This is actually a good book to learn about what makes a photo a winner. I may try entering some online photo contests, but even for someone with no interest in contests, the book does a very nice job of displaying great photos and pointing out what made them work. It is more educational than you might expect from the title. 
Enright is an excellent writer in the tradition of great Irish storytellers. Her original style and insights make this book worth reading, but not one of her best. It lost some steam midway through.
A novel told in a series of short stories. It is a war, it is Vietnam, it is ugly, it is surreal, it is real. O'Brien has written a book that will stop you in your tracks. Devastating and tender, it is simply superb.
A very basic book on photo composition that is flawed by the author's insistence of only using his own photos as examples. It comes off as more of a promotion for the author than a real educational tool. It would have been great to show examples of various photographer's different use of composition techniques.
The author claims that Joan of Arc was the greatest woman in history and after reading this book, I don't disagree. Many have written about this amazing woman, but this novel brings to life the young girl who lead an army. Cutter sticks to historical facts as she imagines Joan's life in this novel. It quickly becomes a page-turner even though we all know the story. The author has a wonderful style and the ability to involve the reader into what is perhaps the most real retelling of this tale. It is blunt and gruesome in parts, but how could it not be describing that period in time. An excellent book!
This short book of poetry (21 pages) is a stirring collection of Hughes poems about America. He notes the disconnection of the land of the free not being free for blacks, but remains optimistic that America can be what it dreams. Langston Hughes is one of America's great poets and this short collection reflects his wonderful skills as a writer.
There are so many great books, but this one stands out among them for me. Calvino has a spectacular mind and an ability to express himself in the most fascinating ways. He seems to define creativity in this book. This short book encompasses a vast array of thoughts about how we see and experience the world. By focusing on different visions of a city, in this case, Venice, the author playfully examines the interaction of humans with cities. Marco Polo sits in deep discussions with Kublai Khan...how can this book not intrigue the reader? This book belongs on my desert island list.
One of Japan's greatest writers tells a complex tale in this classic book. In a very simple and elegant style, deep emotions and complex human relationships are uncovered. The Japanese tea ceremony is a focal point and provides a contrast between a deeply calm, reflective space and the many ways humans disturb that seemingly simple state. Deceptively short in length, this book tells a deeply complex story with many surprises for the reader.
This book surprised me. I liked it much more than I expected to. Patti Smith is a wonderful writer and tells us about a fascinating period in her life. This autobiographical novel depicts the development of two artists, her and Robert Mapplethorpe, as they seek fame and expression in New York City in the 1970s. It is a very touching story of friendship and mutual support for artist creativity. The book also covers the craziness of two young people dedicated to their art while trying to make it in a harsh city. Filled with many famous people, the book remains true to itself by remaining the tale of two kids holding to their visions. 
I don't know that I have ever read anything by Stegner that wasn't beautifully written and engaging. This book is no exception. A simple tale of the frienship of two couples over a period of time, Stegner as usual, is able to create a story that stimulates the reader with his great writing style and ability to create great characters. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and found myself smiling at passages expertly composed and drawing into the book. Another fine example of what made Stegner one of America's great writers.
I might as well say, right from the jump: it wasn't my usual kind of job. I like to work alone, in my own clean, silent, well-lit labratory, where the climate is controlled and everything I need is right at hand. It's true I have developed a reputation as someone who can work effectively out of the lab, when I have to, when the museums don't want to pay the travel insurance on a piece, or when private collectors don't want anyone to know exactly what it is that they own.
The Lemon Table is a collection of short stories about aging. Barnes is inventive with these stories and they are a pleasure to read. Both amusing and thought-provoking, it is a great collection by a great writer. These stories are so rich in the breadth of emotion and originality that they often feel like individual novels more than short stories.
This book is laid out in a question and answer format and covers a broad range of questions about suicide. I found it very informative and is a book well worth reading, especially by anyone touched by suicide. I was surprised how little I understood some aspects of suicide and some of the myths that I gave some creedence.
How does one explain the inexplicable? Make sense of the senseless? Speak about the unspeakable? When someone you know and love dies by suicide, these and many more questions--an avalance of questions--take over your life. Suicide is a death like no other. It is deliberate and chosen. Is it rational? Rarely. Desparate? Always. Ignited by internal pain, suffering and absense of hope? Almost always. And it always leaves behind a legacy of mystery and devastation. Suicide touches you and you are never the same. This is an excellent book for those touched by suicide. In a very straight-forward style it presents a lots of information, dispels many myths, and provides comfort for those surviving. I like the casual format with a lot of first person stories.
