Genres Books

This is an excellent book for those of us who grew up with Motown! Now I can sing along and even sing the correct lyrics.

If you're a Motown music fan you must have MOTOWN IN LOVE: it packs in under one cover all the words to all the love songs of Motown's 'golden era', from 'My Girl' and 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' to 'Bernadette' and 'Let's Get It Own'. Perfect for sing-alongs, MOTOWN IN LOVE gathers classics under one cover and makes it easy for singers to gather a group of like-minded music together. Any popular music library and many a public library will find it popular.

I am hearing impaired and need to see the lyrics. This book has them all and I love it.

First of I'm not in the habit of buying books that have no plot or can't teach me anything or at least be entertaining in some way.But now I must admit I'm glad I got this book.This book is all about the lyrics I grew up listening to.On some of these songs I never fully understood the words or I didn't remenber them until I found this book.This book contains some of the best songs that came out of the Motown era.While under the leadership of Berry Gordy Motown put together a group of talented singers,arrangers,producers and songwriters.The lyrics that people like Marvin Gaye,Smokey Robinson,Stevie Wonder and Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote beautiful pomes that go straight to the heart.As you read the lyrics you can hear the music that goes with the song in your head.Taking you back to the sixes.In conclusion as I was reading this book I must admit I was wrong.This book does have a plot in a strange way.The plot of this book is to take us back to an era when songs were true pomes of love.Lyrics that taught us how to express our feelings toward those we love.And those songs found a way to somehow entertain us along the way.

everyone i shared this book with loved it and everyone wants a copy

I agree with everyone who loves this book, which combines the historical scholarship of Fernando Ortiz with careful transcriptions of New York-based bata drummers, including Jesus Perez, Julio Collazo, and Puntilla.

This book is all rhythms, marvelous if you are a drummer or other musician, do not get this if you are looking for a history of santeria.

This book DOES include the CD, which is indispensable for learning the rhythms. There is only one ISBN for the BOOK/CD set, which is 0-941677-70-2. If your copy doesn't contain the CD, return it for one that does, and do NOT buy the CD from dealers who try to sell it separately for as much as $200 on Amazon marketplace and elsewhere.

Happy drumming!

This is a great book for learning about the music of santeria, but it has some short comings as far as TEACHING how to play the bata drums. This book covers historical background, musical structure and provides notations for many traditional bata songs. I would not consider it to be an instructional book.

My book came with a CD, which is perhaps the best recording I have been able to find of traditional bata drumming (most discs have vocals with the drumming that make it difficult to specifically concentrate on the drums). This disc consists of recordings of specific songs being performed on bata drums.

I wish that the CD would have broken up the parts for the indivdual drums to make that easier to hear. I would also have liked to have some instructional demonstrations on the disc to hear various techniques of playing the bata drums. The text is also weak on instructional techniques for the drums with only 9 photographs and 1 page of text dedicated to teaching technique. There is no discussion or demonstration for the use of bata drums with contemporary music. I realize that this is not the intention of this book, and apparently teaching technique is not either. (I sure would like to find a book dealing with these issues!)

Having been a student of Amira's, and having travelled to Cuba several times, I know a little about what this book means for people who study Afro-Cuban sacred rhythms. Cornelius is also a drummer and ethnomusicologist.
This book is accurate, interesting, and extremely informative. But it is a shame that Amazon doesn't carry the CD that goes with this book--it is a clearly laid out study of the most important rhythms. I have known some drummers who grew up playing in Havana to get excited when they heard this recording, and ask to play specific sections over again to study them in detail.
This book is satisfying to all levels--from the beginner who wants to start learning a little about the rhythms, to the advanced scholar who is ready to dive into the details. The authors are completely trustworthy sources of information and this is a work of devotion and years of study.

The book did what I was looking for to do in regard to the bata drumming styles and rhythms. This is the real timimg of the Yoruba-Nigerian and Cuban expressions of the bata drums. I hope it would had the same effect on you as it did to me. Even if you are not a musician or just love community drumming the bata rhythms are the original trive toques(Spanish)of the Afro-Caribean Cuban Santeros and the Latinos Musicians that used them in Salsa Music of today.

