Television Books

Saying my daughter loves CyberChase is an understatement. She is a walking salesperson for the show. Every friend gets asked if they watch. She has a number of episodes on DVD that get watched all the time.

So this book was going to be hard not to love. It lives up to the writing on the show. She has read it three or four times since she got it for her birthday in late October.

Just wish there had been more titles. By the way, I have no idea why one of the resellers was selling this book, which only came out in paperback, for $1300. It's good, but not that good.

In the past I have not missed a single Cyberchase show, now it's going to be a book!!! I'm really excited.

My 5 and 7 year old sons can't get enough of this book. They've had me reading it to them nightly for the last week. Cyberchase is their favorite show and they learn a wealth of math watching it. (My five year old now uses the phrase "counter example" and understands it!)

Cyberchase is my favorite TV show, and I was so excited to see a book of it. The author either works on the show, or has seen all the episodes, because he knows the charaters. Speaking of the charaters, I like them all, even the bad guy is kind of funny. By the way, I really really really like the bad guy's helpers, Buzz and Delete. All of this book was funny and really WEIRD! (So is the show.)I really hope they write another one. Hope this review helps!
- Cyberchase's #1 Fan

I'm a huge fan of Cyberchase, so when I heard that the book was coming out of course I had to purchase a copy. And I was quite satisfied, too--the book was long, and, like the show, was written intelligently and had a strong usage of vocabulary. Anyway, I've read the book over about three times, now, and I can't wait for more Cyberchase merchandise.

As for response to the other reviewers, the author--Adam Rudman--is actually one of the writers for the show itself. He's assisted in quite a few episodes to date, so it's no wonder that he'd get the book into the perfect format for an episode of Cyberchase. Although I kinda wished there would be more Buzz and Delete--those two are so CUTE!!! (Oh, and, you haven't even SEEN #1 Cyberchase fan until you've seen the things I've conjunctured in the past.)

This is the only authorized biography book by Def Leppard. A must have for every Lep fan!

I BOUGHT THIS BOOK BACK WHEN IT WAS FIRST RELEASED, AND I BELIEVE THAT I READ IT IN AS LITTLE AS 4 HOURS!!! THE PREVIOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE REVIEWED THIS BOOK ARE CORRECT IN SAYING THAT ONCE YOU PICK IT UP, YOU WILL NEVER WANT TO PUT IT DOWN AGAIN!

INFORMATIVE, FUNNY(EVEN DOWNRIGHT HYSTERICAL AT TIMES-THANKS PHIL AND STEVE!!!), PERSONAL AND EVER HONEST, THIS STORY BY DAVID FRICKE IS THE MOST THOROUGH AND CONSISTANTLY ACCURATE BIOGRAPHY THAT COULD'VE EVER BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THIS BAND. AND THAT SAYS A LOT SEEING I HAVE BEEN A FAN SINCE 1980 AND HAVE READ PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE WRITTEN ABOUT THEM!!

DAVID FRICKE SPENT A WEEK WITH THE GUYS IN HOLLAND INTERVIEWING THEM AND GETTING TO KNOW THEM (LUCKY GUY!!!) AND THE READER CAN TELL FROM THE WAY THAT HE TELLS THEIR STORY. GREAT JOB DAVID!!! NEXT TIME CAN I BE YOUR ASSISTANT AND DO THE INTERVIEWING?! OK, OK, BACK TO REALITY!! LOL

AS FOR ROSS HALFIN'S PICTORIAL, WELL ALL I CAN SAY IS THANKS FOR THE AWESOME AND SOMETIMES INTIMATE PICS(JOE IN THE BATHTUB FOR EXAMPLE), THEY WERE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! I HAVE LOVED ROSS'S PICTURES OF THE BAND EVER SINCE THE EARLY 80'S IN CIRCUS AND HIT PARADER MAGAZINES AND HE JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AS THE YEARS GO ON. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, ROSS!!!

THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR EVERY DEF LEPPARD FANS COLLECTION, NO MATTER THE PRICE IT IS TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK OR DEF LEPPARD FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME! I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THIS BAND!!!

