Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

What language is it in?
OK - I've mentioned this elsewhere. But this book is described as being in English. It's not. It's in Latin.
Can Amazon get their act together and CLEARLY indicate what language a book is in.

Vergil in one book
There's not much to say about this book. When one thinks of learning latin, Vergil is always an author to study. In this edition one can find the latin text for the Georgics, the Bucolics/Eclogues, and the Aeneid.

superb text, not for beginners
Before you purchase this or any other OCT, consider carefully whether you expect to need commentary or a teacher's assistance.For Vergil, if either of these is the case, Pharr's reasonably priced Aeneid 1-6 may be ideal--or at least more appropriate than the bare Latin text with notes on the manuscript tradition, which is all you will find in oxford's edition.Pharr's ample gloss and commentary make his Aeneid the best text for beginning/intermediate students of latin.For other Virgil texts, there are innumerable student editions of varying quality.Instead of wading through these, find a professor of the classics or a teacher of classical languages who will wouldn't mind offering his/her guidance.

An Excellent Edition
It would, of course, be folly of the highest order to give a critique of the Aeneid itself; by the number of years through which it has survived alone, it is justified.It is an unquestionable literary achievement,indeed, a monument of Western Civilization. This edition is a superbone for the student of Latin, although the light hearted should beware: Asone might expect from the Oxford Classical Texts, even the introduction isin Latin.Annotations abound, but they concern themselves with matters ofmanuscript conflicts. The text itself appears to be flawless and isvery readable.Moreover, for 21 dolloars this edition is an absolutebargain.I have never seen a complete Virgil for such an astounding price. (The Loeb edition is close, but one must purchase several volumes to equalthe contents of this single volume, and the Loeb forces a distractingEnglish translation upon the reader.) In short, this small, attractivebook is the ideal Vergil for students on any budget. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (27)

Great book but could have left out the present part!
Great book with good info. It's called Traditional Oil Painting: Adv. Techniques and concepts from the Renaissance to the Present, there is nothing traditional about the present... which he could have left those sections and parts out of the book and make the title be correct or just change the name to: Oil painting techniques and it might have been a less misleading title for us who like studying the real traditional style of painting.But nothing to stop you from checking this good book out. I like ol' Virgil's books!

nicee
it is very useful book for painters to understand well all about traditional painting,tells all the tecniques.i recommend to the all painters who is beginner till professional...

Excellent Review of Traditional Painting Methods
As an artist, I am always eager to extend my knowledge of traditional painting methods. This book is like an art education between two covers. Due to the limits of space, there are many details that could not be included, obviously, but the book does an admirable job in describing the various techniques of Rembrandt, Bougereau, etc., as well as supplies. Virgil uses his own work to illustrate some of the classic painting methods, which is very helpful. I have had the privilege of seeing some of his work up close (some included in the book) at one of Virgil's workshops. At an incredibly low price, this is a great reference book for any artist or individual who appreciates traditional art.

Not Just Another Paint-By-Number
If your looking for a step-by-step how to book, this is not for you. But if you want to increase your technical knowledge and build a strong understanding of art theory than this book is a must have. I would recommend this book to anyone seriously interested in pursuing the visual arts, not just oil painters.

Mr. Elliot does a good job covering the all the basics you would expect to find in a serious technical reference book without being overly verbose or pedantic. I particularly appreciated his chapter on color theory and reflected light. He covers the information in depth with easy to understand explanations and well chosen examples.

If the book is lacking anything I would have to say I wish Mr. Elliot had included a side by side comparison of pigments within the same color family and how to choose and exploit them to their best advantage. Still all in all this is the best book I have found to date on this topic.

Extremely well-written and excellent content
What I liked most about this book is the author's ability to inspire the reader to strive for a higher level in their quality of painting.As I read the book, I felt like the author was encouraging me to increase my own abilities and put forth the effort required to produce the best work I can do.

For a long time I have deceived myself into believing that I would be best served to stick with what comes easiest for me (landscape painting) instead of challenging myself to become good at other styles of painting such as portraiture and figure painting.The author advocates against falling into this trap, arguing that the best artist should become as good at painting the human form as he is at painting the environment that surrounds the human subject.Conversely, that painting people only, without learning to paint their surroundings is a mistaken practice and will not allow the artist to develop the full range of possibilities.

