Language Arts Books

As N. Chomsky brilliantly states, `Alex Carey draws the veil of deceit and imposed ignorance in the struggle for freedom and justice.'
Alex Carey shows how corporate propaganda protects corporate power (the few) against democracy (the many). Skilled manipulation conceals the real human nature and the needs of the common man in the interest of corporate efficiency and profit, in other words, in the interest of the privileged segments of society.

The effectiveness of propaganda depends on the availability of emotionally charged symbols and ideas. The most powerful ones are nationalist symbols. Therefore, corporate propaganda tries to identify the free-enterprise system with US national values, and strong unions, interventionist governments, communists and alleged liberal fellow travelers with threats to national security, subversion and tyranny.
A surveillance network detects early signs of ideological drifts. Corrective persuasion is immediately disseminated through the media, completely controlled by fellow megacorporations. As the social scientist H.D. Lasswell said: `propaganda is the one means of mass mobilization which is cheaper than violence, bribery or other possible control techniques.'

Another means of manipulation is the filtering of social science studies. Only those which improve the industry's image and interests are propagated.
Alex Carey shows the nonsense and fundamental hypocrisy of alleged `basic' social experiments (the Hawthorne studies, the experiments of K. Lewin and F. Herzberg), which `prove' that salary, job security and good working conditions are only of secondary importance for employees. In the meantime, corporations pocket superprofits.
Alex Carey's dissection of the Hawthorne studies is simply devastating. He unmasks social scientists as servants of power and union busters.

This book contains also excellent historical information (the McCarthy crusade, the great steel strike of 1919) and exposes rightly the link between propaganda and the pragmatism of Dewey and W. James (the promotion of false beliefs is justified if they are socially useful).

This is a very revealing book and a must read for all those wanting to understand the world we live in.

Alex Carey's work is absolutely some of the best. My favorite quote of his is this: "The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy." This has become a touchstone for Sheldon Rampton and me in our books Toxic Sludge Is Good for You, Trust Us, We're Experts, and our writing for PR Watch. Carey is much missed.

Mr. Andrew Lohrey informs us in his introduction, to this collection of essays by the late Australian psychologist Alex Carey, that Carey was prevented from going to college by his parents after he finished secondary school as they wanted him to manage their sheep farm which he did with such success that he could sell it about a decade later and enter a university.

Here and there this book is dreadfully dry, particularly towards the end. His ideas probably would have been made clearer and much better organized if he would have been able to put together a regular book instead of a book of essays put together by someone else but he died in 1988 before he could get it done. But the topics he discusses are very important especially now when business and government propaganda has never been more powerful.

The main title of this book describes what big business and their intellectual and political minions have tried to do particularly in the United States as rights to vote and to organize in this country were extended to large segments of the population of this country over the last hundred years. Carey's old friend Noam Chomsky quotes in his preface the numerous intellectual advocates (Walter Lipmann, Harold Laswell,etc.) of what Thomas Jefferson called late in his life "a single and splendid government of an aristocracy" made up of the "banking institutions and monyed incorporations" whom he feared would destroy the freedoms gained during the American revolution. Many prominent liberal intellectuals devoted loyal service to the state during World War one particularly in the government propaganda agencies putting out massive bogus atrocity stories about the Germans and turning a largely anti-war population in a short period into a bunch of maniacs looking to destroy everything remotely connected with Germany and German culture. A young German soldier named Adolf Hitler was deeply impressed with the allied propaganda effort and blamed German weakness in this field for their defeat and vowed that Germany would learn its lessons by the time the next war came around.

The best part of Carey's text, by far, is about the first five chapters. The first topic discussed is the Americanization movement begun in the few years before World War one by big busisiness associatons who were particularly worried about such events as the victory of the IWW led strike of textile workers in Lawrence Massachusetts in 1912. Big business was particularly worried about the influence of IWW-type radicalism on the U.S. immigrant population which mostly worked under very bad conditions at very low wages and set to work with a somwhat successful drive to inculate immigrants as well as the population at large with "American" values like free enterprise and the status quo and social harmony and against alien values like socialism or the welfare state or non-pliable unions. Out of this campaign came the Fourth of July holiday signed into law into 1918. This campaign culminated in the government crushing of the labor movement during 1919-21 under the cover of chasing communists and German spies.

