Interviews Books

The interviews are well put together. He asked important questions, and allowed those being interviewed to share their thoughts. Some of the answers are entertaining, and others really give you the insight that only a person that was there can give.

Read only the interviews you want, or catch your fancy.

I, too, am glad that AK Press re-printed this (unabridged) oral history project by the late great Paul Avrich. In this classic tome, Avrich brilliantly brings to life the fascinating stories of the heroic women and men, most of them immigrants, involved in the anarchist movement of the early 20th century. I especially found interesting the stories about Emma Goldman, Sacco and Vanzetti and the free schools inspired by the work of Francisco Ferrer. That said , I was a little dismayed that a few of the individuals interviewed espoused ideas that many activists today wound consider reactionary, such as support for Zionism and the Cuban exile movement. It bewilders me, for example, how any anticapitalist could denounce Salvador Allende and the social experiment he attempted in Chile. Likewise, I was troubled by the fact that the bulk of the book dealt almost exclusively with issues of economic exploitation and the state, ignoring equally important topics like race, gender, sexual orientation and the environment. Nevertheless, this is an important book, and despite its enormity, a surprisingly quick and enjoyable read.

Anarchist Voices: An Oral History of Anarchism in America is a real treasure. It's more than 450 pages long, but I couldn't put it down. The book allowed me to escape into the lives of the real participants of the Anarchist movement of North America in its previous heyday of the 1890s-1930s. Originally published in 1995, Paul Avrich interviewed hundreds of Anarchists and former Anarchists who were mainly in their eighties and nineties in the 1970s, the majority dying within a few years of the interviews. I was especially impressed by this, since it gave hundreds of people who had led amazing lives a sort of last memoir before they passed, much in the same style as Working by [by whom?]

It is divided into six sections covering much of the American Anarchist movement. It is mainly centered around the east coast, especially New York. They are 1) Pioneers, which focuses on relatives and close friends of the famous Anarchists like Alexander Berkman and Ben Reitman, 2) Emma Goldman, who was hugely influential and left a strong impression on everyone interviewed 3) Sacco and Venzetti, which details mostly Italian Anarchist experiences around the famous trials and frame-up of the Italian immigrants, 4) Schools and Colonies, which focus on the Modern School movement like the Ferrer school or the Stelton colony in which Anarchists tried to build communities and separate themselves into a lifestyle, 5) the Ethnic Anarchists, focusing on different groups which really brought ideological Anarchism to the United States, like the Russians, Jews, Spanish, and Italian immigrants, 6) the 1920s and beyond, which links the activities after the big decline on the US Anarchist movement after the 1920s until the 1960s and the rise of the "new anarchist movement" starting in the 1980s.

What really struck me about this book was how similar some of the arguments of the Anarchist movement were in the past to those of the present. Past divisions between sub-groups were detailed in the text as well. As Avrich explains, the main split was between the Anarcho-syndicalists/communists and the Anarcho-individualists. Today, the main split is between the Anarcho-syndicalists/communists and the eco-anarchists. The discussion also includes people who got burnt out on anarchists because they thought the anarchists were ineffective. Many do not regret their involvement in the movement and look back on the years they spent in the movement as the best years of their lives.

In the end, the book is very inspiring because so many of the interviewees still call themselves Anarchists and see that the fight for a better world will continue no matter what. Many of them remain idealists and are hopeful that the world they have worked towards will come about someday. They have hope despite having seen the world nearly destroy itself, supposed comrades (like the Communists) betray them, and enough bickering to make anyone cynical. Many of them had not been involved in the Anarchist Movement for many years, or had simply been involved in book clubs or discussion groups that passed on the ideas. And yet they are still committed to the idea that all humans should be free of oppression and that no government can make you free no matter where you are on this earth.

I'm very, very happy that AK has reissued this book. Previously, it was only available in expensive hardcover.

What it is is nothing less than a living, breathing, oral history of the real anarchist communities which existed in the United States mostly before the second world war.

Instead of dry theory you have the voices of the people who have read the theory and have applied it in their lives in an actual movement.

You have people from the Italian Anarchist community in America, you have references to the Spanish one and how they organized in America while the CNT, the major Anarcho-Syndialist Union in Spain, was in existence.

