european

This book is great! An insight into the thoughts of the grandfather of air combat tactics. Manfred's descripton of Boelke and the early air tactics of fighter aircraft is well worth the read. Humorous, and serious, this is also a book for anyone that wants to excel in the business world, Manfred delivers sage advice regarding life and skills needed to become the best.

I am looking for an autographed copy of this book. Anyone know where I can look for one?

An autobiography of the Red Baron... need I say more? The writing makes you feel as if you were actually in the war. Lothar does a great job of describing von Richthofen's funeral. There is also a good description by Captain Browne (Brown?) of how he was shot down. A definite must-have.

This is my favorite of shelves-full of costume books, not only because of the quality of the photography and the beauty of the items in the Kyoto exhibition, but also because it captures the experience of silently moving through the exhibition itself. I've used this book extensively as a visual reference for recreating 18th-century gowns -- no amount of description can accomplish what detailed photos can.

Some of the photos from this superb exhibition may be found in "Fashion", also put out by the Kyoto Costume Institute, published by Taschen. (Available through Amazon.[com])

This is the best book on the costumes of the 18th century that I have ever found. Page after page of gorgeous garments are clearly photographed and beautifully displayed. It is inpirational.

Out of intense complexities come intense simplicities

In A Year of the Hunter, Czeslaw Milosz unequivocally writes, "Poetry's separation from religion has always strengthened my conviction that the erosion of the cosmic-religious imagination is not an illusion and that the vast expanses of the planet that are falling away from Christianity are the external correlative of this erosion." Road-Side Dog exudes this same consciousness, yet, interested only in Christianity, he fails to perceive that vast expanses of the planet have also left behind the Islamic, Hindu, Taoist, Confucian, and Buddhist religions.

Like his contemporaries, Milosz is a child of dualities and contradictions, as he discloses in Unattainable Earth: "Sometimes believing, sometimes not believing, / With others like myself I unite in worship." Though "loyal and disloyal," he performs what is in itself an act of affirmation. One reason for such tensions must be his recognition that we are "In an intermediary phase, after the end of one era and before the beginning of a new one." In another entry he writes, "There is only one theme: an era is coming to an end which lasted nearly two thousand years, when religion had primacy of place in relation to philosophy, science and art. . . ." Milosz recognizes the validity of his own honest doubts and the abyss of evil and historical calamity that is swallowing everything before it, yet he does so while continuing to "unite in worship." Similarly, in "Lecture V" of The Collected Poems, the persona affirms "We plod on with hope," and then allows, "And now let everyone / Confess to himself. eHas he risen?' eI don't know.'" It was perhaps these lines that led Pope John Paul II to say to Milosz, as he reports in A Year of the Hunter, "You always take one step forward and one step back." In an essay in New Perspectives Quarterly, Milosz describes himself as a believer, while in A Year of the Hunter he refers to an experience in church on Palm Sunday as an "intuitive understanding that Christ exists." These contradictions achieve their fullest expression in "Two Poems" in Provinces: The first poem celebrates earthly life and its values, while the second poem, "A Poem for the End of the Century," bitterly, ironically recalls the religious past. Of these two contrasting poems, Milosz writes in a headnote that "taken together" they "testify to my contradictions, since the opinions voiced in one and the other are equally mine." To highlight either side over the other would be a distortion of his psyche. Milosz conveyed his complexity to the Pope when he replied, "Can one write religious poetry in any other way today?" I have often thought of Virginia Woolf's Mr. Ramsay in To The Lighthouse, ascending the island rocks, exclaiming, in one of the most poignant settings of modern literature, "There is no God."

Perhaps because Milosz perceives our age as an intermediary one, he finds it more possible than most poets to hold out hope for the future. His hope, though, as we have seen, is not naive, foolish, or unaware of the incessant disintegration. It is that of one tried by experience, who yet believes there are reasons for such a poem as "Thankfulness." To give "thanks for good and ill" manifests a trust that transcends our usual human self-centeredness and that submits to the power of the mystery of being, a trust that acknowledges in another poem "They are incomprehensible, the things of this earth." Such trust is also the prerequisite to finding "Eternal light in everything on earth." Although from the viewpoint of traditional Catholic belief some might think such lines are suffused with vague gnosticism, accuse him of having fallen off from the faith, of "willing belief," as he says of himself in The Land of Ulro, one must recognize the honest complexity of his commitment if one wishes to confront, as he has, the undeniable damage that has been visited upon all organized forms of religion and government during the modern era.