The labor movement, says Carey, did not recover until the Great Depression which forced the U.S. government to enact very basic welfare legislation and protection of unions. This greatly alarmed important segments of big business. The National Association of Manufacturers literature in 1938 warned of the "hazard facing industrialists" of the "newly realized political power of the masses."

The end of World War two saw the beginnings of a massive attack on independent thinkers and organized labor under the cover of a red scare. After a lag in the early 1970's, the elites in this country began to steer this country towards a very markedly right wing political climate, seeing the rise of previously regarded fringe elements as represented by such think tanks as the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage foundation which featured such profound thinkers as former Nixon and Ford treasury secretary William Simon who fulminated about how the Carter administration was steering the country towards collectivist totalitarianism.

He goes into some detail examining the right wing apparatus in his native Australia. He ends with discussion of some matters dealing with industrial psychology and industrial sociology culminating in a study of the Hawthorne studies, laborious research at an Illinois assembly plant made up of female workers in the late 20's and early 30's where a group of industrial psychologists tried to secure evidence that workers don't care about money and just want to be left alone to do the wonderful jobs that the labor market has forced on them. The Hawthorne chapter is in large part almost unintelligible and very dry, probably inevitable given that it is a scientific paper.

Carey points out that citizens living in totalitarian regimes have no choice but to tow the government line out of fear for their personal safeties. In free societies, Carey explains that more subtle means are used to keep populations under control. Specifically, propaganda is used to ensure that most people will think in a manner that is consistent with the corporate agenda (such as belief in the free market and business' right to unlimited profit). Carey documents how Americans and Australians have been subjected to corporate propaganda during most of the 20th Century, and explains how these efforts have perverted our democracy (for example, American's over willingness to fight communists, real or imagined, to protect capitalism). Indeed, while many Americans were conditioned during the Cold War to believe that propaganda existed only in the Soviet Union, China and other communist regimes, Carey persuasively argues that propaganda actually played (and continues to play) a more critical role in molding the attitudes of citizens in democracies.

"Taking the Risk Out of Democracy : Corporate Propaganda Versus Freedom and Liberty" is a pioneering work in the field of corporate propaganda analysis which reveals just how much of a major force corporate propaganda is in contemporary society. Alex Carey quotes the business press as stating that the public mind is the greatest "hazard facing industrialists."

"Taking the Risk Out of Democracy : Corporate Propaganda Versus Freedom and Liberty" points out that there are two types of propaganda, each of which have specific societal functions. The first type is aimed at the educated, articulate sectors of the population that are involved in in decision making and setting the agenda for others to adhere to. The second type of propaganda is aimed at the unwashed masses, to keep them distracted so as they don't interfere in the public arena where they have no business in being. All in all, "Taking the Risk Out of Democracy : Corporate Propaganda Versus Freedom and Liberty remains a seminal analysis of corporate propaganda and its uses in creating an obedient elite and a subserviant citizenry. Very enjoyable.

thank you for the book, it was in great condition and will work well for my class!

This is an excellent book for anyone who is in the teaching profession, and especially those who teach beginning readers.

This book was in excellent condition and just as described. I received it in a timely manner and am very happy with my purchase.

This book arrived in excellent condition and in a timely fashion. I was able to use it before I went back to school and I need it to teach elementary and middle school aged students in the fall. Thank you very much.

Let me start by saying this book builds off of Guiding Readers and Writers, also by Fountas and Pinnell. If you haven't yet invested in that book and you teach reading or writing to grades 3-12, that's where you want to start. This book will not be nearly as helpful until you have read and engaged in the teaching strategies laid out in Guiding Readers and Writers. However, if you are currently looking to build and add to your literature circles and your reading and writing workshops, this is the book you want.

This book is loaded with resources for teachers. It comes with an interactive DVD to show teachers exactly what they are describing as mini lessons. This was truly the most helpful to me - being able to see teachers in action, working with students, using the techniques I had just read about helped to enable me to create the same learning environment and use the same techniques. The DVD also includes over 100 blackline masters/forms/worksheets ready to use! As a teacher, that in it's self is worth $100 not to have to make everything yourself!

This book uses a variety of methods to deepen comprehension that overlap into to guided reading within the classroom. Interactive read-aloud using picture books is just one way I started deepening comprehension within my classroom using this book. Just two months in, I can see the difference in how my kids are reading and understanding! This is just one of the many pieces I use within reading workshop. The more and more I do this, the more I see my kids using skills that we've pointed out in reading workshop in their writing! This book helps kids think 'about the text', 'beyond the text', and 'within the text'.

