Genres Books

Not only do you get insights and tidbits that you never could have imagined, but they also get linked together in an informative and fun way. Pete Frame does an excellent job of giving informative and anecdotal stories in a graphical manner that makes understanding the era of music much easier. A must read for any true classic rock fan. A personal favorite.

Pete Frame's obsessive large-format (they HAVE to be or you'd go blind reading them) rock family trees are a feast of rock minutia and an elegant formal statement. If you're of a certain age (harrumph), and remember pouring through the record bins in the 60s and 70s, you'll know lots of these names and albums, and your elderly brain will bask for awhile in the nostalgic glow of... rock and roll reminiscence.

As a reference work, as an aesthetic achievement, as a hell of a good way to waste some time, this can't be beat.

Back in the pre-Internet days many of us gleaned info from record albums, and searched out new music by musicians and producers on liner notes because we had little else to guide us.

In the early 80's Pete Frame was a beacon of light, fleshing out band histories, changes and spinoffs and adding context to the evolution of many great music scenes. At that time few decent books covered anything but specific band histories, and Frame's rtees made for hours of fun reading and paths to explore to expand musical boundaries. His work is as relevant and vital now as it ever was

The only thing that came close to being as valuable a resource was Terry Hounsome's Rock Record which indexed bands and musicians but offered little more that than and basic discography info.

Pete Frame invented a new art form and it shows when you look at how many others copy his style on the web today or just outright steal his work for band reference web sites. It's a shame his various books have been hard to find over the years and that there hasn't a fully comprehensive collection of Frame's work. This suggests it is but I think still misses some stuff that can be complemented by other books - and as far as I know Frame is still churning out new ones, though probably at a much slower pace. So this is as good as it gets as far as an overview of Frame's work, and it's very good.

This book is well worth the price and will offer hours of info and and fun trivia to any music fan interested in just about any realm of rock music in the last few decades.

Hi, I`ve been listening to Music for a long time now and went through a lot of different styles and moods.
Two months ago my girlfriend bought me this book and I am most pleased to research again and again through all the small and big events that marked the best era of Rockmusic.
Through Pete I`ve learned that the picture on the front cover of Airplanes Surrealistic Pillow was taken at the Matrix. Way to go!!
I just don`t know if, by mentioning that Zeppelin never released a single, Pete was refering only to the UK ..? Because in the States the monsterpiece Whole Lotta Love came out as a single in Nov. 69. But I`m just a reader!
Thank you Pete!!!

When you start getting really serious about music, listening to it stops being enough: you need to learn about the band, the members, the changes, the bios, the history behind it all... Pete Frame, in the course of some 15 years compiled this magnificently complex printed documentary that includes the family trees and evolution of most every rock band you can think of dated before 1993 (too bad this was the last edition of this book, which now also happens to be out of print!)

The beauty about the book is that it ties together bands that had a relatively close evolution, such as the case of Roxy Music and King Crimson, for example, who "touched" each other's paths when former Crimson's bass/voice John Wetton landed on Roxy Music #5's album, alongside Phil Manzanera, Bryan Ferry and the crew (the # refers to the nomenclature Frame uses to list the different incarnations of a band). In short, if you can get your hands on a used copy of the book (which is the only way to go about it these days), by all means do so: you will be provided with hours and hours of discovery of musical facts!

Enjoyable and wonderful. Well written, to the point...many anecdotes, but never mean...informative.

A great buy. Makes great present to anyone who is even vaguely interested in piano literature or music in general.

Undoubtedly it's a bible for pianists, as well as a must have for all classical music fans, even whom can not read staves well.

It's getting so that if Charles Rosen announced a forthcoming book on the collective memories of his summer vacations during his youth kind of thing, I would buy it! Bottom line, and obviously what I'm saying here is that I like the way he writes 'all' of his books, what he has to say and how he says it! A style that both holds and informs if you will. So too, he's "been the road" so the contents of these books draw on the cumulative wealth of his experiences whether it's a discussion of Beethoven's sonatas, the classical era itself and its stand-outs or this present book on the world of the pianist.