AND IF YOU NEED A HOME MORTGAGE LOAN, EMAIL ME TOO! INTEREST RATES ARE AT AN ALL-TIME LOW RIGHT NOW! SORRY, NEED TO PLUG THE BUSINESS ANYTIME I GET THE CHANCE!!!

LORI

By far, the best comprehensive book on Def Leppard! A must have for fans! I purchased the book approximately nine or ten years ago, and I love to look at it still!

Def Leppard fans, you must purchase this book! It is by far the greatest book on this planet. It tells the complete story of Def Leppard, from their early days in a Sheffield spoon factory up to their fourth album, Hysteria. Author David Fricke has done an incredible job writing this book. It is clearly written and very informative. The photos, courtesy of Ross Halfin, are amazing. Once you pick this book up, you will not want to put it down. Your Def Leppard collection is not complete without Animal Instinct!!!

Animal Instinct is the best rock book I've ever read. It's filled with great photography courtesy of Ross Halfin, and the author, David Fricke of Rolling Stone Magazine, has done a superb writing job. Not only has he done exhaustive research, but he's injected the tragedy-ridden story of this band with healthy doses of good humor throughout. I've read this book over and over again, and it's still entertaining. The chapter on "The Terror Twins" (who are, of course, Steve Clark and Phil Collen) is absolutely hilarious. And Mr. Fricke's way with words in describing the birth of Def Leppard, the recording of Pyromania, Rick Allen's accident, the band's struggles to record Hysteria both with and without Mutt Lange, and everything in between, leaves you feeling as if you've lived through it along with them. There are other Def Leppard biographies, but there's not one to compare with Animal Instinct. If you're a Def Leppard fan and have not read this book, beg, borrow (but please don't steal my copy) or buy it for yourself. You must read it! And if you're not a Def Leppard fan, beware - once you read this book, you will be! - Laurie Compton

Buy this book! Sumptuously illustrated with some really mouthwatering recipes - try the Strawberry Granita for instance. Very good all round.

I've been using this cookbook for a few years and checked to see if she'd written anything new. The recipes are delicious. The cooking instruction is clear. She adds a special touch with her comments that make me feel that I have an expert guiding me in the kitchen. This American cook loves Delia Smith! My family, guests and neighbors love the recipes I prepare with this book and Delia's Winter Cookbook.

If you are frustated by reading colourful and glossy recipes that turn out disasterous the delicious Delia is for you. Her recipes always work. Her UK television programme back room staff ensure that, as most if not all are demonstrated on TV, and even the most acknowledged cooks in the UK will tell you that it will, yes will, work the first time. My wife, a proffesional cook, makes no excuse for always having her volumes at hand for that sudden emergancy. Typical of the main stream of modern British cuisine in the mid 1990s, full of the feeling and flavours of that oh so elusive English Summer.

You have to try the Roasted Peppers recipe - it's easy and I continually impress all dinner guests with the simple dish. The Chicken Basque is delicious and although the fresh fruit terrine needs 24 hours to finish, it tastes great, looks delicious and impresses everyone. It is my favourite cookbook!

Delia, oh Delia. The woman who taught me how to make toast! (I was actually making it wrong all these years...) Delia is one of those television personalities who you really would like to have as a friend. Her books are extremely personable and can literally be read aloud - gives you that "Delia is in the house" feeling. The Summer and Winter Collections are Superb books. Also check out How to Cook One and Two. Excellent. Now, where can I buy the How to Cook video collection?

The book is personal, genuine and warm. I got to know the musician through reading the book, and I like who he is and what he is about. Diary of a Young Musician is in fact a diary. Mayerhofer tells his life as a young musician truthfully and intimately. It was hard for me to put the book down after I began to read it.

This book could easily serve as a must-read primer for eager young musicians and young people in general. Mayerhofer shares his wisdom about life and living in an entertaining way.

