Out

Review by Hugh Fox

This is a knock-you-down-book that gets to the heart of contemporary reality like no other book I've seen for years. It's an anthology of poets and fictioneers involved with the Out of the Blue Art Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, one the great art centers on the east coast.
A strong sense of New England landscape here, forests and moonlight and rivers and sea. Even in the context of love-making, turning the woman into landscape too: I encounter her, a forest lush/ with growth in wooded brown and leafy green....Her topography flows, rumbles, undulating under my stride. Soundings soft birds and animals, insects and reptiles purring.... (Daniel Gaynor, The Encounter, p. 78).
A tremendous sense of age/aging too. These are, for the most part, not youngsters, but aging geniuses who powerfully get across all the feelings that course through the aging. Like aloneness: There is an emptiness in the night/see the lovers back to back in sleep/as the scent of lilac devours the bedroom....oh yes, I do believe we came from the trees,/and I am but a leaf trembling and bleeding/by day and by night, I am solitude. (Deborah M. Priestley, Night, p. 135) Loneliness...and all the medical routines that the aging are too, too familiar with: We develop new routines.

Mornings I shoot myself in the abdomen with Leuprolide, evenings I take Provera and baby aspirin...my ultrasound results are good, my suppression has been a success, my endometrium is at ten millimeters. I begin twice weekly Estradiol injections.... (Michelle Chalfoun, Baby Sitting p. 183)

And if It's not being old, then how about observing the old: You see them on sunday/parked over the nursing home porch/the old sunk in wheelchairs/a styrofoam cup filled with diet coke in one hand...//you see wrinkled skin shadows/left alone dry/shrinking under the late summer light. (Aldo Tambellini, You See Them, p. 144)

Even more suprising is the way religion is dealt with. No soft padding here. But right between the eyes: I'm trying to understand this, I tell him, You actually believe that when ou swallow the-Host, that you're swallowing the body of Christ? .... "Yes," Greg hisses. "That's disgusting." (Patricia Wild, Apples and Oranges,p. 174)

Ouch!

It's hard to find fiction and poetry anywhere else that has this sort of evocative impact, at the same time manages to be daringly innovative: The sun projects your dual aura/tears fall/when he tells you/they bury you/the day you took the plane/going far away from your country....Argentina/leaving smells, shapes, music of you know: orangey aroma in your grandmother's patio/Callao Street you adore to walk/as flying in a blue balloon....(Beatriz Alba Del Rio, To be, p. 28).

It's funny, the poets get so involved with aging, death, religion and Nature with a capital N, and all the other big (capital) Issues, that there's very little portraying of the greater Boston scene. Except in the work of Mr. Boston-Sommerville, Doug Holder: A rainy night/With the sudden wasted light of the store's neon sign-I saw him/first his head/his crown topped with a manicured puff of cream colored curls/swirling into each other..../He inhaled on his cigarette/Captured in a fresco/Of smoke, wet mist/Floating in a menthol cloud. (Fallen Cherub Outside the Liquor Store, p.92). And for feeling weird, on the edge of the abyss, there's no one who beats Jack Powers, kind of a Claude Lelouch of the written word: Sittin' on the edge of the bed,/as usual, telephone in hand.../How many feet do I have?/There's at least a dozen pairs there, waiting, empty....(Shoes and Sneaks at 7 am, p. 130).

This is a book not to browse through, but to immerse yourself in. Sophisticated stylistically, more future than past, profoundly involved with the issues that surround us but that too often we just treat superficially. It's a book that ought to be used in writing classes. Just goes to show you where the greater Boston area is in terms of cultural power.

featuring works by Beatrice Alba del Rio, Steve Almond, William Barnum, Elizabeth Borges, D.A. Boucher, Juliana Bures, Natasha Busse, Ann Carhart, M.F. Celestin, Michelle Chalfoun, Charles Coe, Linda Haviland Conte, Mick Cusimano, Susie Davidson, Kenneth DiMaggio, Don DiVecchio, Ariel Finelt, Travis Fowler, Timothy Gager, Nancy Lee Gagne, Lo Galluccio, Daniel Gaynor, Lauren Geraghty, Marc Goldfinger, Aaron Goldstein, Elizabeth Graver, Frank Harr, Marshall Harvey, Dewitt Henry, Dr. Hugh Morgan Hill, Douglas Holder, Walter Howard, Joseph Hurka, Bott Ikeler, Winston Jones, Nola Kelley, Susan Landon, Michael Lee, Sara Medinger, Peggy Melanson, Indigo Moor, Joanna Nealon, Mi OK Song Bruining, John Paul Pirolli, Bill Perrault, Tom Perrotta, Jack Powers, Deborah Priestly, C.A. Reed, Dianne Robitaille, Paul Rogalus, Diana Saenz, Elizabeth Searle, Particia Smirnoudis, Andrew K. Stone, Aldo Tambellini, Erik Tate, Ian Thal, Christian W. Thiede, Anne Elizabeth Tom, Errol Uys, James Van Looy, Carol Weston, Marc Widershein, Richard Wilhelm, Patricia Wild, Nick Zaino III

