This is one of my favorite poetry collections. Oh, how much love, passion, laughter and tears are within these pages. I read it, front to back, in a day. I couln't put it down. What wonderful words to read and inspire a heart with love.

An outstanding anthology of poetry from some incredible writers who compose with both skill and
passion. Renditions of moments of love, disappointment, yearning, and frustration with those
inevitable irritations we all run into occasionally.

"In Praise" is spectacular. I laughed out loud reading "AT&T," dedicated to all those couples in
long-distance relationships-- who among us hasnt had to deal with that on occasion? "Undertow"
was so riveting you could feel the impact from the language, and it has a unique verse structure to
boot. "He Na Tye Woman" practically needed musical accompaniment. But my fave has to be
Cookery. Any of you who love making up recipes and cooking up surprises for your lover will
absolutely relish this one-- a must-read! I started buying the ingredients for the "chunks of red
pepper," "herbal cream sauce," "coriander flecked carrots," etc. the moment after reading this
poem. I promise this collection will have leave quite an impression on you.

I love poetry and this is one of the best anthologies I have ever read. The poems are moving, sensual beyond description, earthy, humorous, sexy, and very intense. It seems that women writing about other women convey a depth and beauty that I have not often found in heterosexual poetry. Highly recommended for anyone who loves great poetry.

I thought this was a book about the Broadway play 'CATS' anyway it was a great read, and it has good pictures. Buy it!

Cats, cats, cats is a purrfect addition to anyone's library. I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully illustrated and delightfully authored book. From the first delicious rhyme to the last, I felt like a kid again. I smiled with glee as I turned each page to discover the mischievous adventures of Mrs. Brown's cats. Although it is listed as a children's book, the book is a must for anyone who likes to escape on a silly and tender adventure cuddled up with a good book. I would recommend reading it to youngsters at bedtime and then again to yourself because the illustrations are so exquisite and the clever writing is sure to make you grin ear to ear. Cats, cats, cats is a must, must, must!

Mrs. Brown loves her cats. She loves the softness of their fur and the loudness of their purr. She loves to comb their fluffy tails and manicure their nails. She loves to fill her lap with them and sometimes, take a nap with them. And all day long as her cats snooze away, Mrs Brown does all her household chores. But, in the evening after she puts down their food and goes up to bed, Mrs Brown's cats party the night away, eating spaghetti and throwing confetti, dancing and chasing their tails, knitting and purling and whooping it up until the crack of dawn. And then, as the new day begins, the cats begin their beauty sleep and Mrs Brown starts cleaning up their mess and putting her house back in order again..... Lesla Newman has written a charming and humorous picture book that will delight both youngsters and adults with its expressive rhyming text. Her gentle story is only outdone by Erika Oller's wonderfully busy and detailed watercolor artwork and kids will be mesmerized as they watch the many antics of Mrs Browns very talented felines. Perfect for children 3-7, Cats, Cats, Cats makes a terrific gift and is sure to make a cat lover out of everyone!

This book discusses frankly the truth about eating disorders and women, from the voices of those who suffer from them. There is no censorship--specific foods are mentioned, sexuality, etc. No holds barred. Several lesbians are writing in the book, as well as straight women, so all suffering can pick it up and relate. Highly recommended!

Leslea Newman is an amazing writer who put out an ad asking for stories, essays, poems, etc. that describe women and their relationships with food. The writings she received were written from all aspects of "food issues": from the woman who occassionally eats too much, to the woman who is in the depths of anorexia. It will make you laugh, cry, and then laugh again. A MUST READ!

This is a book about anxiety, heartbreak, obsession, and eventually, resolution. The text is a compilation of over ninety essays, stories, and poems, some very good, and some not so good. The book is not specifically about the experience of fat women, but rather the experience of women with eating disorders. The editor states in the forward that women would rather tell what intimate things transpire in their bedrooms than divulge what really goes on in their kitchens. She goes on to say that for all the media attention given to eating disorders recently, no one actually talks about what women do with food. This book definitely talks about it in intimate detail. When I delved into the book, it was with the assumption that these stories would include some elements of eventual acceptance, of coming to terms with food. This wasn't the case until about page 200. the first five sections of the text were so steeped in the obsession - either the obsession to eat, or the obsession not to eat -that I found I could only read for about fifteen or twenty minutes, and then I'd have to lay the book down. It was, quite frankly, depressing. I might even say that on some level, it was demoralizing. I found myself less and less interested in finishing the book, but I pushed on nonetheless. Happily, the book did reach a place of resolution. Sections with subtitles like "I Wear my Stretch Marks Like a Banner" and "Letting Food Off the Hook" contained the stories, essays, and poems I wanted to read: stories of acceptance of oneself as is. Stories that were worth reading. In "Are You Thin Yet?", author Jennifer Semple Siegel writes, "In essence, I have thrown out all the old diet rules. After all, generally speaking, people who are naturally slender and have a positive self-image don't put themselves through a lifetime of agony over food. And now, neither will I." Another gem came from Marianne Banks, in "A Fat Dyke Tells All." She writes: "Finally I realize that my size and what I eat have nothing to do with contentment, intelligence, humor, creativity, sexual desire or desirability. Curiously, once I accepted myself and food, all of those increased. Letting food off the hook, I extended myself the same courtesy. No longer do I allow what I eat to create my power. I stopped using food's presence or absence as a gauge to measure my self-worth. Food is just something to eat." These and the other thirty plus authors and poets whose work appears at the back of the book are well worth reading. The preceding sections of works? I recommend them only to the reader who doesn't mind being enveloped in obsession and misery. For everyone else, start reading at page 200.Terry Lawler Early