This book is great!!!! This book provides the only transcription of sacred rhythms of Santeria I have been able to find. The transcriptions are accurate. The authors are also very respectful of the religious nature of the music. This book is useful for both musicians and non-musicians.

The best Musical Movie Poster book available today! This book has it all. Beautifully photographed and reproduced in great color this book reveals the outstanding artists, designers and photographers that created movie poster "Works of Art" from the early days of movie musicals to the current. A"must have" for the movie memorabilia collector and movie musical fan. Superb!

Want to add an excellent reference to your collection of books dealing with the Hollywood Musicals? Then this book is it. Just like those musicals from the golden age of Hollywood, this book has it all. Beautiful photographed images, lots of (techni) colours, stars in their greatest moments. Truly an Oscar winning performance! The book is printed in good quality paper and images are very clear and of good size on each page. Of course it's impossible to include a poster from every musicals in any given year, but the selections Bruce Hershenson made are excellent. A page may contain an average of 5 images while some are giving the full page treatment (e.g. Grease, Singin' In the Rain). Definitely an excellent addition to your library of movie books.

Eye-catching poster art reflects changing styles throughout the history of movie musicals. This gorgeous collection is another highlight in Bruce Hershenson's delightful collection of poster books, every one of which is a great value and a treasure to own.

With the notable exceptions of Oliver! (1968), Cabaret (1972), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), Tommy (1975) and Evita (1996), Hollywood has essentially turned its back on a genre that this book re-captures in all its glory. The images are superb, the color and quality are sublime. Though the book is straightforward, a thread of sadness runs subconsciously from its first to its last pages, as one ruminates about what this genre was all about, what it could have been and why it is, for all intents and purposes, dead except on the New York, London and Toronto stages. From Astaire and Rogers to Gene Kelly, Streisand and even the Beatles, it's all covered here. Though it seems awkward to most of today's audiences to see a person in the middle of a scene break out into a song with no band playing behind him on screen, this was the accepted norm and was often the the portion of a film that had an audience soaring in their seats. That such a feeling has all but disappeared makes this book all the more precious, preventing this genre from fading into the wisps of memory. The beautiful thing about this book is the unexpected. Rather than delve into the expected great musicals with the standard American images (which are included in great detail nevertheless), this book includes artwork from other countries, art that is more "in your face" and thought provoking. Who can forget the image used for the Polish version of the 1972 release of "Cabaret?" (Joel Grey's face in the center of four stocking legs bent into the shape of a swastika?) This is the kind of thing that you would never have seen printed or distributed in the U.S., works of art that can only be bought for thousands of dollars today at many of America's biggest auction houses. If you are the least bit interested in the jaw-dropping beauty of what has become a lost art -- the exercise of drawing images associated with the advertising of a Hollywood film -- this is the book to have. This book is part of movie poster maven Bruce Hershenson's exhaustive multi-volume series of books highlighting the history and beauty of what much of mainstream America has only in the last ten years begun to recognize. And that is movie posters are a "popular art" form that can stand proudly next to all other styles of art from gothic to modern, from expressionist to impressionist. Great film art borrows from all of these styles and this volume, which focuses only on posters associated with musicals, illustrates innumerable examples whereby despite the restrictive nature of the genre (musicals), not all posters went in the same direction in terms of style and presentation. From Shall We Dance to A Star is Born, from 42nd Street to Yellow Submarine, Hershenson and Allen have built an incredible archive (and legacy) of images in all of their books, capturing a period (when all posters were drawn by hand and then printed, as opposed to today's method of using photographic stock and manipulating them digitally and printing them by the thousands) that would otherwise be lost forever. A fine book for any collector (get the hardcover edition if you can, it's harder to find; if Amazon doesn't have it, it's available from Mr. Hershenson directly at mail@brucehershenson.com).

