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Unfortunately, Jan Swafford did not have a chance to read this book before writing his own "biograohy" of Brahms. If he had, he would have been privy to a wealth of information, much of which has not been available to non-german speakers. Avins' commentary on the letters of Brahms and many of his correspondents is clear and well researched.

I'v been a Brahms' music fan for a long time and i have read three different biographies, without having the opportunity of get closer to his thoughts before i buy this great book. Now I know how Brahms' mind worked, how (really) was his relationship with his friends and how were his feelings and thoughts during the periods he composed that wonderful music.

I'm not an english born speaker, so i had some difficulties in understand the meaning of some sentences, more exactly, some modisms, wich are very frecuent in Brahms' speech.

In spite of this, I recommend this book because it's just wonderful.

Just a couple of small observations:

**The 27th of February 1854 was the most devastating day of Brahms' life. Robert Schumann threw himself into the Rhine in an attempt at suicide. His derangement interrupted a period of enormous creative momentum in the young composer's life (P36).

After the tragedy, Brahms' immediate reaction was to rush from Hanover to Dusseldorf, to Clara Schumann's side. With the support of Grimm, Dietrich and Joachim, he offered what help he could. There were six small Schumann children to be cared for, Clara was pregnant with the seventh, and arrangements had to be made for Robert Physical safety (he would soon be taken to an asylum in Endenich, on the outskirts of Bonn) (P37). On 11 June 1854, Clara gave birth to her eighth (!!!!????) and last child, Felix. (P45).

Was Felix the Seventh ??? All my references indicate that Clara Schumann raised seven children, an eighth died in infancy.

**WAS IT CLARA'S COMPLEX that caused Brahms to fear public appearances, when he was 23-25(??); given the fact that Clara was an excellent pianist with no equal, and Brahms could not have possibly matched her skills.

""J. Brahms wrote copiously to Clara, not only during this tour (1854), but for the next two years as well. For a time he was writing at least once a day, thereby leaving us a treasury of letters which overflow with emotions, and the details of his existence"".
It looks to me Brahms feared the public, in general. See JB letter to Julius Otto Grimm; ""Dusseldorf September 1855...I intend to play in public this winter and notice with horror that my aversion to playing for people has got quite out of hand. How will it go? At times I am seriously frightened. I do now practice a lot; also I have quite a lot of lessons to give.... (P112)""... Anything to do with Clara's complex!!! I ask??
""Brahms first appearance with orchestra took place in Bremen, on November 20, 1855. He played two works by Beethoven: The Emperor Concerto, OP.73, and the solo Fantasy in G minor, OP.77. (P114)
The greatest portion of what we know about him during these earlier periods of his life comes from what he wrote to Clara (P66).
Clara told in her diary his letters were her only joy. She too wrote frequently except that her replies have perished `I have often written to him, which always cheers me up, for of course, I cannot write to Robert of the things that occupy my mind; his spirit does not accompany me, when I go into a concert it does not feel me as if he were wishing me success - then I am dreadfully melancholy, and the one thing that lifts me , that always strengthens me, when my courage threatens to fail, is that He, Johannes, the dearest, most faithful friend, thinks of me and accompanies me with his good wishes"" .

The letters which still exist are only a portion of what he wrote.

""JB to Clara Dusseldorf 22/2/1856. .... I think to myself how beautiful it would be if we both made really vigorous strides and became capable, great musicians. Each of us places the other above himself, what is more natural but that we should squabble with each other, as long as we squabble only with each other..... (P121) Prior to that, on Feb 12, Brahms wrote Clara: ""It always depresses me a little that I am still not a proper musician, but I have the talent for it, more, probably, than is usual in young people nowadays.... (See comments on Mozart) (P120)""

The virtues of this book are several: about 800 previously untranslated letters of Brahms, masterfully translated and carefully and judiciously annotated, based on research entirely from source materials which, among other things, give the lie to the unsavory myths of Brahms childhood, proving beyond doubt that he came from a hard-working, well-meaning family who lived in a good neighborhood, and provided him with a good education and normal childhood. The author's research confines to the rubbish heap the silly Freudian theories, never based on any evidence, for his reasons for not marrying. This compendium of letters and their absorbingly written annotation is a gold mine for amateurs and professionals interested in a truthful picture of Brahms.

