Arts Books

I was tired at work for a week because i had to force my self to stop reading each night! The book had good stories and really lets you know where Y2J came from and how he paid his dues. One of the better Wrestlers Autobiographies i have read!

Fozzy....All That Remains Reloaded.......the greates musical recording in the history of recorded music. A Lion's Tale....the greatest literary work ever unleashed upon mankind. Ok, but it is a great CD that took me completely by surprise. I had the book as a present for Christmas, and while surfing Amazon stumbled on the reviewer mentioning Fozzy...I got the CD and I have nothing to say besides it's a great, catchy CD.All That Remains Reloaded (W/Dvd)

This book was not expected to be this good! After reading the inspirational stories from other wrestlers, this is definitely a must read! I caught myself laughing out loud a few times which hasn't happened in quite a while!

A LIONS TALE IS PROBALY THE FUNNIEST,MOST ACCUARATE ,MOST ANTISIPATED PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING BOOK IVE EVER READ,AND IVE READ THEM ALL!CHRIS JERICHO'S ACCOUNT OF HOW WRESTLERS SEE THE WORLD AND HOW THE WORLD SEE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS IS AMAZINGLY FUNNY.HE GAVE LOOK INTO WRESTLING THAT DOESNT DEPICT ONE OF DRUG USE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,WHICH ALOT OTHER PRO WRESTLING BOOKS ARE SADDENED BY.I LOOK FORWARD TO JERICHOS SECOND BOOK DUE OUT IN 2009.BUT UNTIL THEN.A LIONS TALE IS THE BOOK FOR ANY WRESTLING FAN,ANY CHRIS JERICHO FAN,HE IS TRUE AMAZING!

Great read, funny book like as if Jericho was actually talking to me right in front of my face. This book was all Chris, Peter Thomas Fornatale said himself on the co-authors note that all he did was brain-storm and give some ideas to Chris. Any Wrestling fan should get this book, one of the, if not the best Wrestling Biography eeevvverrr.

I order the book from Amazon and I just got it today and I started to go and read it and I love it because it brings me back memores seeing them in Arizona in 1999 when I saw them it is great book. I love it a lot I can know what they do offstage this for any N'sync fans you will love reading it also it is so funny too with the pictures that they have in the book. Justin is so hot in the pictures also with the back of the book Lance is so cute sleeping.

Hey ya'll. This book is a keeper. I'm the ultimite *NSYNC fan and it add's to my collection of memorabilia. All *NSYNC fans should own it. It's VERY easy to read and fun to talk about with your friends.It has big pic's full of the hotties. Esp. JUSTIN! Owww... what a hottie! Well what are you waiting for! GO AND BUY IT! Bye, Bye, Bye! ( MY saying )

If you like to look at tons of colorful photos of 'NSYNC, then you'll love this book! This book does not contain any new info, but it does contain tons of full page photos of all the guys during shows, backstage, and just hanging out. It's just a wonderful book for any 'NSYNC fan!

This is by far THE best ever that i have seen coming from the guys themselves, *N Sync. This book brings with itself the real lifes of these VERY talented guys. You are going to be SO entertain with its awesome pictures, that you won't even bother with the reading. You should read it, ofcourse, because that is the reason why they made this book. They want to let people know who they are and to also show the world that they are here to say. They are the best group ever. They don't have their 15 minutes of fame and leave. These guys make a mark wherever they go. Chris, Justin, JC, Joey, and Lance: Congratulations on your sellings and remember that GOD is on your side. I love you guys snoopy8876.

Tons of photos! If you haven't yet gotten to an Nsync concert, you'll feel like you have with all the pictures of the showl. And for those of you who have been lucky enough to see Nsync perform live, this book will show you what goes on before a concert.

It's been 15 years since I first encountered this book - part of a vocabulary challenge in the sixth grade. I still remember most of the stories, and I must have infuriated my parents using each word incessantly as I learned it. I can't recommend it highly enough.

This animated book gives children a new way to learn the definitions of words. It was highly recomended to me, and I loved it!

I love this book.This book is one of the best books ever.The reason why I gave this book five stars because its funny and senstive. My favorite word was laxcity.Laxcity means that you dont even care about whats gioing on.I think that this book is good for all ages. I hope that you read this fantastic book.

I use this book with my third grade students. We read a story per week. Many of their parents tell me it becomes a topic of conversation each week as the child teaches Mom and Dad a new word. It is fantastic.