For lovers of film, film history, and specifically, poster art, Bruce Hershenson's series of full-color books is the cream of the crop! And, the quality of printing and photography is superb, with razor sharp images and vibrant colors.

I just bought this book today and I could not put it down. I must warn you, Keep a box of tissues at hand. "No One to Wash Her Hair" is one of the most beautiful and touching stories that I've read in a while. Joshua Jones is a young, new author and I hope this is just the first of many books to come.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has recently experienced a loss in their family. It is a great read for all aged readers. The book beautifully paints a picture of a family coping with the loss of the beloved patriarch of their family. It is a book that both school aged children and grandparents can enjoy. A love story ties the ends of the story together. No One to Wash Her Hair has a great coming of age story within as well that allows you to grow with the main character. It's a great read that I would recommend to all.

I love this book. It's the best I have read in a long time. This book reminds us all to cherish every minute we have with those we love. It tells of the love shared in a 75 year marriage and that of a young man finding his one true love. This book can be read by anyone from 10 to 100. I cried on the first page and well after I finished the last. It's not what you might expect. I would recomend it to everyone.

When I started this book I could not put it down. I laughed, I cried and yearned for more. This book can be read my everyone young and old and will be a classic. I can not wait for Joshua Jones to write another novel...an avid fan for life. This book is absolutely wonderful!!!

I absolutely loved this book. It has so many stories rolled into one. It describes the main character's relationship with his family. It deals with life and death and family and has a love story thrown in too. It really does have something for everyone. My dad is actually reading it now and he is enjoying. I read my copy in a couple days. I was hooked from the fist line and was crying even after I read the last line. For anyone who has lost a grandparent I highly recommend this book.

i bought this for my husband, a green day fan and guitarist/lead singer in his own band, for christmas and he LOVED this book. neither he or his friends knew it existed and are taking turns reading it.

For years I have enjoyed Green Day's lyrics, punk rock mentality, and original sound they carry from 1000 hours through to American Idiot. Upon the release of American Idiot and their worldwide tour, I wanted to know everything I could about their development and psychology that goes into their particular brand of madness. This book had everything I could have possibly wanted to know and more. I feel like I'll always appreciate their contribution to human society as a whole. Thanks to Marc for writing this book.

While the career of Green Day is not lengthy compared to many rock lengends, I found "Nobody Likes You" to be a cohesive and thorough account of their lives and careers to date. Marc Spitz has again successfully delved into the economic background and times that shaped these young men into one of the best punk rock bands of modern times.

my love for green day is inconsistant, and i know all there is to know about everything concerning green day. when i heard about this new novel about green day, i snatched it up the moment it came out in stores. i spent my evening reading this engrossing novel, and was shocked to find many candid interviews that made me cry with joy! some of the things i already knew, but that is only because i am a hardcore fan. Those who like green day, and would like to take a peek into their lives, fame, and stress, will absolutely without a doubt eat this novel up. it is that good. it isnt boring, and very insightful. i recommend it greatly.

Just to highlight something another reviewer put in their brief review of this title, it is not a 'novel'. Novels are works of fiction. This is the polar opposite.

I am holding the book here in my hand preparing to analyze it for my job at a national book supplier, and will likely end up purchasing a copy for my son.

It appears to be a concise, well-written history of the group. Check out the Booklist review.

Simply a classic! There is no other book written on jazz that even comes close. A.T.'s questions were intelligent, pointed and insightful. I loved the interview format. It gave the musicians an even wider canvas to paint on. The no-holds-barred and candid portrait of Black life should be a book to cherish for ages to come.

Notes and Tones is distinct in its highly synergistic dialogue. The fact that Arthur Taylor was a serious [Black] jazz drummer, with a familiar professional and personal relationship with many of the interviewees, resulted in wide ranging discussions marked by unguarded sincerity. Certain themes are touched upon numerous times [the Black Power movement & the need for jazz musicians to unite and practice cooperative economics], which while perhaps dating the book, nevertheless provide a telling contrast to the current state of affairs in the music world in general, and the social concerns of the U.S. Black community specifically. This clearly was a labor of love, and the insights shared by these iconic figures consistently inspire me to make the most of my time and efforts in whatever I'm pursuing, every time I read from the book.

