The Centaur in the Garden (THE AMERICAS)

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Wonderful and Satisfying Fable Ever Told

Great book

A magical masterpiece of Brazilian literature

We, brazilians, have indeed great writers

Simply put: amazing!

The Centaur in the Garden (THE AMERICAS)
Moacyr Scliar
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0299187845

Book Description

A masterpiece of magical realism by one of Brazil’s most celebrated novelists.

The Wisconsin edition is for sale only in the United States

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful and Satisfying Fable Ever Told.......2004-02-14

This book written by Moacyr Scliar can be hard to find. I happened to come across it by accident when browsing books at the bookstore. The moderately popular book, "Max and the Cats", attracted me but it appeared too short for me. I wanted something more substantial to read. So, I searched for other books and this one was the other novel available. All other novels by Scliar are out-of-print. You can however get his other books probably through another library if your library does not own it.

It would be unfair to go beyond the description of the novel. So, I will start with the main character, Guedali Tartakowsky, who is a centaur born into a normal Jewish family. Amazingly, his family tries everything so that he fits into their small community. There are clashes with other people as Guedali wants to escape the safety of his family to meet others. It may seem a little mystical and ridiculous. But, Guedali is not so unlike everyone else who must find himself by living on his own. Many of the qualities in Guedali shows how much more human than us. He may have hooves but his emotions and longing to be accepted and thoughts about growing up normal.

Our reaction to deformities resonates strongly in today's society. If we could change things like remove a large mold, then would it significantly change our life for the better? In most cases, the answer is yes and who knows if the mold was malignant. But, what if it is not so bad and everyone around doesn't mind it. Would you risk changing it for other people who feel uncomfortable? That may be a complete simplification of Guedali's problem but you see where I am going...

So many issues are addressed about knowing yourself. What makes you happy? How do you deal with matters of your identity as a Jew? Who are really your friends or enemies? How does society deal with such deformities? Do other people with this deformity handle daily situations? Scliar deals with all of these issues with a good balance between humor and seriousness. This version is a good translation and no real problems in reading this English print.

Great book.......2003-09-09

I read Scliar's columns in the newspapers regularly, but this was the first of his novels that I read. Scliar has recently been accepted to the ABL (Brazilian Academy of Literature) and while reading about him I came across several people's opinions on this book saying it was one of his best work. I can't really compare it to any other book he wrote, however I can say that this story kept me interested from beginning to end. The interesting thing is how the character tries so hard to fit into society, in spite of his "handicap" which cannot be easily hidden. I kept thinking about how I would react if I were in his situation, with the same "problem". When you think that nothing else will happen, there's a nice twist in the end. This is a great book. I recommend it.

A magical masterpiece of Brazilian literature.......2001-05-01

"The Centaur in the Garden" is a superb novel by Brazilian writer Moacyr Scliar. The text has been translated from Portuguese into English by Margaret A. Neves. This brilliant fantasy describes the life of Guedali Tartakovsky, who is born to a Russian Jewish family that has emigrated to Brazil. The family is shocked when, at the baby's birth, they discover that he is a centaur: a being who is human from the waist up, but who possesses a horse's four-legged body below.

The novel's hero thus enters the world marked as an outsider. As his life unfolds, we see his quest to educate himself, to embrace his Jewish identity, to experience sex, to find love, and ultimately to determine his place in the world. Along the way are many stunning surprises--for both Guedali and the reader.

"Centaur" seems to me to exemplify the concept of "magical realism." The book deftly blends elements of fantasy, science fiction, and social satire. Scliar explores many types of relationship: between European and Native American, Jew and Gentile, man and woman, parent and child. This is a deeply moving, truly brilliant novel by one of the most extraordinary voices in Latin American literature.

We, brazilians, have indeed great writers.......2000-07-20

The story is about a person who is born as a centaur. It may seem foolish and nonsense, but it isn't. The book deals with the problems any "human being" half hoarse would sufer. Telling you more of the story would take the enjoyment out.