by Doug Holder, Ibbetson Press

Although the poetry and prose anthology Out of the Blue Writers Unite, was conceived at the Out of the Blue Art Gallery in Cambridge, there is an ample selection of Somerville fiction and prose writers represented on these pages. Timothy Gager and Deborah Priestly, the editors of this anthology write: " this anthology Out of the Blue Writers Unite was conceived based on our hope to directly introduce to you some of the well-received written work that we heard in the literary venue of the Out of the Blue Art Gallery, be it poetry or prose. Along with being entertaining, we hope the selection demonstrates the number of ways in which human beings bond, struggle and prevail in life." And indeed, this collection meets this worthy goal, as each prose and poetry piece presented touches in an evocative way the universal themes that makes us human.

This collection, with a striking front and back cover by Dan Lewis and David Prock, respectively, has an interesting mix of up and coming and established writers. In her poem Little Weed, Linda Conte, a Davis Square resident, writes of her children, and how precious and ultimately fragile their life is: " My little weed sprouted early/ and was slow to sink his roots/ and reach his tendrils up/around the chain link fence./ No demon dragon should note/the very delicate touch/that aches his mother's heart./ We gently bathe him/ and turn his leaves to the sun./ He has already greened a deep corner of our lives./ But to you/ evil spirit/ he is nothing. Pass by." Somerville resident Susan Landon, in her poem Freedom, writes winningly about her choice to stay single, in a country of couples: " free above all, free to choose a life, for my own beloved self, unencumbered by dogs and dishes/ pans, recipes, babies,/ dirty floors and the will of/ a husband/ I travel foreign lands.../ I have drunk the heady air of freedom/ and SHE is mine."

In the prose department, Winter Hill resident, Steve Almond, has a short piece The Most Romantic Story Ever that is touching in a minimalist fashion. It describes a tentative love affair of two very ordinary people, with all the warts and banalities never seen in Hollywood romance. Here is a description of the couple's first carnal liaison, during the course of their relationship: " She was bigger than I thought underneath her clothes. Women can hide that stuff pretty well. Her thighs and bottom had a little extra padding you could call it. I guess love is about compromise." There also is prose by Union Square resident Patricia Wild, and Davis Square denizen Timothy Gager. Other Somerville writers included are: Peggy Melanson, Juliana Bures, Richard Wilhelm, and. Dianne Robitaille. This anthology is a model of how a grassroot effort of local artists can result in a true thing of beauty, simply put: a collection of evocative and compelling poetry.

Doug Holder/ Ibbetson Update/ Somerville, Ma./Dec.2003

Just recently, I read OUT OF THE BOX, written by internationally acclaimed poet laureate and author, Wanda L. Harrell. It is my conclusion that many authors have one aim, to showcase their so-called $10 words. More RARE is the find of an author who has the ability to share her intelligence AND warmth of heart in a down to earth writing style. Get ready to experience one of those rarities when you read Wanda L. Harrell's novel, OUT OF THE BOX.

Arthur O. Thompson-USCG retired/Artist/Poet

As an author myself, I've noticed that every so often a novel hits the bookstore shelves with 'Read Me, I'm Good' written all over the cover. OUT OF THE BOX is one of those novels. It's about a subject that is all too familiar...a bad marriage that is going nowhere. OUT OF THE BOX is about one woman's courage and intestinal fortitude to do something about it.

Marla Harris Simmons, a middle-aged house wife, endured 20 years of her husband's controlling ways. When he announces he's having an affair, Marla feels forced to escape out of the box of her marriage, and enter a world of uncertainty.

If you read but one book this year, do yourself a favor and read Wanda L. Harrell's OUT OF THE BOX. You'll be glad you did. I know I was.