This book also helps teachers (of any reading grade) set-up running records to increase fluency. Within the blackline masters, the forms are ready to use, and the layout is easy to use! I am able to do this while my kids are writing in their reader's notebooks or doing independent reading. This is a great tool to help assess where a child is and where a child should be.

This book is a powerful tool if used in combination with Guiding Readers and Writers. Teachers of all ages can find this book filled with useful strategies and practical ideas to use within their reading class.

PS - If you have a chance, check out Heinemann's website. Fountas and Pinnell are doing conferences across the US on small sections of this book. If you have a chance to go, they are well worth it!

Need this book for a class and I got it on time! Thank you!

I received within a week. I was very happy with the service. Thank you

I already had an earlier addition of this book that I borrowed from a friend because I needed it for one of my graduate classes. Since books are soooo expensive we share whenever we can, but I really found this book to be useful so I bought my own copy. I highly recommend it for K-5 teachers...even upper grade teachers could benefit from it. It's full of ideas for writing in every genre. An excellent resource.

Certainly a good buy. This book is practical and inspirational. How education has advanced since the days I was in elementary school!

This book is an excellent resource for teachers. It is full of great ideas and of lessons for writing. It is also very helpful to those teachers who are reluctant to have their students write daily. The feature that I like best is that the author includes great trade book lists to assist the teacher in modeling good writing.

This book is a comprehensive guide to how sentences are formed in Thai. Perhaps it is not suitable for beginners, but after mastering the basics you will appreciate being able to go to a book like this to get help with understanding the structure of sentences you come across. For example, continuous tenses with 'yuu', constructions with 'hai', the use of 'wai' - it is all good stuff. I love it.

This is more than just a grammar book. In addition to providing understanding of how to string Thai words into meaningful sentences, I get such a fine flavor of Thai culture as it is woven into the selected word/phrase usage etc. An essential guide for anyone who wants to advance beyond typical tourist phrase book Thai. I combined this book with a good Thai-English dictionary and a good English-Thai dictionary, and I now have what I need to effectively write and converse in Thai. This has been a godsend for me as a do-it-yourself Thai language learner. Bravo to David Smith. The only thing I'd change in the book is that I'd feature Thai script before the transliteration. That would help with the reading since I wouldn't first see the transliterations. But hey, it's a great book anyway.

If I were forced to choose between this book and "Thai Reference Grammar" (Higbie and Thinsan), well: I wouldn't choose. They are both very well-written and well-thought-out books written by people with vast experience.

For example, David Smyth was involved in the Linguaphone Thai Course, and then later wrote "Teach Yourself Thai." He is immensely qualified to write the present book, which explains, among other things, why the word "talaat" (= "market") has the second syllable pronounced with the LOW tone and not the FALLING tone!

But I must have one petty criticism! (Mustn't I? :-) )

This book does not explain how to look up words in a Thai dictionary, not COMPLETELY. The question is: which comes first in a Thai dictionary, PIAK ( = wet) or PRIAP (= compare)?? This book gets it all wrong. The right answer appears in, of all places, "Fundamentals of the Thai Language," that totally ancient book which nevertheless sits in the bookshelves of many farang living in Thailand.

The answer is right there! Look in the back! :-)

Living in Thailand, I've found that speaking Thai is invaluable, even though many here can speak some degree of English. Since the logic behind Thai is so different than English, a good grammar book is a must if one wishes to seriously learn the language. This is by far the best grammar companion I have found.

My only gripes are with the transliteration. There are some inconsistancies romanizing the Thai letter "Ro Reua (ร)", in some examples, they use an "r", and others, they use an "l", which could be confusing to some readers.

Another gripe about the romanization is how they use "c" for "Jor Jan", which is a j/ch sound, and a funny "n" with a hook for the "ng" sound. Since a "c" never makes a "j" sound in English, and the "n with a hook" doesn't exist, it took me a while to get used to seeing them. I suppose that it's better to ignore the romanization all together and focus on the actual Thai alphabet, which is more important, which is what I did.

Those gripes aside, I would recommend this title to anyone who wants to give learning Thai a serious go.