"Richly informative" - Sunday Times, London. "Occasionally a book comes along which changes perceptions of its subject. This is such a book. ... [The] annotations are not only scholarly but often witty and always full of common sense. ... Wherever you read, you will feel you are in Brahms's world and that he is speaking to you." - Sunday Telegraph, London. "There are many gems here ... much to be gleaned from what Avins has selected.. Those who seek to be on more intimate terms with Brahms and his circle... will find much to pore over in this collection" - Los Angeles Times. "Little short of a bombshell ... Ms. Avins's contributions are terse and often illuminating... fascinating illustrations, a helpful chronological table and other tools... Brahms reveals himself in workaday as well as transcendent moods." - New York Times. "This is a work that will thrill Brahms fans and provide much pleasure to those entertained by the personal correspondence of great artists. Recommended for general and academic libraries." - Library Journal. "It is not much of an exaggeration to say that the book presents Brahms in a new but quite convincing light... the book can be read as a biography... this composer has seldom seemed more lovable, more vulnerable, more honorable." - Gramophone. "This is one of the most important music books published in recent years." - The Oldie, London.

This book is grand, for sure, and certainly not just a coffee table book it IS the coffee table, it's huge- just read the dimensions- and the photos are excellent. As an Elvis fan, I have more than my share of Elvis photo books, and this one ranks high.

A stunning book that sits on my coffee table. Friends and family who visit pick it up over conversation to flick through. It a conversation stopper! The conversation becomes about Elvis and they're converted immediately to FANS!!
This book is worth every penny - decorative and fantastic quality!

This is a big book. But well worth every dollar spent. I enjoyed seeing pictures of Elvis not only bigger but some I've never seen before. Wonderful additional information on Elvis. I loved reading and looking through this book and would highly recommend it to all who love Elvis like myself to buy this book.

This is a super piece of Elvis memorabilia at an unbelievably great price. If you have a friend who is an Elvis fan he/she is bound to treasure this book. This is the perfect gift for an Elvis fan. Buy this treasure now before it sells out and beat the Christmas shopping rush!

That is all I can say about this book, buy it and you will see, but be prepare to have the table big enough to read this monster! The book deserves a special place to keep it because it's a museum!

If you are an opera fan, you will probably enjoy a lot of the behind the scenes anecdotes in this book. Most interesting for me were the parts that discuss working with high-maintenance divas and conductors (especially Karajan). There is also a very disturbing section about a stalker who followed Nilsson around the world for 9 years.

There are also many paragraphs of the form "In 19xx I performed such-and-such opera in such-and-such theatre alongside so-and-so who was a wonderful singer and so-and-so who was really good on stage etc etc." These get kind of boring --- except in those cases when the performers played practical jokes on each other. Because of the boring parts, I found it a little hard to motivate myself to read through the whole book, but there are a lot of good stories in there.

Nilsson fans will also appreciate the discography. She was an awesome singer.

This autobiography by Birgit Nilsson was originally published in Swedish in 1995 and in German two years later. This 2007 English translation of the German edition is by Doris Jung Popper, an American who was herself a former Wagnerian singer in Europe. It is for the most part in graceful, witty and seamless prose which catches the informal and down-to-earth way Nilsson spoke. We are taken from Nilsson's life as a farm girl in Sweden through her discovery locally, her schooling in Stockholm, her first breakthrough there and then internationally and her acclaim as the greatest Wagnerian soprano since Kirsten Flagstad. We get backstage stories about performances in New York, Milan, Stockholm, Vienna, London and, of course, Bayreuth. We read about her long happy marriage to Bertil Niklasson, a veterinarian. She shares funny and warm stories about her colleagues, not sparing those with whom she crossed swords -- most notably Rudolf Bing and, much more so, Herbert von Karajan, for whom she is particularly disdainful while admitting that he could draw magnificent music from his performers. She relates the details of her having to deal with her stalker, Miss N., a story well-known in opera circles but which may come as a surprise to some readers. One senses that Nilsson withholds some details in the interest of sparing the feelings of some opera world luminaries who are still with us. This reflects positively on her genuine concern for the feelings of others but might disappoint those who are looking for 'dirt.' There is a discography and a detailed chart outlining events in her life, as well as a compendious index. As well, there are over 60 black-and-white photographs from all periods of her life.

Warmly recommended.

Scott Morrison

This is a wonderfully entertaining read about a thoroughly gracious and unexpectedly humorous lady. I knew that she reportedly had a lively sense of humor, and this book chronicles that fact. It is especially nice to know that this book was not "ghost written," but was just translated from the Swedish.

At last an English translation of this wonderful biography. It is written by Ms. Nilsson herself - no ghost writer here. It is translated from the German edition, not the Swedish one. It also exists a Danish translation. In both the German and English translations some short episodes are deleted. The original Swedish version also exists as a talking book, with Ms. Nilsson herself speaking. The book is filled with lots of interesting details from one of the most spectacular careers ever on the international opera scene. Behind every word you can feel the sympathy and warmth of a really great but also earthbound star with great intelligence and - a great hearth. When famous film director Ingmar Bergman read these memoirs he tells in an interview that he had never laughed so much and so often when reading a memoir before. That says a lot. A must for all opera fans.