Not only does the author encourage us to learn techniques that have been developed over centuries by the true masters, he then teaches us how.I found his explanations of the different techniques to be very well-researched and informative, especially the sections on Rembrandt and Bouguereau and the explanations of correct glazing and scumbling.From composition to pigments, to brushes, to mediums, to canvases, there are detailed explanations of what to use and what to avoid - of how to apply the pigments correctly, and in what order.Different methods and options are also compared giving pros and cons of each.

I also felt like the author's usage of his own art work was very helpful.Along withexplanations of technique are very helpful step-by-step photographs showing the complete process.Some of the author's works shown in the book are quick studies, sketches and demonstrations, while others are finished, high-quality, beautiful paintings.

This book is not for the artist who is satisfied with mediocre technique or the artist looking for lazy shortcuts.It is not a book for the artist who is hoping to hide their lack of technical ability by pursuing a lower quality of work.The author is very clear in his assertion that great artwork can only be achieved over time through sacrifice, dedication, and intense mental effort.

In summary, there is a paragraph at the end of the 8th Chapter that I feel describes the tone of this book:

"Art is intimately tied to culture.Its special standing depends on its association with the concept of quality.Let every artist strive to uphold that standard forever, with no compromises, out of an overriding and abiding love of art."

This book is full of helpful information and I plan on using it as a resource I will go back to again and again for inspiration, motivation, and problem solving in my paintings.
... Read more

Product Description
Translated with an Introduction by David West. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

An excellent translation
I will keep this short and sweet. I am a fan of epic poetry. I have read a few different translations of the Iliad, Odyssey and the works of Dante. The Penguin translation is a great translation of a great story. the is excellent, with good notes. I was very impressed and look forward to read others to compare. For a beginner to epic poems, I recommend the Penguin as a starter.

Excellent, readable translation.
This is the translation we read in my Latin 3 class in high school when we studied Vergil. The prose was very readable and not much seemed to be lost in translation as it tends to be with poetry translations. I purchased my own copy to use for reference, and although I have read several translations of the Aeneid since my junior year of high school, this is by far my favorite. David West did an excellent job, and I loved the summaries and analyses of each of the 12 books he puts in the beginning of the text--it makes it easy to refer to. The introduction provides great historical background, and this is a great reference to use when working with the Aeneid in the original Latin. I highly recommend this to everyone interested in the Classics looking for a good read.

Get West's original translation from 1991 instead...
I've compared multiple versions of the Aeneid and West's is easily a great version, but his subtle revisions made for the new Penguin edition of 2002, do more harm then good in my opinion.

He has divided his original long paragraphs now into two or three paragraphs for this edition, has changed the order of his sentences and structure, also adding words into them.All this making it feel more "modern" and novel-like.

Don't get me wrong it definitely doesn't sound like a translation when you read it, but this version departs from the original epic form David West had created for the original Penguin Edition entitled "Seven Wonders of the World" released in 1991.

I would try to get West's original translation instead of this release.

Translation too casual for an epic poem
West translates this in prose, like a novel, probably trying to make it more accessible, but it ends up feeling too pedestrian.After reading some other translations, this one seemed the most muddy, the least readable.If you can handle the verse translations, look at Robert Fitzgerald's work.I found that much more enjoyable.

Exsquisitely Readable,Deliciously Poetic
Despite being presented in a prose format, David West's is the most poetic modern English Aeneid around. The words just keep coming, rolling and rich with inventive clarity, senuous allusions, roiling action and stirring speeches, all without the distraction of broken lines, poetic meters and awkward constructions. It has been hard for me to put down, and often hard to refrain from quoting to uninterested persons, particularly in the case of descriptions of Dido's lovesickness. A truly great translation of a great book. ... Read more

Product Description
The supreme Roman epic and the greatest poem in Latin, the Aeneidhas inspired many of the great European poets including Dante and Milton.The Trojan hero Aeneas, after surviving the sack of Troy, makes his way to the West, urged on by benevolent deities and following a destiny laid down by Jupiter, but harassed and impeded by the goddess Juno.He wins his way to Italy despite many trials, of which the greatest is the tragic outcome of his love affair with Dido, Queen of Carthage.In Italy Aeneas visits the world of the dead, and is forced to wage a fearful war with the indigenous Italian tribes before he can found his city and open the history of Rome.The Aeneid survives as a poem not only of Roman imperialism but also of the whole world of human passion, duty and suffering. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the book that revolutionized Latin textbooks, with its student-friendly format of vocabulary and notes on the same page as the Latin text, and unique pull-out vocabulary of most-often repeated words. Together, these allow for faster reading, unimpeded by the page-turning required to look up vocabulary or consult notes. Pharr's Aeneid is the all-time most popular textbook of Vergil's Aeneid. Grammatical notes are supported by a full grammatical appendix; vocabulary memorization is aided by vocabulary lists, arranged by frequency of occurrence, for drilling. The perfect edtion for both classroom and home study.

