When's the last time you just had a really good time reading a book? Have you ever finished an anthology and thought, "I'd really like to hang out with those guys!"? If it's been far too long -- for instance, if your answer was something like never -- you're long overdue for a treat. Fortunately, if you're in the mood for a bit of fun, Quantum Musings is just what you need.

Gallant, Coulombe, and Goyette are the minds behind the monthly web-zine Quantum Muse, a particular favourite among internet denizens. This is the hip side of science fiction, fantasy, and alternative fiction -- a judgement that is borne out by Rebecca Kemp's sassy portrait of their Muse that graces the site and the cover of the collection. One look at that tongue-in-cheek graphic and you know in an instant that you are not setting out on your standard genre venture.

That's putting it mildly.

Take a look at Michael Gallant's offerings. "God Picks Up the Tab." Come to think of it, I'd say that title speaks for itself as well as Gallant's slightly twisted sense of humour does. The dry wit and fatalistic attitude of the narrator makes "Staring at Bruno, Waiting to Die" far more poignant than a quick synopsis could possibly convey. The story stands out as one of the most impressive selections in the book. "Alternative" tales would appear to be Gallant's true calling, outshining even his science fiction and fantasy in Quantum Musings.

Now, Raymond M. Coloumbe has a decidedly wicked and skewed way of looking at the world. What he sees is not like Gallant's view, or Goyette's, or yours, or mine. What it does seem most similar to is the way life actually is, if we had the guts to really examine it and see the truth for ourselves. Who really wants to dig deeper into something like "Government Myths"? If you're not going to appreciate the answer, Coloumbe points out, maybe you shouldn't ask the question. If "Death in Haiti" leaves you with one less thing to blame for your troubles, maybe you shouldn't venture there.

In the science fiction portion of Quantum Musings, Timothy O. Goyette's "The Swami of Time" is the showpiece. The interplay between the relatively human hero and the much more likeable squib is a priceless glimpse of the "odd couples" possible when we finally meet up with someone or something completely unlike ourselves. "Human Factors" takes an unflinching look at our all-too human characteristics. Only "The Wishmaker's Magic Box" hints that there might be some of us worth the trouble of saving.

Three different authors with their own styles and outlooks, but the joining is almost seamless. Like their quirky Muse, none of them takes life too seriously, or dismisses it too lightly. The combination makes for a captivating read and a thought-provoking after-read. Not to mention just barely whetting your appetite for more of the same...

The publishing world is changing - slowly, perhaps so slowly that it's hard to notice - but trust me, it is. POD (that's "Publishing on Demand" for you non-biz people) is really starting to become a viable means of presenting the work of both established and up-and-coming authors in an easy, efficient, and, best of all, cheap manner. So don't scoff at Internet publishing just because it doesn't smell of binding glue. Keeping this in mind, checking out this book is a must if you want to see the future of science fiction. Brought to you by the three men who brought you www.quantummuse.com (one of the top-rated new sites for science fiction), "Quantum Musings" is a wonderful collection of stories from the website. What makes them such great stories, in my not-so-humble opinion, is that not only are these men writers, they're gigantic fans of the genre, and that helps a lot - they know what works and what doesn't, and their critical minds and knowledge of convention help make for great stories. Of course, sometimes convention gets tossed out the window, and that's all right as well - every genre needs a little shaking up on occasion. And, in the midst of all this, they don't take themselves too seriously, which is an utter blessing. The humor is rampant through the book, both in the stories and sidenotes - trust me, you'll spend a lot of time laughing when you pick up this volume. I guess my only complaint is that it isn't bigger - but I guess that if you take my advice and buy this book, we can expect to see more volumes in the future of some of the best new voices in sci-fi, fantasy, and alternative literature.

These writers are crazzy, they are just the kind of people I would love to hang out with and talk about everything. I could not put this book down, and I highly recomend it to anyone who not only wants a good laugh, but wants to read what is lacking in many of writings of our day...wit, and intelligence. Do yourself a favour and read something that wont let you down...this collection of stories. Good job Muse!

I'm a firm believer that the more difficult trading techniques are, the harder it is to make a profit. Mike Coval's book keeps it simple, and it works! Terrific book.

In my short life as a trader, I have purchased well over a dozen books related to this subject. If this is not the best book, it is certainly unsurpassed. It is easy to read and very much, the kind of book you will read once... then review and reference again and again. I have been to a live seminar that Mike Coval has taught. Mike is the type of person that walks the talk. His book is a reflection of that. I can personally attest that his techniques and advice can make money in better trades and save money easily lost in costly mistakes.

