Multiples

This anthology of women's poetry is great. If you don't have it, get it.

How often do you read poetry and say - this has nothing to do with me and my life ? That will not happen when you read Claiming the Spirit Within. Marilyn Sewell has put together poetry that lives, breathes and just is. The women whose poetry has been selected for this compilation are not just good poets but possess an earthy spiritual quality. They explore all aspects of a woman's life including love, the body, family, frienship, death and illness with a confidence that is larger than life. As Marilyn Sewell puts it, "these poets show us how to live". I can only wonder at why some of these women poets; much better than some of the male poets that I have read, are not household names.

As a poet and writer, I am drawn to this book. The poetry is rich, accessible and honest. As a woman, I was astonished by the wealth of experiences shared by so many. There is a commonality in the words yet there is nothing common about this book. An extraordiary find, I would not hesitate to share this book with my daughter (who is 13). It is a valuable resource for explaining life's variable condition as well as honoring the sacredness of female experience. Editor Marilyn Sewell has done an outstanding job in selecting her subjects and poets.

I've read are a lot of collections of "spiritual" Jewish stories, but this one was so warm and so loving, it is my favorite of all --the stories cover a wide range and touch so many bases --the gentle, the powerful,the learned, the easily accessible, the tender, the compelling, the "tear your heart out." I especially like how the book seems to encompass all of Jewish history, from the Torah, the Ethics of the Fathers, the ancient rabbis to the present moment. The Holocaust material was brilliant. The Israeli poems (" A Soldier's Sabbath") was extraordinarily moving. The sense of "Shabat" in the book is nearly palpable. There is a story, "Jacob who loves the Sabbath," about a father and his autistic child that touched me to the quick, and another about a learning disabled child that was overwhelming. I bought three copies so I could give my daughter and my parents a copy! I would love to see more such books from this author!

After reading "Dancing,"I realized the book had been such a special experience,I owed it to the editor and to all the contributors to review it.I have loved this book. Using poems, midrash, personal experiences, stories, commentaries, it covers such a vast range of the Jewish experience -- from the ancient rabbis to the world of the shtetl to the horrors of the Holocaust to everyday Israeli life and everyday life in America, so much of our Jewish Story, told so beautifully. What an impressive list of contributors -- from some of the country's most prominent rabbis to poets like Israelis Yehuda Amichai and Nava Semel (I nearly wept at "A Soldier's Sabbath"), and Alicia Ostriker and Irena Klepfisz; there are several very touching and illuminating stories by Paysach Krohn,a storytelling mohel whose work I loved, and by Rabbi Ed Feinstein, about which ditto. Michael Lerner, Karen Golden, Sarah Graff, Harold Schulweis, Richard Levy, Bradley Shavit Artson -- works you can't forget; they keep echoing in my heart. I shouldn't really mention individual names, because so many of them are so memorable and it's hard to choose my favorites -- The title story by Miriyam Glazer, for example, affected me a great deal because I, too, have thought a lot about my name, and Aryeh Cohen's piece, even though parts were difficult for me, was in the end so powerful because I have a baby daughter too. And the two stories that relate to a place called "Beit Tshuvah" -- a Los Angeles halfway house for Jewish criminals, addicts, and alcoholics --are extraordinary. I would like to meet Harriet Rossetto! The three beautifully written and sensitive contributions by rabbinical students (all of which are radically different from one another!) made me feel really optimistic about the future of Judaism in this country! wrote about I've read a lot of Jewish "spiritual" books -- but because of the quality of the stories and poems in "Dancing," this book will be my companion for a long time! Thanks, editor and writers for a wonderful wonderful book.

I got this book as a gift and it has been just such a joy to read! The stories range from the lighthearted to the really gripping, and make you see life a whole new way. I felt my spirit really touched. I have loved every minute of it and I recommend it highly, particularly for Jewish readers.

This collection of poetry written by gay authors is a collaboration of the sensual, the emotional, the controversial, and the satisfying aspects of everyday life as a homosexual. Some of the poems deal with heavy emotions of love and rejection, while others regail past experiences that leave the author feeling relieved and the reader feeling exhuberant. There are poems that will uplift you, poems that will make you go "Ugh!" and poems that will make you think about their content, analyzing it until you can only think about the personal meaning behind every line. This collection is brilliantly composed by Gavin Geoffrey Dillard, who also includes some of his poetry, and he has done a masterful job of giving us a collection that inspires pride and emotion is everyone who reads it. Don't miss this book!