Special Features

General introduction
Full Latin text of Books I-VI of Vergil's Aeneid, with selected vocabulary and notes on the same page
24 black-and-white illustrations plus map of Aeneas' voyage
Grammatical appendix
Index to Grammatical Appendix
Word Lists for Vocabulary Drill
Updated, extensive Selective Bibliography
Pull-out General Word List

Also available:

Vergil's Aeneid: Selections from Books 1, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 12 - ISBN 086516584X
Poet & Artist: Imaging the Aeneid - ISBN 0865165858

For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology, Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar. We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books.

Some of the areas we publish in include:

Selections From The Aeneid
Latin Grammar & Pronunciation
Greek Grammar & Pronunciation
Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin
Classical author workbooks: Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero
Vocabulary Cards For AP Selections: Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace
Greek Mythology
Greek Lexicon
Slovak Culture And History ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Excellent commentary on the Aeneid
The structure of the book has been well thought out,with short sections of the text above the vocabulary for that text and at the bottom there is a full commentary with grammatical explanations.There are full explanations of the progress of the story, with interludes explaining the action to come and explanations of both gods and humans. Altogether, I would recommend this book to any sixth form or university classics student.

Latin students will enjoy this "Pharr Out" edition of the Aeneid
This Latin textbook provides the first half of the Aeneid in Latin, along with plenty of footnotes and appendices to guide you as you translate the great epic. Each page contains five to fifteen lines of the Aeneid, and the remaining two-thirds of each page contains the vocabulary, grammar notes, and miscellaneous footnotes. You never need to turn a page or refer to another dictionary, so the tedious aspect of translating is removed. (My fellow students love this awesome aspect and therefore call it the "Pharr Out" edition.) The appendices provide all the grammar rules you may have forgotten or have yet to learn. Beginner and Intermediate Latin students can't go wrong with this book if they need or want to tackle Virgil's Aeneid.

Pharr's Aeneid
This book is a great guide when translating the Aeneid. It has all of the poetic figures, grammatical notes, and vocabulary one needs for preparation for the AP Latin test.

Problematic Annotations
I have found this text to be helpful, although at times somewhat misleading.Pharr's edition of Virgil's Aeneid is renowned for its extensive annotations throughout the entirety of the text (intended to assist students as well as intermediate translators).At times these annotations are more harmful than helpful.Many are either unclear or offer too much impertinent information.For this reason, students often miss the relevant information contained within and simply accept Pharr's translations of various phrases/words without actually translating for themselves.

5 Stars or more!
I recommend this book for any Latin 3, or Ap Class! The vocabulary fold out in the back is very useful! Although some may argue Barbara Boyd's Book 10 and 12 Pallas and Turnus book is exactly the same, the vocabulary lists are scarce. Pharr also has vocabulary on the pages you are translating, that do not occur as often. He also has interesting points that refer to the latin in interpretation, and he points out examples of literary devices. This book is EXCELLENT for a latin student in any grade! ... Read more

Product Description
Pedro virgil shows the most handsome and sexiest australian football stars at the beach,on the open sea and under the shower. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Book Review - Gods of Football
Excellent photographic depiction of some of the best in football.Large, handsome book with beautiful pictures. The photographer did an excellent job with this theme.

excellent book
I was surprised by the excellent delivery service provided by Amazon. I recommend it and give them the highest rate!

Almost heaven sent
As a follow up to Gods of Sport, Pedro Virgil's compilation of photos for the well intentioned calendar and cause is a bit of a mixed bag. While Gods of Football is better than Gods of Sport, its presentation is what I found most disappointing.

First off, the photos of these athletic men are overall wondrous. Their bodies and overall care for their beauty is well captured. The photos are grandly presented in color in this equally gorgeously presented book that had me mesmerized for a better part of going through it. Most of the photos compiled here are from the calendar and can also be seen in the "Making of" feature for the calendar, so if you liked some of those poses and settings you'll definitely enjoy looking through the book. For those who care, there is no frontal nudity, although there are some "almost shots," so those wanting such shots should think twice about purchasing and looking into more revealing photography.