What I like best about this book is it reveals information that most people think you already know when it comes to investing. It brings insights into fundamental and techinical analysis that as an investor for over 15yrs had never really been shown to me. Easy to read and apply to my own investing style. Now I feel much more confident about making investment decisions and knowing what to look for. I keep it next to my computer for a reference book as well. I'm giving it as a gift to all my friends who lost money listening to their broker!

and keep all arms inside the car. This is one heck of a ride!

Brutal, unflinching, unapologetic, and downright HORRIFIC. Think there's nothing new in the field of horror? Then read this book and be proved wrong. The 80's/90's brought us the splatterpunk era. 4X4 kicks off the gangsta' era! I look forward to more from each of these authors.

First thing's first-if you don't know who these guys are then you, then you haven't done your homework for Horror Fiction 101. Oliveri, Cooper, Keene, and Huyck are the proverbial sparkplugs of the small press, and for good reason. It's apparent in every story that they know when to walk the well-trodden paths and when to leave the trail entirely in search of monsters. Yet there is an intelligence to the horrors in this book that defies the repetetive vampire-ghost-werewolf standbys which continue to be recycled and rehashed by less inventive writers. Where most small press writers would automatically go to their well worn copies of King and Koontz for inspiration, these four draw on a wealth of sources for their ideas that mirrors the depth in their writing. Keene cites a picture he saw in National Geographic as the stimulus for the epic "Earthworm Gods" while Oliveri mentions Nietzsche in his notes on the well-crafted "To Fight With Monsters." As you might imagine, the stories in this book definitely transcend your basic run-of-the-mill horror.

In addition to having depth, this book is simply a lot of fun. It reminds me of a greatest hits collection from my favorite band in that there isn't a bad track in the lot and there's never any desire to skip to the next song. What's more, there's a little something for everybody-from the undead animals in "Wild Kingdom" to the homicidal tattoos in "Dealer's Wheel" to the brutal description of a man getting his comeuppance in "Harvesting Sorrow." There's even a new Brackard's Point story.

The bottom line: if you're going to ride with these Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, make sure you've got a taste for blood, a strong stomach, and a love for the horror genre in all its forms. Definitely recommended.

This was the 8th Yasunari Kawabata book that I have read. Kawabata finished writing this book back in the year 1959. It was during a time in his life in which he spent more time touring Japan and the worls than actually writing, so the reader must keep in mind that he wrote these beautiful stories while he was basiacally on the run from place to place. The stories in the book are all pretty sad. The first "This Country, That Country" deals with a young housewife named Takako who is having an affair behind her husband's back the thing is she is not having the affair with the man she wants to be having the affair with. The reader sees Takako torment when she talks to her secret love or even just thanks of him. She seems to know more about him than his wife. Oh, did I mention that she is the neighbor of her secret love?
That is just an example of the stories that Kawabata weaves here. They are short and can be read in a short reading, but Kawabata's short stories have more meaning than some authors' 700 page novels. I really liked the stories "Nature" and "Silence" myself, and the story "Yumiura" is one of the saddess pieces of literature that I have ever read. A good book, but if you are new to Kawabata read _Thousand Cranes_ or beauty and Sadness instead.

This volume should be in every library. Elegant and subtle language weave each tale that are delicately, and often painfully, human. The conclusions, abrupt and ambiguous, are haunting and thought provoking. This is a collection of stories that moves you and speaks to you long after you've finished.

This book, without a doubt, was the most elegant I have ever read. The langage is so beautiful that one reads it the same way one might poetry. Though the language alone could have made the book worthwhile, the stories are also haunting, like a painting that slowly reveals its secrets and hidden meanings. My favorite was the first story, "This Country That Country," but all of them are extraordinary.

Although the original feel of O. Henry stories is maintained in this book (the dialogue, the solid values and homespun wisdom), the illustratons in this book really make it a stand-out. They are full of warmth, rich colors and just a delight in and of themselves, perfectly complimenting the text. There are no shortage of O. Henry collections out there, but this has to be one of the best ,especially for teen to young adult readers.

Honestly, I wasn't really too enthused when I found out that my 7th grade reading comprehension class would be reading this book. My thoughts? O'Henry. Classics. Ugh.
I ended up loving each and every story included in this book. You have to get into these stories, but the surprising endings are really something to look forward to. Some stories move you, some put a smile on your face, and some just make you go "ooooooooooooooooooooh" if you get it. This book is definitely worth your time, no matter how little of it you have:)!

A collection of timeless stories with unforgettable characters. They depict people who could live in any era with the weaknesses and strengths of "everyman." And of course, always with the "O'Henry twist." The illustrations are so real you think they are actual people.

