- Reviews of books published by Editions Bibliotekos -
Midwest Book Review, June 2013.
This review is for: Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubt (paperback).
“Gentle, thoughtful, and introspective, Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubtis highly recommended; each offering prompts the reader to linger and consider matters far larger than any one individual.”
~
Anne Whitehouse on Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubt
“The poems and short stories in Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubt probe their subjects with a delicate and sensitive scalpel. “Access Closed” by Joey Dean Hale offers a poignant portrait of a man “without an original idea” who, in his estrangement from his family and his faith, retains a stubborn nobility.“Padre Raimundo’s Army” by Arthur Powers is a shining parable about the triumph of faith and goodness over inhumanity. In Patty Somlo’s “Since Letitia Williams Saw Jesus,” a woman sees a vision, passes it on, and in so doing, loses it. But perhaps her deepest faith resides in what she pretends to see in the hopes that it will appear. This is a thought-provoking and eclectic collection that memorably explores contradictory truths, lies, and enigmas.” – Anne Whitehouse (poet and novelist, The Refrain, Blessings and Curses, Fall Love, among other books).
~
Midwest Book Review, April 2012.
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
This is a book “of . . . wistful short stories . . . exploring the connections between humans and the natural world. From the inspirations offered by animals, to contemplation of the breathtaking wonder of nature as well as its severe cruelty, these stories offer a transcendent glimpse of man’s role in the greater scheme of things. The result is a captivating anthology that induces quiet reflection in the mind’s eye of the reader.”
~
5 Stars on Amazon: Being Human: The Dichotomy of the Human Psyche, February 20, 2012. By Susan Behme.
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
The character development and interaction of Ida Pilcher and Shanti in the story, “Swirling Above Her Head,” was both crafty and engaging. Masterfully designed, Ida, the gritty, callous protagonist evolved into an emotionally, vulnerable and introspective individual. Additionally, I liked the way this author, Andrea Vojtko, skillfully developed the obscure Shanti as a person with the ability to console and counsel the now reliant, fragile Ida. Although a somewhat self-assured Ida “accepts” a world she didn't know, cleverly, the author leaves her audience somewhat dubious about the emotional status of Ida. This definitely is a shrewd piece of literary composition.
~
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
By Mindy Lewis, author of Life Inside: A Memoir and editor of Dirt: The Quirks, Habits and Passions of Keeping House.
“Obsession, aggression, denial, epiphany, qualms of conscience, a touch of magical realism – in these finely crafted stories, ordinary people face unforeseen sides of themselves that range from brutal to compassionate to comic, as writers from diverse cultures probe the inner lives of their characters in rural, suburban or natural environments. Whether solitary or in relationship with fellow humans or other creatures, the moments of truth faced by these protagonists seem oddly familiar, for no matter how unique their circumstances, we’ve all lived similar moments.”
~
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
By Ian S. Maloney, Ph.D., Professor of English, author of Melville’s Monumental Imagination.
“We are drawn along through humor and pathos into the complexity of human existence, our persistent questions and confusions about our origins, our ultimate place in the universe. . . Being Human wonders in the mysterious, and often whimsical, play of humanity as it interacts with, and seeks solace and identification in, nature.”
~
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon. By Andrea Vojtko [contributor].
“ . . . I encourage you to read this book; it is easy to carry around on the Metro, etc. and will provide the opportunity to think about the mysteries of nature including human nature as well as maybe having a few laughs.”
~
Midwest Book Review, April 2011.
This review is for: Battle Runes: Writings on War (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon
“War not only tears the land of where the fighting occurs apart, but pulls anything remotely near it apart. ‘Battle Runes’ is a collection of memoirs compiled by Gregory F. Tague on the effects of war on many fronts throughout the world, drawing on reflections on the effect the combat has had on them both directly and indirectly. ‘Battle Runes’ is a fine collection of thought, very highly recommended reading for those with an interest in the less pronounced effects of war.”
~
This review is for: Battle Runes: Writings on War (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon: Echoes of War, February 28, 2011. By Omer Hadžiselimović.