This is not a review, I already submitted a review on the 30th of May, 2000 But I wanted to sumit a correction in the body of my review. I mentioned the poem "How to watch your brother die" and I attributed it to the wrong poet, the poet is Lassell, NOT Michaud. Thank you for letting me suggesting this correction in the body fo the review. And I understand that it best to let readers rate the number of stars in the rating system......forgoing contributors in this anthology, who may be biased. Thank you...for this opportunity to reach out in your space here at Amazon.com

The amazing thing about this anthology is that it combines poets who were born before our Civil War here in the USA and baby boomers poets. This is a remarkable international gathering of poets, from France, Genet; from England, Edward Carpenter; Japan, Takahashi; Spain, Lorca; ...to name a few. I learned a lot about gay poets from this anthology and I searched for more poems in other collections from my two favorite poets in this collection, Lorca and Carpenter; and really enjoyed what I found. It was this collection that opened up the world of gay poets to me and I thank Gavin Dillard for the care he took in assembling this volume. I am very excited to have been included in this volume, and would like to hear from others who have been included in these pages, and Readers who like what they see here in this book. I thank Amazon.com for providing this network for those interested in the world of literature. I would like to thank Michaud for his poem, "How To Watch Your Brother Die" a poem that deeply touched me. I am out of the closet in this reveiw as far as my e-mail goes, people wishing to connect with me can do so at: vytautasp@aol.com

A few years after the time I talk about here, I met Lorna, she was a high school student, realizing that she was more than "gifted" student, realizing she was connected to the fires and fiths of her people. I can remember LDC telling me how she strained to hear Corky Gonzales on the radio from Denver, and remebers names like Jorge Angel Guiterrez before they got bought out. That flame still burns in her poetry even if she is a big time poet and a department head at a gavacho university. Read these poems, read them outloud, listen and u will hear yourself
I can remember in 1970 flying from Cairo Illinois where white cops and racist Klansman had intimidated and shot and murdered and embattled Black workers and farmers into a state of terror to Crystal City Texas, where La Raza Unida, a Chicano political party based on working class and farming Chicanos, and white and black workers drawn to the same needs ran Zavalla County.
The Chicano militancy of the 60s and the 1970s road on the backs of the Black and Puerto Rican struggles, rode on the backs on the open ears it had for Che and Fidel, for what was happening then in Chile, and from the fights in Mexico. It exploded across Texas, across California, across New Mexico, and Colorado, even in places like Minneapolis and Chicago, long before the millions of Mexicans who have come since then arrived.
This volcano erupted then, not as some freak occurrence, but because a people oppressed, denied their nationality will rise and fight until they gain their justice.
. Yet, the volcano of another Chicano revolt is simmering. Like all volcanoes, like the volcanoes under Blacks, and Puerto Ricans, under workers in and out of unions, under women, the longer the volcano does not explode, the bigger the explosion, the more it can blow the top off the mountain and let the lava flow, hot and burning, sweeping away the oppression of capitalism, remaking the world, making us free. Que Viva La Raza

Emplumada is amongst the greatest pieces that i have endulged in. the piece is taintinizing with it's emotionally deep twists and extreme display of emotions. the uniquely devised reflections devour my every thought and spand of atttention....

Cervantes's collection is spectacular and has risen above all Chicano poetry collectionsl. Along with Gary Soto's "Elements of San Joaquin," Cervantes gives of some of the best poetry Chicano Literature has to offer.

Grant Hardy has created a collection of poetry that is accessible for the casual reader of poetry, while being a pleasure for the serious student of literature as well. Through his tasteful selection of poems, Mr. Hardy captures the beautiful and sometimes painful gamut of emotion that family life can entail, without lapsing into sentimentality. Mr. Hardy's helpful footnotes give insight into the poetry, and more importantly, into the lives of the poets themselves. The effect is a book that I continually read for wisdom, perspective, and enjoyment. I have given it to family members and friends of all ages, since the poems cover all different stages of family life, so there will always be a topic that one finds pertinent. This book will be a cherished volume in anyone's library.

Grant Hardy's collection of poems, some of which he translated from the Chinese, gave me comfort and perspective at a crucial time in my life; I read them in a hospital awaiting exploratory cardiac surgery. I had read many of the poets before, but only one of the poems, so there was a freshness to the experience. Mr. Hardy's biographical insights are printed on the same page as the poems, providing interesting connections between poet and poem. The experience led me to look back and forward on my life and prepared me for whatever the future held.