It is great: the reader will imidiatively see that he is a centaur himself. How? The society demands us to be padronized, identical with each other, but we just can't and shouldn't! We are different, no matter how we try being as our neighbor, in other words, each of us are centaurs in same way. We must have our diferencies (unfortunetlty, some people want to be the same as the "majority", the so called "normal people"). That's the meaning of the book.

(You americans should try reading books from authors of my country. Then you'll find out how rich and great our literature is.)

Simply put: amazing!.......1999-12-12

What a book. That's one of those books that keep you turning the pages rapidly, until you get to the end. But then you just have to take another look at the first pages, and before you know it you are in the middle of a second round. The main character tells his story retrospectively, starting from the night a winged horse flew over his parents house at the time of his birth - a Jewish Centaur somewhere in Brazil. His parents are terrified at first, but afterwards he is grown as a regular... well, centaur. It's no use even trying to tell anything of this strange, fascinating book. Two things, however, are certain: this is a book that you will be thinking about for a long, long time, and this is NOT a children's book. Read it. If I can't convince you... well, imagine yourself living your life without knowing that "One hundred years of solitude" existed. What a loss.

The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Other Poets (Shambhala Centaur Editions)

Average customer rating:

The Sound of Enlightenment in Few Words
Wonderful!!!

The Sound of Water: Haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, and Other Poets (Shambhala Centaur Editions)

Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1570620199
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Book Description

Here are more than two hundred of the best haiku of Japanese literature translated by one of America’s premier poet-translators. The haiku is one of the most popular and widely recognized poetic forms in the world. In just three lines a great haiku presents a crystalline moment of image, emotion, and awareness. This illustrated collection includes haiku by the great masters from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century.

Customer Reviews:

The Sound of Enlightenment in Few Words.......2004-04-28

Oh, such a delightful book! The title is taken from one
of my favourites by Basho beautifully and interestingly
translated as:

At the ancient pond
a frog plunges into
the sound of water

The book has over two hundred treasures. Buy copies
for your friends and don't forget one for yourself!

Wonderful!!!.......2003-11-08

I've been a fan of Basho and the others since I was in college. They have such a wonderful way of capturing the subtlties of nature in their poems and the haikus in this little book are no exception. It amazes me how with so few words so much activitiy and imagery can be conveyed. The Great Mystery is captured through these haiku. The book is small, about 4"x4" which is a nice size to take on a walk.

Here are a couple to sample:

At a roadside shrine,
before the stony buddha
a firefly burns

The clouds come and go,
providing a rest for all
the moon viewers

Book Description

Dor agreed to act as King of Xanth so long as Trent was gone for a week. But the weeks passed and Trent did not return. Dor knew he had to rescue his king but with no magic powers, how could it be done...?

Download Description

Dor agreed to act as King of Xanth so long as Trent was gone for a week.

The weeks passed and Trent did not return. Dor knew he had to rescue his king but, with no magic powers, how could it be done?

The magic of Xanth was useless in Mundania -- until Dor tried honesty!

Customer Reviews:

Dor and Irene are growing up.......2007-05-29

Dor is growing up and King Trent is providing him with occasional opportunities to practice his Kingship skills as we all know from previous books that Dor is the designated heir for King Trent. So, at the beginning of the book, King Trent informs Dor that he will be going on a secret trade mission to Mundania and Dor needs to take over the Kingship while Trent is away. To camouflage everything, Trent tells everyone that he and Iris are taking a long needed vacation. The whole absence is supposed to be for only a week.

Dor takes over and finds out that being a King is not as easy as it seems. As a matter of fact, there are implications and complications for every seemingly minor decision that is brought to Dor's attention. So, Dor does the best he can and seems to do a fair job of it especially since his magical talent is very helpful! The week passes by and Dor is ready the give up his throne ... but Trent does not return!!!

Another two weeks pass by and Dor is beside himself with worry. Not only that, but Trent's daughter Irene is also sick with worry and since she is Dor's constant companion, it is hard for him to ignore the issue. Another factor that complicates life is that Dor is now 16 and Irene is 15 and she is developing into quite a beautiful girl while Dor is also developing into a man and is starting to notice that Irene has developed in some very interesting shapes and intriguing ways!