Arthur Taylor, a most creative source of a force in the drumming world, has created a moving, startling, and lovely group of interviews of some of the most influential artists in jazz (Black Classical) music. Giants like; Thelonious Monk, Erroll Garner, Elvin Jones, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and so many others paint images of pointedness, beauty, intellect and feeling. The reader really gets an insight into the personalities and lives of these wonderful people that are the lineage of the only true American art form. I really recomend the book to anyone, from the person who has had one passing thought about jazz artists to those who dedicate their life to the art form, or any artform. This is, as they say, the real deal. I am humbled by Mr. Taylor's wonderful work and, in my own way, feel love for each of the unique artists that he interviews. Thank You Arthur!

A genuinely fascinating collection of interviews with some of the most important jazz figures of the 1950s-60s. (It's worth the purchase price just for the goofy, entertaining exchange with Dexter Gordon which opens the book.) Not only do you get an unusually intimate sense of what some of these brilliant musicians were/are actually like in "real life," but the book is particularly interesting--and frank--about the subject of race, in the jazz world and beyond. If you love jazz, don't miss this book.

Arthur Taylor, a most creative source of a force in the drumming world, has created a moving, startling, and lovely group of interviews of some of the most influential artists in jazz (Black Classical) music. Giants like; Thelonious Monk, Erroll Garner, Elvin Jones, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and so many others paint images of pointedness, beauty, intellect and feeling. The reader really gets an insight into the personalities and lives of these wonderful people that are the lineage of the only true American art form. I really recomend the book to anyone, from the person who has had one passing thought about jazz artists to those who dedicate their life to the art form, or any artform. This is, as they say, the real deal. I am humbled by Mr. Taylor's wonderful work and, in my own way, feel love for each of the unique artists that he interviews. Thank You Arthur!

Years ago, I purchased the Nutcracker Suite in full score, only to discover that it was only a few famous selections from the full ballet. This was my own mistake because I failed to realize that it was, in fact, merely the suite in full score. But now, after waiting for years after, Dover has presented us with a wonderful full score of the whole ballet that we all know as the most famous ballet ever written. If you are a great admirer of this magnificent work by Tchaikovsky, I highly suggest purchasing this well-priced score.

Despite the remarks of a couple of previous reviewers, this Dover score is very much a faithful reprint of the score first issued in September 1892 by P. Jurgenson, Moscow. The original price was 150 rubles, which was roughly the equivalent of $75 in 1892 dollars - or $1500 in 2005 dollars!! It's therefore safe to say that this Dover reprint is a terrific bargain.

I can understand the previous reviewers' excitement, though. Having the complete ballet available - with page after page of such glorious music - is a pure delight for music lovers. The quality of Dover's printing and binding is excellent even by their usual high standards. They absolutely deserve each and every one of the five stars I'm giving them in this review.

I finally broke down and bought this excellent reprint of the full score. It completes my circle of "Nutcracker" appreciation: first as music (as a kid - two recordings and the piano pieces that drove my parents crazy), then as ballet (as a teen, the first ballet I ever saw), then as orchestration (as the celesta player - "I AM Sugar-Plum!"), and now I can look at the score with full appreciation, with more than one exclamation of "So THAT'S how he did it!" Everything from the translated Russian to the French stage directions adds to the value of this highly affordable publication. A real joy.

at last a cheap, clear score of the nutcracker ballet. it seems to be a new engraving, not just a reprint of a 19th century edition. the orchestration is as fresh as ever and the score lets you into the nitty gritty of tchaikovsky's inspiration for this his last ballet. I hope we don't wait too long for similar editions of sleeping beauty and swan lake. have fun and enjoy.

I have long awaited this publication. Shortly after I purchased the Nutcracker Suite from Dover 6 years ago, I wrote them multiple times asking them to consider publishing the complete work, but I was disappointed until now.