This collection shows that family relationships across the ages are not so different from what we have now. The way people can feel about their children, spouse or parents is one of those universal truths. The choice of poems and their arrangement flow beautifully together and express the idea shared human experience. This book can be appreciated by any generation. My mother loved it, I loved and so did my thirteen year-old-daughter. Once you start reading it you are pulled very willingly along to the end. The biographies of the poets are interesting and add another layer of depth to the poems.

If I were to recommend only one book on mending Dissociative Identity Disorder, this would be it. Wonderfully, thoughtfully written and helpful to therapists, individuals who experience dissociative identity, supportive others who want to understand. A full treasure chest of healing techniques. Approaches mending from a developmental and inner family systems perspective (Virginia Satir). The authors share illustrative examples of healing and integration throughout the therapeutic work from both professional and client perspectives. Absolutely stellar: this book deserves the highest rating. Concurrently, there are many books on dissociative identity that really don't convey the complexity of either dissociation or of the therapeutic mending process. This one does. There are also some books on dissociative identity that tend to sensationalize the issue or focus on detailed or graphic descriptions of horrific abuse that may or may not be applicable to all cases of DID, perhaps giving readers a less whole and layered understanding than this book can, and in this sense evading one critical core issue of Dissociative Identity: severe developmental damage in the stages of child development. This book does not underestimate the consequences of severe emotional trauma and neglect in the development of Dissociative Identity Disorder. While sexual, emotional, physical, and ritualized trauma are covered in the book, the focus is on the way trauma is processed by the developing child, and on the ways to mend those developmental fissures. Trauma forever changes a child at the moments that it is experienced, and the changes in personality structure and developmental ability that result ripple through deep waters for years afterward. This book is a gem.

As a professional treating an MPD for the first time I equipped myself with just about every book available on this topic. This book by far has been the most informative, interesting and valuable of all the material I have read. Not only did it give me insight in to the structure of the "multiple" mind but has deepened my understanding of the effects of trauma on victims in general. The narrative is presented from the perspective of the clinicians and includes theory and practical applications and from the perspective of the patient which gives the reader an inside view of the experience of a "multiple". The material is extremely well written, well organized and structured in a way that it can easily be used as a referrence for specific issues and concerns that come up during treatment (must first be read from cover to cover). I do not ordinarily read professional texts as I do novels which I cannot put down. In the case of "The Family Inside", I toted it around and read it with great interest whenever I had a free moment. A must read for anyone with an interest in this subject.

This is the only book I've read that talks about how a multiple's system may be structured. Now I understand why my insiders rarely come out, and when they do, mostly at night. The book also discusses and recommends co-therapy -- therapy with two therapists, which I've found therapists reluctant to do, even though I've suggested it. MPD is so bewildering. I feel for the first time, after reading this book, that I finally know where to place myself and my system in the galaxy, and what my work needs to be. It makes me feel connected, just a tiny bit, to the human race, which I've been outside of my whole life.

Each story has its own heart warming experience that are really wonderful. This book shows that you could get something that you dream off at the least expeted place and that what's make life is so great:)

These books are great, they helped me boost my self confidence and awareness for my health. I am 14 years of age and I weigh about 80 kilo's so I am rather large but reading these stories I realise that if I try to lose a lot of weight I'll most probably end up with anorexia or bulemia or something like that. These stories have made me feel more comfortable with my weight.

Love this book. In my mind I know that love is the most powerful force. In the course of daily living, I do not always remember what I know. The stories in Chocolate for a Lover's Heart help me remember what is most important in life.

Margaret Busby's *Daughters of Africa* has become one of my favorite anthologies in my personal collection. The depth and breadth of her selections is inspiring, and I find myself revisiting its contents time and time again. It's a poet's dream and is excellent as any writer's reference. I have encountered new, engaging voices to explore as well as ancient ones whose lives were unknown me. Pick up a copy and dive in.

I have had this book for a while and it is so breath taking and awesome. It is a magnificient chronological timeline of the Nubian woman back in ancient times to the present. It reveals the spirit, intelligence, political involvement, and nature of the black woman. Despite time and the unforgiveable tragedies that occurred to her and her nation of people she has a regal inner strength that refuses and will not die but only continues to gain strength more with experience and wisdom. This book is a good indicator to the understanding of a black woman and her legacy.