You have recollections of the major Anarchists in America from people who actually knew them; you even have gossip over things like Sacco and Vanzetti by Anarchists theorizing about the case.

Plus, accounts of Anarcho-Communes, which did exist well into the 20th century.

If you ever wanted to experience what it would be like to sit at a table back in the first half of the century and hear the Anarchists of the time talk about their lives, their strategies to organize for social change in their communities, and their take on politics and anarchism, well, here it is.

The book is invaluable.

Better than trying to struggle over pointless legal theory in "What is Property?" by Proudhon...although other of Proudhon's works are good.

Hear the living, breathing, heart of the early 20th century anarchist movement: read this book.

My names Dany Mota his from Romania .I want help for job.My english now is not very good but I understant everything and talk little becouse that came here six months ago.I think that if we working with people American I teach easy english.For me this time is it very important .Thanks regardes Dany

This book is informative, useful and convenient because it mentions all the important tips and tricks for a job seeker. It is easy and quick to read. It also explains you how and guides you through to prepare for an interview as well as how to behave during the interview to get the job offered to you. It is a must-to-read book, in my opinion.

I'm from Czech republic and looking for som job on the Internet

I found myself suddenly interviewing for a job (and eventually taking it) based on a headhunter's referral. I picked this book up, and found some quick tips regarding not only interviewing (which was less important to me) but also salary negotiation, protocol, etc. In a pinch, this 10-minute guide was quite valuable. I even passed it on immediately to a friend in the same position.

"As I Am" is a perfectly edited and beautifully photographed collection of thoughts and images from some of today's most eloquent and inspiring young women like, Danzy Senna (author of "Caucasia"). The images and quotes bring to mind Brian Lanker's "I Dream a World". I can't wait to share this one with my friends and family. Truly inspiring!!!!

This book is worth the paper it is written on, the photographs are beautiful, the words are rich, and the stories offer various views of what its like to be a young black woman in the 90's. If you have a few hours to expand your mind, then this book will assist you.

This is a wonderful book. Okwa focuses on the narratives of young African-American women who have taken their passion to heart and made successful careers and important contributions to society. A highlight of this text is that it not only has amazing photographs anchoring these women within the contexts they work and live in, but also highlights their struggles, especially academic and personal, along the way.

This book is also helpful for people agonizing over career choices. For every person who has wanted to major in Women's Studies or History but wondered what to do with it--here are examples of powerful people who take the study of the humanities and arts to exciting new places, from television producing, to free-lance photography, to well-respected academia.

This book also has a companion one---"Face Forward." This other volume examines African-American men, who, as a whole, are also facing a critical time in American society.

Get both---buy Both, and draw strength and power from those who have struggled before you. Okwa is a master photographer and lets the compelling narratives of these women shine. We all should do the same.

I finally have found a book that is true to life and modern concerning the plight and challenges of young Black women. It is a truly magnificent collection. The women with the pages fulfill the purpose of motivating and inspiring others. Each women in this book is an example of hope. As I was reading the book, I was emotionally struck by the uniqueness of their lives yet many other women, I know, can relate to their experiences.

Okwu seems to have the gift of finding beautiful people with outstanding lives. The photo shots were magnificent and added a particularly captivating life to the words.

Thanks again for a true to life teaching book of amazing stories. One may use their examples of coping and harvesting energy for development of their own positive future. Truly a gift to have to read or give to someone who you love.

As you read "Aunt Bessie's How to Survive a Day Job While Pursuing the Creative Life," you feel like you are on the inside of a great discovery. In the bookworld, the author, Joel Eisenberg, is a virgin. This is his first, yet he's received contributions from so many A-listers it would take too much room to recount here.

I agree with an earlier posting about the cleverness of his introduction, where he turns into this 'Aunt Bessie' character, crossing Ann Landers with Eminem, who then proceeds to introduce each chapter. Could definitely be a film.

It's a fun read, and it's also an education about persistence and strategies necessary to endure a day job, while following your bliss, as Joseph Campbell would say.

I especially liked Clive Barker's segment, who somehow never worked a day job, refusing to be a 'wage slave.' It's perspectives like this that make this book different. A prior poster mentioned that this may be The Second Coming of "Chicken Soup for the Soul." Maybe, but this one has edge.