As reviewed by reporter Masha Rumer in Westmore News, Port Chester, NY, March 24, 2006

Little did a Port Chester-born and reared Felix Mayerhofer know when he picked up his trombone and accepted the full scholarship at Julliard in New York City back in 1948 that his life direction would change forever.
This short journey from his home at 21 Bent Ave. on the New Haven line was to be the end of innocence of an 18-year-old boy as he embarked on the 14-year road of a traveling musician, encountering cruelty, poverty, fame, women, drugs, and the thrill of the Big Band era.
Expect to find a moving personal story, a portrait of America, humor, and unscrupulous honesty in Mayerhofer's memoir Diary of a Young Musician, published by Xlibris in 2005.
The writing is brutally honest--and that's the way it was intended, as a father's revealing portrait to his young son David. Mayerhofer spares no detail when he describes his manifold experiences with the opposite sex, his brief run-ins with marijuana, amphetamines and alcohol, segregation in the South in the 1950s, the challenging life on the road, his mother's nagging to "get a real job" and Port Chester girls' dismissive attitude toward young musicians.
Mayerhofer, whose Uncle Peter helped build Corpus Christi Church and became its first pastor, also tells the sad tales of loss, as many of his band mates get hooked on heroin and die before they reach 25.
The reader even gets a glimpse into the author's occasional bouts of illness; he describes the physiological details in an un-Victorian, honest fashion.
The world of Mayerhofer's youth is different: blue suede shoes are in high fashion--he owns a pair, one can buy a cup of coffee and a hot dog for 20 cents on the streets of New York, and "spiffy" is a cool word.
But throughout the tales of debauchery--a hard thing to avoid in the profession at the time, and pursuit of work all over the world, Mayerhofer emerges as a sensitive, disciplined man who has the strong will and fortitude to conquer his demons and lead an extraordinary life.
He has met Louis Armstrong and played with Nat King Cole, served with the 552 Air Force Band during the Korean War, earned a B.A. from SUNY Potsdam and an M.A. from Asuza State University in California, and directed a junior high school band in Palmdale, Calif. until he retired.
Perhaps one of the most touching aspects of the book is Mayerhofer's meeting of his wife Shirley, nee Wagner (Wagonseller), a beautiful show dancer and ballerina. Before he turned 30, Mayerhofer was a professed bachelor and claims to have not had more than three dates with the same girl. But when he meets Shirley, he is suddenly smitten, falls in love after their first kiss, and the two marry within months.
Mayerhofer played in the Port Chester High School Band, under the tutelage of Paul Weckesser. Nearly 30 years later, he returned there to teach band for six weeks while on vacation from touring with Fred Waring

Deana Plank VanHeusen, a retired music teacher, October 28, 2005,
Diary of a Young Musician
"Diary of a Young Musician" by Felix Mayerhofer is especially appealing to me, since I was also in Felix's Freshman group (one of the Northern New York farmers' daughters mentioned in the book) at the State University of New York at Potsdam (Crane Department of Music) in 1955. When I started reading this book, I was so enthralled I couldn¹t put it down! It took me two days to finish it with my husband doing all the cooking, cleaning, while getting NO attention from me. Now HE is reading it and enjoys the parts about the big band days, when my husband was an awestruck audience member. One of the first memories of Felix was the morning he entered school three weeks late (veterans could do that), and spoofed the class pretending to be a substitute for Professor Frackenpohl. From then on we smiled whenever "Felix" stories were exchanged, since something was always happening that was funny. This book took me back to those wonderful college years. Students sat in awe watching Felix play jazz with college professors, never knowing he had lived a lifetime of worldly experiences, unknown to us at the time.

Diary of a Young Musician is the memoir of an innocent teenage musician who learned the hard way about the dog eat dog world of big bands: drugs, drinking, women, and road life. In his 20's he played with name bands and even served in an air force band during the Korean War., as well as earning a B.S. from the State University NY Potsdam. While working in Reno's showrooms, he married a professional dancer, an event that would change his life forever. His story is a pull-no-punches look at the ups and downs of band life in the mid-twentieth century, a life of excitement, wonder, trepidation, and challenges both internal and external. Highly recommended.