I was never privileged to meet or know Madame Nilsson personally, but her memoir, _La Nilsson: My Life in Opera_ makes me wish I could! She was a bright spot in the world and her death in late 2005 was a huge loss. I have certainly been an admirer of both her singing and of the woman herself for many years. I do own her earlier book, _My Memoirs In Picures_, which is largely a wonderful collection of photographs from her life and career, and whetted my appetite to know more about her. If you can find a copy, I recommend that book as strongly as I recommend this longer memoir.

That appetite has been mostly--if not completely--satisfied by La Nilsson, an easy, accessible and "can't-put-it-down" fascinating account of her life. This book is just what I would expect of Birgit Nilsson, unpretentious, friendly and conversational in tone, but awe-inspiring in terms of her artistry and long career; her great accumulation of knowledge and experience, and about comic moments onstage and off that made me laugh out loud. Some of the funniest of these deal with language barriers, and the difficulties of correctly interpreting foreign musical terms that were misheard, or misunderstood. She is never mean in spirit, although she doesn't sugarcoat her personal difficulties with von Karajan, and sometimes with Karl Bohm, and Rudolf Bing. But in all cases, she writes in detail about what she admired about them, too. She gave as good as she got in the area of verbal self-defense.

She writes warmly about all her many long-time friends and colleagues on the operatic stage, most notably Wolfgang Windgassen, Set Svanholm, Jon Vickers, Astrid Varnay, Leonie Rysanek, and Hans Hotter. She was a trouper through some harrowing experiences, and while she did not put up with a lack of professional consideration from anyone, she did not just wilfully indulge in "temperamental diva" behavior. No wonder so many of her colleagues loved and respected her!

Madame Nilsson also writes about her parents and her beloved husband, Bertil Niklasson, with great warmth, although she doesn't gloss over some of her frustrations with both parents during her childhood and adolescence. The twelve years she had to deal with her stalker, Miss N. filled me with sympathetic dismay, as I had no idea Madame Nilsson had had to endure that persistent, threatening intrusion into her life.

I highly recommend this memoir to any admirer of Madame Nilsson's in particular and of any interested opera fan in general for the insight into the career of one of the great singers of the 20th century in her own, very witty words.

Melissa Houle

Abby Lewis has never been comfortable with her weight. But when her father dies and she moves in with her comfort-food cooking grandmother, the problem begins to take hold of her life. In LESS IS MORE, the third installment in Wendy Lawton's Real TV series, a grieving Abby must start all over without her father and adjust to life in the big city. Grieving the loss of her father, friends and everything she once knew, Abby begins to eat away her feelings --- quite literally. As she continues to pack on the pounds, her self esteem begins to plummet. She is excited to receive an invitation to the local youth group but is soon given a cruel nickname by her fellow students, causing further pain.

Luckily, Abby begins to develop a friendship with kind football star Parker and nutrition-crazy Isabella, who help her to reexamine her choices. She decides that she must start to shed some pounds, but with each thought of her father, the binging continues --- and it sure doesn't help that her grandmother is constantly feeding her with some of the most fattening foods on the market.

However, everything begins to change one day when Abby is mysteriously summoned out of class and gets the surprise of her life. Unbeknownst to Abby, new best friend Isabella and gym teacher Coach Matthews submitted an application for her to appear on the hit reality series "Less is More." On the show, contestants undergo a holistic approach to weight loss. Each is assigned to a personal trainer and a nutritionist, and the causes of the weight problems are examined and addressed. "Less is More" has long been Abby's favorite program, and she can't turn down the full scholarship offered to her if she reaches her goal weight. With Coach Matthews as her trainer and Isabella as her nutritionist, can Abby finally drop the pounds that have so long troubled her and reverse the negativity she's constantly surrounded by?

LESS IS MORE gives a fresh and relatable perspective to an issue that many teens struggle with. Not only will readers enjoy the exciting, though at times heartbreaking, plot of the book, they also will take something away from it. The novel aims to teach both those who struggle with weight issues and those who have never even considered their nutritional choices. It offers solid advice on maintaining a healthy diet, without dieting, and keeping fit through regular exercise, which is valuable to any reader. Lawton is careful to encourage a healthy body image, no matter what someone's weight might be. At the same time, the book addresses the unseen consequences of so-called harmless teasing.

