From the author of John Brown's Body, Stephen Vincent Bene't, with the help of Rosemary Bene't have compiled a beautiful book of poetry. All of the poems are about Famous americans. Before each poem in the book is the year the American was born and the year the american died. Truly great poems about Americans like Christopher Columbus, Nancy Hanks, and poor James Buchanan. He didn't know what to do! I understan that this book is no longer made in hardcover, just papercover, I hope the publisher will always have it available, as I would like to purchase a copy for my librarian.

The story of Johnny Appleseed is classic Americana, and this poem by Stephen Vincent and Rosemary Benet is both heart-warming and fun. Steven Schindler's art work is truly wonderful, lending a contemporary, playful feel to the book. My daughter is 4, and she asks for it every night at bedtime. I'm sure your little someone special will enjoy it, too.

The book's title is "The advanced guide to floristry" and it is indeed advanced in their aesthetics, with lots of photos of modern floristry designs.

Nevertheless, there is no description of display construction methods, the information upon flower & foliage selection (varieties etc) is scarce, and the text comprises only an overall view of the different displays.

The content of this book is excellent. My staff and I learned several unique techniques on how to manipulate plant material. We also got inspired by the modern designs featured. As a professional flower designer, I recommend this book to everyone interested in augmenting their knowledge and skills in advance floristry techniques. Thank you Rosemary Batho! Miguel Briceño / Floristerias Marbella / Panama

This book is brilliant. It helps me to learn about techniques that I have never learned before as a florist. You just have to have it.

One of the sad facts of modern life as that the "have-nots" among us tend to die earlier and with less fanfare and official interest than the "haves". Ellis Portal is a homeless person who at one time was a judge. He's been on the streets for several years. Two years earlier, he was instrumental in solving the murder of a young homeless girl. Since that time, he's gone into isolation, living rent free in an abandoned government hatchery. A fellow street person and friend named Queenie walks 13 miles from the center of Toronto to find him. She believes that one of her homeless friends, a woman named Melia, has been murdered, although it looks like she froze to death. Since winter is just beginning and the homeless are fairly smart about living in the elements, this doesn't seem to be a probable cause of death. More suspicion is raised when a threatening Bible verse is found on her person.

Ellis doesn't really believe that Melia was murdered, only agreeing to look into it because of his respect for Queenie. Several other deaths of street people follow, all found with a different threatening Bible verse. Ellis doesn't mention it, but he has received several of these verses himself. The other link between all the deaths is that the victims appear to be court "groupies", those people who hang around courtrooms observing trials, possibly because they suffered at the hands of the justice system. It's difficult for Ellis to think about reentering the judicial environment because he is so far from the lofty heights he occupied as a judge. However, most fortuitously (and implausibly), he is offered the opportunity to serve as an Officer of the Court which gives him a bird's eye view of what's happening in various courtrooms.

Although the police don't seem terribly interested in the deaths of the impoverished, there is one man named Matt West who goes beyond a token effort. He finds out that the various deaths have been caused by administering the poison curare. And there appears to be some kind of connection to a crostic puzzle about saints that's appearing in the media.

Aubert has a gift for writing descriptive passages, some of them almost lyrical. She also introduces various elements of homelessness that bring the street people closer to the reader. What does one do with a winter coat when one has no home? How does one live with the constant rejection by the so-called civilized people? However, I felt she was less successful overall than in the first book in the series, Free Reign. For one thing, Ellis is not really that down and out. He earned some money and is able to live in a boarding house (which, oh so coincidentally, happened to be a house where he once lived with his family). It was much more interesting when his abode was a self-made shelter in the outdoors. Secondly, all the victims received one Bible verse and died; Portal has received about a dozen. I've never been too fond of the main character having an "aha!" moment where all becomes clear. Aubert is a good writer and the focus on the homeless interesting; but overall, the book is only average.

I always liked Dorothy Sayers assumption that her readers were intelligent, educated and well read. Rosemary Auberg seems to start with the same assumption while leading her reader through interesting avenues. Her characters seem so real that one must decide if one is up to meeting them. Her clues so honest and wickedly devious they are a joy.