I've just finished reading "Diary of a Young Musician:Final Days of The Big Band Era", by Felix Mayerhofer. And before I go any further, I must admit to being a close friend of Felix's and have played a minor part in the life he writes about here. Which, I believe, gives me a unique perspective on the events and experiences in his story, because I've lived a similar life path.
I've found the book to be an honest,straightforward treatment of what it was like to be a performer in what was for quite a while, the most popular form of musical entertainment in this country, and probably the world, Dance Bands. But Felix also gives us the story of how musicians and singers were forced to adapt to the changing tastes of the public as the big band era was supplanted by Rock and Roll and the growing popularity of TV, and the phenomenon of legal gambling in the Casinos of Las Vegas and Reno. .. and the story doesn't stop there.
He manages to weave into his tale, some of the problems he faced. The moral dilemmas of sex and drugs, for instance, and the ongoing quest for self improvement in his musical abilities as well as how to achieve those things we all want from life, .. security, family and Love.
In successfully writing his story, he's shown us that he's successfully lived his life. .. and for that more than anything, I'm proud of him.

The author has provided the digital image and cinema industry with a serious text on image processing. Although the stated focus is digital cinema, this book can be utilized by anyone interested in the algorithms of digital image processing. The book is aimed primarily at professionals who are already involved in the field, but it could also be easily used as a textbook on the subject. Derivations are kept to a minimum and numerous examples in MATLAB are provided to illustrate the various digital processes as well as their effects. There are two chapters in particular that are often omitted in image processing texts. One is the chapter on human visual perception which emphasizes the importance of often mentioned phenemona such as contrast sensitivity as well as less often mentioned non-linear effects and their perception. The other is the chapter on image compression which is extensive and includes spatial, transform, and wavelet domain algorithms in detail. Most interesting is the section devoted to the use of the human vision model in the compression process. Although computer vision itself is largely omitted from the book, the author did include a discussion of basic edge detection methods.

Chapter 1 introduces the readers to digital processing techniques in a brief fashion. Chapter 2 is a review of two-dimensional discrete signals and systems. If you are rusty on this subject, you will probably need an outside source to help refresh your memory. Chapter 3 describes human visual perception from a system point of view. Human vision plays a key role in the design of image and video compression and display systems, thus the chapter describes vision models in detail, in particular the model that predicts masking effects in digital imaging. Chapters four through six, though interesting, are pretty standard fare for digital image processing texts.

The discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is introduced in chapter 7. Without derivations and mathematical proofs, the computation of the DWT using subband coding is described and illustrated with examples. The chapter also explains the connection between wavelets and quadrature mirror filters and shows how to compute a wavelet function from the analysis and synthesis filters with examples. Chapter 8 is devoted to the discussion of image and video compression techniques. This rather extensive chapter describes the basic ideas used in the JPEG2000 and MPEG-2 standards.

Through chapter eight, the processes and algorithms described could be useful to anyone in the field of image processing. In chapter nine the author turns to concerns specific to digital cinema. He does this by addressing some issues behind the special requirements of digital cinema when he discusses two approaches to image compression that meet its requirements - QUALCOMM's system and a system based on the JPEG2000 compression standard. These two systems are interesting because the QUALCOMM system uses the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) as the compression vehicle while the latter uses the DWT for compression. The chapter is rounded out with a discussion of some of the characteristics of digital projectors.

One particular good characteristic of this book is Appendix D, which contains a variety of suggested MATLAB-based projects on the subject of digital image processing. Even if you already have several good texts on the subject of digital image processing, this one is excellent and has a unique contribution for those interested in applying image processing to the interesting field of digital cinema.