I just came back from a stay in Thailand, where this book was an invaluable companion. The best parts of the book are the breadth of content, good layout and the very clear reading/writing section. After reading and practicing with this book, communicating with Thai people was much easier. I'd recommend using this with the Pimsleur program to improve pronunciation and confidence :)

Vygotsky and Piaget are the forerunners in today's educational thinking. Even though they lived a long time ago they are still focused on in educational thinking. Piaget and Stern theories about language and development are included. The book is all emcompassing with language development and thinking . If you need to know about language development this is the book you should be reading.

Being a trainer and an academic co-ordinator, I find that Vygostky is an essential reader for all trainers / teachers. He helps you understand how to teach better, how to use peer learning and when used with experiential learning gives the best results.

A contemporary of Piaget (developmental psychology)and Watson (behaviorism), Vygotsky launches a cogent critique and synthesis of these two scientific schools. His asserting that learning leads development is as fresh and valuable today as it was when he first wrote the text. Secondly, his calling for a functional analysis of language has been pursued only by the behavioral schools; a short-fall of cognitive and developmental psychology which focuses on the structure of language and hypothetical constructs of brain functioning. Vygotsky relied on observable behavior under contrived and natural conditions in developing his model of socially mediated learning. Although he does a bit of theorizing, his view of learning speech and thought--a skill taught and mediated by social forces--is an excellent bridge between the two schools of thought mentioned above. This book should be required reading for developmental psychologists, educators and behaviorists alike.

The only thing I can say about this book and the author is that this man was a genius! Worth every second spent reading it!

Vygotsky, who was a contemporary of Piaget, unfortunately never received nearly as much attention while still alive. Probably due to the fact that he was working in Russia and had a relatively short career his work seems to have taken a very long time to even get published for 'western' consumption. His theories also go against the grain of the dogma currently in vogue in psychology.

This book gives a brief overview of Vygotsky's life and career. Then it launches into Vygotsky's original manuscript which begins with a critique of some of the central themes of that time; oddly enough those themes are still being pursued by psychologists today. Vygotsky's critique is very interesting and demonstrates a very broad range of understanding of psychological, physical and philosophical knowledge throughout the section.

The second part of the book then advances Vygotsky's theories of thought and language development. And that is the crux of Vygotsky's theory: thought and language each develop in a manner that one might characterize as partially self-catalyzing in addition to behaving as one. Vygotsky also advanced some important ideas about child potential with his "zone of proximal development".

Vygotsky pointed out that development hinges on the social structure surrounding the child and is not similar to the idea of some computer operating system simply requiring some type of "load" instruction. That is, Vygotsky's work seems to dispel some of the hot air surrounding Chomsky's ideas about "deep grammar" structures existing and just waiting for the instructions to start working; instead thought and language develop, sometimes separately and sometimes requiring each other to act as catalysts.

Given recent advances in primate language studies, complex adaptive systems and Wittgenstein's contributions to the philosophy of systems I believe Vygotsky's work becomes all the more important and relevant. We are only just starting to grasp the importance of thinking about development in a systems mode as opposed to the old way of reductionism (and the weird dogmatic offshoot of this: strict materialism).

This is a must-read for anyone interested in learning about how we develop. Other interesting ideas and overviews can be found in Bogdan's "Minding Minds" and Faber's "Objectivity and Human Perception". Then there is the burgeoning field of complexity where a good general overview can be found in "Signs of Life". And for those who really want to get deeper, read some of the recent work done in EEG and meditation to help kids with ADD and other problems.

This book is done thinking in really help those to want to write a have a lot of excuses not to do it. The book has only one supposition: You have a burning desire of writing. If you do not have it, the book most probably will failure in being useful to you. On the other hand, if you have such desire, buy the book asking for help and obey the instructions, you will receive the guide. This book will not tell you about characters nor plotting, it is extremely well focused in having time to write. Personally, my opinion is first you need to solve your life for getting time to write, after that generate a lot of pages and finally review them as required. The first step is make time to write. Without time to write you will not have a page to review or edit or show to your friends. This book will tell you how to accommodate the pieces of your life just after waking up or before going to sleep for having time to write. If you do not know where to start try this.