This book is one of the best books I had ever read in my life.I would recommend this book to every one because its funny and great.

Peter Bowerman makes it seem like there`s FLCW (freelance corporate writing) work in abundance for everyone who could possibly seek to get into the game (and has a modicum of talent and is willing to work hard etc.) I love his style. I think he has some good tips. However, he skips the reality that content buyers are developing a Wal-Mart mentality and trying to get 50 articles for $2 each -- no attention to quality as long as certain keywords appear and it meets some sort of hi/lo age group. I know corporate writing is not like poetry or even essay writing. I accept that. As a struggling writer however I see the reality and that is that corporate buyers -- of writing or widgets or any commodity -- are trying to go as cheap as possible no matter what the sacrifice in quality. That`s why many website and brochures, annual reports and white papers you see today have frequent and horrifying grammatical and syntactical errors.

Ok, before I explain the title of this review, let me make an embarrassing admission. I originally picked this book up at a library instead of purchasing it. I did this because I have wasted the rough equivallent of 2 wheelbarrels full of cash on copywriting courses that turned out to be complete and utter wastes of my time, money, and remaining hair waiting to be pulled out...

If you have invested any of your own precious time searching for great advice and material on how to make a great living as a copywriter, then I'm sure you understand exaclty what I mean.

As I cracked open The Well Fed Writer: Back For Seconds, I skimmed through the book as I always do when sizing up new material, searching for relevant chapters. I must say that it took only 1 chapter of reading for me to set the book aside, whip out my notebook and furiously scratch down good advice, valuable resources to check out on the web and even 2 clever quips that I wanted to use the next time I host a teleseminar. (The comparison of common marketing practices to camoflauge was a stroke of genius)

I realize that I may be dangerously close to sounding like a gushing teenager asking for his favorite celecrities autograph, but I cannot emphasize enough how 'right on the money' this book is. Perhaps the best way to illustrate how valuable the Well Fed Writer is to your success as a freelance writer would be to show you what 3 qualities I look for in a 'good' book:

1 - Straight forward - The author must not pull any punches. Tell it like it is. Don't paint overly rosey pictures or candy coat your advice. If there are landmines to my career that must be avoided, then by all means point them out! Thankfully Peter goes above and beyond by acknowledging traits that are common to most humans that could kill your progress before you even get started. Peter seems to have a talent for painting visual pictures and images that will stick with you. I hope he doesn't mind if I use a few of his analogies with my clients!

2 - Realistic - I don't know about you, but I'm tired of having my ears tickled. Don't tell me what you think I want to hear, tell me the truth! There's enough hyped up pie in the sky books, websites and emails floating around in cyberspace... I don't need to spend money on a book that will add to it! I found this book to be a refreshing change of pace as you are constantly reminded of the fact that we live and work in the real world, so results can and will vary.

However, Peter also takes the time to show you alternative paths to success should you find that your current conditions are less than ideal. Much appreciated!

3 - Easy to read - Ok, call me petty for listing such a seemingly unimportant feature in my #3 spot, but I couldn't resist. Regardless of how good the information is, if I feel as if I am plodding my way through a college biology text book, then chances are I'm more likely to use the book as a paper-weight.

I found this book to be entertaining to read as well as informative. Please do yourself a favor and purchase this book now. I returned my copy to the library and snagged my own personal copy, because this is a book that you will want to highlight and bookmark for continous future reference. You can thank me for the strong recommendation later!

All in all .. Peter Bowerman has one of the few "voices" that bears a ring of truth rather than hype to me. My aversion to hype is one of the reasons I struggle with even trying copywriting for real. Your books resonate with me because he is doing it everyday.

This is as opposed to those who have done it for a thousand years and might not have to work as hard as the rest of us in this day and age. That's not to negate their success or status but getting advice from someone who has already made their fortune and can sell on name recognizability alone is very different than having someone who's risen from the trenches in the same era that new aspiring creatives are coming from.

I say creative btw because much of what Bowerman advises should (will?) work for my design aspirations as well as writing.

Like Peter Bowerman's first book, this book is well worth the $20. He expands on concepts from the first book, goes into more specific detail and gives more examples. I found it very useful.

Not an easy book for beginner's. I have now ordered his 1st book. If you are more advanced at this than I am then I think this is actually a very good book.

I have yet to read this book, but it is in good condition.