This endevor (which I hope becomes yearly) is very much like the Dieux Du Stade series providing a more PG-13 rated experience, with more backsides andoverall bodies shown off. For those of us who do enjoy this type of photography for these models for a day, I would say you will defintely find many to your liking. What I found not so great after the dreamy feeling wore off is that not all the photographs from the "Making of" DVD made it in - this is not a full compilation. This was very disappointing as I wanted to see all the photos captured in that filmed record of the photoshoots. A case in point: Kayne Lawton's tight yellow briefs segment. The rest of him is there, thankfully, but not all. Also, the photography feels a bit jumbled in that there are several out of place shots of the athletes. The series of photos skip around so that some athletes interupt the overall flow of another's shots. There are also more of those white blank pages that are wasted between some photos found in Gods of Sport. Finally, and this may not be a big thing, I found it odd that the book is also jumbled in sequence to that of the DVD. For instance, the ranch photo session is found at the back of the book instead of at the beginning as in the filmed feature.

Overall, I did enjoy this more than Gods of Sport, just not more than the Making of Gods of Football DVD. If you haven't tried Gods of Football in any incarnation, I would say go for the DVD first and see if you like the shots. However, if you're like me and enjoyed the DVD and this type of photography, then I still do recommend the book. The book is far from terrible (especially with what's contained), but it could have been more refined and complete. ... Read more

Product Description

Publius Vergilius Maro (70-19 B.C.), known in English as Virgil, was perhaps the single greatest poet of the Roman empire—a friend to the emperor Augustus and the beneficiary of wealthy and powerful patrons. Most famous for his epic of the founding of Rome, the Aeneid, he wrote two other collections of poems: the Georgics and the Bucolics, or Eclogues.

The Eclogues were Virgil's first published poems. Ancient sources say that he spent three years composing and revising them at about the age of thirty. Though these poems begin a sequence that continues with the Georgics and culminates in the Aeneid, they are no less elegant in style or less profound in insight than the later, more extensive works. These intricate and highly polished variations on the idea of the pastoral poem, as practiced by earlier Greek poets, mix political, social, historical, artistic, and moral commentary in musical Latin that exerted a profound influence on subsequent Western poetry.

Poet Len Krisak's vibrant metric translation captures the music of Virgil's richly textured verse by employing rhyme and other sonic devices. The result is English poetry rather than translated prose. Presenting the English on facing pages with the original Latin, Virgil's Eclogues also features an introduction by scholar Gregson Davis that situates the epic in the time in which it was created.

Product Description
A classicist best known for his translations of Homer, Sappho, Hesiod, and Callimachus returns to Roman poetry, offering a resonant new Aeneid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great buy!
This item is an AWESOME shape! Shipping was super fast and it was a fair well worth price! A+++

One of the greatest epic adventures ever
The Aeneid is basically a sequel to the Iliad by Homer but told with a slant to Roman ideology and history. What Virgil has done with the Aeneid is to take Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and combine them into one work that takes the best out of the two originals and makes them valid and relevant to Roman sensibilities. (Just as Homer himself took the old legends and mythology of the Greeks and used them to create his two epic poems.)

Virgil does a wonderful job of keeping the reader engaged through the first half of his story. (Which is modeled after the Odyssey.) There is a real sense of adventure and finding love throughout this section of the book and the pacing moves it along rather quickly. Towards the end of this portion however, the book takes a turn in my opinion when Aeneas has to travel into the Underworld to visit the spirits of the dead. Things in this portion got a bit drawn out and dull to me and the climax of this scene was nothing more than a direct homage to the Roman rulers and their fine lineage. Basically, it was just a bunch of brown-nosing for the benefit of the ruling Caesar.

The second half of the book is the war section (the Iliad part of the book.) The pace once again picks up and we are rewarded for our persistence with an epic battle between the two grand heroes.

All in all, I found the Aeneid to be an entertaining read. Virgil does a nice job filling in missing events from the Iliad and Odyssey while also creating a continuation of the tale itself which leads to the founding of the Roman Empire.

If you're into the classics of literature, this is a must read.