This is truly a great book, the math notations are clear and concise. A lot of good reference pointers in the book make it not only a fundamental textbook but also a good research resource. Many sample codes in Matlab are provided. For anyone working on image signal processing, it is a great resource library. The book is equally valuable to professioinals working on this subject and students (senior undergrad or first year graduate students) becoming familiar with the field.
There is only one minor limitation on what it covers on the digital video compression section. Some of the newest techniques used by the H.264 and VC1 were not mentioned here -- such as intra frame prediction, deblocking filter, as well as mathematic coding used in the entropy coding. There is a discussion on the adaptive block based DCT, which is very interesting. Although a comparison with the current adaptive variable size tracking block and Hadamard transformation would be valuable as well.
This might be a good incentive for Dr. Thyagarajan to write a 2nd edition :). In case he plans to write a new edition, maybe he can elaborate a bit more on the last chapter about what were Qualcomm's practical problems in this project and how they were resolved -- I would imagine he could have enough material to expand the last chapter easily to 40-50 pages from 15 pages.
In summary, I like this book a lot, especially the wavelet section. It is one of the best and clearst treatments of the subject I have ever seen.
I highly recommend owning this book and reading it seriously!

I am involved in embedded applications. I currently work with scientific imaging sensors and real-time processing. This book has been useful and straight forward in my line of work. The chapter on human visual perception helped me to relate with camera issues. The book explains in a systematic manner how to apply discrete wavelet transforms to imaging and how to manipulate them. Overall, the materials in the book are easy to understand and have good examples. I highly recommend this book !!!

This book provides a very practical up-to-date introduction and explanation of the concepts and state of the art behind the fast changing world of digital image processing, specifically for higher-end applications such as television and digital cinema. The author does a good job of providing easy-to-understand explanations and examples of the basics of this complicated science that allow a non-technical professional to understand the basics of how digital processing is used in video and image applications. But, he also goes further to explain the complicated mathematical principles of various image processing technologies for the benefit of the serious student. The MATLAB examples in the appendix and the suggested "for further study" exercises help provide tools and direction for readers who want to experiment with the principles in the book. Overall, this book should be very useful to the professional or student trying to understand the current industry thinking regarding digital processing and compression of images for high-end presentation applications like digital cinema at whatever depth of understanding they are needing.

The book "Digital Image Processing with Application to Digital Cinema" is an excellent treatment on digital image processing techniques. Mathematical derivations are kept to a minimum so as not to lose sight of the main principles of image processing. Yet the book can easily serve the needs of both professionals and students equally well. The chapter on human visual perception is treated very well giving all details of known visual models, which are used later in the chapter on image compression. Image enhancement is an essential ingredient in all aspects of image processing and the book aptly covers enhancement techniques in detail with numerous examples. Transform techniques in general and wavelet transform in particular are given adequate coverage that most can follow. The chapter on image compression takes up these transforms and explains clearly how to apply them in achieving quality image and video compression. The book ends with a chapter on case studies involving two state-of-the art systems for distribution of movies in digital format. I enjoyed this book very much and I highly recommend it to all professionals, both in universities and industries.

This book is a great resource for the first series of new Doctor Who starring Christopher Ecclestone. It includes the shooting scripts for all 13 episodes so some scenes aired are in a different order or are shorter than in the script book but the scripts are essentially what was aired on screen. Each script is accompanied by a short editorial by the scriptwriter and excellent selection of photos from the aired episode. If you want to explore television script format or follow the script while watching your DVDs, this is the book for you. A must for Doctor Who fans!

Dr. Who is Forty (actually he's 900, but like the Doctor, the show had been around in one form or another since 1964). During March and through June the BBC celebrated by bringing the show back to television for its 27th season (or as it is more consistently called: SEASON ONE)in a glossy, fast-paced enough to satisfy contemporary audiences, while still conscious of its roots. This hardback book contains all 13 season one scripts for the 2005 rebirth of the longest running sci-fi series in TV history. Seven of these scripts are by Russell T. Davies, with the remaining 6 by Steven Moffat, Robert Shearman, Paul Cornell and Mark Gatiss. Each provides an insightful intro for their scripts revealing their inspirations and changes they had to make to bringing the stories to screen. These writers clearly have a respect and understanding of the UK icon, which evident in Davies' final remarks:

"There are some people in the TV industry who have asked archly, why I'm now writing genre, instead of drama. Obviously, they've never watch a single episode of Doctor Who. It's the best drama in the world."