This book is one of the best autobiographies I've ever read. Not only is it filled with details of Patti's life, it also takes you to the lessons that she's learned from the time when she was a shy little girl, to life as a megastar. This book will truly touch your heart as you cheer on the diva that is Patti LaBelle.

Patty LaBelle is amazing. She has an incredible voice, a career full of ups and downs, and can bring down the house in concert. This book is just another triumph for a lady who deserves all the accolades she receives. With absolute honesty, she reveals so much about her life--from sexual abuse to the fear of dying of cancer like her sisters and good friend--you feel that Ms. LaBelle has given you all that she can. Throughout her life, she has faced a good deal of challenges but has emerged with a positive attitude about life and can still entertain with the best of them. I have seen her in concert 3 times and she blew me away each time. This book does the same. After reading the dismal biography of Aretha Franklin (From the Roots), I realized what a gem this is. If you wanna read a really good book about an incredible entertainer, give this one a go. Its worth every penny!

PATTI takes you on a journey-from the Bluebelles, to LaBelle and through her solo career. She talks about her battles with her self-esteem, record companies, men and THE TRAGIC deaths of sisters. Did you know that NONA had a nervous break down during one the LaBelle concerts-and was taken to the hospital in restraints? WOW! This lead to the break-up of LaBelle! Pick this one up and you'll find out much more.

Congratulations, A reflective autobiography with some depth and truth. Before reading Patti's, I read Aretha's, which I ultimately felt like tossing in the middle of the street! Great job! I thought the book was very inviting to the personal side of Patti. I have always admired how forthcoming she has been with the public in relation to her late sisters. This book can truly encourage one to live life, as well as love and appreciate life.
However, there are a few things I would like to clear up, which I found inaccurate or inappropriate. The Jackie Wilson episode I found rather distasteful, particularly since he is not around to defend himself(it was o.k. to slander Al Green). Also, as I had to do with Gladys in her book, I need to clarify a few inaccurate points you raised in your book. In reading your relationship with Atlantic Records in the 1960's, one is left with the impression your group wasn't given a fair shot due to the success of Aretha. Well, that's not totally true, since you were with the label two years before she signed on. It just wasn't your time yet! Now is your time. You sound greater and look more beautiful than ever. You have a wonderful spirit in which people adore you far and near. You are truly a blessing. Wonderful job.

"Karen Wiesner's ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING is undoubtedly the single most important resource for anyone-author, editor, publisher-with an interest in the future of publishing. I can't recommend it enough."
--Brian A. Hopkins, Bram Stoker Award-winning Author

"Wiesner's book, first published in 1999, remains one of the best sources of information and advice on getting your book published by a royalty-paying e-publisher."
--eBookNet Undiscovered Gem

"If you want to be published by an e-publisher, or are wondering if maybe the "e-" route is the way to go, this book is for you. In this updated version of her landmark reference text, Ms. Wiesner outlines everything an author needs to know about the e-publishing industry in her first section, starting with the differences between vanity, subsidy, and traditional publishers, then discussing the technology used for ebooks, advantages and disadvantages to e-publishing, and common misconceptions about e-publishing along with the facts to set people straight. The major bulk of the book, however, is an alphabetical listing of all non-subsidy, royalty-paying e-publishers, along with interviews from the editors and publishers about what types of books they want to buy. There is also a section at the end of the book about how to use the Internet to promote your book after you've sold it. If you read the book on a computer with an active web browser, it contains hotlinks to all of the publishers, organizations, and resources listed in the text. Using the power of HTML links in this way is a good thing."
--Science Fiction Romance Newsletter

This is an excellent resource properly subtitled as "The Definitive Guide." As a print publisher of sixteen years, I wanted to learn about electronic publishing and spent hours on the Internet wading through the various, and often conflicting, information. I purchased a copy of "Weave Your Web" by Karen Wiesner and after reading it decided that I had to have her book on Electronic Publishing. Everything you could possibly want to know is covered in this book. I especially like the way she details the 22 common myths of e-publishing and gives her opinion on the advantages and disadvantages of publishing in this manner. Once I read this book, I no longer felt like a novice and am slowly converting some of my print titles into e-books. If you purchase this book, you will save much time and frustration. Although we have different viewpoints on subsidy publishing and the role it plays with all publishing firms, if I could, I would give this book a rating of ten.

