Poet Ken Anderson continues to observe life s everyday events as if seen reflected in a funhouse mirror. In this his second collection of poetry Anderson presents a collection of humorous and whimsical poems that provide a playful take on life. Employing a variety of rhyming techniques The Mouse in the Stout and Other Surprises offers such oddities as a flock of alcoholic robins and the hazards of playing the cello and the French horn. It introduces charming ladies including Barb the babe from Bickleton; Kelly the rail-splittin wife; and the girls of Carbon County. It entertains with unconventional views of Grimm s Fairy Tales and the love life of the praying mantis. The poems in this collection reflect Anderson s love of language as in Cities on the Sound. / She s called The Emerald City / and she rises from the bay / Sittin with her pinkie crooked / while sippin Chardonnay; / The place that s named Seattle stands / superior and aloof / Looking down on other towns- / she thinks them quite uncouth. / Accompanied by illustrations and with a keen sense of humor The Mouse in the Stout and Other Surprises delights with its whimsical views of life.