Time to Write is a must read for aspiring writers and, indeed, anyone who wishes to grow and improve writing skills-- and to deal with problems common to all writers such as getting started, finding a time and place to write, and writer's block. As writers ,we wish this valuable, well written and inspiring book had been available to us when we started years ago.
Carolyn and Jack Fleming

Kelly Stone offers a tidy little treasure trove of inspiration and practical tips for those who want to write but who just can't find the time. She offers practical strategies on how to find nooks and crannies in one's schedule to devote to writing. View the book as a buffet of ideas. Some may not be to your liking - like getting up at 5 AM - but others may resonate with you.

Stone draws liberally from other published writers who have used various tips and tricks to fit writing in their busy schedules and reconcile with the demands of a full-time job, child-rearing etc.

I would rank this book as slightly below "Write is a Verb" by Bill O'Hanlon, but that is not a lethal criticism. Both are good books. This one focuses on the time management challenges of would-be writers.

Well worth your investment of time!

The advice in this book was a kick in the pants to a procrastinator like me. It made me realize that the secluded cabin to write in wasn't going to happen, and that most successful authors struggle with time to write just like me! Some of the advice is practical and almost common sense, but good to hear just the same! This book gets a thumbs up from me!

I read most of this within one sitting and found it quick and easy to read. Don't let the name fool you: yes, you will learn proven strategies for fitting writing time into a busy schedule. You will learn how some famous and successful authors make writing work for them. But you will also learn so much more - how to create an action plan for your writing; how to balance writing with your family life; etc. It's a good read.

I LOVED loved loved this book! Unlike other books on speaking that focus on the mechanics (and, really, if you're a public speaker, shouldn't you already know not to say "ummm"?) of speaking, this book focuses on how to use speaking as a powerful tool to get your unique message out to the world to help transform others. And that is truly exciting!

Gail Larsen believes quite firmly that we all have our own particular message to bring to the world, and to speak effectively, we need to tap into and deliver that message. What's especially clever about the book is that it will help create the very transformation in its readers that it wants readers to create in others....it will help a reader find his or her own message, which really seems to be another way of helping the reader find his or her own life's mission.

Once you're speaking from your heart, with sincerity and passion, the mechanics will come. Yes, Larsen gives some valuable advice in that regard, too, but this book is truly above and beyond a mere book on how to speak...it's really more of a matter of finding out WHY you want to speak first. It's a must-read for anyone who wants to change the world one speech at a time.

Athletes sometimes find their high performance "zone"-when everything clicks perfectly. In her new book, Gail Larsen in her no-nonsense approach shows how anyone can find their high performance "zone"-a zone beyond just public speaking. Without laying claim Gail shows how someone needs to find and journey through their "comfort" and "home" zones to be a great and powerful speaker. In the process and with her process she is really showing people how to reach peak performance in any pursuit. For executives this book is a must read if authentic personal and corporate purpose is high on their agenda. Gail's techniques are some of the finest in the world for companies searching for how to present their purpose, competitive position and source for branding.

Every senior executive should be grounded in Gail's methods. She makes it possible for the executive to win the attention and trust of any stakeholder or audience - this is a must read.

Mark Long
Attorney and founder SuperLab
www.mysuperlab.com

Transformational Speaking presents a spiritual path in a how-to book - what a rare find! It's beautifully written, passionate, and totally authentic. Gail is someone you WANT to learn from, and has so much to share. Her teaching is filled with depth and presence, and makes you realize that a podium is a meditation cushion in disguise. And vice versa, too. Become a better speaker, Gail's way, and you're bound to find more than a little enlightenment along the way.

TRANSFORMATIONAL SPEAKING
If you want to change the world, tell a better story...
Gail Larsen

Transformational Speaking literally transformed me as I worked my way through the book. Filled with the heart-wisdom of a woman who knows her territory and exercises that help you go straight to the core of who you are, this book will transform you too . . . if you let it.

This is true if you are a beginning speaker or a speaking pro. Gail makes you think, first about yourself: what are my innate talents and gifts; what is my core message? Our lives contain the answers. That alone is worth much more than the price of the book.

And just when you believe there is nothing left she has to tell you she comes in with: know your audience, "relive don't remember", the nuts and bolts information of the business of speaking.

This is a real human being demonstrating what she is writing about. Do I need to say more? Yes! I strongly urge you to buy the book. Read
Transformational Speaking if you want to find your voice, be your most powerful self, contribute your best gifts to the world and, of course, be a transformational speaker.