The short stories and poems in this anthology are an important contribution to literature about war. Viewed from many perspectives and points in time—as an overwhelming presence, memory, and presentiment—war in these texts casts a dark shadow over human life, pushing all other concerns aside and twisting the reality of peacetime out of recognition. War is one of the movers of history, and history, as Auden tells us, is “made by the criminal in us.” But while depicting or reflecting the criminality of war, the works in this anthology also offer examples of kindness, humanity, and hope. By presenting how things are, they also seem to tell us—as literature does when at its best—that that is not how things should be. For the soldier in Thom Brucie’s story “A Deepening Heart,” saving a mule’s life becomes an act of love and redemption amid the senseless killing in the Civil War. In Marko Vešović’s poem “A Deathless Moment,” two beautiful girls running across a street to avoid sniper fire in the besieged Sarajevo display a delightful, life-affirming rage at the sharpshooters. In Hunter Liguore’s story “Pieces,” a man, in unarticulated, desperate protest against continual massacres in a city, keeps picking up body parts of victims. Starved and numb to everything after what he has experienced on the Eastern Front on the eve of Germany’s final defeat, a German soldier seeks a measure of human warmth in the embrace of an old woman (John Guzlowski “The German”). In Nora Piehl’s story “Going Somewhere, or Coming Back?” a sympathetic woman in a northern Minnesota town briefly steps into the life of a veteran tormented by memories of war. These and other moments, in addition to its other qualities, make this anthology well worth reading and remembering.
~
Midwest Book Review, September 2010.
This review is for: Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon
A new country is like a new world. “Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration” is a collection of short stories from many writers as they provide a thoughtful look into immigration and what it means to be a new person in America. With differing tones and much in the way of thought for the country, “Common Boundary” is an intriguing look at immigration and provides an entertaining and thoughtful read.
5 Stars on Goodreads
5 Stars on Amazon: Memories of Home, December 9, 2010. By Nancy Riecken.
This review is for: Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration (paperback)
We are a nation of immigrants, and the stories in Common Boundary are stories we can identify with. This excellent compilation of personal experiences invites us to share the joys and the hardships of people very much like us. Having taught English to immigrants, I have become a small part of their dream to succeed in a new land. Being the grand-daughter of immigrants, I vividly recall the stories of “home,” and therefore many of the stories in Common Boundary strike a familiar chord with my own past. As Rewa Zeinati notes in her narrative, “Beginning in the Midwest,” “I didn’t come to the United States with ten dollars in my pocket, like a lot of older immigrants, but the difference was that then, the whole family would move away and become that new place, spilling children and grandchildren who would only hear stories of their ancestors’ original homes. I, on the other hand, came alone, with a lot more than ten bucks in my pocket, to my husband and mothering but the promise of a great future founded on good education and good health. I wonder who had it harder.” If that isn’t a clear invitation to read the stories of immigration in this book, then what other encouragement can I give? Hold your family’s past in your memory, and be sure to share with your family the rich legacy of those whose efforts made possible your opportunity to be right here, right now, in this place.
~
By Dorothee Lang, on the blog, virtualnotes, 27 July 2010.
This review is for Common Boundary. “. . . this book is a gem. . . . it’s one of the strongest anthologies i have read this year, and almost each story included moved me. there’s something deeply human about them. . . . reading and typing this now, it’s no surprise to find the word again here: identity. and of course, the state of living between languages speaks to me directly, as a german / english writer. the stories included in “Common Boundary” reach from Mexico and Beirut to South Africa, Serbia and Iran, their centre point as place of immigration is the USA. in their own way, they connect thematically and geographically to other stories i read recently, like the Cuba story collection, or the one from South Africa - so many places where people live in circumstances that makes them leave their home, and step into the insecurity of being an immigrant. one story that especially moved me was the one from an Iranian author, “Being a Foreigner” by Azarin A. Sadegh. the story starts with this line: “The day I left Iran for good in 1983, I had no idea what living as a foreigner might mean. Now I do.”