Doctor Who has always has a voice defined by the decade each in tune with its era and this holds true to the new Doctor Who. This Doctor is almost child-like in his enthusiasm and wonder. Featuring the Doctor as played by Christopher Eccleston, infusing the character with great humanity, while remaining mysterious and alien, along with his companion Rose played by Billie Piper, growing from an awed slacker to a seasoned space adventurer. However, the format of the show has changed to 45 min. parts, some ending with cliffhangers, some without. It contains explanatory notes on the scriptwriting process, giving a unique insight into how the writers visualized their stories and OVER a THOUSAND PHOTOS from the 2005 season. This book has an attractive cover and interior graphics are nice. But MORE importantly the collection gives fans an insider's look at how the show works. But. EVEN more importantly, with the absence of the old Target Books episode by episode TV-tie-ins, this is the one of the few ways for AMERICAN fans see the NEW SERIES before the region 1 DVD release (watch AMAZON.CO.CA in February

The First story: "ROSE" introduces Rose Tyler who is attacked by mannequins (or AUTONS) in the department store where she works. She meets the Doctor and the pair end up fighting to save the world.

DOCTOR: Hello Rose Tyler, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

Next in "THE END of the WORLD" The Doctor offers Rose a chance to go anyplace, anytime, they end up in the 5 Billion years in the future above the Earth just before it ends. But someone has sabotaged observation satellite they're on. . . .Rose finds the aliens on board, so alien, she then asks the Doctor who he is...

DOCTOR: This is who I am, right here, RIGHT NOW! All that
counts is here and now and this is me!


In "THE UNQUIET DEAD" The DOCTOR and ROSE Travel back to see Charles Dickens, a ghostly apparition and an investigation leading to a undertaker's office where the dead keep getting out of their coffins. Once Dickens becomes involved and the Doctor gushes...

DOCTOR: Charles Dickens! You're Brilliant, you are!
Completely 100% brilliant! I've read'em all!....I'M YOUR
NUMBER ONE FAN, that's me!


In the "ALIENS of LONDON" The Doctor takes Rose home (mistakenly) 12 months later. We learn what happens back home when a companion up and leaves with the Doctor. The pair deal with Rose's Mum, who thought she was dead, and the ex-boyfriend who has been the main suspect. But when a spaceship crashes in the Thames, the whole world goes on Red Alert.
In "WORLD WAR III" the "Aliens of London" continues...

DOCTOR: This is why I travel, ... to see history happening, right in front of us.

In "DALEK" Beneath the Salt Plains of Utah, the billionaire collector Henry Van Statten holds the last relic of an alien race and the one living exhibit in the museum is a....you know what.

DOCTOR: An, Old enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old.


In "THE LONG GAME" the Doctor takes another new compainon to the far future...

DOCTOR: Thing is...time travel, it's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guidebook, you've got to throw yourself into it, eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers, ... stop asking questions and do it!

In episode 8, FATHER'S DAY, The Doctor takes Rose back in time to meet her long-dead Father, but the Tylers finds themselves battling the Reapers.

DOCTOR: Your wish is my command. But be careful what you wish for...


In the 9th episode, THE EMPTY CHILD. Its London, 1941, the Blitz. A mysterious child terroises Homeless children in this 2 part storyline.The Empty Child story continues in The DOCTOR DANCES. The Child's plague is spreading throughout wartime London, and so is its zombie army. Spin-off character Capt. Jack Harkness is introduced...

ROSE: You used to be a Time Agent, now you're some kind
of freelancer.

JACK: That's a little harsh- I prefer to think of myself
as a criminal.

In episode 11, BOOM TOWN a plan to build a nuclear power station in Cardiff City disguises an alien plot to rip the world apart and a returning villain...

MARGARET: What did I ever do to you?

DOCTOR: You tried to kill me and destroy this entire planet.

MARGARET: Apart from that?


In the 12th episode, BAD WOLF, the Doctor, Rose and Captain Jack have to fight for their lives on board the Game Station, in the season finale, THE PARTING of the WAYS, Rose Tyler has seen danger and wonders alongside the Doctor, but now their friendship is put to the test and the Doctor says goodbye...sort of...
DOCTOR: ROSE...you were FANTASTIC. ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC...and'd you know what? SO WAS I.