Regardless of one's level of experience on the piano, this book is an excellent read from a man who knows what he is talking about. It is NOT a book zeroing in on posture or breathing or "don't bang the keys" recitations or 'lectures' but rather a nitty-gritty practical tome that touches on various areas and what life with the keys is all about. The ups and the downs and all in between.

BTW, if books like these appeal to you written by folks who have "been there, done that" albeit well 'verifiably' so as is the case with Mr. Rosen, and as they equally appeal to me when I can locate such informative tomes, and as a classical oriented player making no excuses for literally loving the classical war-horse pieces, check out "Piano Pieces" by Russell Sherman [New England Conservatory]. Another great read!

Doc Tony

As a pianist I stand in awe of Charles Rosen's phenomenal analysis and exposure of the life, status, mind, intellect and passion of one of our most celebrated pianists. If there were ever any doubt about why one plays the piano, here is the answer. This is another MUST HAVE for any honest and serious pianist, either amateur or professional.

I didn't know Charles Rosen from a hole in the ground before I picked this up; I'm just a piano enthusiast. His personality comes through in his writing as he reflects on past concerts and recordings and travels and the likes. Not a memoir, but I suppose something pretty close to it. He essentially goes on about the different facets of being a pianist and if you eat breathe and sleep piano, you're sure to enjoy this. His writing style is polished and rather dignified, without being pedantic or scholarly. Heck I wanna go out and buy all this guy's books and records now. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it took me some getting used to at the first chapter, but once I adjusted to the fact that he's world class material and I'm just a schmuck doing scales, it was all smooth sailing from there.

any thing by pink floyd gets 5 stars, an A+, and ten on ten. an absolute must for anyone who wants to know what music looks like.

I recommend this book to all P.F. lovers, I collect all of there stuff from books, dvd's, cd's and whatever else is available, this book tells of all whose been involved with P.F. since they've been around, real interesting. Shine On!!

At first I thought I wouldn't like it because it was definitely an encyclopia and I was expecting more of a book (regardless of its name) but the more I delved into it, the more I appreciated it. I bought another Pink Floyd book at the same time so it helped as a reference to that, too. My only complaint is how small the print is. Again I understand it is an encyclopia and know it would be thicker or bigger but think it would be worth it to have larger print. But it is very interesting to the Floyd fanatic like me. It has a lot more information than I expected.

This book is great. Things I never new before. Try it, you won't be dissapointed

This is THE most detailed and expansive resource for Pink Floyd info. That said, it's a true encyclopedia. Don't buy it expecting to read through it, because although its really cool to know specifically what guitar David played in WYWH, you'll find yourself skipping over the page to the next section.

Recommended.

I am rereading this novel for the ump-teenth time (I have a much yellowed 1951 paperback edition of this novel, imprinted by ACE Books). I have always enjoyed this novel because there is something so very endearing about Gervase Frant, the 7th Earl of St.Erth.

Upon this rereading I have noticed that the social comedy and satire in this novel is the *wickedest* of all of Georgette Heyer's novels. This is a novel rich in all aspects of novel writing, not merely a good regency romance, but a good novel. It captures the feel of Jane Austen's novels more than any other of Heyer's novels. The description of the Stanyon Castle and of each member of the Frant family are deliciously frank and snide. The conversations between members of the Frant family are so comedic that I stop and reread passages in order to savor them (like a really wonderful flavor of ice cream - yummy!).

Gervase was hated by his father, the 6th Earl, because he looks like his beautiful mother, the Earl's first wife. Gervase's mother ran away with a lover when Gervase was young and the 6th Earl never forgave her or Gervase.

Upon the death of his first wife, the 6th Earl remarried and his second wife gave him two children, a son Martin and a daughter Louisa. Gervase's half-brother and sister look like the 6th Earl, unmistakeably Frant-ish, as well as Gervase's cousin Theo Frant (son of the 6th Earl's younger brother).