Reviewed by:

Lynda Klau, PHD
Licensed psychologist, coach, speaker

Gail's book is inspirational. She gives you tips that show you how to be the kind of speaker you like to hear. It takes courage to show up real and share your own wisdom; Gail helps you find that courage and wisdom and then how to share it in a winning way. Great book. Anyone who is a speaker or wants to become a great speaker should read her book.

I read a lot of "how to" guides (trying to find career that I can enjoy) and Mrs. Zobel's is the best so far. She does a great job expanding on the basics and injecting her own personal stories when examples are needed. I re-read the book before every trip so that I don't forget any of her advice. I've already started research on one of my favorite destinations.

I have the 2002 edition of the Travel Writer's Handbook (the 5th ed.). While it was updated to include the problems of post 9/11 problems it did not cover the Internet as much as one would expect. And the section on photography is still set in the pre-digital era.
That said, this is still the best all-around book on travel writing. Zobel covers different article types, how to do basic research,whether to accept freebies, what to take along on trips, keeping records for tax purposes and so forth. She spends a lot of time on interviewing techniques and different ways of capturing the sights and sounds of a travel destination.
I assume the newest edition (written with a co-author)is meant to bring this classic into the 21st century with references to pdas, laptops, digital cameras and other accoutrements that were hardly mentioned in the 2002 book. But when it comes to the basic elements of writing the travel article--whether for magazines, newspapers or the many travel websites out there--this book is still founded on solid information.

I really liked this book. The first six chapters are a little hard to get through, but the rest of the book is well worth the effort.

The chapters on interviewing, what to take with you, and market research are great. I learnt a lot from Zobel, her writing is friendly, helpful and crammed with useful and unusual facts.

A couple of years ago, I found a copy of the fourth edition of this book at a library bag sale. I read it cover to cover, devouring each word, and absorbing hints and tips into the molasses of my mind. To this day, some of these have shaped the way I approach my trips, and when I learned that a new edition had come out, I thought that it would make me a good Christmas present.

It's certainly an excellent book. But I found a few faults with it, all but one quite firmly the fault of the publisher. Let me get that over and done with before I continue with the good bits.

Criticisms:

1. There is no index. There should be. There is so much in this book that forcing the reader to re-read each chapter to find one nugget of information, or to take notes, seems very poor. Admittedly my copy is now covered in x marks and orange marker pen, but do you have any idea how far against the grain defacing a book goes?

2. I don't have any idea why, for this edition, there is a co-author. As far as I can see, this is not explained anywhere in the text. I'm not sure what a second author really contributes to the book. A second author certainly doesn't take away from it, but the major difference I can spot is that sentences beginning with "I" now begin with "Louise" or "Jacqueline". I don't get it. A brief introduction or explanation would have been nice.

3. Speaking of introductions, or the introduction, perhaps somebody should have proof-read it? It is quite obvious that someone did a quick and dirty search and replace and made a complete hash of it. Here is the first sentence of the book:

"Although the travel writing profession is seeing some difficult times this spring and summerthese (sic) past few years, this does not, by any means, indicate an end to the power and pleasure of the written wordtravel (sic) related stories."

This, the very first sentence of the introduction, was very off-putting. Howls of derision followed as I found other printed bloopers.

4. While there is a lovely updated chapter on digital photography, not once is my burning question answered: "What do you do when your magazine listing in "Writers Market 2007″ says 'send slides/transparancies/prints?'" It would have been so nice to see a couple of paragraphs defining these terms and explaining how to go about handling the requests. The book seemed to assume that everyone would be using a digital camera, which is very nice because I do, but also seemed to assume that everybody who is a budding travel writer has some kind of in-built knowledge of what magazines want, which is not very nice because I don't. This book purports to be the definitive guide to travel writing, and in my opinion that's not something that should be missed out.

So saying...

This book is thorough. It covers all aspects of freelance writing for travel publications. It starts with a heavy emphasis on research: how to do it, where to get resources, what to look for. It covers interviewing: how to find sources and how to interview them. There is an entire chapter on querying, which I found very useful, as well as etiquette and ways to make yourself look professional even when you're a rank newbie.

