This is the reprint of the edition published in 1797, with engravings of William Blake. The poem itself, enormously popular in the 18th century, is now shrouded in obscurity, and it stays in print only due to Blake's illustrations. But despite of its unpopularity, I found it quite enjoyable. It is best read in one sitting, without interrupting the constant flow of ideas and thoughts. It is a meditation, at once introspective and all-encompassing, a contemplation of Death, Time, Friendship, and Immortality of man. Granted, it does tend to drag on too much in the last chapter, but the first ones are so good they're worthy of being memorized. Blake's engravings, surrounding the text as a frame, capture the essense of the poem and at the same time enhance it, adding to it even more depth. The poem's abstract concepts take shape, making some passages more memorable. (This edition includes a commentary on the pictures' symbolism.) The book is worth getting for the engravings alone; it is a work of art in every sense of the word.

Rather than collecting poems from a wide spectrum of poets, this volume's editors instead chose to concentrate on 17 writers, including nearly 300 poems altogether. The writers collected here are Joel Barlow, William Cullen Bryant, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John Greenleaf Whittier, Edgar Allan Poe, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jones Very, Henry David Thoreau, James Russell Lowell, Walt Whitman, Herman Melville, Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, Emily Dickinson, Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt, Sidney Lanier, and Edwin Arlington Robinson. The most space is given to Whitman, Melville and Dickinson. While I can't fault the editors for most of their selections, I would have omitted Barlow, Holmes, Lowell and Piatt and opted instead for Christopher Pearse Cranch, Henry Timrod, Stephen Crane, and Trumbull Stickney. Those latter four certainly seem stronger than the former group.

While I can understand the inclusion of Barlow, Holmes, and Lowell, since once they were viewed as quite important poets, though no longer, the logic of including Mrs. Piatt escapes me. Her inclusion is rather meekly defended in the introduction, since she can make "the most conventional sentiments believable." So what? The finest poets say rare, unique things. They are individuals. They do not write about the superficial, but, like John Webster in T.S. Eliot's poem, (taking it slightly out of context) they see the skull beneath the skin.

As to those who were included in this volume, it is gratifying to see Melville getting so much respect as a poet in this and other recent anthologies: he was marginalized too long. Tuckerman is unknown to most people, but he could write wonderful sonnets and "The Cricket" is gold. Although Longfellow was overrated in his time, since then he has consistently been underrated. He's treated pretty decently in this book, so I hope it indicates that his reputation will finally get some balance in the near future. Bryant is a skilled poet, but not necessarily a gifted one. Still, he wrote some excellent poems. Whittier wasted most of his talents writing political propaganda, although when he got off his high horse he could really write some memorable stuff. Jones Very is quite an intense poet - too bad he burnt himself out so young. Lanier is a poet of exceptional ability, but unfortunately this anthology doesn't include his best: "The Revenge of Hamish" isn't a very good poem; but "The Marshes of Glynn," "Song of the Chattahoochee," and "A Ballad of Trees and the Master" are, only you won't find them here. Emerson, Poe, Thoreau, Whitman, Dickinson and Robinson are old favorites. All in all, it's a fine anthology.

This book describes how to select board members, establish their responsibility, and structure board activities. It is easy to read. The section on board member responsibility sets high standards for every aspect of board participation, yet it recognizes that interest in each area varies by board member.

As a devotional, the book is inspiring. How can it not be? The old hymns my parents knew, and taught me to appreciate, hold an appeal unmatched by many of today's choruses. Reading the words of each hymn brings back warm memories of sing-a-longs in my parents church. To read the stories behind the hymns is a profoundly inspiring experience. For the one who is searching for a deeper relationship with God, the book is a wonderful devotional. For the music enthusiast, the book is a treasure of history.

Being the first reviewer of this title verifies the specificity of the subject matter. Trying to be a skeptic among both extremes of environmental thought can be a tough act, especially after reading such explosive "documentation" of what Catton blatantly subtitles "The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change". His research is thick and juicy; his claims believeable. Written in 1980, the concerns maintain an ever-increasing credibility of the much earlier "Tragedy of the commons" analogy, in that, limited resources and unlimited consumption will eventually come to a head. This book shines a giant flashlight on what many don't what to look at. I'm still on the fence, but looking into the other yard now. Highly recommend this for those in the light though it is written for those in the dark. Could be one of the most important books in this lifetime if not the next.

Thoroughly researched and documented, this book does an outstanding job of comparing previously written information (specifically Passmore manuscripts). The source notations are outstanding which makes it very easy to confirm information back to the original source. Wills, deeds, probate records and other sources are included completely. For anyone related to William Passmore, this book is a must. Although expensive, the volume of original source information well pays for itself. The years of research taken to compile this book is very evident.

Syd Kessler hits all the points of how to enjoy your life. His commonn sense approach on how to attain fulfilment in life is right on the money.

While some art buffs may find it hard to believe that anything new could be said about the unquestionably great and unquestionably over-publicized Pablo Picasso, this Museum of Modern Art catalogue actually manages to re-invigorate the discussion of an artist whom some might say the MOMA (having held four colossal exhibitions on Picasso within 15 years) should stop shoving down the public's throat. While the paintings are, for the most part, quite familiar to Picasso enthusiasts (with some delicious exceptions), the catalogue contains several excellent essays which approach the works of art from a personal, rather than art-historical perspective. Picasso's relationships with his various women, and the effect each wife/mistress had on his vision of reality, are thoughtfully and, for the most part, intelligently explored, despite some occasional descents into blatant "National Enquirer"-type celebrity gossip on the part of these supposedly "scientific" critics. Fortunately, Picasso's art stands above the possibly-too intimate concerns of the authors (a careful perusal of the gossip-filled footnotes will amuse you for hours). Page after page of excellent reproductions stun, startle, amuse and amaze the beholder through their sheer perversity. Nearly 30 years after Picasso's death, his art still shocks and challenges the public. My personal favorites are the paintings of the sad and sensual Dora Maar, which are unmatched anywhere in Picasso's oeuvre for sheer, brutal power. Their distortions haunt the mind, although the joyous and often semi-pornographic pictures of the teenage mistress, Marie-Therese, possess an equal charge. This book is a definite must in any art library.

The book is a collection of poems by Robert Frost. It combines the collections of A Boys Will, and North of Boston. Many of the poems were about nature, and love. I selected the book because I had read Robert Frost before and I liked his style, and I felt I could relate to some of the poems. Most of them had no riming scheme, and were written in sentences, or stanzas. There was one poem about Blueberries that I particularly enjoyed because I like picking them. I also liked it because some of the poems seemed to have a hidden meaning. I thought that Frost wrote discriptive ad imaginable language. I would recommend it to readers that are older than 13. I would also recommend it to readers who like reading about nature. And finally I would recommend it to anyone who has read Robert frost, and enjoyed his work.

"Ports of Entry: William S. Burroughs and the Arts" is an
amazing book about an amazing man,
that provides a wonderful insight into genius. The bulk
of the book being dedicated to the art of William S.
Burroughs (yes, he wasn't just a literary giant). If you
appreciate work outside the bounds of the "common", everyday
junk, this is the book for you! Inspiring and breath-taking,
a *DEFINITE* must own!