The focus on a reality TV show is merely the backdrop for a much larger and more poignant story. Readers undoubtedly will be inspired by Abby's journey and begin to more carefully evaluate their own decisions.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby

Sixteen-year-old Abby Matthews battles grief after her father's sudden death. Then, when she and her mother move from Suwanee, Georgia to San Francisco, her emotional cocooning and unhealthy eating packs on more weight than she expected. This makes the first days at her new school and in her new youth group miserable. Through her new friendships, she's chosen for the weight loss show, "Less Is More." If only we all had such good friends! This entire book series is based on the current reality TV shows, like Trading Spaces and Discovery Health's National Body Challenge. It's difficult to pick a favorite as Lawton's Changing Faces (Book 1,) and Flip Flop (Book 2,) are also written with a keen insight into relationships, personal struggles and how God doesn't desert us in our troubles, large or small. I've enjoyed all the books so far.

Wonderful book! Real life. Real issues. And reality TV! Wendy Lawton provides a delightful read for girls -- and the moms who love them. Highly recommended!

Wendy Lawton knows how to reach teens, illustrating through relationships among family and friends, the power of words, the power of understanding, and the power of grace. Some things are more important than fame and the perfect figure.

Wendy Lawton gives us a real heroine in Abby. She and her Mom move across country to live with Grandma Cece after Abby's Dad dies. Abby, like most of us, eats to deal with the pain of all the loss and change. She puts on some weight. A student leader of her new youth group gives her an unflattering nick name, but she bears it with grace. She makes new friends. They help her grow spiritually, even the one who's not yet a Christian. This is a great story of the power of words, the power of Grace, and the power of friendship. Great read.

This is the first in what I hope to be many in this series. Linn Random has taken us to the small town of St. Gabrielle, Florida. It is the perfect setting for the contrasting worlds of Sage McCall of chaotic Los Angeles and Police Chief Jon Maddux of peaceful St. Gabrielle, Florida. Sage McCall is on a security assignment with a reality television crew from Hollywood, California. St. Gabrielle is buzzing because Hollywood has graced its presence on them.

However, not everyone is happy to have them in town. Head of Security, Sage McCall and Police Chief Jon Maddux are constantly butting heads over because of the show. They don't see eye-to-eye until the two are thrown into a sultry and intense investigation of passion, longing, and mystery.

This is yet another great novel from Linn Random that will leave you on the edge of your seat and biting your nails until the end. So grab a chaise, a glass of wine, some chocolate and smile for your close up with another Linn Random novel. Cheers!

I could tell you about how great the characters were, how enticing the book is but not only do you have to read this book as it is so worthy of a look, Make sure you get this book!

For some reason every book I have read by Linn Random seem to be getting better and better. This author is on my must read must have list.

Her stories take you into worlds that alone make you love her. Every thing scene arouses you making you forget every thing around you as you get so involved in the story. It is as if you are watching a movie run in your mind.

I for one am awaiting her next book to take me away.

Sage McCall is providing security for McMasters Studios, who is in Florida taping a new TV show. Things were going along fine until she discovers the body of a member of the production crew and has to call the Police Chief in the middle of the night! They go down hill fast after she finds the second body!

Police Chief Jon Maddux doesn't want the studio people in "his" small town - they bring back too many bad memories of his days as a DEA agent. When he receives a call in the middle of the night about the dead body, it just confirms his suspicions that his peaceful life is over, until they get done filming and get out of town!

Linn Random is one of the best when it comes to combining romance and suspense. I loved Sage and Jon and the "sparks" that flew whenever these two were together! Looking for a good romantic suspense to read? Grab LIGHTS. CAMERA. MURDER! It'll have you begging for more!

Sage McCall knows that she can provide security for the reality t.v. film set but it now seems that someone has a grudge against someone working on the film crew. Sage is unsure of whom to trust but now because of all the stranges happenings the local Sheriff, Jon Maddux is involved. Now they must join forces and discover who the culprit is before someone ends up murdered.

Lights. Camera. Murder! by Linn Random is a book that gives you spine tingling suspense and edge of your seat action. Linn Random is a talented author whose characters seem lifelike and so real, reading them is like being right there with them. Her detailed account of the scenery and surrounding area also gives credence to the story making it seem that you were almost watching it on T.V. I wholeheartedly recommend Lights. Camera. Murder! to those readers' who love the romantic suspense genre, it is a must buy!

LIGHTS, CAMERA, MURDER
ISBN 1-932866-77-9
LINN RANDOM
Rating 5 stars

Lights, Camera, Murder by Linn Random, is a spine-tingling, suspense filled, sensual romance. This story combines suspense with the most titillating sexual tension between the two main characters that it kept me riveted and at the edge of my seat.