This is one of the year's out of nowhere surprises, and I can't wait for the next one.

The book is compelling, especially for its target audience: people aspiring to careers in the creative arts. One message comes through loud and clear from those who have succeeded: be persistent; never give up. I have a few friends who are trying to write the Great American Novel or become the next famous director or screenwriter who I'd like to give this book to. It's also a completely engaging and interesting read for anyone who picks it up. Recommend it highly.

This entertaining, insightful, fun book is a must read for anyone aspiring to greater heights. I loved the cast of characters, what fantastic stories, very inspiring. You really got a first-hand, insiders look at what these people had to go through in order to pursue their dreams. A triumph of the human spirit, writer Joel Eisenberg has got my vote for another installment.

Aunt Bessie is the alter-ego of self-proclaimed frustrated writer Joel Eisenberg, which is made clear, hysterically so, in the clever intro. I picked up a copy of this at San Diego's Comic Con International, on the last day, where there were only two books remaining. I have to say, my husband and I were astounded on the train ride back.

This is only a first book by this author, yet he received contributions from such notables as Clive Barker, Larry ("JR") Hagman, Laurell K. Hamilton, Stuart Woods, Brad Meltzer, "ET's" mom Dee Wallace Stone, former heavyweight boxing champ Larry Holmes and so many others. They all have such interesting stories.

But what makes this book even more compelling is that he has a section about everyday people - non-celebrities - that are surviving the process now en eroute to reaching their goals as a singer, actor, writer, etc.

Anyone that has ever hated their day job, or resented the fact that they could not pursue what they wanted to in life may just rethink their strategies after reading this immensely inspiring book.

At the end, more "Aunt Bessie" volumes are promised. This could be something. I think we just read the second coming of Chicken Soup For the Soul.

I havent red this book but it souns cool

this was a wonderful collection of interviews of Stephen King. It would be interesting to see another collection done, with some of the more recent interviews and thoughts from him.

In this collection of essays, both new Stephen King fans, and SK'ers alike can enjoy a unique, indepth and personal view into the mind of the world's greatest horror writer. In Bare Bones King does just that -- he Bares his Bones, showing us the reader what really goes on inside his head. You are taken down into a dark cavern that few men have traveled into and survived. (Well, at least literarily -- not literally). As stated above, I was so impressed and intrigued by these works that I bought all three copies available: the 1st edition paperback, the first edition hardcover, and number 588 of 1152 limited handnumbered copies. Truly a "missing link" in any King collection. If nothing else, Bare Bones is a "must-read".

This is maybe the most interesting book about Stephen King available. If you want to know something about him, you have to read it, because you won't learn more anywhere else. Not even in his own 'On Writing' by the way.

Maybe it would be interesting too to read more actual interviews, but these one help a lot. Okay, it's not always that interesting, like in the conversation about his radio station and sometimes weird, like in the one about 'Maximum Overdrive' if you have seen it. And of course a lot of things are repeated.

But it's really a must for King-fans.

During much of the World War II era the best teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) could be found in St. Louis, the Cardinals of the National League and the unlikely Browns who dominated in 1944 and came close to doing so in 1945. The Cardinals, a team built through the extensive farm system engineered by Branch Rickey, dominated the National League and won three World Series--1942, 1944, and 1946--and won the pennant but not the overall championship in 1943. It was a dynasty every bit as dominating as that of the New York Yankees during that time.

The Cards won a franchise record 106 games in 1942, and bested the Yankees in the World Series. The next year they won 105 games, but lost to the Yankees in the fall classic. In 1944 the Cards also won 105 games and defeated the cross-town Browns in the World Series, the only "streetcar series" in St. Louis history. In 1946, just as the troops were mustering out of the military after the war, the Cardinals had to beat the emerging dynasty of the Brooklyn Dodgers in a three game playoff to claim the National League Pennant, but then they went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox in a dramatic seven game World Series.

Wiliam B. Mead's "Baseball Goes to War" is an outstanding journalistic account of this era in MLB. It is built around the story of the Cardinals and Browns in St. Louis, but goes beyond that to take in and comment on the milieu of the 1940s. This is the third edition of this wonderful book. It was originally published in 1978 as "Even the Browns," emphasizing the fact that although the Cardinals were one of the most successful franchises of the National League the Browns were one of the American League's weakest.

