Seeing a posting for a new biography of Wilfred Owen reminded me to return to this anthology of his poems. Every war has produced great poets and WWI was fixed in our minds by the sensitive words of Siegfried Sassoon and especially Wilfred Owen. Writing from the trenches Owen managed to keep his eyes and mind and heart wide open while he witnessed the horrid plunder that surrounded him.. That he was able to transpose these experiences into the transcendentally beautiful poems that fill this book is a major wonder. Yes, WWII had WH Auden et al and the hungry monster machine of war was again made into words. And poets wrote of Korea, of Vietnam, and other countries' poets wrote of other wars. But again the threats and facts cloud our lives and world, and their words seemingly fall on deaf ears. Would that we could take heed of the poems of such perfection as those here by Wilfred Owen. This is the time to study this book........daily.

As a 13 year old boy I do not consider myself an expert on World War I poetry. Yet still I can tell that the poems of Wilfred Owen are a world apart from the likes of Rupert Brooke and other such optimists. For sure his portrayal of the war in such poems as 'Dulce et Decorum est' is more realistic than that of 'The Soldier' which talks of how as a soldier dies, he thinks of how glad he is glad that he has helped England, and how his heart is at peace under an English heaven. It seems to me that his superiors might have encouraged him to right pleasant poetry to please those back at the 'Home Front'. Yet Wilfred Owen's poetry also reflects his high level of education. Combining the skill and beauty of Brooke, with the harsh reality of such poems as 'The General' and 'To the Warmongers' to create a unique mastery of portraying the life of a first world war soldier.

War and poetry- two concepts infrequently mentioned, much less allied, in the same breath. Yet during World War I a number of writers took the horrific experiences of the Western Front and turned them into some of the twentieth century's finest, most disturbing poetry. Among these "war poets", Wilfred Owen is indisputably one of the greatest.

From the opening declaration " Above all, I am not concerned with Poetry... My subject is War, and the pity of War..." through the dreamlike madness of "Strange Meeting" to the elegiac fury of "Anthem for Doomed Youth", Owen hones the poetic craft he learned as a juvenile romantic versifier into a rapier on which he skewers the futility of the war, the blind official stupidity which kept it going, and the inhumanity shown by each side to its own men as well as the enemy.

Killed in action not long before the Armistice, Owen saw little publication of his work. However, his verse- carefully arranged, meticulously researched and documented by Cecil Day Lewis- is not only his epitaph. As relevant and affecting today as in 1918, it's as fine a counter-argument as any ever written against those who dismiss poetry as flowery nonsense. And for the rest of us? Few media can express the true nature and terrible costs of the First World War as eloquently as poetry at its finest can- and Owen provides it in plenty.

While this is an inspiring story to encourage kids to "follow their dreams," what attracts me back to this book are the illustrations.

As a native of Washington State, I spent my youth attending summer camp on Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands, near the Canadian border. While at camp, we sometimes experienced "Killer Whale" sightings, which the counselors used to enjoy frightening us with.

We spent many lazy days on the beach, or boating to neighboring islands, where we would campout, hike, go clamming and crabbing on the beach or build rafts. Although we didn't spend any time in a sailboat at camp, I spent a good deal of time sailing with my older brother on Lake Washington during those carefree days of summer.

Paul Owen Lewis' paintings in "Davy's Dream," with the predominance of greens and blues, contrasted against the black and white of the orcas, vividly captures the essence of the San Juan Islands and the dreamlike state one can experience in this breathtaking environment. To his credit, Lewis lets his pictures tell Davy's dream for several pages, without the help of words.

I guess I just want to say that this book rings true to my experiences as a youth in the Pacific Northwest.

Whenever I read this book aloud to students in my elementary school library, they always listen with awe and then line up to check it out.

Davy's Dream, written by my brother, Paul Owen Lewis, has inspired many school children over the years. It takes Davy on a journey of believing in what he knows to be true, in spite of the nay-sayers in his life. Your children will love the illustrations and even notice Paul's cat, Guenivere on every page! Your whole family will enjoy the amazing things that happen to Davy and especially if you are Keiko fans. Enjoy!

Davy dares to pursue his dream of sailing among the orca. He turns a deaf ear to pessimistic adults and sets out. But -- his dream is illusive and avoids him. A quick "refit" and he makes contact with the whales. Well drawn / illustrated, a story from and for the heart. [ I had the privilege of hearing the author tell about making the book -- his first -- to an audience of elementary school students. ] A great story of inspiration, better than the Little Engine that Could's "I think I can" -- this one says "I'll go do it!"

The story is easy to read aloud and the illustrations are rivetting. I bought this for my three-year-old son, but find myself using it as a teaching tool in my second grade classroom, as well. It is very similar to a story my grandparents (Quinault-Cowlitz/Coast Salish) used to tell me when I was growing up. The message about taking care of all our relations is an important one. The story ignited a new interest in volcanoes and pond-life in my son's imagination. His interest in volcanoes and caves became so keen because of this book that we spent hours in the volcano exhibits at the Natural History Museum and made a special trip to Carlsbad Caverns! Bravo Paul Owen Lewis.