In reference to religion, while recognizing the undeniable damage, Milosz has often expressed his skepticism and uneasiness with Catholicism. Although he seems to favor at times reversion to Catholicism, suggests he himself is a heretic, harbors the conceit of possessing the true truth among the great religions, he also writes of going "forward, but on a different track," of a "new vision," "a new awareness," "new perspectives," as in A Year of the Hunter:

Why should we shut our eyes and pretend, rejecting theobvious, that Ancient Rome is again in decline, and this time it's not pagan Rome under the blows of Christianity, but the Rome of the monotheists' God? Since this, and nothing else, is the undeclared theme of contemporary poetry in various languages, obviously this conflict has already crossed the threshold of universal consciousness. . . . Perhaps . . . new perspectives will open up . . . . Milosz has worked more deeply with the spiritual dislocations of modern life than any other poet of the twentieth century since T. S. Eliot.

In regard to government, Milosz's experience prepared him to understand where we have been and where we are going in a manner unique among modern poets. All the more eloquently rings his plea in his Nobel Lecture for sanity eventually to prevail among the nations of the earth:

We realize that the unification of our planet is in the making, and we attach importance to the notion of international community. The days when the League of Nations and the United Nations were founded deserve to be remembered.

This realization of the importance of international community can be found throughout his writings. Its source, beyond his own experience, was, by his own testimony, his uncle, Oscar Milosz, poet and seer, who predicted the "triumph of the Roman Catholic Church." Narrow Catholic hopes aside, history, lower case, moves toward the vindication of both of them, as well as of all those who have stood throughout this century for the further development of international institutions through which the nations may cooperate for the protection of the weak and vulnerable, for the protection of the little ones. If "There are no direct lessons that American poets can learn from Milosz," the fault lies entirely with us and the age of academic criticism that has almost strangled the life out of poetry.

Milosz has given us another wonderful book - one firmly planted in memories but not obcessed with the past. A wonderful section is devoted to poetic ideas that he has never written which he offers as potential ideas for those who are younger. Unlike many who espouse religion, he is very open regarding sexual desires and as such he appears to be a whole and genuine person not a literary front. As for the quality of his poetry and prose, there is a reason he was awarded a Nobel Prize for Literature - this book confirms the appropriateness of that award.

Excellent, a trully work of art. This book digs down into the core of the post-classic period of the plastic arts. A delightful and resourceful acquisition of any scholar artist or architect with interest in the origins of building forms, natural lighting, and a three-dimensional space.

As the holidays approach and you find yourself entertaining more at home, it's time to start thinking about a new book to add to your coffee table, or to toss under the tree of a fellow Italiaphile. "Romanesque" is not only a substantial book with beautiful pictures it's also a complete resource for understanding the building style most representative of the Middle Ages. As Romanesque architecture, art and sculpture is not restricted to Italy, this book also extends to show examples of this style from Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Great Britan, and even Scandinavia!

Although I am no great architectural authority, I love the Romanesque and have had the pleasure of visiting many churches while travelling in rural France. Like a 12th century pilgrim, I even made the journey to Compostela in Spain. This book, however, made me feel like I only scratched the surface -- what amazing (and uncelebrated) Romanesque buildings there are ALL OVER Europe! I am newly amazed at how diverse the Romanesque style can be. The author and photographer undertook a daunting project, documenting hundreds of structures (practically every building of note, it seems). The quality of this book is staggering -- you would think it should sell for a lot. But as detailed as some of the academic articles can be, the book is never dull or pedantic -- partly because the photography is so terrific and compelling. This book is magical. A GREAT bargain, a great gift, and highly recommended.

Review of The Rotten Heart of Europe: the dirty war for Europe's money, by Bernard Connolly, Faber & Faber, 1995, £17.50.

THIS BRILLIANT book is a devastating exposure of the pretensions of those who want to rule Europe. It shows that the attempts to achieve monetary and economic union, and consequently political union, are bad for us. They will not bring monetary stability, economic growth or political harmony. Instead they will destabilise currencies, reduce growth and promote hatred between the nations of Europe.

