Includes over 800 entries, illustrations, synopses of books and chapters, biographies of Joyce and his contemporaries, bibliography, a very useful index, as well as the text of Jude Woolsey's ruling to lift the ban on "Ulysses." The writing is clear, wide-ranging, and complete without bogging the reader down in minutiae. Not as thorough as the encyclopedic "Ulysses Annotated," but very useful in disentangling Joyce and his works without great effort! Written by a Professor of Theology and English at Molloy College (and vice president of the James Joyce Society), and a professor of English at Marquette University.

Elvis, the Beatles and Marilyn Monroe have received the A to Z treatment in which every aspect of their lives and works have been reordered alphabetically, so it was only a matter of time that the mania would spread to lesser figures in our popular culture, in this case Mark Twain, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

This series of three books, originally published by Facts On File and now updated and reprinted by Oxford University Press, combines facts culled from the writers' lives and works, shakes them up thoroughly, and recasts them into easily locatable entries. The result is an addictive pleasure, a page-turning odyessy for anyone interested in learning more about their favorite writer.

At 304 pages, the Joyce volume is the smallest of the trio, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up by offering extensive commentaries on "Ulysses" and "Finnegans Wake." Those who have tried to read these modernist (or post-modernist, the argument still rages) classics have quickly recognized the need for assistance. For "Ulysses," the Joyce volume reprints Joyce's chart that lists each chapter's time frame, location, symbols, technics, organs, art and correspondences to the original. Each chapter is given its own entry, which describes the action, Joyce's intentions, and clairifies points of Dublin's history. As one who attempted "Ulysses" solo, and suffered for his sin, I can speak with authority that this volume would have saved me a great deal of agony. I only wish they had abandoned their schema and combined the chapter descriptions into a single, lengthy appendix.

No detail is too small to escape the editors. There are also entries on Gustave Flaubert, an influence on Joyce's writing style; Throwaway, the race horse whose victory in the Ascot Gold Cup figures in "Ulysses," and the Volta Cinema, Dublin's first movie theater, which Joyce helped to open.

In short, this guide can help the Joyce reader move through the complexities of his work without feeling like you've earned a Ph.D in comparative literature while you're doing so.

When I finished reading this book I turned to the introduction and learned "Gentle Willow" was written for children who may not survive their illness as well as for the children who know them. I have to admit, I thought this sensitive book would also help children prepare for the death of a grandparent, or someone of any age. The basic metaphor of the caterpillars turning into butterflies applies any loved one. Dr. Mills developed this book out of an earlier effort, "Little Tree: A Story for Children with Serious Medical Problems," which reflects her specialty in storytelling as a healing process of children and adults. Obviously, this book will touch adults as well as the children for whom it was intended. The watercolor illustrations by Michael Chesworth captures the shifting tones of this tale, especially through the subtle changes on the face of Amanda, as sadness is replaced by hope through the healing power of love.

I wish your children will never have a need for such a book, but if the situation arises, I hope that you find this book.

Joyce Treiman was both a draughtsman, an iconoclast, and a painter of such dexterity and creativity that even today she remains 'unclassifiable'. Painting in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, when figuration was considered retrogressive, Joyce Treiman painted magnificent canvases that paid homage to Eakins, Sargent, Bonnard, Tiepolo, and Rembrandt - all with a flare for homage and tongue-in-cheek wry humor. Her later paintings almost always included an element of self portraiture and it is this aspect of her style which gifts the art students of today with a sublime example of 'The Painter's Progress'.

The essays in this magnum opus are erudite and entertaining. Theodore F. Wolff writes lovingly of Treiman's life and talent while Michael Duncan details admiration for a woman who just went about her art of painting without regard to varying styles or schools. Terrific examples of Treiman's drawings are interspersed with drawings by the masters to show the influences on her evolving technique. The plates of her paintings are color-true and plentiful. And the book includes an extensive biography and exhibition section.

This is a magnificent volume on art of the 20th Century and for Treiman's cadre of devotees it is a heartwarming tribute. For those unfamiliar with her work, it is a startlingly fine introduction. Highly Recommended!