Shooting scripts, plus nice pictures plus episode commentary.

Very well put together.

Doctor Who is back! Unfortunately, we will have to wait for the video version to be shown on our American television screens (or even released on Region 1 DVDs). But in the meantime we have this WONDERFUL book to see us through. All thirteen adventures of the Ninth Doctor Who are represented here in script form from "ROSE" to "THE PARTING OF THE WAYS" and each script is peppered with a generous serving of excellent photographs from the show to help the reader visualize what is going on.
The book is easy to read and well worth the price. If you are a Doctor Who fan, you can't afford to pass this little gem up.

A nicely presented book, but at the end of the day it's essentially just what you've already seen on the tv screen. However if you want to dip in and learn how to structure a script i'm sure it gives good information. It's interesting though to see how everything is put together.

This book is so crucial for any one playing Scarlatti sonatas.
There is so much detail, historical context, and yet the writing is such that even an amateur pianist like me can get a grasp on how to interpret the sonatas. There are some nice sections on how to approach them on the piano.

I wish I could find similar books for every other composer!

Ralph Kirkpatrick's 1953 work remains THE book on Domenico Scarlatti and his keyboard sonatas. There have been no substantial revisions in the biography of DS since 1953. Georgio Pestelli and many others have questioned Kirkpatrick on chronology, but when it comes to analysis of individual sonatas, Kirkpatrick is strong. Kirkpatrick was not a musicologist, so his book is actually interesting to read!

An indispensable reference for all those interested in one of the greatest keyboardists of all time. Kirkpatrick's work is one of real scholarship. Written in 1953, no one has since bested it.

This book is an indispensable reference for those studying the great composer Domenico Scarlatti.

The first 7 chapters are historical narratives without unusual merit except as an intoduction to the real book which is about music. There is a chapter on harpsichords. Kirkpatrick was not the first thinker on Scarlatti as evidenced by the extensive bibliography and appendix

He did establish the K identification number system which has stood the test of time at least in this country.

His real contribution is in identifying Scarlatti as a real musician writing music of extraordinary merit. His chapter on Scarlatti's harmony is very difficult reading.

The last chapter on "Performance of the Scarlatti Sonatas" should be read again and again by every musical teacher and student (he talks about tempo, rhythm, phrasing, articulation and attitudes).

Of course, one must have the sheet music on hand to see what it's all about, and a mind-set ready to accept Scarlatti into the company of Chopin and Liszt as well as Granados and Albéniz.

Kirkpatrick talks a little about the influence of Iberian song and dance forms on the sonatas of Scarlatti; a few others have scattered hints on this subject. I think the world would welcome a full-blown research here as a fitting sequel to this book.

The appeal of Andy Mac is simple: he's down-to-earth, amiable, ambitious, and loves skateboarding for the natural high it gives him. This autobiographical book makes me believe he would still be skateboarding even if his sponsorships had been cut off and he was working in a greasy spoon flipping burgers. Andy is the consummate competitor: focused, extremely hard-working, and dedicated to a sport he loves. The beauty of skateboarding as presented here is that the athletes compete against themselves as well as the other participants. Seeing rivals competing with a respectful comraderie is refreshing. I can relate. Playing basketball all my life has made me realize that part of the love of the sport comes from pushing yourself to exceed your limits. It's a blast competing, but it's more fulfilling when you respect your opponent and his skills. Laughing in admiration when someone knocks down a three-pointer in your face (even though you did your best defensively) or completes a perfect 360 spin off the vert ramp is what makes the sport endearing. Andy Mac is a fierce talent, but he also learns from his peers. He sets a good example for aspiring young skateboarders and makes me want to learn a kick-flip, even though I'd probably snap my coccyx in the process. This book is loaded with personal anecdotes and insights into this exciting, acrobatic, and often punishing sport. Professional sports would be more appealing if all the athletes were as good-natured as Andy. Instead of thinking about the next thousand-dollar bling jewelry he will purchase after winning an XGames competition, he's happy he can fill his cupboard with jumbo boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. That says it all.

