Böcker av Bill Reynolds

Bill Reynolds writes poems for people to understand - real world stuff (from his point of view). In this collection, his poems look at nature (human and animal), the poet's experiences with the human condition, imperfection (including his own), and his love for his family. In poems about art, music, and entertainment, Reynolds salutes the artists, their (and his) art in all forms, and he shakes his head at the critics. A fan of Texas native cowboy writer, novelist, script writer, and essayist Larry McMurtry, Bill provides a bit of respectful humor vis-à-vis Texas and its cowboys, past and present. He sees poetry everywhere in his adopted State that is both southern and western, as he vividly describes the vastness and diversity found within its 268,597 square miles north of the Rio Grande. As with any poet, life, love, romance, death, and danger, along with cats, dogs, bugs, and ranch animals (and their excrement) find room as subjects and themes to roam in his poetry.

On a fateful day in 1957, the country saw the Boston Celtics and the St. Louis Hawks face off in one of the most dramatic NBA games in history. But the score at the final buzzer told only part of the story. Celtics rookie Bill Russell, traded by the Hawks because of his race, emerged as a new sports hero. Boston's coach Red Auerbach went on to become the ultimate winner and builder of championship teams. And the city of Boston and its beloved Celtics had their first NBA championship-and the makings of a dynasty.

It was an era when the game was played for the love of it, and a fledgling NBA struggled for mainstream attention. Bob Cousy was at the heart of basketball's emergence as premier entertainment, a dynamo whose talent and ingenuity dazzled fans and players. The MVP of the 1957 season and veteran of six NBA championships with the Boston Celtics, his trademark behind-the-back dribble and no-look pass gave us basketball as no one had seen it before -- a one-man revolution that set the stage for Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell, and others. Here is the fascinating, in-depth story of Cousy's life -- his tenement childhood, his drives and motivations, his little-known personal life, and his record-breaking career -- set against one of the most exciting generations in sports history.

Old Newt likes to tell stories about the creatures who live in the wood. One such is the story of Willy Woodchuck, who wants to do something that woodchucks don''t instinctively do, climb trees. Discouraged by his mother and most of the woods' creatures that he meets during his travels, nonetheless is determined to accomplish his dream for he wishes to see the New World that Squirrel sees every time he scampers up a tree. Only Little Ladybug offers affirmation: "Mister Woodchuck is determined to climb a tree and there is nothing wrong with having determination." The others, including his mother, think that he is "foolhardy." With the help of a firemen''s ladder, Willy is able to climb his "perfect tree." However, reaching this goal is not what the didactic story is really about, for Bill Reynolds has written a refreshingly simple and charming story about the value of friendship and the importance of community. In addition to increasing their vocabulary, children reading the story will learn, as did Willy, that "sometimes you need help doing what you want to do" and " ...before you can have friends, you must be a friend." and finally, "A friend is a good thing to be." Illustrations by Gaynor Aarabi enhance the delightful story. Here Comes Willy is a fun story for parents to read to their young children and for children (7-9) to read themselves. Review by: Dr. Dottie McEntyre, Ed.D.

An elegant look at the evolution of saddle design and decoration, lushly illustrated with more than 300 full color photographs and drawings.