The 6th Earl, his second wife, and their children have always expected that Martin, the second son, would become the 7th Earl. Martin has been raised and indulged as the heir apparent all his life. Since Gervase entered the army during the Napoleanic Wars, it was expected by all the Frants (except of course Gervase), that he would be conveniently killed in the War. They consider it quite shocking and inconsiderate of Gervase not to have been killed in the Spanish campaigns or during Waterloo (some delightful conversations occur about Gervase's lack of foresight in not getting himself killed or even wounded followed by "politically correct" recanting). Upon his death the 6th Earl left all of his unentailed property to Martin, beggaring the Earldom in order to leave as much away from Gervase as possible.

A year after the 6th Earl's death, Gervase finally arrives at Stanyon. He has deliberately stayed away for the whole year to avoid going into official mourning for a father who treated him shabbily (Gervase dislikes his father as much as his father disliked Gervase). The members of the Stanyon household upon the arrival of Gervase are: Lady St.Erth (Gervase's step-mother), Martin Frant (his half-brother), Reverend Felix Clowne (my lord's Chaplain, most appropriately named), Theodore Frant (Gervase's cousin and my lord's estate agent), and Miss Drusilla Morville (a guest). Later they are joined by the Viscount, Lord Ulverston (Lucius "Lucy" Austell, heir to the Earl of Wrexham, and Gervase's very good friend). Marianne Bolderwood is the local reigning beauty in the Stanyon neighborhood and heiress to 100,000 pounds. While not as funny as the other characters, she is an important plot element. Minor characters who contribute to the comedic elements in the novel and are well-drawn are: Louisa (Gervase's step-sister), Turvey (Gervase's valet), Chard (Gervase's groom), Mr. Leek (a bow street runner), and Drusilla's parents.

At first Gervase thinks that Drusilla is a paid companion to Lady St.Erth until Drusilla makes it clear that she IS the daughter Hervey Morville AND Cordelia Consett, prominent members of the society surrounding Mr. Coleridge and Mr. Southey. She is visiting Stanyon while her parents are visiting their friends. The most flattering description of Miss Morville is that her countenance is pleasing (faint praise indeed). Drusilla is of an extremely practical nature and always has wise advice to handle the everyday problems of life at Stanyon (such as what to do about the ugly epergne in the Small Dining-room that will satisfy both Gervase and his step-mother; also how to handle the inconvenience of Marianne's parents coming down with influenza that might prevent her from attending a ball at Stanyon).

Attempts are being made on Gervase's life and all indications point to Martin as the culprit due to his obvious resentment of his older brother. Opinions as to who is responsible for the murder attempts on Gervase's life are expressed by Theo and Lucy. Lady St.Erth seems oblivious, a very conceited, self-centered, and stupid woman (a running gag is Lady St.Erth's opinions and commentary on card playing and other topics, all based on precepts handed down to her by her father). Miss Morville, who figures out who is trying to murder Gervase and why before anyone else, keeps her own counsel until the end of the novel. Over time, Gervase consults Miss Morville increasingly as it becomes clear to him that she is the only one with exceedingly good sense (delivered with witty repartee).

If you love Jane Austen novels, be sure to order this novel by Georgette Heyer. I guarentee you will want to own it -- not just borrow someone else's copy!

Georgette Heyer novels should be printed with a warning. I have to be careful when reading her novels in public. This is because they inevitably cause a goofy smile to be pasted on my face, and I'll start giggling loudly at random times for no apparent reason to the poor, unsuspecting public around me. The Quiet Gentleman is no exception to this rule. Absolutely nothing beats a Heyer Regency romance for the sheer enjoyment factor and witty, intelligent humor. She truly is the closest thing to reading Jane Austen - and is generally more hilarious. The Quiet Gentleman is the perfect combination of mystery and romance. The whodunit aspect of the novel is so carefully plotted that the revelation of the guilty party is an eyebrow-raising surprise. And with the romance, Heyer once again succeeds in bringing together two seemingly irreconcilable individuals who turn out to be, of course, perfect for each other. To all you fellow Austen lovers out there - if you've never read a Heyer, and my enthusiasm still hasn't convinced you to pick one up, read The Quiet Gentleman for the pure novelty factor that the hero can be named Gervase Frant and still be incredibly hot. Unbelievable, but trust me, it's true.