Can't say enough about this book. The stories in this collaboration of short stories will leave you wanting more, so make sure you have another one of the authors books handy. there are so many aspects of lesbian life being paid tribute to in this book. The jewish woman were the funniest story, and then there were stories that will make you cry, ones that will make you think, ones that will make you hate characters, and love them at the some time. An awesome collection. Everyone should own this book.

I've read this book twice, and loaned it out to a girlfriend and she read it twice also! It is amazing to me that Leslea Newman can authentically speak in so many different voices about so many different issues. She tackles old age, menopause, lesbian bed death, infidelity, love...and there are some great sex scenes, although I don't know about all those raw eggs....

Having read Leslea Newman's "Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear", I was expecting this book to also be fluffy and fun. On the contrary, it was a well-written selection of short stories of excellent quality. I've already read the book twice and will read it again. She touches on many issues: Jewishness, old age, lesbian bed death, anger, family, tradition, and lots and lots of love. It is amazing that one woman can deftly tell the stories of so many different women.

"A Letter to Harvey Milk," by Leslea Newman, is a collection of 9 stories that explores what it means to be Jewish and lesbian in America. The book includes a glossary of the many Yiddish terms used in the stories.

Newman deals with a number of issues throughout the book: the AIDS crisis, President Reagan's controversial visit to Bitburg, the legacy of the Holocaust, religious chauvinism, "coming out" to parents, preservation of the Yiddish language, and more. Some of her issues seem a bit obvious and even forced, but overall she handles the material effectively.

I found the best story in the collection to be the title story; it's about the relationship between an elderly Jewish man and his writing teacher, a young Jewish lesbian. Also impressive is "The Gift," which consists of snapshots of a woman's life from age 5 to adulthood. "Something Shiny" tells the story of a woman's participation in a lesbian & gay march on Washington. Although much of the book has a dated feel, overall the collection is very moving, and Newman effectively uses touches of humor to offset the seriousness of much of her subject matter. For interesting companion texts, try "Rubyfruit Jungle," by Rita Mae Brown, and "Zami," by Audre Lorde.

I read this book as part of my women's studies class and want to thank my professor, Marlene Howell, for leading me and my classmates to this book several years ago. This book really opened my eyes to two worlds that I, as a boring, straight, Presbyterian girl, had always been fascinated by: Judaism and Lesbianism. Newman structures her book so that each of the stories represents one candle on the Hannakah menorah, revealing each woman's fears and issues as they come to terms with their sexuality, religious, and personal issues such as sexual abuse. There are reflections on the Holocaust and discrimination against Jews and homosexuals. While Newman helped me to reflect on my own sexuality, and to discover my own love for other women-without erotic details-you don't need to be bi, lesbian, or Jewish to take something away from this book.

This was a truly amazing collection of short stories - it's not easy to pull someone into another world in just a few pages, but Leslea Newman can do it. I've already passed this on to two other friends. This is a book you want to share. :) Laura

Leslea Newman says her book, Writing From the Heart: Inspiration and Exercises for Women Who Want to Write, "is a book for women who want to write but think they have nothing to say." Newman, who has more than twenty books to her credit, offers encouragement and optimism to all women interested in writing.
She says that it is a myth that people have to know what they want to write about before starting. She adds that the writing will never happen if we wait for the fear to vanish--that we just have to take a deep breath and start writing. She advises letting the writing lead you where it wants to go rather than trying to control it.
The exercises are simple, with lots of suggestions to help get you started. Newman provides examples with each one. She suggests starting with twenty minutes of free writing (writing whatever is on your mind, without judging it) every day. Other exercises involve describing common household objects or completing the sentence "I remember. . .." She then gets into describing imaginary places, people, and secrets.
The exercises end with the technical basics, like plotting and point of view. Newman tells writers to "start at the top of the page and work their way to the bottom. Just start writing. Don't think. Don't worry about the end product." That same advice applies to the exercises in her book. Start with the first one and continue with the next one, until they're all done. The results will surprise you!
Writing From The Heart is for every woman, regardless of what she thinks of her writing ability. As Newman says, "writing should be fun. There is a deep pleasure in exploring your own heart and mind, pushing your limits, challenging your skills and mastering a craft." She adds that "every woman has important stories to tell and the ability to tell them." Her book will help women develop that ability.