This is a title that will entertain both the adult reader and the child. An adventure regarding stewardship of the earth. The dream-like images and intriguing story draw one right in. Would make a nice gift.

Contents of this book include the Preface, written by Jocelyn Gibb, who knew Lewis from his role as editor for several of his books. Long time friend Owen Barfield supplied the Introduction. Theologian Austin Farrer remembers Lewis's work as a Christian apologist. J.A.W. Bennett, a former Lewis pupil and later colleague, referred to Lewis as one of the last representatives of the "Old Western Order". Nevill Coghill was a classmate of Lewis's at Oxford in the early 1920s, and shares his recollections of the man he refers to as "easily the greatest teacher of our time in his chosen fields." John Lawlor, another former Lewis pupil, gives his richly insightful comments about Lewis's tutoring methods and approach to learning. Novelist Stella Gibbons discusses Lewis's science fiction novels. Kathleen Raine remembers her conversations with Lewis about poetry and criticism during his last years at Cambridge; and Chad Walsh describes Lewis's profound impact on American religious thinking. At the end of the book, Walter Hooper provides a bibliography of Lewis writings. This book and others - like C.S. Lewis: Speaker and Teacher, C.S. Lewis at the Breakfast Table, and In Search of C.S. Lewis - is a fine volume of commentary about C.S. Lewis and his work by those who knew him. Fun reading for Lewis fans.

This book is a collection of articles written by several people who knew Lewis and does indeed shed light on the man C.S. Lewis as well as his writings. I thought professor John Lawlor's article particularly fine. Lewis fans will enjoy reading this book.

People will be framing the artwork from this book fifty years from now. And it's one of my son's favorite books. Great for reading aloud, one of the books you keep reaching for. A classic story, well told and beautifully rendered with images that are faithful to the actual traditions and styles of the Haida and Tlingit people. So it's not just "mind candy" -- it's an introduction to a culture.

Paul O. Lewis does a great service to children by using a scholarly approach to his young hero. Giving us not only rich and evocative artwork but portraying the ancient tale of the mythic hero with fresh and innocent eyes is a wonderful gift. Readers seeking the beauty of a children's book that provides an uplifting experience and faithful cultural feeling will fall in love with this book just as I have. -V.S.

I think "Grasper" is a great book. I'm only seven and I never had to stop once. If you want a book with good illustrations and pictures...Grasper's the one!

This is a book to teach counting, but it is more than that, in just being plain fun! Numbers are displayed in quantities, in a clock, in words and their varieties. The characters are terrific!

Sweet love story with a traditional happy ending. Will always be agreat for middle schoolers, especially Girls!!!!!A great buy! Definitly Worth While!!

There are many touching, humorous, profound thoughts beings passed on in these letters between the 4 women. However, I had trouble following who was who. First, I went to the back and read each author's personal statement. Then I found myself going back again and again. It think it would be helpful to have a "time line" for each of the authors so their letters could be put in a better context.

This is a great read!! This book shows the value of long-time friendships and demonstrates how friends are fun during the good times, but are necessary to help get through the hard times.

These four women share their personal lives with us: their triumphs and their trials. A book that motivates you to call and connect with that close friend that you may not have found time for recently. This is a beautiful story of friendship and the value of sisterhood.

Keep us posted ladies!! We are waiting for Wearing Purple - the Sequel.

This book is a marvelous expression of the true love and support that comes only from having good friends. I initially purchased the book simply because I know one of the authors. I wanted to get an autographed copy for my sister. I naturally purchased one for myself as well. It has helped me to refocus on that which brings true happiness, the joy of having a very few good friends who accept you as you are and love you unconditionally.

This book made me realize that radio is not just about playing music. It is about sending and reciving waves to make the public happy.

This book focuses on the history of radio from 1899 to 1954 and thus has nothing to do with RCA's CED VideoDisc system, but one of the key figures in the account is David Sarnoff, so a lot of the early history of RCA is covered. In addition to Sarnoff, the book focuses on the technical radio pioneers Edwin Howard Armstrong and Lee de Forest. In some respects this book is a reflection on the development of the modern computer, as parallels can be drawn between these radio pioneers and computer industry figures Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Larry Ellison.

Read some years ago & book now lost. Fascinating in that it vividly displays the genius, sometimes luck, unstinting effort, inspiration, and often the "happy" accident that is part of basic effort when one breaks ground in a new quest in pursuit of a dream. Much of this history could not be repeated in our 2000 world because those opportunities no longer exist. An example is Sarnoff's success in getting meaningful work at the tender age he did in the story! Mankind's unflagging quest goes on but in different ways. The first way of making news available at the instant it occurs certainly shrunk the world. The process continues. Recommended highly for the radio buff of any age!