Jon Maddux is the Chief of Police of the small coastal town of St. Gabrielle, Florida. When McMasters Studios decided to film their, popular reality show Murder in Florida, in St. Gabrielle, Jon was opposed. He did not want his small quiet town over run with Hollywood people and for it to become a tourist attraction; well that is, until he has the opportunity to meet Sage McCall the head of security on the production set. Will Jon be able to keep his cold "business only" demeanor? Moreover, will he allow Sage to show him that not all people in the entertainment industry are all bad?

Sage McCall is the head of security on the set of the much-anticipated Reality show Murder in Florida. Sage is one of three daughters of the famous Jack McCall, the owner and founder of a prestige's security firm in Los Angeles. Sage is very aware of the Chief of Police's strong dislike for the production company, and she knows the he tolerates them because he has to. When Sage has to wake him up in the middle of the night to report a murder on the production set, the last thing she expects when Jon walks onto the set is to feel this strong attraction for the gorgeously rugged Chief of Police. Will Sage be able to put aside some of these intense feelings in order to help find the killer?

Linn Random is a wonderfully talented and creative author. Lights, Camera, Murder is a story that begins with a murder on a television production set. It instantly grasps you; then keeps you riveted and guessing as to who the killer is. There is even one point when all clues lead to one person, and you, the reader think, that you got it, well then comes Ms. Random's ingenuity to foil your solution and expose a completely different twist. Ms. Random also has the delicious ability to intertwine a heartwarming love story in the midst of this murder. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series; I hope it will be about Mallory McCall, one of Sages sisters. If you, like me love a suspense packed story, with a little romance then this book is for you. You will not be disappointed.

Dianne Nogueras

Reviewer for eCata Romance
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Linn Random
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The Queen of the Nile will soon be battling for historical significance with the Queen of Pop very soon. A unique take on the influence of Madonna beyond just hit records to a whole social expression that inspired other artists, feminism, and what it means to be an ambitious woman without apology.

At last a book about Madonna that can be enjoyed by academics AND fans. There have been two or three collections of highbrow essays by various university eggheads that were a bit too hermetic. "Madonna as Postmodern Myth" is "intellectual" but crystal clear.The subtitle pretty much sums it up: Georges-Claude Guilbert does show the way the diva "rewrites" just about everything -- always cleverly -- and especially old Hollywood stars. Besides, it's a very feminist book, but a sexy feminist book (yes, it is possible). I'm sure every Cultural Studies professor is going to want to read it, as well as every Madonna fan who's ever wondered why it is exactly that makes her / him adore the "self-constructed" star, beyond the obvious: she's unique.

Like so many, I find Madonna interesting. And I agree with the positive reviews of this book -- I really like it. The unique contribution here is the way the author discusses Madonna in ways that make "postmodern" an interesting, understandable, ans useful concept. And believe me, I am no fan of academic writing of or about the posrmodern. But this book can be highly and widely recommended.

Madonna:alot can be said about Her but Boring isn't one of them.thsi Book Explores the Many things that relate too the Artist&personna that is Madonna.this Book is Challenging&also puts Madonna into a Complete Perspective from start too finish.just like the Woman Herself it will keep you wondering more&what lays around the Corner.

In this book GC Guilbert shows how absolutely everything Madonna has ever done is packed with clever references. He doesn't mean that she's a plagiarist, far from it: she just uses her vast knowledge of (popular) culture, in a "postmodern" way. A fascinating read.

Shaw has packed many high-level topics into this play, while at the same time keeping long portions of the dialogue fairly low-level. Two topics jump out most frequently: hell and enjoyment. His take on each respective topic is fresh, seemingly from an entirely new perspective.

In the third act, the characters' conversation stands out in a couple ways. The explanation of hell from Don Juan, the Statue, and The Devil's point of view is unique. From a Judeo-Christian standpoint, it reeks of blasphemy, twisting around the traditional views to show things as they really are: The devil finally gets to tell his side of the story; heaven is boring; anyone can go between the two afterlives whenever they please. What is interesting is that Shaw's hell can fit with the Judeo-Christian/Biblical facts, something that the blasphemy police certainly will not give any credence to or spend any time investigating. His idea that heaven and hell are created for those who are going there matches perfectly with Biblical theology. A person not living in the grace of Jesus would hate heaven just as much as a person living in his grace would hate hell. Biblical theologians would not agree (if one could get them to listen) that people can choose their own eternity, nor would they agree with the concept of non-believers enjoying themselves in hell, even if one could get them to voice their belief that they will be given over to all the desires of their flesh.