Finally, Dor and Irene cannot stand it any more and they resolve to search out where Trent is and rescue him if necessary. But, another complication arises, it seems that a new Magician has been detected in the very south of Xanth and that needs to be investigated immediately. This is especially important since the furthest southern point of Xanth is inhabited by Centaurs - it is called Centaur Isle - who believe that magic is obscene. With the potential complications of all of this, Dor and Irene collect their friends (Chester the Centaur, Grundy the Golem, and Smash the Ogre) and go off to check out what is going on in the south.

As is usual with Xanth stories, there are many marvelous and dangerous creatures that are encountered and many situations where the play on words leads to some wonderful imagery (for instance, light bulbs are planted in the fields and the brightest bulbs are the most desirable). In this case, Centaur Isle leads to the magic-infused Centaur whose magical talent is the creation of an aisle of magic in front and behind him. In other words, a Centaur Aisle! Dor is also a very creative speller and many people use this attribute when giving him hints. For instance, Trent tells Dor to always rely on his Honesty when needing to make a decision on where to do. This does not make sense to anyone until Dor writes it down as ONESTI which then is revealed as a kingdom in Mundania!

Adventure after adventure result and the happy crew goes from discovering the magical Centaur to finding where Trent and Iris are being held captive. It takes quite a bit of ingenuity and inventiveness on the part of Dor, Irene and Grundy to find Trent and Iris and release them and then set the world aright.

This is a standard Xanth book in its creativity, its word play, and its humor. The storyline itself is dead-serious of course, and the resolution leads to many other possible followups. It is a very enjoyable and quick read - a perfect story for the beach or if you are a commuter!

Centaur Isle.......2005-10-28

Genre: Fantasy

Three sentence summary: A man, a young woman, a golem, an orge, and a centaur go out into the "wilderness" to find their lost king. The man's name is Dor, he goes looking for the king because the land of Xanth, a magical place, needs him. He is a substitute for hte king which is to overwhelming fro him.

What I most liked about the book: It kept you reading. The book's problems, when shown to you, are very unexspected.

What I didn't like and why: I didn't like it when the party went into the "real" world. I would much rather a total fantasy book.

My favorite character and why: Irene is my favorite character because she's beautiful and stubburn. She dosen't let anyone boss her around.

The scene, line, or passage that meant something to me and why(page #): "...He resented their dastardly deed that had ripped him from his contented existence and made him an exile." Pg.175 This quote describes a centaur that has just found out terrible news but he makes the most of it, that's why I like this quote.

What I would say about this book to someone else: It's daring and a romance story. It's exciting and about truth.

One question I have after reading this book: Did Dor and Irene get married?

My strongest reason for recommending this book: It is a good book, it dosen't give away the answer until the end. And, it is a fantasy.

Centaur Aisle is a great book........2005-05-05

I highly recommend this book! I have read most of the Xanth Series by Mr. Anthony and would recommend it as a necesary step in the evolution of Xanth and the understanding of the land and its people. These are the key characters who set the stage for all of the future books. The twists in the plot and the fun of what Magic (albeit funny Magic) might be like in Mundania are hilariously, exotically absorbing and if you look at this fraom a point of view of how the stories relate back to this book you will realize how great it truly is! I know it is a little more serious and less light hearted than the first three Xanth Novels but it is exciting and fun nonetheless. I actually consider this one my pesonal favorite of the twenty some-odd titles in the series that I have read. I consider Xanth Novels as "Must Read TV" because they are so delightfully entertaining, one is able to be drawn in and can almost watch the series of events unfold. Punny or not these books are great fun and I hope everyone else has as great a time as I have had reading them. Enjoy the escape of your imagination!!

Centaur Aisle is moderately appealing book in Xanth series.......2004-12-08

In this fourth book in the Xanth series by Piers Anthony, you will follow the adventures of the temporary king Dor, Princess Irene, orge Smash, the golem Grundy, and a centaur named Arnolde the Archivist. The present king, Trent, and Queen Iris have left on a secret mission and left Dor in charge of Xanth until their return. The only problem is that they DON'T return! Can Dor figure out the clues that Trent gave him to determine their location in Mundania? How will they save the royal pair -- Mundania is a place where magic does not exist! Enter a new magician in the realm of Xanth, and the impossible becomes a magical reality.

