Poetry

Selected Poems (Bilingual Edition) (English and Spanish Edition)
Selected Poems (Bilingual Edition) (English and Spanish Edition)

Review:This would be my first introduction to Pablo Neruda, and I must say I'm a bit disappointed. Not that Neruda isn't a great poet, the Nobel Prize and critical acclaim prove the contrary, but perhaps the translation could use some more work.

I picked this copy up noticing the name of Robert Hass', the translator and author of the Essential Haiku, on which he did a great job. Unfortunately, Eisner is the editor of the majority of the poems. The analogy to Eisner's translation would be like wh... Read more

The Aeneid (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
The Aeneid (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Review:The recording offered here by Blackstone Audiobooks is an astonishing bargain. Frederick Davidson's unabridged (13-hour 11-CD) rendition of Jackson-Knight's classic prose translation of the Aeneid is well done and at a price that beggers belief. The only reason I hesitated before giving it a well-deserved five stars is that I personally found Davidson's delivery to be rather camp to my English ear, which did mean I had to listen for a while to tune into the words. Then it was wonderful. Read more

The Inferno (Signet Classics)
The Inferno (Signet Classics)

Review:There have been several excellent translations of Dante in the past few years, all worth reading in their own right. But I retain a special affection for John Ciardi's version, as it's the first one I ever read, at the unprepared & overwhelmed age of 15. I knew of its reputation as a major classic & I was ignorant enough to be unfazed by the prospect of reading it.

Well, to say that I was soon in over my head is an understatement! But Ciardi's fine, lyrical translation, as well as... Read more

Love That Dog
Love That Dog

Review:A literacy volunteer brought this book to my attention. It is a great way to introduce poetry, a writing journal, and learning new words in a manner that readers and beginners of any age can appreciate. I can see how Jack's story would lend itself to discussion. The idea that sentences and poetry can take many forms...varied .spaces between words or thoughts, different size fonts, written in circles or other recognizable shapes, and that not all poems involve rhyming couplets is liberating. It a... Read more

The Book of Disquiet (Penguin Modern Classics)
The Book of Disquiet (Penguin Modern Classics)

Review:There are certain writers few and rare who make the reader see the world in a different way. There are certain writers who reveal to us hidden worlds in ourselves and teach us truths on the edge of our consciousness which we by ourselves alone could never bring to revelation. Pessoa is such a writer, a singularity among the singularities. He explores as he himself says his own subjectivity and is a person largely of his own inner world but that inner world never stops encountering and transformi... Read more

There's a Wocket in My Pocket! (Dr. Seuss's Book of Ridiculous Rhymes)
There's a Wocket in My Pocket! (Dr. Seuss's Book of Ridiculous Rhymes)

Review:NOTE: This review is for the ebook version.

This is a classic and I couldn't resist being able to have it to re-read, share, and reminisce about. But I was disappointed in this ebook version for a couple reasons. First, the layout is two-page only, so you have to hold your ereader (Kindle, Android tablet, etc.) lengthwise to be able to read it. I know some pages don't make perfect sense otherwise, but I just don't like being told how to read a book. And second, this version is differ... Read more

The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites
The Foot Book: Dr. Seuss's Wacky Book of Opposites

Review:The original hardcover The Foot Book is absolutely awesome, but I had a lot of trouble finding it to buy on Amazon (it has a white cover, not green). For some reason the only versions that came up in my search were the board books. My daughterss have loved this book since they were 6 months old (one is now 12 months and the other is 3 1/2), and my copy is very tired.
Be aware that this version only has 12 pages and has stickers and flaps, which get torn and make a mess. If you're looking f... Read more

The Little Blue Box of Bright and Early Board Books by Dr. Seuss (Bright & Early Board Books(TM))
The Little Blue Box of Bright and Early Board Books by Dr. Seuss (Bright & Early Board Books(TM))

Review:My daughter absolutely loves Dr. Seuss, which is a pleasure to watch from my perspective. The books are small and sturdy, easily handled by a small child. The print quality is excellent. The content, well that speaks for itself... greater minds than my own have reviewed Dr. Seuss's work, I am certain in a favorable manner. Read more

Five Fish (Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection) - Two Fish
Five Fish (Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection) - Two Fish

Review:I was hoping this would be more like the actually Dr. Seuss book, its not. Its probably about 6 or 7 lines and the last one is totally ridiculous, it doesn't even rhyme. I'd have been better off just buying to real book and reading it to my son. But the boardbooks are so nice because I can give it to him and not worry about him ripping pages out. I think the REAL Dr. Seuss books are a must have but not this thing or anything like it. Read more

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