Another Lombardo Masterpiece!
Stanley Lombardo does it again with characteristic flair with Virgil's Aeneid!He employs the same techniques and devices he used on Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. (Seperating the text into paragraphs and sections, and italicizing Virgil's metaphors).

His translation is very faithful to the language and to the epic vision of Virgil's original but he makes it sound so modern that it could have easily been written in our own time!

I also like Jackson Knight's famous prose version and Sarah Ruden's new verse translation as my back ups.But Lombardo gives The Aeneid a peaceful breath and a spirited life I haven't seen anywhere else!

- Stanley Lombardo is always my reference when it comes to the great classics!

Translation not too difficult, the poem itself a bit of a let down
After reading Stanley Lombardo's translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey, I decided to pick up his translation of the Aeneid as well. Both of Homer's epics were fast paced with the gods gently guiding each step of the way. The Aeneid, not so much. I found the romance between Aeneas and Dido interesting, but the whole time, one cannot help but think the whole poem is just an imitation of Homer. One thing I enjoy about Homer is that he is a blind bard who created his epics from the words whispered into his ears by the Muses, whereas Virgil most definitely composed the Aeneid simply because of Augustus' request. Though the story is interesting and Lombardo presents the poem in an exciting way, it simply does not compare to Homer. Furthermore, there are many references to Homer's epics in here so one ought to read the Iliad and the Odyssey first anyway.

Excellent Translation
Stanley Lombardo really catches the essence of Vergil. I have read parts of Vergil's Aeneid in the original Latin, and I agree with his substance. I have also read Lombardo's translations of Iliad and Odyssey, both excellent. The English is up to date, rhythmic and fluid. ... Read more

Product Description
The book may have numerous typos or missing text. It is not illustrated or indexed. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website. You can also preview the book there.Purchasers are also entitled to a trial membership in the publisher's book club where they can select from more than a million books for free.Original Publisher: Printed by A. J. Valpy [for] Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley Publication date: 1830Subjects: Aeneas (Legendary character) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Epic poetry at its best
The sadly ignored second half of the Aeneid does not deserve its consignment to the dust-bin. I have always enjoyed the Loeb format (Latin on the left, English on the right) which allows one to read the Latin with or without the crutch, as one chooses. The Harvard University Press has done a lovely job as usual with Aeneas's Italian adventures. Textual notes are helpful, alternate readings and manuscript discrepancies being listed at the bottom of the page; the index of proper names is useful and exhaustive; and the Appendix Vergiliana is a delightful glimpse into the little-known world of mediocre Latin poetry. Everyone should have the pleasure -- nay, the privilege -- of reading the Aeneid in Latin once in his or her life, and the Loeb edition is an excellent text by which to do it.

Loeb to the rescue
Roman society was enamoured of Greek culture -- many of the best 'Roman' things were Greek; the major gods were derivative of the Greek pantheon; philosophy, literature, science, political ideals, architecture -- all this was adopted from the Greeks. It makes sense that, at the point of their ascendancy in the world, they would long for an epic history similar to the Homeric legends; the Iliad and the Odyssey, written some 500 years after the actual events they depict, tell of the heroism of the Greeks in their battle against Troy (Ilium). The Aeneid, written by Vergil 700 years after Homer, at the commission of Augustus (himself in the process of consolidating his authority over Rome), turns the heroic victory of the much-admired Greeks on its head by postulating a survivor from Troy, Aeneas, who undergoes as journey akin to the Odyssey, even further afield.

Vergil constructs Aeneas, a very minor character in the Iliad, as the princely survivor and pilgrim from Troy, on a journey through the Mediterranean in search of a new home. According to Fitzgerald, who wrote a brief postscript to the poem, Vergil created a Homeric hero set in a Homeric age, purposefully following the Iliad and Odyssey as if they were formula, in the way that many a Hollywood director follows the formulaic pattern of past successful films. Vergil did not create the Trojan legend of Roman origins, but his poem solidified the notion in popular and scholarly sentiment.
Vergil sets the seeds for future animosity between Carthage and Rome in the Aeneid, too -- the curse of queen Dido on the descendants of Aeneas of never-ending strife played into then-recent recollections of war in the Roman mind. Books I through VI are much more studied than VII through XII, but the whole of the Aeneid is a spectacular tale.