In these tales, most of them being sad and even very sad, Oscar Wilde looks for a way to save one's soul in front of the misery of the world. Anyone in society who lives in the upper classes does not necessarily see the ugliness and suffering of the world when one looks at the lower classes. But in these tales the Happy Prince, or the Selfish Giant, or any other character will manage to get salvation out of their upper class blindness, by opening their eyes to misery and suffering and by doing what they can to repair these pains and evils because they will realise they have to feel responsible for the world, because they are more powerful and could easily impose their selfish rule. But the giant will discover nature, if not God, punishes him for his selfishness. The nightingale will try to redeem a young student by giving him a red rose in a season when read roses do not bloom. And yet the student will not get the love he wants because he is nothing but a non-entity for the girl he would like to be loved by. There is also a very sad note in A Devoted Friend and how friendship can become a mask for selfishness, a nice appearance for an ugly and egoistic attitude. Those tales are sad and at the same time they convey a moral full of hope. All is not lost if the Happy Prince can give away his happiness for those who suffer, even if later the powerful of his society will reject him when he does not look happy and beautiful any more

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

As a child I didn't have the books of Oscar Wilde but rather the records. My imagination soared with his descriptions of life, and my eyes overflowed with tears at each story. The record of the Happy Prince was read by Bing Crosby and Orson Wells and each year at Christmas we still play that old scratched thing, just to hear it's wonderous love story and that of The Selfish Giant. Now I have to get the book so my nieces and nephews will share in my treasures of love!!!! What is this world if it isn't all about Love?

I remember this book from my childhood. I had my parents read each story to me over and over. When I learned how to read I read this book until the pages fell out. In short it is a great book that encourages youthful imaginations. And, it makes for great bedtime stories. A real classic. I bought it for my children.

"Jews without money" seems to me far more remarkable for its political positions than for its writing. Gold is, to put it bluntly, not a particularly skilled wordsmith. His limitations are obvious from the first page. Nevertheless this novel/memoir makes for fascinating reading. The book consists of a series of loosely connected vignettes from the life of a child growing up in the Lower East Side at the turn of the century. Gold wants to capture the sights and smells and sensations of that world, and while his prose is not quite up to the task, the reader still comes away powerfully moved.

What seems to be unique about Gold's account is his political bent. Rather than softening or sentimentalizing his experiences, he picks at scabs and pulls back the curtain to reveal horrors to his readers. As a devoted socialist, he wants to expose the evils of unrestrained capitalism. What that means for him is, rather than denying anti-Semitic stereotypes, he revels in them. Gold he wants the reader to understand that they are the result, not of Jewish culture, but of the effects of American ghetto poverty upon the Jews of his neighborhood. Povery, he aruges, turns potential into corruption. His is a world in which people will do anything for a few pennies, often all that stands between them and starvation. On the other hand, his world is also populated by characters who remain strong despite their suffering: his mother, who would rather go hungry than see a stranger starve; the foolish store-owner, who loses her livelihood because she cannot stand to turn away the poor. There are also desperate prostitutes, rapacious pawn brokers, crooked businessmen, and dreamers and schemers of all sorts.

This book lacks the literary ambition of Henry Roth's "Call it Sleep" or the narrative power of Abraham Cahan's "Rise of David Levinsky" (in my opinion, the finest novel ever about the Jewish immigrant experience). This is a political tract, and sometimes its dogma is rather irritating, even offensive. Nevertheless, it is a significant and important document of early 20th-century Jewish culture, and deserves to be read.

This is a masterpiece that has lost none of its power since it was first published 70 years ago. The book hooks you from the first paragraph and never lets go.

The only thing marring this important work is the introduction by Alfred Kazin which maligns the novel and Michael Gold and leaves the reader wondering if the publisher is really trying to promote the book. The introduction probably is the result of old grudges from bygone politically motivated "cultural wars" between Jewish writers. The author's widow was deeply upset by the underhanded and cowardly introduction.

I work with the author at a major US Bank; he's in Dover, DE and I'm in San Francisco. He mentioned one day that he was an author and had sold over 1000 books; I was impressed but suspicious. So I bought his Xmas book and man it was fantastic reading! Fresh, unique and powerful stories about different characters and animals around the Xmas holiday. I found myself tearing up at times; it was like watching a sappy holiday TV special or Touched by an Angel on TV. But they were cute, touching stories, well worth the reader's investment of time and energy. David has a gift, and I applaud this book.
Now I'm going to check out his other book. I bet it's just as good.

Wonderful book, filled with short stories centered around the Christmas season. What words would describe this book? 'Magical' comes to mind, so does 'stirring'. Smith writes stories that should be read aloud by Garrison Keillor himself because they are magical, heartwarming and stirring. Fresh and original writing. Watch for this book to one day become the next Christmas Box or Christmas Carol. It will get you in the spirit, even if you're feeling Grinchy!
Highly recommended.