~
This review is for: Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration (paperback)
By John Guzlowski [contributor]
If you’re reading this, you probably came to America as an immigrant or your parents did or your grandparents did. You or your people came with little or very little, and the world they found was always strange and often hard and sometimes threatening. Immigrants, for the most part, don’t like to talk about those days. I know my parents didn’t. When I would ask my mother as a child what it was like when we came, she would wave me away. Like so many other immigrants, she wanted that past forgotten. Remembering that past was somehow a betrayal of what she wanted to be, an American. She wanted to be an American sharing the real American dream, the one that promises you never have to remember where you came from and how hard the passage here was. But we can’t forget those stories, shouldn’t forget them, because some time we’ll need them. They are part of our essential legacy, and they tell us that we can survive no matter how hard times are; they tell us we can keep going even when it seems like we’ll never succeed, never crawl out of the mess we’re in. Editor Gregory Tague understands how important these stories are. In Common Boundaries: Stories of Immigration, he has gathered together a collection of twenty true stories by twenty immigrants from Poland and Hungary and Mexico and Iran and Morocco and Cuba. (The two essays about Polish immigrants were written by Dagamara J. Kurcz and me.) These stories are sad and funny and heartbreaking, and they need to be read and passed down because someday we’ll need to remember what courage and hope and strength and love can really accomplish when faced with the impossible.
~
Midwest Book Review, August 2010.
5 Stars on Amazon
This review is for: Pain and Memory: Reflections on the Strength of the Human Spirit in Suffering (paperback)
Pain and suffering breed many different responses in people. “Pain and Memory: Reflections on the Strength of the Human Spirit in Suffering” is a collection . . . discussing how the human spirit can persevere . . . [and] at the same time collapse in the face of overwhelming pain, cruelty, and despair. These authors come together and give much poignant insight, and makes for a highly poignant and intriguing read. “Pain and Memory” is a choice and recommended pick.
4 Stars on Goodreads
This review is for: Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubt (paperback).
“Gentle, thoughtful, and introspective, Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubtis highly recommended; each offering prompts the reader to linger and consider matters far larger than any one individual.”
~
Anne Whitehouse on Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubt
“The poems and short stories in Puzzles of Faith and Patterns of Doubt probe their subjects with a delicate and sensitive scalpel. “Access Closed” by Joey Dean Hale offers a poignant portrait of a man “without an original idea” who, in his estrangement from his family and his faith, retains a stubborn nobility.“Padre Raimundo’s Army” by Arthur Powers is a shining parable about the triumph of faith and goodness over inhumanity. In Patty Somlo’s “Since Letitia Williams Saw Jesus,” a woman sees a vision, passes it on, and in so doing, loses it. But perhaps her deepest faith resides in what she pretends to see in the hopes that it will appear. This is a thought-provoking and eclectic collection that memorably explores contradictory truths, lies, and enigmas.” – Anne Whitehouse (poet and novelist, The Refrain, Blessings and Curses, Fall Love, among other books).
~
Midwest Book Review, April 2012.
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
This is a book “of . . . wistful short stories . . . exploring the connections between humans and the natural world. From the inspirations offered by animals, to contemplation of the breathtaking wonder of nature as well as its severe cruelty, these stories offer a transcendent glimpse of man’s role in the greater scheme of things. The result is a captivating anthology that induces quiet reflection in the mind’s eye of the reader.”
~
5 Stars on Amazon: Being Human: The Dichotomy of the Human Psyche, February 20, 2012. By Susan Behme.
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
The character development and interaction of Ida Pilcher and Shanti in the story, “Swirling Above Her Head,” was both crafty and engaging. Masterfully designed, Ida, the gritty, callous protagonist evolved into an emotionally, vulnerable and introspective individual. Additionally, I liked the way this author, Andrea Vojtko, skillfully developed the obscure Shanti as a person with the ability to console and counsel the now reliant, fragile Ida. Although a somewhat self-assured Ida “accepts” a world she didn't know, cleverly, the author leaves her audience somewhat dubious about the emotional status of Ida. This definitely is a shrewd piece of literary composition.
