One of the great glories of life in the U.S. is the humor of its people. Baker surveys this territory in this rich treasury and stakes it out in a dozen sections. Roaming through them, the reader will find P.J. O'Rourke, H.L. Mencken, James Thurber, Zora Neale Hurston, and many others.

"The first light verse I ever heard was alarming, but fortunately I didn't know a word of English at the time, so was not distressed. It was the one that begins 'Rock-a-bye, baby, on the treetop' and ends with the nasty business of the breaking bough hurling baby, cradle and all, down to earth."

So begins Russell Baker's witty introduction to The Norton Book of Light Verse, a collection of over 400 poems that he has selected to delight, amuse, surprise, and sometimes even shock readers. Mr. Baker, who likens this collection to "an amusement park," has chosen the best work of writers—such as E. B. White, Peter DeVries, Edward Lear, and, of course, the prolific Anonymous— who are well known for their light verse, as well as verse by lesser known poets and those like Lord Byron, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Stevie Smith, who are not ordinarily thought of as writing in a "light" vein. Readers will find old favorties such as "Miniver Cheevy" by Edward Arlington Robinson, "Insomnia the Gem of the Ocean" by John Updike, and "You're the Top" by Cole Porter, along with such surprises as Roswell Martin Field's "A Counterblast Against Garlic," John Lyly's "Oh, For a Bowl of Fat Canary," and Emily Dickinson's "To Make a Prairie." The poems, arranged in nineteen thematic sections including Some Fun with the Mother Tongue, Twentieth Century Blues, Only Human, and Life's Losers, form a unique collection reflecting Russell Baker's own sense of humor while honoring the light verse tradition.

'The Gates of the Kingdom' is a book series which will take you on a spiritual pilgrimage, exploring events where the realms of Heaven and Earth have touched. This pilgrimage is through places which will often be foreign to you. The names of people, places, and relationship terms have been preserved in their original language so that you will get a sense of the cultural context of this real-life journey into realms unseen. Part 3: Sinai to Tabor

'The Gates of the Kingdom' is a book series which will take you on a spiritual pilgrimage, exploring events where the realms of Heaven and Earth have touched. This pilgrimage is through places which will often be foreign to you. The names of people, places, and relationship terms have been preserved in their original language so that you will get a sense of the cultural context of this real-life journey into realms unseen. Part 1: Transverse realms with Melchizedek. Go into battle with Abraham. Discover the secret of the giants which lays partly unburied in this amazing story.

The Voice is both unique and resonate to the heart of every believer. He never contradicts Himself. 'The Voice' is simply the dialogue alluded to by the Holy Spirit as he quickens scripture to me. This kind of inner speaking can be heard in the scriptures by listening with ears not your own for the unique and glorious sound of His voice. Sometimes He will speak the heart of God the Father, sometimes, the Son, and even the Bride. He will often speak through a prophet or an apostle. If you listen for the sound of His voice, you will discover as you read, that He is also speaking in you.

'The Gates of the Kingdom' is a book series which will take you on a spiritual pilgrimage, exploring events where the realms of Heaven and Earth have touched. This pilgrimage is through places which will often be foreign to you. The names of people, places, and relationship terms have been preserved in their original language so that you will get a sense of the cultural context of this real-life journey into realms unseen. Part 2: Sinai