What is fascinating about Shaw's hell is just that idea - that if life is about your passions and enjoyment (namely, the flesh) then your afterlife will be personal to those same passions and enjoyment. At this point, the conservative Judeo-Christians would be sharpening their inquisition equipment in a fervent rage because much of the play speaks to that idea of personal enjoyment during life, specifically the English. Don Juan says that humans live to try to understand life more but later adds to that idea by saying that understanding only helps us to know that we are enjoying ourselves. Life then becomes the pursuit of enjoyment, and hell mimics that pursuit as a sort of eternal amusement park. In a statement that seems like a pre-response to his opponent's case, Don Juan then says that although he spent his whole life looking for pleasure, he never found it. If it could ever happen, it is that response which could appease the frantic theologians. The devil, being the father of lies has pulled the eternal wool over everyone's eyes, both the living and the dead, and has gotten them to abandon their real purpose.

Shaw's flirtation with both sides of the controversy is what allows this play such success. He angers both the proponents and opponents of Christian "myths" and then offers possible solutions to appease both sides.

Reviewed by Jonathan Stephens

In this title, G.B. Shaw outdoes himself. Not only does he manage to turn up with a Don Juan play in our modern day and age, which is full of cynicism, and doesn't give in to 'medieval' codes of behaviour, but he even manages to turn around the table. Here, the hunter becomes the hunted, forced to flee from his pursued/pursuer. Shaw includes in this play an ingenious conversation between the original 15th century characters, which not only explains about Don Juan's philosophy, but shines a new light upon our own lives, here and today.

In this title, G.B. Shaw outdoes himself. Not only does he manage to turn up with a Don Juan play in our modern day and age, which is full of cynicism, and doesn't give in to 'medieval' codes of behaviour, but he even manages to turn around the table. Here, the hunter becomes the hunted, forced to flee from his pursued/pursuer. Shaw includes in this play an ingenious conversation between the original 15th century characters, which not only explains about Don Juan's philosophy, but shines a new light upon our own lives, here and today.

The writings of Bernard Shaw in this particulat play, invites to you use your mind to understand life and philosphy. It has such great insight into many aspects of human nature and at the same time is exteremely funny and really takes you into it's pages. The writing has impecable style and this is truly a classic play.

George Bernard Shaw was called, with good reason, the "English Nietzsche". Though Nietzsche was an aristocrat and Shaw a socialist, both cherished the dream of the superman and looked forward to the day when he would be realised. Both, however, were characterised by their mordant wit and intellectual cynicism, in which "Man and Superman" abounds. Shaw manages to compress a number of disparate themes into a relatively taut dramatic format, even throwing in a scene in which Don Juan, the Devil and a gang of anarchist brigands make an appearance. The central event of the plot involves the wealthy Tanner, a member of the "Idle Rich Class" making himself subservient to the Life Force and seeking the perfect woman to marry, who would guarantee him a very special offspring, his ideal, the superman himself. Though Shaw was not known to have read the works of Bergson at that time, nor to have been conversant with his vitalist doctrine of the Life Force, his use of the Life Force motif and the philosophical underpinnings of the play attest to a pure Bergsonism. The most delightful part, however, is the "Revolutionist's Handbook" at the end, which contains Shaw's most scandalous anti-Establishment jibes. For instance, "Do not do unto others as you would them do unto you. They might not have the same taste."

This is a wonderful book on the blues never mind being one of the best resources for mando blues. The back story to the history and development of the mando blues is very well done. However in my mind it is the tunes tabbed out and well performed on the CD that make this book shine. They are fun to listen to and fun to play.

I am relatively new to the mandolin but as I have several years of guitar behind me, it is coming quickly, but it is certainly not for beginners to stringed instruments. There is enough here for months of learning pleasure.

Mandolinist Rich DelGrosso is a self-professed "blues freak." After first hearing the strong, expressive blues mandolin of Johnny Young, he began a journey to research and revive that type of music. Nominated by The Blues Foundation for a 2006 Best Instrumentalist Award, DelGrosso has put together a charming overview of music, history, lessons and photos. "From Memphis to Maxwell Street" is the story of America's black mandolinists who nurtured the growth of blues music, complemented and energized jug and string bands of the South, and inspired such composers Scott Joplin and W.C. Handy. In the early 20th-Century, Memphis was where touring mandolin players like Vol Stevens, Will Weldon, Eddie Dimmitt and Charlie McCoy played. In nearby rural areas, W. Howard Armstrong and Carl Martin and their Tennessee Chocolate Drops played medicine shows, parties, picnics and fish fries. In the 1960s, they revived their string band sound in Martin, Bogan & Armstrongs. From rural Tennessee, Yank Rachell travelled with guitarist Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon. In this book, "Yank Rachell's Blues" and "Early This Morning" show how his music was more modal than melodic.