I enjoyed the down to earth exercises that made me want to get right to it. Oodles of first lines, sensible advice, and a unique approach to the intuitive writing skills of women in particular.

For the past three months I have read every book out there on how to write. I wish I'd had this book at the beginning! You want to be a writer but you don't know how. You don't know what to write about since nothing exciting happens to you. Wrong! Leslea Newman encourages you that you have something important to say and she gives you fun exercises to complete. Pretty soon you realize Leslea has you working on techniques of plot, character, dialogue, action, and much more and it was entirely painless. It's like a one-on-one creative writing workshop. Some of the exercises may seem silly but it's an easy way to get started writing every day. There is a good bibliography listing actual stories or books that have been published using each technique Leslea describes. I checked this book out from the library but now I have to buy it because there is too much good stuff in here.

What a fun book! Anyone who has played with a dog or been fortunate enough to have a dog or two as pets will truly appreciate this charming counting book. Simple rhymes begin with one dog all the way up to ten and then, back again! The illustrations are wonderfully warm ~ you just want to hug each pup! A marvelous addition to a child's library!

Author, Leslea Newman and illustrator, Erika Oller are back with an engaging canine sequel to last year's Cats, Cats, Cats. Meet these lovable pooches, and count them, with each page turn, as the pack grows from one to ten, and heads to the park for a rip roarin' dog day of fun. "Dogs chasing tennis balls, dogs chasing sticks/Dogs chasing butterflies, dogs doing tricks..." They drink from puddles and swim in the lake, dig holes in the grass, take naps, lie on their bellies, and roll on their backs. And after a busy afternoon, the pack heads for home where they dropped off each friend, one by one..... Ms Newman's joyous, rhyming text is filled with energy and rhythm, and complemented by Ms Oller's expressive watercolor illustrations. Little ones will enjoy lingering over each two page spread, infused with lots of canine personality and humor. Perfect for preschoolers, Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! is both a fun-filled counting book and dog lover's book, that shouldn't be missed.

"'Twas the first night of Chanukah and on the fifth floor,/There was holiday hustling and bustling galore./Papa was shining the silver menorah,/Mama was wrapping a gift for Aunt Dora./Grandma was slicing up two chocolate babkas,/Grandpa was grating potatoes for latkes./Sister was stirring the soup with a ladle,/And I at her feet spun my shiny new dreidel..." And with that our young narrator's holiday top takes off, spinning, out of control, through the apartment, down the stairs and through the city streets, on out to the country, past farms and valleys, over the ocean and up to the sky, where it becomes a glittering star..... Leslea Newman's engaging, rollicking, chain of events text is filled with lilting rhyme, rhythm, energy, and joy. Kyrsten Brooker's clever, sparkling multi-media artwork is bold and busy, and rich in vibrant color, wonderful facial expressions, and humorous, eye-catching detail. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, Runaway Dreidel! is a captivating, fun-filled, celebratory romp. "Happy Chanukah to all, and to all a good night."

With nods to "Twas the night before" and the Runaway Ginderbread Man and Runaway Ricecake, etc, this is a rhyming story about the cultural celebration of Hanukkah, a celebration of grated potatoes, family and dreidels. A boy plays with a shiny new dreidel, that spins and spins out the door; spinning past challahs that are two for a dollah... Spins from city to country to ocean to sky, with fun illustrations along the way.

Extremely funny, witty, informed, and highly recommended.

Leslea Newman writes up a storm - not only is she a queen of wit and humour, but she has also given us a look at the some of the more serious issues facing lesbians in today's society.

Newman skilfully infuses each character with their own unique viewpoint in a variety of interesting situations that have the ability to make you laugh and cry, and also stop and think for a moment about what _you_ would do in similar circumstances.

From a chance and sultry liaison on a plane, to falling in love with a stone butch while learning the ropes; from dealing with one's androgynous self to dealing with the loss of a loved one; and from coping with a cancer scare, to coming to realise just how far a butch will go for true love - Newman lets her characters speak with both humour, intelligence, and also a refreshing frankness that both warms and informs one from the very outset.

I always enjoy reading Newman's books, but this time, I really do think she's outdone herself - these are definitely an exquisite collection of stories that you would certainly be very sorry to miss.

-Superb.

These short stories are about romance, love, and daily life in the lives of lesbians. From "Keeping a Breast" (about a breast cancer scare) to the gender-bending "Girls Will Be Boys", the stories keep the reader glued to the pages, laughing and crying and getting hot & bothered with the characters. Newman has a wonderful talent for creating masterful stories that warm the readers' hearts. This is a collection not to be missed.

Lesla My name is Lesla and I would be interested in any comments about the origins of this name Regards Lesla

Newman is a poet of great skill, heart and humor. The Buddy poems are emotionally powerful, but never sentimental. This is a book to be treasured by anyone who who has ever loved another person. It will also make you laugh out loud at the foibles of friendship.