, but something compelled me to go. Listening to him read his work was excellent! I've bought all he's written ever since.

If you want to read poetry that is light yet insightful, keen and at times biting, buy Eric Paul Shaffer's "Living at the Monestery, Working in the Kitchen." You'll read it over and over again.

I have never been much of a poetry reader--mostly because I have often found it to be obtuse or irrelevant. My opinion changed, though, after reading Eric Shaffer's work. I loved PORTABLE PLANET (his first collection of poems), and LIVING IN THE MONASTERY, WORKING IN THE KITCHEN was even better! His poetry is fresh, humorous and filled with simple images that manage to evoke complex emotions. "Will good and evil deeds be weighed?/Who ponders such nonsense is lost." -- simple truth, eloquently stated. Buy this book and forget your preconceived notions about poetry. Eric Shaffer will blow them out of the water!

Eric Paul Shaffer, a scholar of Lew Welch, Gertrude Stein and William Shakespeare, turns his reckless eye to the far east and examines the life and personality of Shih-te, friend of that bear of a poet, Han-shan, and an accomplished poet himself. Many of Shaffer's re-creations of Shih-te's work are poignantly funny as he takes out his wrath, his rapier wit, on the monks of the monastery where he works as a cook. These monks, you see, take themselves far too seriously for Shih-te's taste. Not Han-shan, not even Shih-te himself, escape Shih-te's ire for very long, as the poet-cook considers his entire world fair game. Shaffer is a poet of uncommon elegance and subtlety, and enough of a roughneck to keep his work deeply-rooted and gritty. Shaffer's best since "Rattlesnake Rider" (sadly out of print), and even better the second time through!

I'm in a band who is currently being produced be Ed Stasium. The other day he excitedly told us he was featured in a new book put out by Billboard. I thought it was cool that he was being recognized. Today he brought the book into the studio and I spent three hours looking through it. Once I got past the thrill of finding people I'd met and even seeing my own band's name (Skypark, listed under the Nicolo brothers)I continued to find more and more fascinating things. This book is definitely worth checking out.

Hats off to everyone involved in this project. It's about time some more attention was paid to record producers. If you're addicted to VH1's 'Behind The Music' then you'll love this book.

This book is for anyone who has even the slightest interest in what goes on behind the scenes in the music business. Great stories from the men and women who helped make music history. I loved being able to read about how some of my favorite music was made and what went into the process of it's creation, from both the producer and the artists prospective. The writing in this well-researched encyclopedia is clever, thought-provoking, and oft-times quite funny. Great reading and reference for music writers, or the public at large.

This book was one of the best books ever. With a storyline that was amazing, and best of all, you choose what you need to do. It brings more life to the book. It is a definit must read.

Oh, wait. I was a bug. Fwap.
This book is the greatest book in history. It is much better than the bible. And more important. Jesus thinks so, too.
I will destroy you.

This is a very good book it is great for fantasy lovers I would recomend this book to anybody who likes fantasy.

This is a very well written book on advertising. It is nice for a change to have heard of the authors! Usually when I read a review in another publication, such as Adweek, I am curious about the book but never buy it-this time I went ahead and bought it and I am most pleased. I am looking even more forward to the publisher's book entitled Inside the Minds: Leading Marketers - with the Chief Marketing Officers from Coke, GE, FedEx, American Express and other big names. It will be a very interesting contrast to the advertising side of the business.

This book is a must read for every advertiser-fantastic insight into the future of the advertising world. Adweek was right-this is a must read.

I have read close to 50 books on advertising throughout my career and this was by far the most innovative and thought provoking book I have read to date. I especially liked the chapter by Tim Love at Saatchi & Saatchi-but the entire book is full of insightful thoughts on where the future of the advertising industry is going. This is THE book to read if you are in the advertising, marketing or public relations industries.

At last, the most difficult-to-find sourcebook module for the Realms - this compendium of lore tells you everything you ever wanted to know about the vaunted faerieland kingdom of Cormyr - it is a majestic land ruled by a wise and just king, which means, of course, that the forces of evil have focused upon its borders in their neverending hatred... details include geography, climate, cities and towns, history, philosophy, culture, entertainment, law, nobility, the peasantry, the knightly orders, the Purple Dragons, adventures, and of course, the legendary War Wizards themselves! A true classic of Realmslore, almost impossible to find; highest recommendation.

This is a complete overview of Cormyr the country that stands as a central place for adventurers in the forgotten realms. In the same line of presentation as the dale lands and moonsea area this supplement includes a large full color map of the area. Much like the larges expansions as the North and Lands of Intrigue this is a very good supplement at less that half the price.

If you are currently collecting or playing Magic cards, I suggest buying this book if you dont have it NOW! It is filled w/ information, fully illustrated cards, interesting facts, playing tips, etc. Also, buy the Magic Encyclopedia Volume 1.

Richard Garfield is the creator of Magic The Gathering card game. This book gives the reader an in-depth look into the game and shows the beautiful illustration that each card contains. This is a must have for all players and collectors of the card game.

Great book of pictures of Mirage, Visions, 5th Edition, Weatherlight & Portal. Helps alot with viewing the cards for collecting.

Got this after a desire to collect the 9-11 comics as my ending run in comic collecting, and I must say I am impressed with not only the size of it, but the consitent and diverse work inside. Loads of unfamiliar work that perhaps wouldn't be seen on such a public level with such quality, and at 200 pages for the price its at, its damn good.

The stories themselves? Some make you think. Some make you wonder. All make you remember.

There's really not much I can say about this book. The stories contained in it are poignant and touching and heartbreaking and hopeful all at once, and each and every contributor has given not only their time and talent to the project, but clearly they've also given a piece of their hearts. Being born and raised in New York City, the events of September 11th are especially painful to me, but I came away from reading this book feeling just a little more hopeful than I did when I started it. Kudos to all involved for a magnificent effort. (And all of the money goes to a good cause, too!)

The power of the comic book medium is that, by using drawings, they express emotions and reactions that are difficult to put down in words. Due to the extreme nature of this event, this is an excellent way to express what we have all been through.

The most impact is provided by the independent, i.e. non-superhero, writers who express what they went through with pictures and words. From the initial shock to the lingering malaise, the complete cycle is expressed. Reading this book brought back those feelings in me and, even though my emotions were swelling up, I kept reading. This event is now part of our collective experience and we are forever affected by it.

I recommend reading through when you need some perspective on what's important in life. Enjoy life, tell your friends and family that you love them because you never know when it may end.

This review doesn't get too into the content of the book but the impact that it had. As for me, that's the sign of a good read.