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is supposed to build on the experience of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). Britain's membership of the ERM forced us into a disastrous and quite unnecessary recession. After two years of suffering, Major said in July 1992 that Britain would soon be the leader of the ERM. Two months later, we were well out of it, and ERM had bermbed, as Jacques Clouseau, Major's mentor, would say.

ERM constrained British Government policy on non-monetary matters too. The Government appeased Spain over the fishing dispute to keep Spain happy about the sterling/peseta rate. So the Common Fisheries Policy, so damaging to Britain's fishing industry, is not an isolated EU aberration: it stems from the whole logic of economic and monetary union.

The ERM was described as the Eternal Recession Mechanism; EMU is likely to be Even More Useless. The ERM kept the poor countries poor; it did not help them to converge; it certainly did not help them to meet the Maastricht criteria. Spain's experience of ERM was catastrophic: 22% unemployed. The ERM forced Denmark into recession: unemployment doubled to 12%, the budget was slashed, and investment, output and wages all fell. In the ERM, Ireland's unemployment soared from 11% to 23%. ERM subordinated nations' economic interests to minorities' foreign policy goals: ruling class interests dominated working class interests. Some still claim that ERM and EMU could control capital, but actually they were and are attacks on the working class.

A 1992 report by the Monetary Committee, which advises the EU's Council of Ministers, admitted that ERM did not stabilise prices or money and did not reduce inflation. Perhaps it was after all just a tool for moving countries towards political union.

The book also depicts the present dangerous struggle between the French and German ruling classes for control over the proposed institutions of a single European state. Germany is determined to keep the Deutschmark and the Bundesbank: it wants EMU so that it can assimilate other countries into an expanded Deutschmark zone. France wants a new currency and wants to get its hands on the Bundesbank; it pushed for the Maastricht Treaty, which would destroy the Deutschmark. Who would control Europe's currency? Who would control the proposed new European Central Bank? Germany or France?

As Wilhelm Nolling, a Bundesbank Council member, said: "We should be under no illusion - the present controversy over the new European monetary order is about power, influence and the pursuit of national interests."

They are already fighting about the 1996 InterGovernmental Conference. Germany wants the economic criteria for EMU met as soon as possible: it insists that economic convergence must precede monetary union. France wants the earliest possible date for monetary union, believing that monetary union would produce economic convergence. Both are wrong of course: convergence cannot and will not be achieved, either way.

EMU's implications are universally unpopular. The workers of France, Italy and Belgium are striking against the EU's schemes. The Austrian Government fell in October, unable to pass the EU-required budget.

We can see both from ERM's effects, and from the effects of the attempted imposition of the Maastricht criteria, how damaging membership of EMU would be. It would cause, as intended, a permanent lowering of wages, a permanently higher level of unemployment, and massive cuts in public spending.

Connolly sums up: "My central thesis is that the ERM and EMU are not only inefficient but also undemocratic: a danger not only to our wealth but to our freedoms and ultimately, our peace. The villains of the story - some more culpable than others - are bureaucrats and self-aggrandizing politicians. The ERM is a mechanism for subordinating the economic welfare, democratic rights and national freedom of citizens of the European countries to the will of political and bureaucratic elites whose power-lust, cynicism and delusions underlie the actions of the vast majority of those who now strive to create a European superstate. The ERM has been their chosen instrument, and they have used it cleverly."

Bernard Connolly was fired by the European bureaucrats after this book came out. If you read this book you will understand why. This book has all the detail you could ask for. It is an incredible expose of the events leding up to European Monetary Union.

If you support the European Community, reading this book will change your mind -- if you dare read it.

Excellent work. The reality at the core of all the pomp-and-circumstance surrounding EMU. Read it and be wiser.

First, let me say what I like about this book. It is profusely illustrated with full-page images, nearly all pictures mentioned in the text are reproduced in good quality, so one immediately sees what is described by the author. The text is free of jargon, lucid and highly entertaining (check the story of John Ruskin's unhappy marriage). Basic facts are rendered, short biographies of major painters are here, as well as some historical background (for example, the Aesthetic Movement and Oscar Wilde).
But this book has its weaker points. Mr. Christopher Wood does not specify what he means by "Pre-Rafaelite style"; sometimes it appears as he only means close adherence to nature and precise detailing. But what would he say then about German Biedermeier or French Neo-Grecs? The text overall is too smooth, it does not take into consideration newer approaches to art history (Norman Bryson's studies of pictures as sign systems, for example). So if you want a problem book, a challenging essay, you better look to Elizabeth Prettejohn's study. This one is just an introductory survey aimed at a general reader -- but a pretty good introduction, I might add.