True to the Loeb translations generally, this offers the Latin text on one page and an English translation on the facing page; this translation is done by G.P. Goold, working from H.R. Fairclough's standard edition (which is also used for the first half of the Aeneid, in the first volume of the Loeb printing). The translations are careful and work more at being faithful to the text in literal without being choppy manner; poetic license (which can often wreak havoc on a comparison of original language to translation analyses) is kept to a minimum, but not entirely absent here.

Vergil died before he could complete the story. He wished it to be burned; fortunately, Augustus had other ideas. Still, there are incomplete lines and thoughts, and occasional conflicts in the storyline that one assumes might have been worked out in the end, had more editing time been available. Despite these, the Aeneid remains a masterpiece, and the Loeb editions will remain standards for academic scholarship for some time to come.

This volume includes several hundred pages of additional material beyond the second half of the Aeneid, the so-called minor poems of Vergil.These are similarly translated, and quite interesting, even if often overlooked in favour of the Aeneid in most classes.

Indeed, even the second half of the Aeneid is often overlooked, making this a very rare volume - it is hard to find a complete copy of the Aeneid in Latin, even in a two-volume edition.Loeb to the rescue! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

an esteemed translation
David Ferry is one of, if not the best translators of ancienttexts we have in America. His erudition and keen ear(and this is a difficult text to translate) open up the Georgics is such a way as to make them both complex and accessible at once.

a translation that is as new and refreshing as the original
While it has been many years since i studied Latin in school I think that Ferry's translation may actually be better than the original when it comes to describing the true beauty of nature.
Having read just about every other treatment of this classic such as Wilkinson, Day, and even Greenough, I think thatFerry has done a masterful job of showing the true mystery and beauty of life as lived and witnessed by humans in going about the business of living amongst all of God's other creatures.
This book is true poetry, and shows what has been lost with the end of study of the classics in the swamp of modern education today as political correctness displaced masterpieces like this in the name of getting rid of "dead European males" on most campuses all over the world.
This is a wonderful book by a master of understanding how to convert a phenomenal poem written 2000 years ago in a very old language and make it live and breathe as if it were fresh born.

An Essential Poem and a Beautiful Translation
I should start by admitting that I'm completely unqualified to judge the accuracy of this translation. My high school Latin has twenty years of rust on it, and it was never good enough to pass judgment on another's translation. All I can do is (1) judge Ferry's translation as poetry, and (2) assume that it is faithful to Virgil and judge Virgil based on what I read in this translation.

This is an absolutely beautiful set of poems that is essential reading to any student of European literature. On the surface, it sounds painfully boring. Virgil writes of bees and crops and trees and how to mate a bull. 50% of the poem involves direct instruction in how to best accomplish these tasks. However, he somehow manages to make it all beautiful and fascinating and profoundly human.

Two themes account for its beauty. One is the understanding that animals and plants live and die in a way that might not be human yet is still noble. Virgil cares for his subjects--whether it's a bee having its wings clipped or a formerly great stallion suffering the indignities of old age. The other is a wide-eyed awe for everything in life--the average human's monotonous work mixed with a few moments of bliss, the random destructiveness of nature, and the beauty that surrounds every moment.

As a lover of literature, I'm surprised by how much later poetry I quickly detected in these poems. They clearly influenced much later literature (e.g., Wordsworth). As a human, I'm surprised by how certain I am that I will return to these poems throughout the remainder of my life. They contain such an abundance of energy and joy that I'm still trying to decipher exactly how Virgil managed it.

This isn't the best review I've ever written, but it fails for the right reasons--because of the awe I have for these poems. I'm a 36-year old high school English teacher stunned that I'm still discovering words of such shocking beauty. ... Read more

Product Description
The death of the family patriarch shatters the apparent peace of the entire Torres clan and sets in motion wave after wave of emotions that reveal unsavory realities the family prefers to ignore. Suarez's portrayal of the strong women of the family is daring, as is their resolve to pioneer generational change for this conservative clan. ... Read more

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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
The moving collection evokes the agony and frustration borne of growing up in terminal exile and cultural limbo. But, from anguish and turmoil, the artist has wrought inspiration and crafted one of the most eloquent and commanding voices of contemporary Latin American literature. "This slim volume is studded with poetry that adds depth to the characters and action ... With short chapters that flow fluidly between the first and thurd person, Suárez reflects on 36 years as an outsider and on the memories--and the record of them--that kept him sane" (from Publishers Weekly). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A wonderful memoir written with a steady and insightful hand
This book pulls you in from page one as it travels like the human subconscious from beautiful memories to the skeletons we place delicately in closets. Suarez's knack for both poetry and prose makes the writing interesting--something you go back to again and again. I recommend this book to anyone who loves great writing and wants to experience another life and experience in a most intimate way.