I found the chapter entitled "being there is never enough" particlarly useful. It covers how to take notes, how to start noticing, and how to make sure you don't forget what you've seen. You are coached in what to bring along and how to handle it, as well as being reminded that some countries have different dress codes and you'd better be looking like the locals if you go there and want to fit it. Travel is about getting in amongst the people, and if you're wearing clothes that scream "tourist" you're never actually likely to get that far.

One key point emphasized over and over again is that you never write "generally"; always, always you must key your writing to a specific audience...and that without marketing, without learning that and working out your own system (I didn't really "get" the author's system as described) you'll never get far beyond "Gee, I want to be a writer." One of the last chapters in the book, and one of the most helpful, lists 25 different types of travel articles to help you a) find your voice and b) get the most mileage out of your existing writing.

There is some information in here about running the business and organizing yourself, dealing with editors and even the ethics of press trips. A little like having your own personal coach, despite my quibbles this book still thoroughly deserves its title as a classic. And it's highly likely that come the seventh edition, this one will be so thumbed over and have so many pages hanging out from constant reference that I'll need to buy that one, too.

I am now reading this book again before departing to Italy. I am not exactly a "travel writer", but I need some of the same skills to write and edit my travel website. This book is a tremendous help in preparing for a trip knowing I will come back with the information I need. This books coveres everything from packing to writing. It is very readable and very useful.

This magical book is an absolute MUST HAVE for anyone who has ever been fascinated by unicorns. The illustrations are so incredibly beautiful and the text is just a sheer fountain of knowledge on this mystical creature. I LOVED THIS BOOK. I was able to find a used copy through Amazon. Hunt down a copy, ready it, cherish it and don't lend it to anybody (because you will not get it back)!!!

This is perhaps on of the most compelling books about unicorns ever penned. Each page is filled with colorful illustrations and manuscript reproductions. I was luck enough to recieve this book new on my ninth birthday and to find the sequel while passing through North Carolina. If you enjoy mythology and unicorn lore I strongly advise this book. You will not be able to stop pondering the mystery of the true horn, I also believe the horn lies in the rocky mountains, at the very least I am sure it resides in the new world.

It is said that horses with 'whorls' on their forheads are really of unicorn descent. Horses with white spots on each side of their 'withers' are of pegusus descent. I was blessed with a unicorn/pure bred arabian. This book is a MUST for all those that are in search of the truth. Unicorns ARE with us today. Read the evidence within this fabulous transcript. They are one of God's hidden treasures. Only those that BELIEVE will know them. I agree with one of the previous people that have made a review on this transcript. DO NOT lend it out, once you have obtained it. You will NEVER get it back!

Defanitly one of the best books That I have ever had the pleasure of inturpretting.Filled with Images of visual mastery, yet, langauge as vibrant as the origanal Unicorn Manuscript itself. Personaly, I beleve that the Prophecy states the horn is hidden some where in the rocky mountains. If at any point in time, you have any possibility of receving Unicornis: on the History and Truth of the Unicorn, I suggest you take the Oppertunity.
Chris Snead

Unicornis is a mind-blowing book, I first read it when I was in the 9th grade, in 1991. I borrowed it from my local Library, and since returning it, I have never been able to find it since. It is a beautifully written book, with luscious illustrations and captures uniquely that delicious sense of majik and mystery. I wrote down the poem from the book, and had memorised it, so for the past nine years I have been able to recite it and hope that I may find this book again someday. Well worth the effort of searching for, trust me on this!

If you get just one book on voice development, it certainly should be this one. As a phonetics teacher, I don't agree with every single detail in the book. But as someone who has taught English pronunciation and oral skills to ESL learners for decades, and also as a radio broadcaster, I feel a strong resonance with Lessac's approach. Differing in the details doesn't really matter, since the core of Lessac training is heightened sensitivity and slightly understated but focused control rather than specifics.

Lessac uses orchestral instruments as analogies to teach better articulation of each English consonant, e.g. the "N-violin" and the "T-snare drum drumbeat". Though impressionistic in approach, it does helps the student have an optimal quality in mind to aim for, and to pay closer attention to each internal physical event and the effect it produces.

Lessac has a fondness for coining his own jargon, like "NRG" ('energy'), "esthetic" (not "aesthetic"; 'anything that promotes sensitivity and induces awareness of sensation and perception in the body'), "kinesensic" ('intrinsic "self-to-self" sensation'), and of course the famous "Y-Buzz". The new terms are however well justified, since each figures importantly in the framework he teaches. The glossary in the back of the book can help keep everything straight. I also flipped to the index several times when trying to sort out the differences between terms like "tonal NRG" and "structural NRG" in the context of the book.