Indeed the joke, "first in booze, first in shoes, and last in the American League," characterized the plight of the Browns better than perhaps any other statement about them. A revision in 1982, "The Ten Worst Years of Baseball," followed with Mead emphasizing the loss of MLB talent to the military during the war years. Mead notes that the Browns, while becoming respectable in the early 1940s after years of mediocrity, did not so much rise to take the American League pennant in 1944 as the rest of the league declined from the loss of talent to the war effort. In reality, the Browns rebuilt into a decent team during this period, posting winning seasons in the war years 1942-1945. They finished a distant third in the American League in 1942, but finally won the big one in 1944, capturing their only St. Louis pennant. As the "streetcar series" ended in 1944, however, it took with it the last opportunity for the Browns to produce a winner in St. Louis. After a good season in 1945, they slid back into their normal place at the bottom of the league until their departure from St. Louis for Baltimore in 1953, where they became the Orioles.

This is a wonderful, pleasurable history of baseball during the war years, focusing on the Browns and Cardinals, but going much beyond. Enjoy!

This book was originally published as "Even the Browns" and it is both a lovingly detailed valentine and a eulogy to baseball's worst franchise, the St. Louis Browns.

Author William B. Mead, who spent his boyhood watching these mediocrities play their home games from the cheap seats at Sportsman's Park, has compiled a remarkable history of a last place team that seemed cursed to play its games before a few hundred disinterested fans year in and year out. Mead chronicles how the Browns seemed poised to achieve great success before the rival Cardinals stole the hearts and minds of St. Louis baseball fans during the Twenties.

The management of the slumping Browns even rented their ballpark to the Cardinals and ended up subsidizing the successful National League club by agreeing to divide the cost of janitorial service at Sportsman's Park equally. The Browns played before empty seats while the Cardinals had capacity crowds filling the concourses with discarded paper cups, hot dog wrappers, peanut shells and litter.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had several unintended consequences: the Browns were denied a lucrative opportunity to relocate from St. Louis to Los Angeles and military conscription meant that all of the teams lost key players to the armed forces. Suddenly, the collection of untested rookies, minor league journeymen, grizzled veterans and pathetic alcoholics on the Browns roster seemed to be competitive! Could this motley crew cope with success long enough to win?

This book is an entertaining and enjoyable read. Nostalgia at its best. Welcome back to the era of rationing cards and railroad travel when baseball's sixteen major league teams were based in eleven cities and St. Louis was the far Western frontier of the big leagues.

THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT LOOK AT THE WWII ERA. ALOT OF GREAT INTERVIEWS AND STORY TELLING DESCRIBE THIS HISTORIC ERA IN GREAT DETAIL. IT LIKE BEING THERE. MR. MEAD DOES A FINE JOB AND THIS IS TRULY AN EXCELLENT BOOK FOR HISTORIANS AND FANS OF THE GREAT AMERICAN SPORT. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

William Mead's wonderful book about a baseball in the 1940's has appeared under several titles (EVEN THE BROWNS, BASEBALL'S WORST DECADE). In each guise it is a sprightly written and judicious account of the personalities (Judge Landis, Pete Gray) and events of baseball in a time of national crisis.

Bint Arab is an excellent study of the history and present of Arab American women dispelling much myth and presenting this wonderful minority in vivid color and 3d.

Shaker did an wonderful job presenting an accurate portrayal of the many faces of Arab women in US. The very considerable amount of research into the history of Arab migration in US makes the book a very valuable source on the subject. This coupled with the personal history of Shaker's own family helped bring the history to life.

Shakers extensive field work with modern day Arab American women from very diverse backgrounds with no attempt to force any specific viewpoint serves to make Bin Arab a fantastic window on diverse group of Americans

For a reader seeking to understand the experience of women of Arab heritage in the US, reading Evelyn Shakir's book makes an excellent first step. One's vague stereotypes about this group dissolve after reading a few pages. Starting at the beginning of the 20th century, she paints a vivid and colorful picture of these women and their families, ethnic communities, business enterprises, and interaction with Anglo-American society. I found the descriptions of the earlier 20th century to have the evocative quality of E.L. Doctorow's Ragtime. Shakir does not gloss over the difficulties that these women had with their patriarchal-minded males; she also depicts their numerous victories in redefining their roles as women. (The author's own mother won such a victory, setting up a successful small clothing factory in West Roxbury, Massachusetts.)