~
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
By Mindy Lewis, author of Life Inside: A Memoir and editor of Dirt: The Quirks, Habits and Passions of Keeping House.
“Obsession, aggression, denial, epiphany, qualms of conscience, a touch of magical realism – in these finely crafted stories, ordinary people face unforeseen sides of themselves that range from brutal to compassionate to comic, as writers from diverse cultures probe the inner lives of their characters in rural, suburban or natural environments. Whether solitary or in relationship with fellow humans or other creatures, the moments of truth faced by these protagonists seem oddly familiar, for no matter how unique their circumstances, we’ve all lived similar moments.”
~
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
By Ian S. Maloney, Ph.D., Professor of English, author of Melville’s Monumental Imagination.
“We are drawn along through humor and pathos into the complexity of human existence, our persistent questions and confusions about our origins, our ultimate place in the universe. . . Being Human wonders in the mysterious, and often whimsical, play of humanity as it interacts with, and seeks solace and identification in, nature.”
~
This review is for: Being Human: Call of the Wild (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon. By Andrea Vojtko [contributor].
“ . . . I encourage you to read this book; it is easy to carry around on the Metro, etc. and will provide the opportunity to think about the mysteries of nature including human nature as well as maybe having a few laughs.”
~
Midwest Book Review, April 2011.
This review is for: Battle Runes: Writings on War (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon
“War not only tears the land of where the fighting occurs apart, but pulls anything remotely near it apart. ‘Battle Runes’ is a collection of memoirs compiled by Gregory F. Tague on the effects of war on many fronts throughout the world, drawing on reflections on the effect the combat has had on them both directly and indirectly. ‘Battle Runes’ is a fine collection of thought, very highly recommended reading for those with an interest in the less pronounced effects of war.”
~
This review is for: Battle Runes: Writings on War (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon: Echoes of War, February 28, 2011. By Omer Hadžiselimović.
The short stories and poems in this anthology are an important contribution to literature about war. Viewed from many perspectives and points in time—as an overwhelming presence, memory, and presentiment—war in these texts casts a dark shadow over human life, pushing all other concerns aside and twisting the reality of peacetime out of recognition. War is one of the movers of history, and history, as Auden tells us, is “made by the criminal in us.” But while depicting or reflecting the criminality of war, the works in this anthology also offer examples of kindness, humanity, and hope. By presenting how things are, they also seem to tell us—as literature does when at its best—that that is not how things should be. For the soldier in Thom Brucie’s story “A Deepening Heart,” saving a mule’s life becomes an act of love and redemption amid the senseless killing in the Civil War. In Marko Vešović’s poem “A Deathless Moment,” two beautiful girls running across a street to avoid sniper fire in the besieged Sarajevo display a delightful, life-affirming rage at the sharpshooters. In Hunter Liguore’s story “Pieces,” a man, in unarticulated, desperate protest against continual massacres in a city, keeps picking up body parts of victims. Starved and numb to everything after what he has experienced on the Eastern Front on the eve of Germany’s final defeat, a German soldier seeks a measure of human warmth in the embrace of an old woman (John Guzlowski “The German”). In Nora Piehl’s story “Going Somewhere, or Coming Back?” a sympathetic woman in a northern Minnesota town briefly steps into the life of a veteran tormented by memories of war. These and other moments, in addition to its other qualities, make this anthology well worth reading and remembering.
~
Midwest Book Review, September 2010.
This review is for: Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration (paperback)
5 Stars on Amazon
A new country is like a new world. “Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration” is a collection of short stories from many writers as they provide a thoughtful look into immigration and what it means to be a new person in America. With differing tones and much in the way of thought for the country, “Common Boundary” is an intriguing look at immigration and provides an entertaining and thoughtful read.