One of my favorite parts of the book would be the climatic ending battle between our heroes and the antagonists. It is not my favorite of the Xanth books, but it is notable to see how Dor changes throughout the book. The author provides a slightly different side to Queen Iris' personality at the end of the book that I appreciated when I read it again as well.

A high flying adventure!.......2004-07-17

Prince Dor has been left in charge while King Trent and Queen Iris go on a trade mission to the mysterious land of mundania.

However, something goes wrong. Trent and Iris do not return when they are suppose to and Dor is left with an upset daughter (Prinsess Irene) and the Xanth elders who all know Dor is not ready to be king.

Going against the Elders wishes Dor and Irene set off in search of Trent with an unusual magition, a half ogre, a living doll, and a pouch of magical spells, including one cursed jar of salve that makes for an interesting twist.

This adventure takes place in Xanth, Mundania present, Mundania past, and the boarder lines between Xanth and Mundania, high in the air to far beneath the ground.

Book Description

Basho is best known in the West as the author of Narrow Road to the Interior, a travel diary of linked prose and haiku that recounts his journey through the far northern provinces of Japan. This volume includes beautiful Japanese-style illustrations by Stephen Addiss.

Only Companion: Japanese Poems of Love and Longing (Shambhala Centaur Editions)

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Beautiful
Another wonderful book of translations by Hamill
Little book, lotta emotion

Only Companion: Japanese Poems of Love and Longing (Shambhala Centaur Editions)

Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0877736472
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Book Description

Written by court princesses, exiled officials, Zen priests, and recluses, the 150 poems translated here represent the rich diversity of Japan’s poetic tradition. Varying in tone from the sensuous and erotic to the profoundly spiritual, each poem captures a sense of the poignant beauty and longing known only in the fleeting experience of the moment. The translator has selected these five-line tanka—one of the great traditional verse forms of Japanese literature—from sources ranging from the classical imperial anthologies of the eighth and tenth centuries to works of the early twentieth century.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2005-07-25

The imagery of each short poem packs the tiny paragraph with meaning and richness. I read them in no particular order, sometimes reading the same poem over again, and each time I come away with some new impression or something to think about. Buy this book. You will not regret it.

Another wonderful book of translations by Hamill.......2004-07-26

An anthology of 160 tanka accompanied by lovely block prints from the 17th century. The luminous translations by Hamill capture the feelings of love and longing and make this a volume that you will return to repeatedly. Definitely a keeper!

Little book, lotta emotion.......2002-09-26

This book is a treasure of little gems. One feels a longing for cold blustery mountains, and a lover who is leaving. Each poem is nice to read and savor in small doses. Its not a book that you can read all at once. I received it as a gift years ago, and keep coming back to it.

Timely Rain: Selected Poetry of Chogyam Trungpa (Shambhala Centaur Editions)

Average customer rating:

pearls of wisdom raining in Autumn

Timely Rain: Selected Poetry of Chogyam Trungpa (Shambhala Centaur Editions)
Chogyam Trungpa
Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Buddhism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1570621748
Release Date: 1998-05-26

Book Description

Newly selected poetry from previously published and unpublished works, Timely Rain is the definitive edition of poems and sacred songs of the renowned Tibetan meditation master.

Customer Reviews:

pearls of wisdom raining in Autumn.......1999-10-28

This is a really wonderful collection of poetry. Flipping through these pages proved to be a most rewarding experience. I can not say that it will replace Whitman and Dickinson in the classroom but it is a sweet volume of Tibetan verse nevertheless. I had read Warriors Path To Enlightenment and was familiar with Trungpa through his friendship with Allen Ginsberg. This purchase was a whimsical choice and it has been duly rewarded. The poems are honest and heartfelt. There are little pearls of zen wisdom as well as some that bear the influence of Ginsberg and of Jack Kerouac. A poem like Missing The Point does anything but. I was enthralled by poems like Completely Intoxicated By You and I Miss You So Much. Trungpa seemed to possess a certain purity of thought that I admire in poetry. I would recommend this book to poetry afficianados as well as persons with an interest in Asian arts and culture. It is a fine collection.