Shakir's family was Christian, as were most of the earlier generations of Arab immigrants, and her account of their generation draws much from family memories. (She also did considerable research in books and periodicals by and about Arab Americans, enriching her account while never making it ponderous.) When dealing with today's largely Muslim immigrants, she takes a different approach. She gives the reader lengthy transcriptions of Arab women's accounts of their experiences, taken from interviews or, in one case, from a conversation among four sisters. I would guess that, feeling unfamiliar with their culture, she preferred to let the Muslim women speak for themselves. This drew me in as effectively as did the earlier part of the book. Taken as a whole, Bint Arab is a very readable and richly detailed portrayal of an ethnic group with whom other Americans would do well to become better acquainted.

This book is a personal yet highly informative ethnographic survey of three generations of Arab American women. The author introduces her grandmothers, who came to the US in the nineteenth century. She investigates their motivations for immigrating and how they and their cohorts adapted to the new country. A central figure in the book is the author's mother, a and successful businesswoman, who is presented as an example of the first American generation. Shakir describes how second generation Arab American women sought to find places for themselves between the Arab and American cultures, and how third generation women connected or reconnected with their heritage. In the last part of the book, Shakir turns her attention to more recent arrivals since 1948, mostly Palestinians, and the reasons why they have assimilated less to American culture.

The author does an exceptional job throughout explaining the traditions of her culture to those who may not be aware of them. Only at the beginning does she seem to idealize the homeland Lebanon somewhat, rather than consider it impartially; this was probably due to her elders' expressed attitudes as she was growing up. This book will be of interest to anyone studying the process of immigration and acculturation, as well as those of Arab American ancestry.

As an Arab American woman, I have been desperate in my search for common experiences, for familiar voices and shared stories. Picking up this book made me realize that I am not alone, but furthermore a member of a community! It also made me realize that I had even bought into the hype of American media. The book shares anecdotes and gives a detailed history of Arab american women. It is pieces of history, small tales threaded together to form a priceless 'misbah,' prayer beads for every Arab American. It taught me what I needed to learn. Or re-learn.

Bob Dylan fans will enjoy this book that features over 100 pages of Dylan quotes on subjects ranging from music, the 60's, drugs, love, his idols, songwriting, and more. Everybody knows that Dylan was a wily and occasionally malicious interviewee, and this book reflects that. I laughed out loud several times at his witticisms directed back at the hollow questiosn that were put to him. However, there are some very pointed answers that he serves up here as well, that seemingly give a real insight into his persona, his life, and his views. There are also a lot of high-quality pictures. My only complaint is that the book is a little short-you can easily read it all in one setting, though it's probably a book that you'll go back to time and again to see what Dylan offered up on a particular subject-it would have been nice, for instance, if it had a section where Dylan commented upon particular songs of his, such as was done in the Leonard Cohen book in the "In His Own Words" series. Still, Dylan interviews are always hard to come by, and this is the best copendium you'll find featuring them.

This is really a (the) great book for the base of a Dylan book
collection. Each of the 112 pages comprising this paperback
has at least one photograph, and many pages have two or three!
In my mind the pictures alone are worth a binding of their own. They
include many of his co-workers, and famous peers. After looking
at all of them for the first time, you really get a "feel" for
the environment in which he has been working (living) for the
last 30 - 40 years.

The entire collection of quotes (quotes and pictures are all you get, folks)
are catagorized by a plethora of topics, which enables quick referencing,
so you really should learn ALOT about his PERSONALITY.
I say "personality" because the quotes are in
conversational mode, candid, ranginging from silly quips and
understatements to very sincere and thoughtful comments; the way
I imagine he shares with intimates. This is not a stilted,
unemotional, professional collection of aphorisms, and I feel better informed
as a result.

This book contains a compilation of Dylan's own words, transcribed from interviews, press conferences, radio, and TV shows. Complete with scores of pictures, In His Own Words is a must for any Dylan fan. Dylan dons persona after persona, and the results are quite entertaining.