5 Stars on Goodreads
5 Stars on Amazon: Memories of Home, December 9, 2010. By Nancy Riecken.
This review is for: Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration (paperback)
We are a nation of immigrants, and the stories in Common Boundary are stories we can identify with. This excellent compilation of personal experiences invites us to share the joys and the hardships of people very much like us. Having taught English to immigrants, I have become a small part of their dream to succeed in a new land. Being the grand-daughter of immigrants, I vividly recall the stories of “home,” and therefore many of the stories in Common Boundary strike a familiar chord with my own past. As Rewa Zeinati notes in her narrative, “Beginning in the Midwest,” “I didn’t come to the United States with ten dollars in my pocket, like a lot of older immigrants, but the difference was that then, the whole family would move away and become that new place, spilling children and grandchildren who would only hear stories of their ancestors’ original homes. I, on the other hand, came alone, with a lot more than ten bucks in my pocket, to my husband and mothering but the promise of a great future founded on good education and good health. I wonder who had it harder.” If that isn’t a clear invitation to read the stories of immigration in this book, then what other encouragement can I give? Hold your family’s past in your memory, and be sure to share with your family the rich legacy of those whose efforts made possible your opportunity to be right here, right now, in this place.
~
By Dorothee Lang, on the blog, virtualnotes, 27 July 2010.
This review is for Common Boundary. “. . . this book is a gem. . . . it’s one of the strongest anthologies i have read this year, and almost each story included moved me. there’s something deeply human about them. . . . reading and typing this now, it’s no surprise to find the word again here: identity. and of course, the state of living between languages speaks to me directly, as a german / english writer. the stories included in “Common Boundary” reach from Mexico and Beirut to South Africa, Serbia and Iran, their centre point as place of immigration is the USA. in their own way, they connect thematically and geographically to other stories i read recently, like the Cuba story collection, or the one from South Africa - so many places where people live in circumstances that makes them leave their home, and step into the insecurity of being an immigrant. one story that especially moved me was the one from an Iranian author, “Being a Foreigner” by Azarin A. Sadegh. the story starts with this line: “The day I left Iran for good in 1983, I had no idea what living as a foreigner might mean. Now I do.”
~
This review is for: Common Boundary: Stories of Immigration (paperback)
By John Guzlowski [contributor]
If you’re reading this, you probably came to America as an immigrant or your parents did or your grandparents did. You or your people came with little or very little, and the world they found was always strange and often hard and sometimes threatening. Immigrants, for the most part, don’t like to talk about those days. I know my parents didn’t. When I would ask my mother as a child what it was like when we came, she would wave me away. Like so many other immigrants, she wanted that past forgotten. Remembering that past was somehow a betrayal of what she wanted to be, an American. She wanted to be an American sharing the real American dream, the one that promises you never have to remember where you came from and how hard the passage here was. But we can’t forget those stories, shouldn’t forget them, because some time we’ll need them. They are part of our essential legacy, and they tell us that we can survive no matter how hard times are; they tell us we can keep going even when it seems like we’ll never succeed, never crawl out of the mess we’re in. Editor Gregory Tague understands how important these stories are. In Common Boundaries: Stories of Immigration, he has gathered together a collection of twenty true stories by twenty immigrants from Poland and Hungary and Mexico and Iran and Morocco and Cuba. (The two essays about Polish immigrants were written by Dagamara J. Kurcz and me.) These stories are sad and funny and heartbreaking, and they need to be read and passed down because someday we’ll need to remember what courage and hope and strength and love can really accomplish when faced with the impossible.
~
Midwest Book Review, August 2010.
5 Stars on Amazon
This review is for: Pain and Memory: Reflections on the Strength of the Human Spirit in Suffering (paperback)
Pain and suffering breed many different responses in people. “Pain and Memory: Reflections on the Strength of the Human Spirit in Suffering” is a collection . . . discussing how the human spirit can persevere . . . [and] at the same time collapse in the face of overwhelming pain, cruelty, and despair. These authors come together and give much poignant insight, and makes for a highly poignant and intriguing read. “Pain and Memory” is a choice and recommended pick.
4 Stars on Goodreads