Average customer rating:

As cliché strewn as a pie in the face from Moe Howard.
Not one of Updike's best
Just misses the mark
impressive analogy and story
Unlike Anything Else (in a good way)

The Centaur
John Updike
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0449912167
Release Date: 1996-08-27

Book Description

In a small Pennsylvania town in the late 1940s, schoolteacher George Caldwell yearns to find some meaning in his life. Alone with his teenage son for three days in a blizzard, Caldwell sees his son grow and change as he himself begins to lost touch with his life. Interwoven with the myth of Chiron, the noblest centaur, and his own relationship to Prometheus, The Centaur one of John Updike's most brilliant and unusual novels.

Customer Reviews:

As cliché strewn as a pie in the face from Moe Howard........2006-12-20

For the best literary criticism ever of John Updike's oeuvre, read the consummate piece by Florence King in her "Reflections in a Jaundiced Eye."

"Centaur" is as cliché strewn as a pie in the face from Moe Howard, with tediously long overwritten passages that scream "edit me!" Here is the Harvard-East-Coast-aesthete omphaloskepsis cabal of publishing writ so large if it isn't a conspiracy someone should claim it was anyway just to sound less stupid. "Of course we publish Updike, he went to Harvard." The Hesychasm of this Mont Athos-axis of determining what is "literature" in America has this result: dead trees, wasted ink, paper better used to wipe your cornhole.

In Updike's depressing leaden "retelling" of the Chiron myth, his cardboard characters inhabit a mothballed closet of tweedy east coast repression. Snow and arrows are the McGuffins, with death forever on the thin grey horizon of these blank lives, all destined for a void. Even sex, the usual god of the Priapus-worshiping large lit mafia, can find no purchase in the desires of hero Caldwell's dead soul. The book would be interesting if Caldwell/Chiron was not so much as heading to hell, but already there. But even that obvious improvement in dramatic tension is ignored as Updike pounds us again and again with overwritten images of futility, boredom, meaninglessness, passivity, and pointless inertia. We dream of the thousand monkeys producing better literature pecking away, occasionally hurling their Underwoods through space to smash the memory of reading this book out of our skull.

Not one of Updike's best.......2006-05-25

Praised as one of Updike's best books, The Centaur is in reality little more than a confusing and disappointing literary ego trip. Its premise is original and promising, but the novel simply does not live up to its potential. Updike is trying here to accomplish too much, and as a result he accomplishes very little. The narrative is disjointed, the characters' voices are remarkably inconsistent, and the plot drags. And the book's most fatal flaw is that it fails to communicate precisely what its message is. The reader is left with the big unanswered question of why this book is deserving of our attention. One senses that there is some deeper meaning, some profound truth trying to reveal itself. But one also wonders if maybe it's all just Updike putting a glossy wax on an otherwise unimpressive surface.

Just misses the mark.......2005-11-17

Overall, I found the plot to be just okay. However, I thought the way it was written was simply terrible. The author kept jumping tenses and points of view from page to page, and one chapter is written in a manner similiar to an obituary for a living person. However, the end of the book is what upset me the most, because the end of the story is completely altered from the Chiron myth that Updike tried to stay true to. The end of the Chiron myth is the most significant part of the myth and messing that up in my opinion is just unacceptable.

impressive analogy and story.......2005-08-02

The Centaur is one of Updike's earlier works, published when he was only 30 years old. However, the marks of his future skill are there, in the gems of wording and imagery scattered throughout the book.

The novel tells the story of George Caldwell, a self-deprecating schoolteacher who is certain he is approaching death. His world revolves around his misbehaving and unappreciative students, his domineering boss, the wife he wasn't meant to marry, his father in law, who could fall down the stairs at any time, and his scab-ridden 14-year-old son Peter.

When George and Peter spend three days together in a snowstorm, the reader is treated to a development of the relationship between father and son. We see Peter's embarrassment of his dorky dad, at the same time we see his respect and care for him. Both unusual, but thoroughly likeable characters, father and son deal with their poverty, the car problems that keep them from home, and George's medical and psychological exhaustion that make him wonder if he should continue teaching.