I am a learning hobbyist artist interested mostly in portraits. An artist friend told me that I might be interested in the pictures of the Pre-Raphaelites. "Pre-Ra...What?"

When I bought this book I had not intended to read much of the text. I was primarily attracted to the beautiful pictures in the book, which I hope to learn from. It turns out that Christopher Wood's rendition of the biographies of these remarkable group of mid- to late 19th century English artists was exceptionally well weaved and readable. I got a very good education on the history of the Pre-Rephaelite art with fascinating details of the lives of the key players and, of course, beautiful, large-format reproduction of their best work.

I came across a number of books on this subject. Some have better and more detail prose, but none comes close to this one in terms selection and the quality of reproduction of the pictures.

I'm so thrilled to see that this book has been reissued after being out of print for several years. I found the original edition of this book in a frame shop in 1992, and bought it on a whim. Through this book I fell in love with the art and artists of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, and now own over fifty books on the subject, while prints by Evelyn de Morgan and John William Waterhouse decorate my walls. This book introduced me to the beauty and majesty of Pre-Raphaelite art, so I'd love it for that reason alone. However, years later, I still find that Wood's survey of Pre-Raphaelitism is the best I've ever seen. Full of 'academic' information, it's still easily read cover to cover, and the full color pictures are exquisite.

If you have even the slightest interest in Pre-Raphaelite art, you simply must own this book. It's both the PRB Primer and Bible, as far as I'm concerned.

This book details the devastating (to the Germans) effect of the 'European' spy ring known as 'The Red Orchestra', whose many sources included a direct pipeline to OKW. It tells the story of the beginnings, people, and fates of those involved. It tells of the info. so massive in size that was given to the 'Director' in Moscow, that the 'Ultra' intercepts the west was receiving was miniscule in comparison. For the first time in available info. to the west some of the exact transmissions from the ring that the Soviet military were able utilize most effectively.

It clarifies in an easy and readable manner the significance of codes the ring used, (Werther was not a person, but a 'cover code' signifying the text info. was army related. 'Cover code' Olga was info. about the Luftwaffe). It also shows the breadth and depth of the 'underground' of people involved in destroying the Nazi regime, Communist and non-Communist. (Rossler was a right-wing conservative).

Drawn from sources recently made available from the ex-Soviet state, interviews with survivors, and established known data from the War, it puts to 'lie' the historically flawed book "Hitler's Traitor" by Kilzer and shows him to be a 'sensationalist' whose book should be in the 'fiction' classification.

a breath of fresh air amongst all the garbage that is out there. this is one of the few books that simply and excitingly tells the truth of the greatest spy network in history. is there any wonder that the russians were so far ahead of us during the cold war considering the lead they had built up? this book reads like a novel with exciting caracters only the caracters are real. it takes less than 200 pages for v.e. tarrant to do what most authors of dubious reputation like louis kilzer only try to do. tell an incredibly fascinating and true story that is historically accurate. 5 big stars