After introductory info about the style itself, DelGrosso's clear perspective focuses on blue notes, harmonies based primarily on seventh chords, predictable 8- or 12-bar progressions, and rhythms driven by back beats. Three kinds of rhythmic dance music (rags, drags, stomps) are demonstrated. Using standard notation and tab, the author gives us some great melodic examples of these forms (Dallas Rag, Jackson Stomp, Knox County Stomp, State Street Rag, Vine Street Drag). Many of these tunes are derived from the music of Howard Armstrong, a man who befriended, inspired and mentored DelGrosso until Howard's passing in 2003. "Betty and Dupree" illustrates Armstrong's masterful melodic technique with double-stops. The book also explores the music of others in the Memphis collective of musicians. "Vol Steven's Blues" is a good study in phrasing and how to use flatted and natural notes. Also playing the Memphis and saloons of the 1920s and 30s were Will Weldon, Eddie Dimmitt and Charlie McCoy. Strong, hard-driving, passionate blues from each of these guys are offered. Phrasing, syncopation and the use of blues notes were their strengths.

As blacks migrated north, so did their music. Chicago's Maxwell Street became a center for blues folks. Carl Martin and Johnny Young were seen playing with guitarists and harmonica players from the windy city's South Side. Originally from Mississippi, Young moved north in search of work about 1940. "Johnny Young's Blues" and "Young's 8-Bar Blues" are taught. DelGrosso concludes the book with his own "DelGrosso's Blues (It's Funk)" and a selected discography for further exploration. Through the pages of Mandolin World News, I was familiar with blues mandolin and some players examined. However, this book pulls it all together into one place. It's a joy that may open up new doors for you and change your direction in music, just the way it did for its author. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

You have to hand it to Rich Delgrosso- he's written a well thought out book on the history of the blues **as played on mandolin** and goes in-depth with historical blues mando players (who knew there were any?), the evolution of the genre, and the application of the blues basics to a more contemporary context. I've seen him on stage and met him at a mando workshop- great guy- and you can tell he strives to carry on the mando blues tradition as seriously as Eric Clapton does for guitar- paying full homage to all of those who came before him (Yank Rochelle is the mando equivalent to Robert Johnson). It's probably safe to say that guitar will always be the dominating instrument of choice for the blues-- and I think it may have an edge over mando because it just sounds better on guitar-- but if you want to expand your mando horizons and be a well rounded player who understands the mandolin in a blues context, you would be hard pressed to find a better book--

I love this book. Not only is it outstanding music instruction, it's also a great (and interesting) history lesson. The book is short on theory and technique, focusing instead on teaching by example, which suits me just fine. The transcribed tunes are stylistically comprehensive and run the spectrum from easy to fairly challenging (I would say this is an intermediate level book). I particularly liked the author's funky-blues composition at the end. Very cool.

The mandolin has its place in so many styles of music and it's a real pleasure to see an instruction book that focuses on something other than bluegrass or celtic music (not that there's anything wrong with bluegrass or celtic, but I think the market's a bit saturated!). If you like blues, this is a very fun book.

This is a really great piece of writing. It starts out teaching you how to play 12-bar blues in the keys of C and G (there are two nice duets in the key of G). Next comes sixteen beautiful blues songs written in traditional music and tablature.
Everything is played nicely in the accompanying CD.
The book also contains some interesting information about mandolins and about the composers of the songs used in the book -- and a list of blues mandolin recordings that are (hopefully) available.
I am VERY happy with this book.

If you've read all their interviews you probably have read the book in its entirety. Still, I think it's worth a read--it arranges the quotes in sections which keep the quotes related. And it contains the sentences that you may have missed buried in a hefty paragraph, but which spring out on you when they are isolated on the page. A great book.

This book is simply a collection of quotes from the Manics.If you`re a fan you will love reading the toughts and theories of Nicky, James, Richey & Sean at their very best.If you`re not a fan, why not?

This book is simply a collection of quotes from the Manics.If you`re a fan you will love reading the toughts and theories of Nicky, James, Richey & Sean at their very best.If you`re not a fan, why not?

This book is simply a collection of quotes from the Manics.If you`re a fan you will love reading the toughts and theories of Nicky, James, Richey & Sean at their very best.If you`re not a fan, why not?

Your standard compilation of quotes from the boys. Especially apt for the Manics considering Nicky's big mouth, wee Sean's bitter take on everything and James' frankness. Very few bands merit a collection of "dumb-things-we-said-to-the-press" book, but MSP do.