At the beginning and end of the story, the myths of Chiron and Prometheus are woven in, doubles for the two main characters. Those with a strong grasp of mythology may find many deeper layers to the story. Those without can skim over the mythology and still enjoy the story.

Unlike Anything Else (in a good way).......2004-09-12

This novel was one of the seven books I had to read this summer for AP English, and I must say, it was the most interesting of these seven. Written in a way I have never encountered - sometimes in the third person, sometimes in the first person, once from a future narrator, one chapter is just an obituary - the book is a brave attempt at portraying the life and acception of death of a man suffering from psychosis. Once the readers realize that George Caldwell is a psychotic, the book becomes a fascinating read - one does not need to be completely grounded in greek mythology to follow the book, which attempts to relate everything in Caldwell's life to the myths of the ancient greeks. It is extremely well-written; some descriptions left me wondering how Updike could ever have conceived of representing things in such a way. The characters are all genuine and wonderful; I recommend this book to anyone that has grown tired of traditional writing.

More Magic of Xanth/Centaur Aisle, Ogre-Ogre, Night Mare

Average customer rating:

Three for the Price of One
Three for the Price of One

More Magic of Xanth/Centaur Aisle, Ogre-Ogre, Night Mare
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0345340477

Customer Reviews:

Three for the Price of One.......2000-06-22

This is a great book to get, because it is actually three Xanth books in one. The first one, Centaur Aisle, is the fourth book in the series, and continues the mix of humorous puns, romance, and fantasy adventure as Dor is left in charge of Xanth as King Trent takes a "vacation" to Mundania (Earth). However, when the King goes missing, Dor must set out to find him, so he treks to the Southern most reaches of Xanth, the entrance to Mundania is of course to the North.

Book 5 Ogre, Ogre is a endearing tale of an Ogre who goes out on a quest, but forgets what it was he was questing for near the start of his trek. Nothing to fear though, everything works out in the end.

Three for the Price of One.......2000-06-22

Book Description

In 1948, the noted book designer and Purdue alumnus Bruce Rogers wrote a book that documented and illustrated his creation of the Centaur typeface. The book was privately printed by Rogers himself under the name of his studio, October House. This limited edition of the book was transferred to the Purdue Libraries at the time of his death along with his other papers and books. Over the years the remaining stock has found its home in the Special Collections of the Libraries. And although known as something of a collector's item by those who are aware of the few copies in circulation, it is here available to the general market for the first time. Centaur Types is a fascinating book for several reasons: in the designer's own words, we learn of the evolution of the typeface and of his interest in the art and craft of creating type; it demonstrates different and comparable typefaces, and gives examples of Centaur from six to seventy-two point; and lastly, it stands as a fitting example of fine book-making from one of the master book designers of his time.

Average customer rating:

Surreal, funny, and imaginative short-short stories and songs

Wait, You're Not A Centaur

Manufacturer: La Mano 21
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0976525526
Release Date: 2006-10-09

Product Description

A collection of 50 fifty- word stories by musician/ artist/ writer/ triathelete/ ice cream lover/ renaissance man Nate Denver. At turns scary, sweet, totally bizarre, hilarious, and always heartfelt, these 50 stories read a lot like haiku poems, except, well-- longer. Nate also did a bunch of drawings for the book, and they rule. This book also contains a full-length, 21 song CD, "Ghost Alarm", by Nate Denver's Neck (which is, strangely enough, the same guy as the author. go figure.) Introduction by Adam Jones of Tool.

Customer Reviews:

Surreal, funny, and imaginative short-short stories and songs.......2007-05-30

Despite the fact that this book's first sentence has a bad typo (an apostrophe error), it is a wonderful little book of drawings and surreal ultra-short stories that are somewhat like children's fairy tales for adults. As a bonus, there is an album by Nate Denver's Neck that is one of my top albums of all time: lo-fi, lyrical, catchy, deep, with mellow beats and interesting samples, NDN is as adept at songs as he is literary writing and drawing. Being both a book and CD, this is well worth the price. Funny, serious, surreal, honest/heartfelt, personal, and imaginative.

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