Gripping ,top- notch book .Reads like a fast-paced thriller .The book tells the story of the biggest intelligence -gathering operation in the history of espionage . On June 22 ,1941, Hitler launched the invasion of Soviet Union .The attack code- named "Barbarossa " led to the biggest land campaign in the history of war .Eastern campaign was four days old ,panzers smashing their way through forward Soviet defences ,when German long -range radio monitoring stations at Kranz on the Baltic coast of East Prussia intercepted cryptic messages beamed by clandestine radio transmitters.Tracer teams of Funkabwehr immediately swung into action .Using director- finder sets took cross bearings of these transmissions ,established that directional lines traversed Brussels ,Paris ,Lucerne and even Berlin itself .From the nature of these transmissions German intelligence admitted that this was the work of Soviet spy ring in Reich and occupied territories ,recipient of enciphered messages was housed in Moscow.Welcome to Red Orchestra .Though created by the GRU( Soviet Military Intelligence ) it included in its ranks people of several nationalities ,coming from different walks of life ,having diverse political persuasions ,but all united in their hatred for Nazi regime. Red Orchestra network of spies ,agents ,informers played a crucial role in thwarting Hitler's attempt to conquer Russia . Soviet spy apparat (network) in Berlin while transmitting information used call signs "Choro " , "Wolf " .After much dedicated and laborious detective work the cryptoanalysts of "Funkabwehr " uncovered their identies ."Choro "was Lieutenant Harro Schulze -Boysen, a Luftwaffe desk officer in the Reich Ministry of Aviation .This allowed him to access highly sensitive information ."Wolf "turned out to be Dr . Arvid Harnack ,a senior Civil servant in the Reich Ministry of Economics .Being members of Berlin high society they brushed shoulders with highest ranking officers of German High Command and Nazi party.Another important cog of GRU spy network was Grand Chef's circuit,which operated from Belgium ,Holland ,France .But who was Grand Chef ? He was Leopold Trepper alias Adam Mikler ,Jean Gilbert , a Polish Jew.Recruited into the GRU,he went to Belgium .There he opened a commercial enterprise as a cover for his clandestine activities .His firms Simex ,Simexco -after theGerman Occupation of Western Europe -did lucrative business with Todt organisation which supervised works of construction and fortification for "Wehrmacht" .Money generated from the business was used by Grand Chef to further expand activities of the network .As the author aptly puts it " Third Reich was subsidising the Red Orchestra just as a living organism will nourish the cancer that is eroding it " It was during the course of such interactions Trepper's agents heard Hitler's preparations to invade Russia. However the most important source of intelligence for GRU proved to be "LUCY".LUCY serviced the Soviet spy network which operated from neutral country Switzerland .The network dubbed "DIE ROTE DREI"(The Red Three) was erected by GRU agent ,a Hungarian map maker Sandor Rado ,whose call name was DORA.LUCY was Rudolf Rossler, a German refugee publisher living in Lucerne,Harsh treatment meted out by Alfred Rosenberg who seized his profitable theatre company made him a rabid anti-nazi.Rossler alias LUCY ,whose identity was to remain secret long after the war had ended ,received information from sources in German High Command (OKW).The post war CIA study had partially unmasked their identities .The most important among them were Lt.Gen Fritz Thiele,second -in-command of OKW's communications branch and Baron Rudolf Von Gersdorff chief of intelligence on the staff of Army Group Centre on theEastern Front. Thus through LUCY the GRU penetrated German General Staff .Scarcely ten hours passed between taking of a decision by OKW and its receipt in Moscow which means the decision was known to STAVKA(Soviet High Command)even before it came to the notice of German field commanders .This was intelligence windfall of the first order which had no parallels anytime in history. The operation of Soviet spy networks helped Red Army to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat .War began disastrously for the Russians .If only Stalin had heeded to the warnings of Red Orchestra of about impending German attack ,Wehrmacht could have been stopped on its tracks . The book contains some startling revelations .This pertains to Operation Case Blue launched on June 28,1942 by Wehrmacht .Mr .Tarrant has debunked the claim of leading historians of the war on Eastern Front who said Stalin again ignored intelligence warnings and was responsible for the destruction of South -Western front with the enemy reaching the banks of Volga at Stalingrad.Author has shown that Stavka was aware of German intentions thanks to Red Orchestra .Entire ten pages of Hitler"s Directive No:41 setting out the strategic intention of summer offensive was transmitted to Moscow by an agent working for LUCY ring .This enabled Stalin and his generals to devise a strategy by which Germans were lured deep into the Soviet territory .In military parlance this is know as elastic or mobile defence ,Soviet pincers closed and German 6th Army under Von Paulus was trapped at Stalingrad . Knowledge bestows power and intelligence represents highest form of knowledge .Soviet foreknowledge of German intentions helped Red Army to parry enemy blows .This was precisely what happened during Operation Citadel .Thanks again to LUCY, Red Army was able to blunt the German drive to pinch out the Kursk Bulge .Some what strange it looks thatSoviet histriography of war has virtually ignored the contribution of Red Orchestra in that country's victory over Nazi Germany .On the contrary author under the chapter ,"Ultra Myth " has reproached attempts made by some historians in the West to belittle its role. By the end of 1943, Red Orchestra networks were all dead ,snuffed out in a massive counter -intelligence operation launched by Abwehr and Gestapo.LUCY's sources too perished due to purge unleashed by Nazi regime against senior Commanders of German Officer Corps for their attempt to assassinate Hitler on July20th 1944.However by this time the tide of war on theSoviet front had changed ,Red Army began its inexorable advance towards Berlin . Based on solid ,painstaking research ,this book I rate the best read in recent times Author has shed new light on the war in the Eastern Front ignored by historians in the West for which he needs to be felicitated .Now it appears the history of Soviet-German war needs revision ,reinterpretation.