A reprint of an "Authoritative Early [Russian?] Edition," the score is very pleasingly engraved, close-spaced but not overly crowded. In the front, there is a translation of all the Russian notes that occur in the text, and all of the French stage directions are translated in footnotes at the bottom of the pages. Though it is over 500 pages, Dover has used paper thinner than their norm (yet with virtually no bleed-through), so the book is not too thick. It is, however, a little floppier than most of my other Dover scores. That, though, is a very small price to pay finally to own a full score of this most-popular ballet!

Finally, I can study the orchestration in some of the gems not found in the suite, such as the Waltz of the Snowflakes, Chocolate (Spanish Dance), and others--in an edition that is both affordable and well-made. I had been able to borrow a copy of the 2-volume paperback Kalmus edition (atrociously expensive for a student's budget) from my college library, and I was shocked at how poorly it was bound. The spine cracked after one or two GENTLE usings and pages were about to fall out. Such will not be the case with this Dover edition. I look forward to many years of pleasant study and enjoyment with this volume.

A biography from the lads' humble beginnings to Super Nova days. It's fun, exciting, and gripping to any true Oasis fan. I loved it.

If you really wanna find out HOW Oasis became so big, this is the book for you. It tells it all, from the Gallagher's impressions on America, the world, and everything, to personal experiences. Provides a good laugh and is a great eye-opening-mouth-exploding-drooling experience. Only for devoted Oasis fans.

If you are a fan of the English rock band, Oasis, this is a MUST! This book gives you very rare information and is rather humorous at the same time. I actually laughed out loud more than once! The downside is, there are not many pictures along with it and it is a bit shorter than I would like. But...the few pictures that ARE in there are very Oasisesque. They bring out the band's real personality. If Liam and Noel have sparked a flame in you heart, or gotten you constantly humming "Wonderwall", you MUST check this book out

A real laugh and look at the absurdity of pop star life as only the Brits can do it. Documents the rise and rise of the the Gallagher boys and their infamous antics. Nice "behind the scenes" and tales of the mono-brow brothers' very entertaining bickering. One of my favorite authors. If you don't know his book "Generation Eccch" yet, read it for more sharp-witted criticism of pop icons of the '90s.

Let's face it. The story of the meteoric rise of Oasis and the sibbling drama surrounding the brothers Gallagher is both complicated and simple. Complicated, because how do you sift throught the tabloid haze, the drug hysteria, the fights, the break-ups and make-ups and make sense of it all? Simple, because this is what happens when the right band comes along with the perfect songs and the charasmatic force to make people desperately intrigued... yeah, it's a big explosion. This book follows just that logic and takes you along for the perfect ride through the Oasis universe. A little humour and a crisp narrative help as well. The hilarious photo captions are a bonus. Be here now...

I have just recently become interested in the whole horror film genre and a friend recommended that I read Mr. Soister's book. I'm glad I did. I learned lots of interesting stuff about the whole Universal horror film business and had an easy time pouring through the chapters. It was fun reading and Mr. Soister's keen insights and humorous style kept me wanting more. I hope he has another book waiting in the wings! Congratulations on delivering a winner.

John Soister has been a contributor to various horror books in the past. His ability to capture the details of the horror films of the 20's & 30's truly entertaining. He expresses his opinions with humor yet based on fact.

Mr. Soister has done a remarkable job here! Not only has he covered some of Universal's greatest horror films, he has given them a new, fresh perspective. All the greats are covered here, FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, THE MUMMY, etc., but he has also written about much lesser known and borderline horror films that I've NEVER seen written about, like the entire Crime Club series of the late 1930's. His book covers in great detail Universal's horror and mystery output from the 1930's, and wonderfully so! Here's hoping he does another volume for the 1940's films. Can't wait to see what he writes about JUNGLE WOMAN!! A 'must have' for any horror film fan!

