Ever remembered a sentence or two from the book and, still later on, didn't recall where it comes from? Well, there is one in the 'The lost boy' that I'd say I'll never forget. It goes: 'Light came and went and came again...' I would believe this is the best definition of Time I've ever read. It tells what we all already know - that the Time is here, all around, that it passes, eternally, incessantly, giving us no chance to do anything about it. And although there's much more to the nouvellette, it's worth reading it from the beginning to the end. It's 'realness' moves you all along.

This book is a gem! It is brimming with lyricism, longing and passion. It is Wolfe at his very best. For those who feel that Wolfe tended to ramble, here they will find him constrained by the limits of the novella form. They will find his skill for characterization (which was always remarkable) honed to an even higher degree of excellence in this piece. The story is autobiographical and deeply felt by Wolfe and he succeeds in transmitting those feelings to the reader. It is my belief that even if he had written nothing else, his reputation could rest comfortably on this piece alone.

I'm sorry to see that this book out of print. It's both an excellent collection of articles, and a "how-to" for budding writers on how to write in the style of the "new journalism". I'd love to see this book back in print, or even better, a revised edition, with more up-to-date articles (anyone for a collection of New Journalist articles on the 80s and 90s?) and perhaps a new assortment of writers.

Anyone even remotely interested in folklore, folk music, or American history should get this book. It contains over 400 rhymes (some with music) collected in the early 1900s by Thomas W. Talley, a black chemistry professor from Tennessee. Most of the rhymes are American, but there are a few from Africa, Jamaica, and elsewhere.

This alone would be worth the price of admission, but this edition also contains a new essay on the work, plus an updated bibliography and index, plus the original introduction by Thomas W. Talley (an excellent 50-page essay which covers performance practice and even details of instrument construction), plus additional rhymes and music that didn't make it into the original edition.

Great to page idly through or to read cover-to-cover, this book would be a fantastic addition to anyone's collection.

Don't be fooled by the word "kundalini" in the title. Yes, Tom Wolfe had some mind-expanding experiences (as a result of playing around with a biofeedback machine) but not a true kundalini awakening. If he had, he wouldn't have written this self-indulgent, new age diatribe that doesn't contain a single word of spiritual understanding. It's just a diary about the ego of Tom Wolfe and his pseudo-science explanations that are clearly more the result of his unbridled enthusiasm than actual understanding.

Stick with Gopi Krishna, Vivekananda, Sivandanda and similar yogic masters.