There are many great things about this book. It's humorous, gripping, and you just do not want to put it down. I rely enjoyed this book. I give it our stars. It is a must read . Even if you do not like sports you will like this book.

My 9 year old son loved this book. He learned a lot of good values from someone he really admires. I highly recommend this book.

Dropping in with Andy Mac is a really good book. It is about Andy Macs life. If you dont like skateboarding dont read this book because every page mentions skateboarding at least twice.

Here's an awesome book that will have you reading non-stop from beginning to end. Have you ever had the dream of becoming a professional skateboarder? Andy MacDonald has fulfilled such a dream. Dropping in with Andy Mac The Life of a Pro Skateboarder, is by far the greatest cant stop autobiography ever! I fell in love with this book from he start. It's a quick fun book to read.

The book tells you about the life of Andy Mac with great detail, starts with Little Andy getting constantly poisoned, I'm sure you are wondering what I mean but I guess you are going to have to read it to believe it! From the day he started skating his life was changed forever, when he got better he began to discover new places to skate, such as his buddies back yard which had a 9 foot half pipe.

There are plenty of reasons why anyone would enjoy this book. The book has less than 200 pages, but the font is decently sized. Not only is the story short but also there are plenty of pictures to give you a good idea of what he is talking about.

My daughter loves this book. She plays the songs everyday. She now knows all the characters from Sesame Street. The pop ups are great but just a little flimsy.

My [...] son received this book for his birthday and it became a fast favorite. He loves to push the buttons and listen to the music. He also quickly found the "stop" button and likes to stop the music if he doesn't like my singing--then he laughs. This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

My son received this as a first birthday present and still reads it everyday (7 months later!) The pop-ups are all torn, but he loves the music. This is one of his favorite books!

Elmo is everyone's favorite character come alive in this musically interactive book.

My 19 month old daughter LOVES this book! She spends more time with this book than anything else. I wish they would make more books like this. I would definitely recommend this book!!! Not only keeps your child busy but gives mom some quiet time. :)

This book provides the insight only a woman with Ghitis's experience could write. Great insights on the state of the world and the impact of mass media. A must read for journalists and travelers alike.

What an unbelievable voyage!

Ghitis took me on a guided tour of the world, showing me places I'd never seen. Making me care about what goes on, and showing me why it matters.

The world makes more sense after reading this book. It was an incredible adventure. Read this book.

As a journalist witnessing the historic fall of the Soviet Union and the events shaping the New Era after the Cold War, Ghitis analizes with remarkable clarity the actions of the key players in the political world arena. She lashes out at the U.S. arrogance for proclaiming itself "the indispensable nation", but also recognizes that much in the world depends now on Washington and what it considers its national interests. Ghitis exposes the inhumanity of the movers and shakers for inaction in tragic places like Rwanda, Bosnia and Haiti. "The End of Revolution" covers the world at large having as a common thread the big issues like the global economy in the New Era. But Ghitis also reminds us constantly about the effects of the big events and the global economy on the poor of the world. Like the elderly woman begging Frida for help in the streets of Moscow... the same streets used by the "new Russian capitalists" to show off their shiny new BMWs... A superb book.

Ms Ghitis tied together the seemingly unrelated events of the last twenty years and gave me a much broader perspective of recent history. I'd followed most of the news stories when they were current, but I lacked the ability to really comprehend any meaning behind them. Not only is it relevant and meaningful, but smart and funny.

I must agree with Wolf Blitzer's opinion of this book: What a treat! Reading the End of Revolution is like sitting down to talk with a fascinating journalist who has seen amazing events and can describe them and explain them in such a way that you are mesmerized and fascinated.

The author takes you all over the world, from the Amazon to Tibet, and dozens of places in between. It describes the crises that have made news in the world in ways that at last make real sense.

After years of watching CNN and others, this book gave me the perspective I had always hoped to find. The book explains our world while entertaining and offering insightful commentary and an unusual look behind the scenes at the world of television news. I highly recommend it.

Brian Kohl