Wonderfully written, full of intelligent, objective opinions, Soister's book is a breath of fresh air on a subject that I suspect most fans feel they already know thoroughly. "Of Gods and Monsters" opened my eyes to the many dozens of "forgotten" Universal films made in the 1930s, particularly their oddball mysteries (like the fascinating "Inner Sanctum" series). Sadly, few of these films are available on home video... yet. One hopes that perhaps NBC-Universal's execs will read this book and learn about their past history, and open up the vaults so that fans can enjoy these classics again, instead of having them gather dust.

If you have Soister's book, along with the Brunas/Brunas/Weaver "Universal Horrors: The Studio's Classic Films" (also from McFarland), you've got a fairly well-rounded coverage of Hollywood's great horror classics. I only wish that the publishers would consider allowing the author to do a second volume covering the rest of Universal's classic mystery/SF/horror films from 1940-1959. That would tell the rest of the story, particularly for the 1940s, which was a very rich period for the studio.

Usually I skip long, detailed plot synopses in movie books, but with Soister I look forward to them. Like most critics, Soister is even more entertaining when discussing a bad film -- I laughed out loud through his description of several stinkers in this entertaining book -- but this teacher from Pensylvania is never less than authoritative. Soister covers all the Universal horror, sci-fi, and related films 1929-1939 in this handsome volume, which no fan of the genres should be without. It doesn't matter that "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" have been discussed at length in previous works -- do yourself a favor and "see" them once more through the eyes of John Soister!

The Broadway hit A Chorus Line is returning to Times Square in a major revival this fall - and ON THE LINE: THE CREATION OF 'A CHORUS LINE' provides an oral history from the nineteen original cast members who recall how they become involved with the project, how it evolved from workshops, and how it made many of them lasting successes in their fields. Robert Viagas collaborated with original cast members Baayork Lee and Thommie Walsh to provide this memoir, which is a 'must' for any prior or present fans of the Broadway musical production. Many insider's views here can't be found elsewhere.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book captures the show perfectly from people who were there: The Original Cast. This book never ceases to amaze, and move.

Broadway is always exciting. It's constantly in a state of change with dozens of new shows every year. But it's only once in a while that a supershow comes about, and 'A Chorus Line' was one of those. It was the 'Phantom of the Opera,' the 'Rent,' the 'Wicked' of its day. And it's back. Go see it, but you go to the show, read this book.

This book, originally published in 1990 is about the creation of the show, the actors, the people who put it on, and a bit about why the show was such a tremendous success. The book was expanded and updated for publication in 2006 to reflect what has happened to the people and the show since.

The theme of the show is on a bare stage where casting for a new Broadway musical is almost complete. The field's been narrowed down to just 17 dancers. For these men and women, this audition is the chance of a lifetime. It's what they've worked for -- with every drop of sweat, every hour of training, every day of their lives. It's the one opportunity to do what they've always dreamed of. Not to be the star, but to get the job ... to have the chance to dance and come through.

The show illustrates getting onto Broadway in a better way than I can say. This is how it is, except the book is better, as one of the actors says, he looked around the theater and finally realized that he had accomplished what he had worked for so many years to accomplish.

The biggest Broadway hit is coming back this Fall, and the book that tells the story of how it was created back in the mid 70s has come back for a revival as well.

The bulk of the book has stayed the same including the black and white photos. It is a collective oral history of the nineteen original cast members of how they got involved with the project, how they labored through the months of workshops that shaped it, and what its success has meant for their lives and careers. The new edition includes an update on the cast and what they have been doing for the past 16 years.

This is a must have for any fan of A Chorus Line.

Viagas, Lee and Walsh, together with the rest of the original cast have made an insightful book which documents the life of this great musical. Filled with remembrances by the cast and with a good collection of photographs by several photographers their book is a treasure chest of facts and memories of Broadway's "Singular Sensation". It is nice to know that author Baayork Lee continues her association with the show after twenty five years, still directing companies of the show and now opening up a website dedicated to the show... I only hope that some day they will provide an updated version concluding with the gala final performance.