I was mesmorized with David Michael Smith's book, Stories From The Manger. It captures the reader from the opening tale about an old homeless man on Christmas Eve (which left me dabbing my eyes with tissues by the way), to the last story about a struggling alcoholic on Christmas Eve (which also had me returning to the tissue box). Very sentimental, and moving, I was totally engrossed throughout. This book makes for mandatory Christmas reading (no way you will be a Grinch after reading these 'feel good' tales), and it is also a fantastic gift.
I found Smith's personal web page and emailed him; he is willing to autograph copies too. Get this book, not just at Christmas, but for year round reading too. These stories should be on TV; they'd make excellent specials.
Stories From the Manger is part "Christmas Box", Jimmy Stewart and 'Wonderful Life', Scrooge, and Charlie Brown. Very good book indeed!

It's amazing that the author was able to create an essay on 20th century abstract art in 1834. But this story is much more than that. It is a commentary on the parallels between art and human psychology, and the unreality of both... also, a character study, a mystery, an allegorical tale... all within 40 pages. In keeping with its theme, The Unknown Masterpiece is, on the other hand, none of those things. In keeping with its title... at least in this country.

I dig Balzac telling us about his views of art through the stories of a painter ("The Unknown Masterpiece") and a musician ("Gambara"). You can't go wrong with this one. Terrific translation; I wish I read French well enough to dig the original.

This is such a strange short story by Balzac. The premise is simple: An aging Parisian artist is obsessed over a single painting which he has been working on for years. When his friends finally get to see the work, they see nothing. This is the riddle of the story: what's in the painting? Also, what is this story about? Is it a parable of art or beauty or obsession? It's interesting painters and artists were taken by this story. It speaks of the heart of darkness that is modern art. Kudos for NYRB on this new translation by Richard Howard. The question remains whether we'll be seeing new or revised translations of Balzac's other works.

Bonnie Bluebird's Voyages is a delightful collection of children's stories. Remember all of the fairy tales that wove morals into fascinating adventures for children? Michael Mathena did, and has created this treasure in the tradition of Hans Christian Anderson.

I read several to my three-year-old companion as she sat across the table from me eating her oatmeal. She was entranced and wanted to see the pictures. Though each story is delightfully illustrated in black and white line drawings, they are at the end of a story. I showed her the pages filled with those amazing alphabet letters that she is learning. Letters that mean there really is something special in discovering how to read.

Every time she looked at the words, my adorable companion said, "Oh. More, please."

After I finished reading each story to her, we talked about the pictures, and how they also told the story. The most intriguing part about this particular aspect of our adventure is that she was more fascinated by the story than the pictures. Michael Mathena is a very gifted storyteller who has created a magical land where a child relies on her imagination.

There are eleven stories, each starring a different animal, and happening in a different place in the world. Because children do care about Chipsy the caterpillar who visits a Hamster Village in Japan, the way is open to talk about foreign and exotic places where there are kids who also want bedtime stories, cookies, and juice, just like they do.

The supply of "Bonnie Bluebird's Voyages" is limited. Michael Mathena has graciously offered to write a personal inscription in each book, and I would not give mine away -- even to my little companion. What greater gift can a child receive than a world based on their imagination and find that it is dedicated especially for them?

I give this five stars and wonder when an astute Hollywood producer will see the possibilities for animation.

Victoria Tarrani

What a wonderful collection of short stories for children. Each story, complete in itself, is a part of the collection, leading to the beautiful conclusion.

Bonnie Bluebird is the "narrator", spending her active years as a travelling reporter of interesting events. All of the characters are animals, dealing with challenges of growing up. The "multicultural" aspect is one of the wonderful features of this book. The stories take place in various countries, touching many different cultures. The brilliant illustrations by Noah Jerla add the finishing touch of class. The illustrator must have spent considerable time and resources to research for authenticity. The art work for a story set in an Arabic country is absolutely stunning!

My favorite is the story of a little panda bear who is living with his grandparents because his parents were captured and taken to a zoo. The story beautifully illustrates that "non-traditional" families can provide what is needed for a child's successful upbringing, as well or sometimes better than "traditional families".

Another beautiful "entry" in Bonnie Bluebird's journal is the story of two young frogs going to the "Jumping June Dance" (the equivalent of our High School Senior Prom). The ending brings a warm smile to the reader's face, very touching!

There are 10 stories in all, concluded by a final account: All main characters meet as adults for a feast, cheering Bonnie Bluebird, who is now old and unable to travel anymore. Her work is done: "Bonnie Bluebird's Voyages" is completed and can now aid children all over the world to enjoy their wonderful lives.

This book is out of stock in the regular Amazon catalog. I was able to secure 2 copies by contacting the author, who not only shipped the requested books immediately, but he also personalized them with a note and his signature. Thank you, Michael Mathena, for giving us "Bonnie Bluebird's Voyages". Hopefully there will be more creations such as "Bonnie Bluebird".
I can highly recommend this book as a bedtime story book, or for readers age 8 and up.