When I read this marvelous memoir for the first time, I was struck with its florid style, which reveals Weigl as a gifted poet. Weigl's journey takes him from his boyhood in Lorain Ohio, through his tour of duty in Vietham, his visit to North Vietnam in the mid 1980s, and his subsequent adoption of a North Vietnamese girl, Hanh. Though his story is riveting and painful at times, the author manages to bring the important message that sometimes beauty and pain must coexist. "The Circle of Hanh" is especially comforting to post-September 11 Americans in its message that the stories we hear and remember and relate can save us, just as the author's story has done for him.

I have been amazed by the beauty, honesty, sensitivity, and intelligence of Bruce Weigl's poetry for over five years now. He continues to "overachieve" in every possible way imaginable in this memoir written in prose/poetry.

The word "love" is a much abused term, whether superficially used to describe an at times tawdry sex act or whether used in syrupy tones by daytime talk show hosts. However, for me this book is really about love. About Weigl's love for his Yugoslav-American family and neighbors, his own wife, son, and daughter, the Vietnamese people, the American boys who fought and died with him during the war, and even the teenage girl that molested him when he was a little boy. It's just a really fine book of personal insight and deliverance.

I cannot believe that this book is rated 281,000 or so in Amazon's sales list. Bruce Weigl would be considered a national treasure in more educated and enightened cultures. I do not believe that you'll be disappointed by this memoir. Rather, you may find just a bit of redemptiveness for your own self in this book.

In the first part of "The Circle Of Hanh", Author Bruce Weigl is in Hong Kong waiting to board a flight for North Vietnam. The wait is an agonizing one, because the airport is terribly crowded and long lines of people spill over into branching hallways. The lines move at a snails pace. Weigl is very worried, because he must catch his flight; and time is running out. In North Vietnam a child is waiting for him: an eight year old girl that Weigl and his wife had been trying to adopt for a long time. The line slowly moves, and Weigl finally makes his way to the airline counter. He hands over his ticket and Visa, and is told that his Visa has expired. Weigl realizes that an error has been made on his Visa, because it had just been issued. He tries to explain, but is told that nothing can be done to help him. He must return to America, and get another Visa. Weigl asks to speak to a higher ranking Air Vietnam representative. The official comes and says that he can do nothing to help him either. Then Weigl makes a final desperate appeal to the Vietnamese official, explaining his mission to Vietnam. He had to go to Vietnam, and bring a little girl named Hanh to her new home. With a very brief time left before departure, the official allows him to board the plane for Vietnam. Weigl takes the last available seat on the plane. Those harrowing moments in Hong Kong cover only a few pages in this beautifully written book. Bruce Weigl is a poet, and a veteran of the Vietnam War. This book is a memoir of his life. We learn his story, from the time of his childhood; to the horrible destruction of the Vietnam War; and the devastation of his own life through alcohol and drugs. He regained control of his life through poetry and the love of his family. To redeem a life that too often had been wasted and lost, he wanted to give something of value. He wanted to give back something of what he had helped take away. He wanted to give happiness and a good life to a forgotten child from Vietnam. The story of his journey to give that happiness will touch your heart. This is a very moving memoir that I highly recommend.

This collection of poetry is from the Romanian author's time in American. The introduction gently provides the necessary background to recognize the names of the Romanian poets mixed among Ezra Pound, Sylvia Plath, Ovid ...

The recurrent images in this collection are from Orthodox Christianity, erotic episodes, Romanian landscapes ... While there are glimpses of political/social/religious oppression and the East/West Europe, Old/New World distinctions, the poetry is immediately accessible to an American.

Her distinctiveness is very low key but absolutely perfect lines. In "The Russian Army at Moldova" she explores the crucifixion of a man in 1992, she refers to the normal elements of the Passion, then to contemporary America (satellites, snow) and concludes with the line "I also take note of the high price of nails." It is the absolute concreteness in here-and-now images that make this poetry superb.

LILIANA URSU

Through Liliana's poetry you start a voyage into a world of emotions and feelings that are real, delicate, powerful and sensuous. As good art will always do, her images will take you "there", will make you feel the joy, the pain, the fear and sensuality of her every word. The longer you stay in her inspired universe, the more you become part of it and by sharing the experience it becomes your own.

Petra Vlah

I read this and sent it straight to my father, a veteran of the insanity in Viet Nam. Weigl takes you there and makes you feel the stench, the stickiness, and the fear. War sucks.

If you were in country, get and read this man's poetry

bruce weigl's poetrey in song of napalm really knocked me out...the title poem...disturbing and mournful is moving--"and not your good love"...

weigl writes realistic yet euphonic poetry--as it should be...in his eyes grit glints like diamond kisses... bruce weigl is a contemporary master...his voice, tender sardonic urgent earnest weary unbroken,calls to "ourselves, which are holy."

Weigl's poetry in this book is true to the history of the 20th century -- war but with a longing for beauty, for art that might not be caustic. Not the most progressive, innovative writing, but a good book. It's also a fairly quick read. Small, not-very-dense poems.

I've had the pleasure of having Mr. Weigl as an English/Creative Writing instructor. He has written some wonderfully vivid and emotional poetry about his youth, the Vietnam War, and coming home as an adult. I highly recommend it!

Every word of the above book description of Weigl's collection is true. And this is how Weigl has written such consistantly emotional poems: he's learned not to heal. Weigl's learned that his greatest source of poetry comes from all the hurt in his life. For example, one of his books is entitled: "What Saves Us". Only a man who feels that he's still, after all these years and considerable literary success, needs "saving" from all he's been through. But Mr. Weigl knows which side of his bread the butter is on. Life, for him, is all about pain ... but not healing. It's not about getting back onto your feet, dusting yourself off, and proceding with the journey of life. Not Mr. Weigl. He's got to pour salt in his wounds and root about it with a pen or pencil to make the pain more accute. Put differently, the poems in this volume, while well-written, are incredibly (and consistantly) heavy with amplified emotion, ponderous language, and, narcissistic absorption. My advice to the poet: Hey, Bruce. The war's over. Take some time off. Then get a life.

Bruce Weigl writes on the line between life and death. This is beautiful, intense writing. Much of it deals with the Vietnam War, which serves as an avenue into his thinking about how to handle the experience of having been in the war and seen and done so many unforgiveable and unforgettable things. A beautiful collection.