I picked this book up and then set it back down without ever opening the cover, and it sat for a month. WHY?!

This is the first Brad Steiger book I have ever picked up, and I don't think I ever want to put it down again. He takes stories collected from the "Steiger Questionnaire of Mystical, Paranormal, and UFO Experiences" and bundles the most fabulous stories up into this book.

Here's an idea of what Brad Steiger dives into the depths upon:
Ghosts, burial grounds, ghostly echoes, apparitions, poltergeists, phantoms, bigfoot, sasquatch, the Patterson-Gimlin Film of Bigfoot, a bigfoot body cast, Florida's skunk ape, winged manimals (mothman, etc.), Nessie, a number of other lake and sea monsters, vampires, psychic vampires, Chupacabra, werewolves, werecats, wee people (fairies, sprites, elves, little vanishing people and trolls), Incubus, Succubus, human sacrificers, subterranean superhumans living in "abandoned" mines, Tommyknockers, aliens and Men in Black; and Steiger swears that they are all really here and really real! There is a photograph section that includes a couple of pictures of rods, but I did not see anything written up on them.

I have to say, overall, I think that the troll story was the worst; and makes it the #1 creature on my list to NOT run into! But, I did figure out that this book isn't all about "bad" entities, that some of them only are bad when you make them be. For example, give the elves a little portion of you lunch and dinner every day, and your house won't be infested by rats.

Deciding to be stupid, I finished this book at 3 o'clock in the morning while on my lunch break sitting in my car in the middle of a deserted parking lot. Don't do this! I was pretty okay with myself until I read the very last page, and that was enough for me. However, I know for a fact that this will not be the only time I read this book. It'll make a good reference for those scary stories on Halloween night 2002!

Well, to sum it up, you need this book if you're even *slightly* interested in weird stuff. It made a believer out of me, and I'm sure it will do it for you, as well.

A vicious Bigfoot creature who decapitates intruders in the mysterious Nahanni Valley! A real-life 19th-century Italian vampire who drank only the blood of beautiful women! A celebrated American clergyman who championed the concept of a hollow earth! A bizarre group of dedicated "shadow brothers" who do for occult phenomena what the MIBs do for UFO encounters!

These are among the intriguing subjects that I learned about for the first time reading Brad Steiger's latest excellent opus,"Out of the Dark." While I fancy myself an expert on subjects in the arenas of cryptozoology,parapsychology,and ufology, Steiger has compiled a veritable encyclopedia of weird entities,many of which I have never before encountered. As always,his writing is crisp,his entries concise,his topics fascinating!

Straddling the time frame from the historic to the modern,he has fashioned a comprehensive work that includes virtually every odd being that has ever existed in the past,the present,and,yes,even the future!

I guarantee that every reader will find nuggets of interesting material that he or she has not read elsewhere! This volume is going to the front of my bookshelf...I will be referring to it often!

The poems truely touch you. Some touch you to the point of tears. When we received the book, I thought I would read one or two but one or two turned into the whole book. This book shows a true kind of talent, and is truely inspirational.

It is almost as if the poems were written for each individual who reads them! Truly inspiring!

I try to read as much as I can about the evangelization of the Jews and burgeoning "Messianic Jewish movement." In my opinion, this book has captured the heart and soul of the subject. I was riveted throughout. I would have liked a bit more focus on theology, however, as the author has some compelling and very well articulated Biblical insights. Unfortunately, these are limited to only a few pages per chapter. Nonetheless, Out of the Darkness is in my opinion a thoroughly inspiring, timely and informative treatment of Jewish revival.

In an effort to "save the Jewish people", many well meaning Christians want to strip the Jewish people of everything they have been called to be by the Creator. This book reveals how sensitive sharing of good news from Torah changes lives of Jewish and non-Jewish people. Once again, sensitivity to the Jewish people tends to begin in other countries other than the U.S. Why is that?

Collaboratively written by Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson, Out Of The Deep is an exciting mystery novel for young adults which is set in the beautiful Acadia National Park. A baby whale among other marine mammals has beached upon the park shores, and it's up to the intrepid Landon kids to figure out why. Out Of The Deep is a genuinely captivating story that blends adventure with respect for nature and wildlife. Also very highly recommended is another Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson title in the eleven volume "Mysteries In Our National Parks" series from National Geographic Society, Running Scared (0792282329).