"...Wiesner provides an honest portrait of the state of e-publishing as we know it (so far), giving us the skinny on standard formats, copyright protection, and distribution... After opening arguments about the pros and cons of electronic publishing, the book turns into the e-publishing equivalent of Literary Market Place with 125 pages dedicated to listings of e-publishers, including web site addresses, contact information, submission guidelines, payment terms and distribution methods. The section on book promotion contains low-cost promotional ideas worthy of perusal by both electronic and traditional authors, such as Internet interviews, live chats, exchanging banner ads, issuing on-line press releases, organizing contests and special events, e-serials, promotional bookmarks; and other ideas so unique the chapter could potentially be worth its weight in gold... If you're thinking seriously about learning more about e-publishing, most of the legwork is done for you here."

--The Writer Magazine

Thank you MR. Simens... I have read many a film production book. None of them compare to this one. This book is clear and the most organized piece of work I have yet to come across. He speaks in terms that is easy to follow and understand, with a large dose of reality. Reality that can get your movie made. He wants you to do it. He has made your production list for you. No need for other books (money saved). Please, if you have read thus far and have not purchased this book, do so now. You will not be dissapointed... And for the expert(s) (with the three stars or less) Get real. Swallow your pride. This book is perfect. Mr. Simens knows what he is talking/writing about. EVERYTHING you need to succeed is right here. Get your first movie off of the ground, then go from there. Again, Thank you Mr. Simens.

I reference this book all the time. From Reel to Deal cuts to the chase and offers no bull. It is an easy read and loaded full of practical and useful information. I have produced eight short films in four years and currently preparing for my first feature-film. Dov's book it geared for those making a feature-film but useful for shorts as well. I always recommend From Reel to Deal to any filmmaker who has not read it already. Do yourself a favor and buy or borrow this book. It is a must-read for filmmakers, or as Dov's says PRODUCERS.

I've wanted to take one of Dov's workshops but they're never close to where I live so I bought this book which I like. However, with a copyright of 2005 I would have thought it would have more web information (urls, etc) in it. I suspect most of the information was compiled before the web got popular which has been a while. Oh well. I emailed Dov last year too and nobody bothered to reply. Still, for the price, very good info.

One of the best books I've read on the motion picture industry.
You could not learn more spending 4 years at UCLA Film School.
Now I watch movies with a different perspective.

I've read every book on Independent Filmmaking that I can get my hands on and this one book has more useful information than all of the others combined. I'm now shooting my forth feature length film and if I'd had this book before shooting the first three I'd be a lot better off today!

Mr. Nerd is apparently illiterate; though Simens does use a million dollar budget as an example of how to allocate your funds as he goes through all of the steps, this book absolutely does address budgets of every size from ten million dollars right down to your five thousand dollar digital feature for the Direct To Video market. I really don't see how anybody who had actually read the book could possibly miss this as the various budget constraints are addressed in almost every chapter as he takes you through the steps. In fact, he even outlines a method for shooting a feature length, 35 millimeter film on a five thousand dollar budget.

The two chapters on screenplay writing have more useful information than any book that I've read on screenplay writing and applying these techniques to my latest screenplay has resulted in the best work that I've ever done! That's one of the beautiful things about this book; Simens is not an egocentric, long winded babbler. He gives you just what you need to know and how to go about it.

This is the first book I've read that actually has useful information on things like fund raising and distribution options and how you might avoid getting ripped off... something that happens to so many of us aspiring filmmakers all the time.

I could probably write twenty pages about why this is the best filmmaking book ever written, but I will just say that every single page is packed with valuable, useful, practical information that actually makes sense.

Anyone who is seriously considering producing or directing a feature film, or even a short for that matter, needs to read this book three times, then use it as a reference when you start filming.

If I had one book about driving to recommend this would certainly be it. Skip Barber managed to cover pretty much every aspect of how to drive fast around a track in step-by-step, clear and easy to understand fashion. The book is well ilustrated and well structured.
I personaly haven't taken classes at his school, but I'm pretty shure that all the knowledge he tries to pass and his method are put down in words in this masterpiece. It's the closest from a racing driving class you can get without actually driving around a track with an instructor at your side.

From what I've read so far, it is a great book which covers the aspects of "Going Faster" (whad'ya know?) More theory, rather than dealing with the hands-on-at-the-track-i-need-to-make-sure-the-car-is-running-before-i-go-out, part. Great for people (like the book says) "who want to get into racing or want to appreciate more of what the pro's do when they're spectating from the stands. I haven't read Speed Secrets yet, but from what I read from the reviews, it should be similar.
Compared to Secrets of Solo Racing (which I have read), there's much more useful information for me, because it has more material covering driving rather than covering the entire autocrossing experience (volunteering, clean up, what to take to the track...you can get this from your close autocrossing friends. So focus on driving well with what you have).
All in all, main point is, great book if you want to learn how to drive fast.

