Gregory Woods, in A History of Gay Literature, The Male Tradition, has written a comprehensive examination of gay male literature through the centuries and around the globe. It looks at text and subtext and context to find the gay meaning or the meaning for gays in the annals of historical literature. Along the way the reader will learn new aspects of literature (such as the chapter on African poetry, to name one example from my own ignorance) and new ways to look at familiar books and poems. For all its breadth, it is wonderfully readable and somewhat addictive. It had me searching out various books to read them for myself. The writing is so good that I was equally fascinated reading about the books I had not read or did not even know about as I was reading about the others. This is a very good survey and a fun read.

Poet and author Gregory Lewis has given us one of the more readable compendiums tracing the birth and maturation of gay themes and styles in literature. Many authors have approached this task as a sensational "outing" of famous writers whose true sexual preferences will always be shrouded by the curtain of history. Lewis has chosen to deal with actual portions of writings in a scholastic method that creates a credible case for his choices of inclusion in the lineage of gay writers. Infused with brief descriptions of the social history of the times he is describing (Greek, Roman, Middle Ages, Shakespeare/Marlowe, Melville, Whitman, Wilde, Forster, Genet, Gide, Holleran, Leavitt, Monette, Auden, Rechy, etc), he lays the timely mores for interpreting the written word and in doing so does not preach to his readers. And though this book is heavily footnoted, researched, and extensive in its coverage of known and less known writers, it is eminently readable! Lewis is not afraid to let us know when his "opinion" versus "cold fact" is being stated; he allows us to grow to understand his method of decision making and is generous in his quotations of passages that support his claims. For the reader who wants a gossipy book of "Secrets of the Closeted Writers" this is not the resource. For those who want to examine the works of Thomas Mann, Shakespeare, E.M. Forster, Henry James, Plato, Socrates (the list is endless) in an erudite manner, welcome to the feast. Lewis is a gifted historian, social commentator, and gentle philosopher. And this book is one to read over an unhurried, extended period of time. There are riches here to savour as you read and for later as a reference volume of considerable significance.

This is a very readable book. However I was extremely astonished at the scantiness of space on Japanese same-sex relation. Since after ancient Greek, only Japanese could have enhanced male-homoeroticism to highly ethical valued SHUDO i.e. the way of male love and there is a great number of GAY literature,documents, arts etc. in Japan. I recommend two books for readers THE LOVE OF THE SAMURAI by Watanabe Tsuneo & Iwata Jun'ichi, et MALE COLORS by Gary P. Leupp. And I hope many people study Japanese culture, history and literature more.

There aren't too many picture books or stories for children that deal so well with the issues of grieving and healing and the questions about life after someone you love has died. This book gently tells, in story and fable, the healing words of how to carry on and what it is to live, and why we need to remember. Any parent or child old enough to understand death can take comfort and healing from this story. I wish I had a hundred copies of this to give to all of my friends who have lost someone. In the traditions of ANNIE AND THE OLD ONE, and THE TENTH GOOD THING ABOUT BARNEY this is another work that deals with death, life, and those who must deal with the questions that surround them.

I believe this book was incredibly well done. The story is great and the illustrations INCREDIBLE. Barry Moser did an incredible job with the illustrations. I really do recommend this book to everyone.

This is an excellent review of the most common problems found in the clinical practice of Critical Care. It helps with the initial assessment of the patient and formulates a systematic approach to the differential diagnosis and therapeutic plan. The bibliography is updated and it has detailed illustrations and diagrams. Certainly, recommended as reference for those persons involved in the management of Critical Care patients.

Many books have tried to make a case for the Zen Buddhist influence on Japanese haiku. But Zen influence on haiku is largely an American and British invention--mainly following on the misguided heels of R. H. Blyth. Contemporary American promoters of the "Zen view" of haiku generally don't "get it" at all. On the other hand, this book provides the absolute best example anywhere of a total interpenetration of Zen and haiku, in simply wonderful poems in Japanese with outstanding English translations. If you think Zen has something to do with haiku, or want to see how it might, toss all those assertions by blindered critics, and get this book in your hands, in your "hara". Then, maybe, you'll understand that it's not Zen influencing haiku, or haiku as an aspect of Zen practice, but simply poems that flow like ink from the brush, beautifully, simply, meaningfully.