One would not think that a book on Marilyn Monroe by Gloria Steinem could be any good. However, this book is that and more. A picture book published in 1986, with photogrphS by George Baris, both the text and the pictures are quite good. That is a rare combination. The pictures were taken in summer, 1962 by George Barris and continue all through the book. These pictures were never shown in close to their entirety before, so that was the main reason for the existence of this book. The photographs, especially the beach ones, are some of the best ever taken of Marilyn, looking relaxed and very girlish in the last summer of her life. She does not look like she had any problems at all, much less the ones she had. The photographs did need a showcase, and this book is a more than adequate one.

The text is surpisingly good for something that was written expressly for a photo book. Usually, in those cases, the text is neither good nore relevant. Mariyln Monroe and Gloria Steinem are an unlikely combination, but that does not mean that it diod not work. It did-fabulously. Gloria Steinem does a insightful job oif writing about Marilyn's life, and who she was. Gloria Steinem, although the queen of feminists, is not overbearing here. Marilyn Monroe was no feminist, but Gloria Steinem recognizes that, and interprets Marilyn Monroe from a feminist viewpoint without going overboard. She could so easily have overdone things as Mailer did in his book. This is Marilyn in a different light, but one that suits her. The comments are enjoyable to someone who is not remotely intetested in anything feminist. This is a good book, not just a curiosity that raises eyebrows.

i loved this book "marilyn " because of the most beautiful pictures of marilyn, these pictures were the last pictures ever taken of marilyn and they show the real true beautiful person and that is norma jeane and the glamor beautiful star marilyn monroe. these pictures show two people one the shy , beautiful, loveable, true, norma jeane and the funny , glamor, beautiful, free, loving marilyn monroe, but it really shows the true norma jeane in these pictures. this book is for the marilyn fans like me, but i am more than a fan of marilyn's , marilyn is my idol my icon and she is real . i reccomened this book to whoever loves marilyn. this is a collectible. what i did not like about this book is the author gloria she says marilyn had killed herself, which i DO NOT BELIEVE , which i beleive is not true, but i ignored that , but the pictures are amazing.

This is a beautiful photo expose' of Marilyn just six short weeks of her tragic and untimely death. As the first reader/reviewer has stated, this book was written with references to the stars' sexual abuse and family history, which lead to her emotional problems dating from adolescence. Gloria Steinem wrote this work without any 'bias' to this movie legend. I found her writing to be sensitive and understanding throughout. George Barris' photographs are as beautiful and will forever be timeless images of this very remarkable screen star of the 20th century throughout the next millenium. This book should be considered a "must have" for the Monroe fan and collector.

Gloria Steinem explores Marilyn's life through an empathic and feminist perspective in one of my favorite Monroe biographies. Ms. Steinem respectfully addresses the Marilyn's life within the context of her era and retrospectively. She also addresses the impact of Marilyn's childhood sexual abuse and family history on her functioning. Marilyn would likely be proud of this intelligent, compassionate, historical and cultural treatment. I place this book in league with biographies by Carl Rollyson, Graham McCann and Fred Lawrence Guiles. Of course, the timeless photographic images by George Barris accompanying the brilliant text are refreshing, delightful and touching. Steinem truly strives to understand Marilyn, celebrate her strengths and re-evaluate her for our times. Marilyn seems "to speak" through Steinem's insights and in Barris' photographs.

Having recently read the axe-grinding Marilyn Monroe "biography" by Ted Jordan, finding this gem by Gloria Steinem (with beautiful photograhps by George Barris) was such a relief. Whether kind or unkind, most Marilyn biographers are men; it makes sense that a woman (and a feminist) would have a much different understanding of her. Steinem pays much attention to the remaining Norma Jeane personality in the grown Marilyn, a little girl who was abandoned, abused, shuffled between the orphanage and foster homes, and married off at 16. This, Steinem writes, explains much of Marilyn's troublesome behavior: she still had the insecurities of Norma Jeane, but tried to get the love she needed by being the sex symbol Marilyn.

This larger sized paperback is split into chapters, for example: "Norma Jeane," about her childhood and background, and "Work and Money, Sex and Politics" about Marilyn's battles with the Studio, her marriages, and her affairs with powerful men. Each chapter is a complete essay unto itself. And the accompanying photographs, most taken by George Barris the month before her death, show a natural, cavorting, and thoughtful Marilyn at 36 years old.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone curious about the REAL Marilyn Monroe. In truth, she had many realities, but I think that Gloria Steinem captures the most important one.