My wife and I just completed our first high performance driver training event sponsored by our local Porsche Club of America chapter. The book was recommended by my driving instructor. It seems to be a very detailed version of the Skip Barber Racing School classroom material. Lots of photos and diagrams that make the concepts easy to understand. Reading the information is like listening to my driving instructor all over again. I've purchased two other books on the subject. One was so technical it was difficult to understand and the other was 98% the author telling how great he was during his racing career. This book is spot on. It is a must have for anyone who is about to attend a driving school or is a spirited driver.

If you interested in racing or virtual racing, this book is fantastic. It's an interesting read probably for even just fans of racing. I keep my copy on the toilet and have had many productive sessions.

When starting my book project "Go Ahead - Take the Wheel," I decided to focus my book on how people can start racing be it autocrossing, high performance driving events, and wheel-to-wheel racing on budgets ranging from economy to extravagant. I choose not to go into much detail on driving techinques in part because there are fantastic books such as Going Faster and Speed Secrets that serve as resources on driving techinques.

This is a book that a racer will read through once, then continually come back to read again learning new things each time. It truly is one of the great books on how to drive a racecar.

With my first novel coming out, I've been reading this book almost on a daily basis. While some other reviewers have noted that it's not 100 percent comprehensive (for instance a calendar or spreadsheet that helps time a publicity campaign would be helpful), it's filled with so many great and easily actionable ideas.

I found this to be an outstanding book. It's full of ideas, and examples of how people have implemented them.

Only four stars, because the world moves on and some of the information is dated ("Most people use 28.8 modems"). But the business world doesn't move nearly as fast, so all the information about promotions, dealing with people, etc., is still excellent.

Highly recommended.

We are always seeking new reference books on book publicity. No matter how long
we are business, we are always willing to learn and read what is current.
This book is great. Highly recommend it to authors and to publicists.

Sherri Rosen Publicity

Regardless of how seasoned a writer you are, if you aren't thinking like a marketer, you're missing out on valuable opportunities to get your work noticed. This book is instrumental in teaching authors how and why they need to become their own best advocates and how to successfully engage in the business side of their craft. Fiction or non-fiction, following the suggestions in this book can only help your bottom line- sales.

Publicize Your Book! is a pro-active, no-nonsense guide that puts the responsibility of a book's success in the author's hands. It teaches how to book media appearances, set up bookstore signings and give great interviews with plenty of detail and anecdotal references to show how the advice has been utilized successfully in real life.

The Book Marketing Basics and How to Write a Marketing Plan sections alone are worth the price of this book. They lay the foundation for understanding the publishing industry and describe how to effectively work with your publishing team- information you need to know, but no one will tell you.

In addition to the basics, this book has an excellent resource section that lists everything from festivals to get involved in, media escorts for book tours, speakers bureaus to contact, freelance publicists to enlist and more.

If you're an author, don't just read this book- use it.

Not for POD or self-published authors. Cold Eyes

I purchased this for my Kindermusik class, and the only thing that would've made it better would've been a real violin. It is a charming book, and it wasn't too long even for 3 year olds.

My just-turned-3 year old likes this book, and so do I. It has deepened his curiousity about and enthusiasm for instruments and the music they make, and it has inspired him to play his miniature guitar both as a 'violin' and a 'cello' (though he knows he needs a bow!).

I like the illustrations very much, and the verse is also fun to read.

I was very happy that he liked the book so well--when the Amazon package arrived, he was hoping for a book about excavators--his other passion! I'm glad to say he was not at all disappointed, once he saw the pictures.

This book is one of my standard gifts to families with small children. It's a great way to introduce them to poetry, music, and art. It's a great vocabulary builder, too--I've read it to my 4th-6th grade choir and had to explain musical terms to them. Fun sounds and interesting pictures to explore!

My son (2.5 years) loves this book, its not a favourite, but it is a staple, and I like how informative it is. Would have given a 5 but the illustrations don't really appeal to me - though the colours are bright and the text engaging.

Counts and identifies ten musical instruments in a fun way with great drawings and catchy narration. Suitable for a two year old.