Jack and Ashley Landon love to travel with their mother, a wildlife veterinarian, who is often called to solve animal mysteries, and their father, who hopes to have a career as a photographer. This time they are on their way to Acadia National Park in Maine to investigate why the marine animals are beaching. But Jack and Ashley have a problem. Bindy Callister, the 14- year-old temporary foster child who has just come to live with the Landon family. Bindy is a liar, or at least Jack thinks so. She claims to know the reason for the animal behavior, and the kids find her near a beached baby whale. Bindy slips away during the rescue operation, determined to prove she know why this is happening, and Jack and Ashley get themselves in deeper than they planned for.The mystery is fascinating reading and an educational experience all rolled into one. I think it's the best one yet in this series for upper elementary or older readers. The mother/daughter author team never fail to teach about science, geography, and human behavior.

This is probably... no. ABSOLUTELY the best and most wonderfull book I have ever run across. Obstler does an amazing job of showing (and explaining) the true process of ceramics. This is not a technique or coffee table book although it is easily better at both categories than most books of that sort. This IS a book more about the materials of ceramics than the finished product. Mimi lovingly portrays the full cycle of the process which produces a pot. Something all true potters should know is that the actual end result, the pot, is the smallest and most insignificant part of ceramics. In this book, the reader is introduced to the whole life of the materials which we use. In a mish mash of history, formula, chemistry and geology, Mimi Obstler creates a unique and awe-inspiring story not just of the pot or potter, but of the earth from which both are born.
This book is beautifully crafted, and you can tell, that a lot of love, work and knowledge have gone into it's creation. This is a must have for anyone who truly loves pottery OR geology. I have never seen a book this amazing before. I highly recomend it. This book is worth every cent and so much more. I can honestly say that I am stunned. Thank you Mimi Obstler, this is a treasure.

"Out of the Earth Into the Fire" is a necessary book for any potter , and is especially useful for any potter doing their own glazes.It details in it's four chapters, although very long and comprehensive chapters, all of the glaze and clay making ingredients that you will need. The first chapter deals with the glaze cores. It talks of both the historical and the emperical aspects of all the necessary substances in use. A substance that I can't wait to get my hands on is Rotton Stone. I'll let you read the book to find out why. The second chapter is about clays and clay bodies.Although most of us buy prepared clay this gives us reason to make our own. The next chapter concerns auxillary melters.We find here about glaze surfaces; how to best utilize a substance to make a glossy, a matt, or an opaque surface. Finally the last chapter reveals all we want to know about silica and alumina. The appendices are full of useful material. There are even some good pictures in this book. An unexpected surprise.

Well-researched and impressively compiled. For those interested in World War II history, this resource is definantly something not to be overlooked!

Out Of The Inferno charts the efforts that went into the rescue of Rabbi Yosef Schneersohn, during which six months of lobbying with countless political figures led to the eventual rescue of the Rebe from World War II Europe. Here are letters, memoranda, and documents detailing the efforts to rescue a revered man - and his trial, which continued even after his journey away from Europe.

Strongly recommended reading, Out Of The Jungle: Jimmy Hoffa And The Remaking Of The American Working Class by Thaddeus Russell (Assistant Professor of History, Barnard College) is an informed and informative biography of the famous labor leader Jimmy Hoffa. The reader is provided with his checkered life story and the murderous tragedy that ultimately befell him at the hands of organized crime figures. A detailed and in-depth study, Out Of The Jungle is unflinching in its close attention to Hoffa's diverse virtues and follies alike.

This book upsets the pieties of the left without serving the agenda of the right. No wonder some reviewers have accused Russell of pardoning Hoffa post-humously, while others have accused him of undue vilification. They're confused, because Out of the Jungle is not warped by the ideological orthodoxies that have made so many other books of labor history so boring, predictable, sanctimonious and sometimes even dishonest. Out of the Jungle is a breakthrough, a meticulous, clear-headed analysis of what made Hoffa an effective leader. One can only hope more labor historians will follow Russell's lead in the future

Holly Newstein and Ralph Bieber grab your attention with the first chapter, and if you're not careful, you might read the entire novel in one sitting! But you shouldn't do that, if you can possibly fight the urge. This book needs to be savored! I highly recommend OUT OF THE LIGHT for anyone interested in suspense or horror!

After the first chapter I was glued to the book. I think this is a well-written story with plenty of points of view. I am waiting on a twist in the plot that is foreshadowed nicely. Some use of language, this book is not for young readers. I look foreward to the end of this one and the next book from this duo of Author Extrordinaires.