A must for any Bob Dylan fan, this book contains an ecclectic collection of Dylan's responses to reporters and others.

Writers often send in a manuscript without reading the publisher's writing guidelines, properly formatting their work, extensive proofreading, etc. Book editors talk about these topics and more in order to enlighten writer's about what is expected of them before they put their manuscript in the mail. It is frustrating for an editor to read manuscripts that are not well-written or unsuited for their publishing house. I enjoyed reading this book and, in fact, finished it in two days.

This is one of my two favorite books on the publishing business. Read it cover to cover and you will come away with ammunition most writers don't have when they try to sell their books. No matter what kind of book you are writing, Judy has an editor who addresses the topic. These interviews are extremely candid. It's like having a friend in the publishing business.
Buy this and the only other book you will need is "Write a Book Without a Finger", by Mahesh Grossman, which shows several actual proposals by first time authors, two of whom sold their first books for over $100,000 dollars.

If you are a new author or an author who is multiply published, this book will be of some interest to you. Editors explain publishing, what they like and don't like, agents, and much more in this interview style book. Each chapter covers a different topic with a different editor. Beware that the book is 6 years old, so much of the specific info may be outdated and many of the editors have changed houses or job titles. But overall, much of the info stays the same. They should put out a book like this every year!

Not only is this an informative book for new and experienced writers, it's also quite fun to read. Through Judy Mandell's question/answer format I felt as though I were in a restaurant eavesdropping on a conversation in the next booth. A variety of editors speak openly and candidly about the publishing world -- what makes a best seller, what makes a winning nonfiction proposal, what they want (and don't want) from authors. From small university presses to powerful New York publishing houses, Judy Mandell conducts over 40 interviews and asks editors the questions I've always wanted to ask. How are advances determined? Which books get "the big push" in promotions? When I finished the book I understood a little better how editors think and what they need from writers. That's invaluable information.

I found this book through a local bookstore's staff recommendation, and could not believe how little-known it was! Kristine McKenna is as much a genius as some of the artists she interviews. She asks the questions that get at what it's like to be an artist, or what it's like to be creative, questions which more often than not seem to be drowned out by the requisite shilling for a new album/movie or the latest romantic breakup. I usually hate reading interviews where someone keeps talking about her "craft", but that was absolutely not the case here. Not a single person interviewed comes across as foolish or too self-serious, and you will be thinking of them long after you've finished the book.

highlights:
- portraits by well-known cartoonists, including R. Crumb (!), Chris Ware, and Seth. nice touch, particularly if you read a lot of comics.
- David Lynch's interview, which turned into a discussion about falling in love, how to get good ideas, and everything in between
- R. Crumb: articulate and gives a good defense of the apparently offensive elements in his work
- Artie Shaw: surprising amount of bite, and not afraid to move on
- McKenna's own brief notes about the context of the interviews, and her own impressions of what happened. Pithy and witty, when warranted.
- Werner Herzog after "Fitzcarraldo"'s disappointment. Not a man to trifle with. Not that you would.
- Ray Charles' advice on the industry, and personal reflections on the power of music


I can't believe this is out of print. Just get a copy if you like music, art, or movies, even remotely. You'll be smarter after reading, which is not usually the case with celebrity interviews.

So far, my favorite book of interviews. Kristine McKenna is a brilliant interviewer. She asks the best questions and is able to get her subjects to really open up without being pushy.

I was especially taken with the Leonard Cohen interview, and I wasn't even much of a Cohen fan when I read it.

If I were to create a list of the world's greatest figures in film and music, nearly every surviving person on my list would be included in this collection. The great minds she brings to the fore share a common refusal to compromise their personal vision and artistic integrity, which leads them to the deepest reaches of the heart and mind. Who better to ask about God, love, evil, and suffering than Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, David Lynch, Werner Herzog, or Tom Waits? These women and men have been to the other side, and McKenna questions them carefully about the journey on our behalf.

I can't wait to read her forthcoming second volume, which will surely be as great as this one.

Kristine McKenna surely know the characters before meeting and interviewing them. The interviews with David Lynch, William Burroughs, Leonard Cohen, Nina Simone are worth the price alone. In-depth and thorough. A total winner!