This is a large book, printed on quality paper. The progression is chronological, right from the beginnings of Rome, to modern times. In terms of architecture, the book seems to concentrate on a few select buildings, and show these using stunning photographs of both exteriors and interiors. The emphasis is very much on the details of masonry and sculpture. As for the art, there are countless clear representations of the masterpieces of the city. Having been in the city a few times, this book adds so much value, firstly by showing me reminders of the places and objects I have seen, and secondly by exposing the interiors of buildings usually closed to the casual visitor.

The reason why I rated this four stars instead of five, is because the book could have covered more buildings of Rome, and all in all, the architecture side seems a little poorer than the art side. Further, the contents of the Vatican museums are not given enough justice.

Overall however, this is the sort of book one would expect to find in the reference section of a top class library, and yet it is a bargain. It is an excellent overview of Rome, and a good starting point for those who want to go further in their study of the topics covered. At this price you will not be disappointed, and I recommend this work.

You may have to reinforce the legs of you coffee table to hold this book but it will be worth it. Incredibbly beautiful photography of the city and its treasures. Close up views or art works and architectural details that few books cover. (This book is remainder priced at certain bookstores.)

I loved the pictures! The text was very helpful even for a seasoned traveler.

The difficulty of coming to a view of Sade is that he represents several things of widely different value. (1) As a man who routinely victimized people less powerful than himself, he deserves contempt. (2) To the extent that he suffered as a result of what he wrote, he deserves sympathy. (3) As a litmus test for intellectual freedom, he continues to challenge us today. (4) Sade's Crimes of Love, which includes a brief preface considering the history and theory of the novel, shows him to be a student of fiction and a practitioner who, though perhaps not of the first rank, can write entertaining stories; in this mode, he deserves respect.

Possibly taking for granted that the reader knows all about the first mode, and admiring him in the second and third, Annie Le Brun gives him passionate, perhaps excessive, praise in the fourth.

Le Brun presents Sade as driven to search for the truth, however politically incorrect, about human motives and human relations. He goes the Enlightenment one better: not content with his contemporaries' unmasking of the deceptions of religion, he proceeds to unmask their backstops in economics, convention, public opinion, ideology, law, and government.

In A Treatise of Human Nature (1739), Hume declares with straightforward good humor that reason is the servant of the passions and can never be anything else. Sade plays out the implications of seeing this, and those of refusing to see it: everything that happens in the human world is driven by the personal desires (acknowledged or disguised) of the people involved, plus chance--but we are surrounded by constant efforts to wrap veils of hypocrisy around this fact.

Sade is out to cut those veils away. He insists that we are a part of, not above, nature. He focuses on sex as the field of our most powerful, and most veiled, desires. Through literary means ranging from philosophical discourse to shock therapy, he wants to make us face the reality of the physical world (and the reality of our own wishes) and reject the high-sounding abstractions that issued, before Sade's eyes, in the free use of the guillotine. Le Brun notes that Sade opposed capital punishment, at considerable risk to his own head. (To suggest the kind of argument he might have made: when a government denies its citizens the right to kill but claims that right for itself, it is claiming to stand above the people--when in fact it is a creature of the people and its "moral authority" is only power, the combination of majority rule and force.)

For Le Brun, Sade's mission is to free us to face the facts of spontaneous, individual human desire and its fate in the world of nature. This drive to clarity makes him a worthy member of a tradition that includes Machiavelli, La Rochefoucauld, Nietzsche, Freud, Rimbaud, and the surrealists. We might also add Stanley Milgram, whose book Obedience to Authority shows how fragile is the veneer of enlightened morality in the life of everyday people.