This is one of the most extraordinary compilations I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The writing is extremely rich with information on the insights of women, and their various cultures and lifestyles; the reader even gets a glimpse of the various dialects of countries as she goes from piece to piece. As I was reading the book, I realized that although I am an avid reader, I was not familiar with the writing of many of the authors (nor were the majority of my friends). I find it unfortunate that there are so many women authors who never gain proper recognition for their literary talents simply because many people have never been exposed to their writing. Although Margaret Busby admits that many authors were omitted due to necessity, this book is definitely a step in the right direction. I would love to see a "Sons of Africa" anthology.

I like the way Stephens includes enough information about Ryokan to help understand the poetry. As Ryokan notes himself, outside his Zen, he has no Poetry to offer.

Ryokan refusing to take a position of a Zen Abbot, instead goes back to the place of his youth and takes hermitage. "The cold wind gathers enough fallen leaves to build my fire."

His code of living avoids flattery as much as objuragation, he teaches with a tear, plays with children, and falls in love with a young nun. All of this brings forward our own starkling humanity!

Stephens does a master presentation in bringing this material together in such an artful way as to illuminate all sides of Ryokan with that of the reader themselves. And with that the poetry comes alive.

This third edition(Tokyo, 1954)is created of folded rice? paper and bound by a fine green ribbon - this volume fascinates me each time I read it. Ryokwan-sama speaks through his poetry of gentle musings, of wisdom found by not searching for it, and of both happiness & despair. This translation has been made from the Chinese text by Jakob Fischer. This is certainly a labor of love which honors Ryokwan and the culture of the Orient. These contemplations and astute observations of this eccentric priest's life reach towards the zen of living. "I longed on that warm spring day, to stop the enchanted hours in their flight."

"Go as deep as you can into life and you can give up blossoms" - that is Ryokan. He is eccentric, wise, simple and profound. The associated calligraphies are beautiful - such as the compassionate, eager monk seated near the little pine-tree in the rain - telling it - "I will gladly give you my straw hat and thatched coat to ward off the rain". And some of the poems have a meditative quality - you can read them casually, often and flip over - and one day you just realize them ... it is hard to explain. However, I am not an expert on zen or buddhism and do not know Japanese, so I cannot comment on the technicalities. I came across this accidentally and I liked it !

I am a huge fan of this writer and I just loved this book. I thought it was fun and enchanting. Now, I ready for another book by Kay Hooper!

Synopsis: "In Kissed by Magic, we have Donovan Knight, personal assistant extraordinaire, who seems to know hiw boss, Hotelier Rebel Sinclair, so well he just might be reading her mind.

"In Belonging to Taylor, we have a down-to-earth lawyer named Trevor King, who almost literally stumbles across Taylor Shannon, a very unusual lady with an even more unusual family.

"And even though Eye of the Beholder doesn't boast a psychic character, it has its own brand of magic in artist Tory Michaels and archaeologist Devon York."

"Enchanted" contains a reprint of three early works by Kay Hooper. Although these stories were written in the mid-80's, they surprisingly don't seem dated at all in the way that so many 80's romance novels feel now (with the slight exception of the "setup" in "Kissed").

All three stories are incredibly charming and witty, with fully realized characters, sweet romances, and enough "magic" to separate them from the crowded romance market. I also didn't notice awkward prose or a lack of fully-realized style that you would expect with earlier works. These are fine stories that stand well on their own, not just publishers rushing to take advantage of Hooper's popularity. In fact, if the publishers hadn't been extremely open about this volume containing reprints, I don't think I would have guessed.

Not only that, but all three stories are strong. When I get an anthology like this one, I always expect to like one better than the others, but in this case, the quality was maintained throughout the volume. My only disappointment was reading in another review that Hooper never wrote any books about the Knights or Lennoxes from "Kissed," or the incredibly charming Shannon family in "Belonging."

This volume is going on my keeper shelf -- the humor and charm of these stories make it one that will be easy to read over and over again!

This is a reissue of her earlier works, but these stories showcase her sense of humor. I have been reading her books for years and one of the best things about her writing has always been her sense of humor. Belonging to Taylor is one of my favorite stories althought the other two are also good. Belonging to Taylor, is the story of a man who meets a woman, crying on a park bench and then her family. He finds out very quickly that he belongs to taylor weither or not he's aware of it. The reader gets pulled into this crazy,zany world, but also finds themselves rooting for taylor to win the heart of her man. The only sad thing, is that as far as I know, no sequels were every written about this family, which was a shame in my opinion. If you haven't read these stories, and are a fan, by all means buy this book. Enjoy!