This is a solid course book, not casual reading, so take the chapters one at a time, mindfully, to reap maximum benefit from the book.

This edition is attractive and carefully edited; I found not a single typo in the whole book. My one criticism is the price. The outstanding content makes it definitely worth the cover price, but I don't see why a paperback needs to be so expensive. Like with Peter Ladefoged's A Course in Phonetics (with CD-ROM), I guess it is because it is a popular university textbook that commands a captive audience. About a third of the cover price would bring it more in line with similar editions. But that's not the author's fault, I assume, and doesn't merit taking off a star. And speaking of Ladefoged's book, it would be helpful to readers if this book included a CD-ROM as well.

As a voice teacher for many years, I am always being complimented on my speaking voice. Arthur Lessac's book was not my speaking coach, my operatic training was - but the technique is the same. Lessac has done a masterful job explaining the "old" Italian, bel canto/good singing technique that's been around since the 1600's - but he's done it for the speaking voice. Singers need to use the same technique for both speaking and singing, and this is the best book I've found on speaking technique.

Now everyone can understand logically how to improve their speaking and singing voice, and perhaps operatic voices will be better understood as not being something elitist or unnatural. Using the power of your instrument to produce quality sound is amazingly natural - it ain't magic. The "magic" is being given the vocal chords of an angel, inspiration from God, the constitution of a horse, the luck of (all) the Irish, and the intelligence of an Einstein to develop that voice into a Pavarotti, a Sutherland, etc.

This is probably the best technique out there for freeing and developing a strong vocal instrument for speech and singing. This is the only voice text (and I've read and studied them all: Linklater, Skinner, Berry, Rosenburgh)which gives a spicific structural breakdown for the production of healthy and tonal sound. Most other texts are just exercises, but Lessac's System gives exact physical placement for each vowel, consonant, and dipthong sound as well as extensive tonal work. Especially good for the dancer due to the strong physical emphasis of placement of the tongue, lips, jaw etc. His work on Consonant action is quite inovative, drawing on the actors imagination and assining each consonant sound to an instrument in the orchestra, thereby allowing the actor to more quickly understand the musical quality of speech. Here is a basic overview of what is covered in the text; anatomy of the vocal instrument, the alignment of the body and the economical use of muscular effort to produce sound, the use of optimum pitch to discover and develop the presence of tonality and broaden pitch and range, the use of melody and the onomatopoetic nature of language to communicate ideas, and the application of these skills to a text.

This is everything anybody (actors, speakers and liars) will ever need to know about discovering, developing and using with confidence the voice as a tool to communicate. Westerners especially, I believe, have trained and maimed their voices to suit ideals (The average woman speaks about 6 tones higher than her natural voice prescribes). This book, a trusted training manual in many theatre and opera schools, teaches practically and without pretence, the real abilities of the voice. This is all one needs to acquire/rediscover, with practise, how the voice can be an (extemely flexible) extension of oneself in a physical world. A wholistic adventure which necessarilly encompasses correct breathing and posture, which will eventually be effortless, simply because it is natural. From an acting perspective the Arthur Lessac voice system becomes a perfect partner to the Stanislavskyan system of acting (associated with 'The Method' in USA). The practice of the Lessac system can easily be taught to a child and has proven successful in overcoming a stutter. This probably because the learner is made aware of the manoeuvre-ability of sound and how it is created, and not only on voice as a carrier of language. The book contains many excercises, each making one discover and realise the immense power of (self-generated) sound. Living in Africa one often wonders at the vocal powers of its people. Westerners can also feel at one with their true voices. The Lessac system would be the first (and last) step on the route to rediscovery. This is a popular book (I had two copies stolen from me when it was out of print) amongst performers and all those who believe their bodies are instruments.

I first became acquainted with Arthur Lessac's work in the 1970's when I was in Graduate School. Since then, his Approach to Voice and Body Training has been the mainstay of my professional and personal life. His new book (the third version) has been written in such a way that complements the older version, yet takes us on a training journey that is wholistically and organically fresh and new. I enjoy teaching from this book, and my students enjoy learning from it!
--Nancy Krebs, Lessac Master Teacher