Le Brun considers earlier critics of Sade, pointing out how they shy away from, or bury under "blind erudition," certain aspects of his work. She herself occasionally falls into obscurity, and the translation suffers a bit from lack of close proofreading. But these flaws are minor beside the surprises and insights that appear on nearly every page. The book makes a passionate, if not entirely convincing, case for Sade as one of the greatest French writers, one whose challenge those who want to live without veils must face. It gets five stars, not because it is necessarily right, but because it is the work of a writer for whom writing is life itself.

What those approaching Sade need to understand is that, of the books written about him, many are hostile towards him and very few treat his ideas in any depth: the fact that he was a philosopher, even a theologian, is simply ignored. What cannot be ignored by any writer about Sade, however, was his devastating attack on all conventional values. And for the philosophically naive who have never considered that their own system of values represents only one possible system, and that not perhaps the best, Sade's attack has always proved unforgivable. In other words, the student of Sade must be prepared to find that many of the people who write about Sade see neither Sade as philosopher nor Sade as writer - they see only Sade as scoundrel.

Sade is loathed by Christians for having relentlessly exposed the puerilities and absurdities of Christian belief. He is also loathed by those in the grip of an egalitarian ideology which absurdly supposes that all people are equal, when nothing could be more obvious than that people are highly unequal, and who therefore cannot forgive Sade for being an aristocrat and acting like one. He is loathed by many for being a 'libertine;' for, in other words, not suppressing the sexual side of his nature like everyone else. He is loathed too by the conventional and pusillanimous who despise him for being a man of bold and independent thought who dared to think differently. He is also, of course, disliked by people who simply don't understand him. Take away the Christians, the egalitarians, the puritans, the narrow-minded, and the unimaginative and literal-minded, and very few are left.

Of those who do not actively detest Sade, I have found only a handful who may be said to have made successful attempts to bring the real Sade before us. Among them I would count Annie Le Brun, Rikki Ducornet, Octavio Paz, Yukio Mishima, Guy Endore, Thomas Moore, and Jean Pelhan (though there are occasional fine observations in others).

Le Brun's book, originally published as 'Soudain un bloc d'abime, Sade,' 1986, is to my mind the single finest study of Sade that we have yet seen. It provides a sympathetic and thorough confrontation with Sade, and with the full implications of Sade. If you have time for only one critical study of Sade, it should be that of Annie Le Brun.

Annie Le Brun is clearly the most thoughtful and honest interpreter of the Marquis de Sade extant. Beyond all the other books written on Sade during these past several decades, SADE: A SUDDEN ABYSS not only provides a cogent vision of Sade, how he worked and why he wrote his many books and plays, but explains why we moderns have had such a difficult time in accepting him for what he expressed -- not what critics too often impune that he expressed. With Annie Le Brun we now have a vehicle to return to Sade and to read him, not so much without preconception, but by way of recognizing whatever preconceptions we throw up so as to obscure our enounter with him. The title to Le Brun's book is also precise to its intent -- to open up, for anyone who dares to read him thoroughly, the moral abyss of a world he attacked with such vehemence, erotism, irony and humor, and which remains our world. SADE: A SUDDEN ABYSS is book of intelligence and courage. If you are at all interested in Sade or, more generally, in the relationship of thought to the body, I urge you to read Annie Le Brun's SADE: A SUDDEN ABYSS.

Cortazar seizes the heart, the throat, the gut... every part of the body. As with most great poetry, critical and interpretive words will not suffice; poetry must speak for itself. Cortazar's simplicity and force lies in its ability to speak volumes all on its own. From his insistent "I accept this destiny of ironed shirts,/I get to the movies on time, I give my seat to old ladies." in "The Good Boy" to his exquisitely simple, "Everything I'd want from you/is finally so little/ because finally it's everything", Cortazar describes simply what it is to feel.

Most importantly, this book is in Spanish and English, so linguistic purists will be able to compare the original with the translation (which for me is also the mark of an excellent book.)

julio cortazar's poems are truly great. they're simple, beautiful and sad. i recommend anybody who loves or likes poetry to read this book. i keep coming back to cortazar's poems all the time. his poems are written very beautifully. like this line " i was a tango lyric to your indifferent tune."

... if you're dreaming, if you're breathing air or poetry. This book will make you want to write, it'll make you want to read it again and again, it'll sometimes leave you speechless and breathless, and some other times eager to go and tell others to read it. I must have read it as a whole at least eight times and some poems must've entered through my eyes at least 30 times. And I always return to it. It feels like home.