Pretty good stuff from a interesting fellow
I read this book twice because it was so unusual. I like the way it blendsfiction, poetry, and essays into a congruous whole.Very nice work.Ihighly recommend this for anyone interested in learning about theCuban-American experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great Artist
Virgil Finlay was a great artist buy the book and see for yourself.Many stunning pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
Though John Dryden once called the Georgics "the best Poem of the best Poet," and Montaigne thought it the most highly finished work in all of poetry, Virgil's song of the earth has never won as many readers as has his Aeneid, and at present it is the subject of more debate among classicists than perhaps any other poem in Latin. Using a Jungian approach, this book draws on the new commentaries in English as well as on the work of the great German Virgilians of the past, and is written in the eloquent, accessible, and personal style for which its author has become known. It outlines clearly the literary and historical background of the poem, discusses the sound of Virgil's hexameters, and treats each of the four georgics in detail, with special emphasis on the concluding myth of Orpheus. The most baffling of all Latin poems is shown in these pages to be Virgil's gift to Augustus, the most powerful man in the world as the salvational leader of the renewed Roman state, telling him what he must know about nature and about human nature if he is to rule the world well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not a Good Starting Point
Tradition has it that the Georgics were written by Virgil for the Roman emperor Augustus early in his a regime.They are widely considered a classic in ancient poetry, and, aside from the Aeneid are Virgil's best known work.

While Owen is clearly is knowledgeable writer the commentary is of modest value.It was not a good fit for the occasional reader of ancient poetry such as myself. Owen moved quickly over contextual material where I would have appreciated greater discussion, and, occasionally digressed in speculative internecine discussions, probably of interest only to Virgilian scholars.The text greatest limitation, however, is its failure to include the poem, requiring the reader to purchase and refer to a second text.Often, in commentaries, the inclusion of the source text is not feasible, however, in this case given its modest length it could have been done.

Overall, this is probably a pass for most readers.For those looking to read the Georgics, I suggest a version that includes both the poem and a commentary

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Customer Reviews (1)

One of America's finest essayists.
What Stanley Kauffmann is to film criticism, Virgil Thomson was to music criticism--with one major difference: Thomson is himself a major artist within his critical area, classical music. While Thomson was one of the significant classical composers of his era, his name is perhaps more famous courtesy of his music criticism, which, like his music, is straightforward, erudite, graceful and concise. From the early 40s until the early 50s, Thomson was the most important music critic writing in English, and this rare collection is the finest compilation ever assembled of his reviews, essays, portraits and memoirs. Thoroughly annotated, this is the best place to start for those interested in acquainting themselves with one the finest essayists in our language. ... Read more

Product Description
Drawing upon his extraordinary life growing up in Italy, studying the classics at St. Louis University in Naples, and becoming ordained as a Vocationist priest, Fr. Virgil Furfaro shares his innermost thoughts and emotions in this stirring collection of poetry, A Tormented Soul.Furfaro is a true renaissance man-a "consummate doer, thinker, and dreamer" as described by one of his parishioners-and with his poetry proposes a return to the classical ideals, ones that will lead the sterile modern age back to the great values and legends of the past. With his nostalgic look toward the ancient world, Furfaro proposes that yesterday's poetry become today's reality.Of his poetry, Furfaro writes that it "is born from combining the fertile moments of my mind with a psychological, physical, and spiritual anguish that has characterized and tormented me for most of my life." This statement is personified within such poems as "A Cross to See" which explores not only this holiest of Christian symbols, but Furfaro's own tribulations and "Disenchantment," a haunting verse that reveals the deceptiveness of nature. At once powerful in scope, yet elegant in its simplicity, A Tormented Soul reaches to the very essence of our souls, plucks the strings of our hearts, and sets us upon the path to enlightenment. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is geared primarily to students approaching the Aeneid for the first time.It attempts, through discussion of a wide variety of topics, to convey a balanced impression of the nature of the poem as a whole.An appendix includesa version of and ancient Life of Virgil and information about the ancient commentary on him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An introduction to Virgils Aeneid
The book came on time and hopefully will be very useful in the class I am taking. It was in the perfect condition the seller said it would be in. ... Read more