The only other Georgette Heyer work that I have read before is Cotillion when I was a teenager. I loved it, but somehow, missed out on reading more of her work as I grew up. I found the Arrow reprints on a book shelf in a shop in Cardiff, Wales. and brought them home to read.
It is warm, filled with laughter and brightness. Innocence is wonderfully cherished in this book and the characters are sparkling with humour and wit like diamonds. It is a remarkable book, light read for anyone who likes romance and it also something that picks you up from pits of depression if you are likely to encounter those in your life.

I have read several Georgette Heyer novels and I don't seem to get bored with her wonderful stories, unique characters and great eye for historical detail. The Quiet Gentleman is a bit different from the other Heyer novels I have read. There isn't so much romance here. Instead, there is a mystery suspense plot. I am not bothered with that. Her characters are as memorable as ever and the backdrop of the Regency period is as authentic-sounding as ever. Gervase Frant, Earl of St. Erth, has returned home after surviving the Napoleonic Wars. To his step-family's disappointment, he has not only survived the last battle, Waterloo, he has come to claim his place as master of the estate. His family is now determined to make his life as unhappy as possible. And there is the matter that someone has tried to kill him since he arrives. He suspects his step-family of doing this of course. After all, his stepbrother has a lot to gain by having him killed. But Gervase takes it all with quiet dignity. He sets his eyes on a couple of young ladies, including one Miss Morville, all of this while watching his back and awaiting the opportunity to catch the people who want him dead. There are some twists throughout the novel.

The most impressive part of The Quiet Gentleman is the humor. Once again, Georgette Heyer has created an amazing romp that had me in stitches in various occasions. The dialogue is so full of subtle sarcasm and undeniable wit and I marveled at the author's ability at coming up with such lines. Again, I have to compare her to Jane Austen. Anyone who has hungered for a Jane Austen read other than the stuff she wrote can feast on Georgette Heyer as the next best thing. Another great thing about this novel is the characterization. I like Gervase because there's a quiet confidence about him that makes him a compelling and enjoyable hero. This is the second Heyer novel I have read that concentrates on the hero more than the heroine (The Unknown Ajax was the other one). Romance isn't the focus on this story, but, as I said earlier, I'm not in the least bit bothered with that. Heyer had established herself as a three-dimensional writer that branches out of the genre and creates stories and endings that are less predictable than most romances. And of course the other thing that I loved about this book is the accurate description of Regency England. Many romance authors resort to anachronisms in order to keep the story interesting because they don't know how to, or perhaps don't want to combine the rules of propriety as things were at the time with a plausible and passionate story. Georgette has done the aforementioned combination beautifully in her novels. Anyway, The Quiet Gentleman is a must read. You will love the quirky characters, the great suspense plot and the incredible wit. I have combined this read with another Regency book by an author called Loretta Chase and I think Heyer must've inspired the aforementioned author because she writes in a similar style and I loved her novel as well. I had so much fun reading the two books. If you are new to Georgette Heyer, this is a great place to start. I recommend this gem. If you get the Harlequin reprint (I found an out-of-print trade paperback at an used bookstore), I suggest you read the story first and then the forewords from romance authors (if there are any) afterwards, for they tend to use spoilers.

The Quiet Gentleman is the third Heyer book I have read and the most enjoyable. It is about an Earl who returns from war only to find he is not welcome by his Stepbrother or Stepmother both of whom who wished he had died in the war. Once home he is beset by "accidents" and that is where the mystery comes in. The Sense comes in with Miss Morville who seems to know the common sense approach to any problem. I really liked her because she wasn't some silly female who swoons she actually is helpful in the midst of a mystery. I also liked her because is not a size 2 and gorgeous. She is plumb and ok looking. And yet she is the one of the love interests in the story not just a side charecter. This is a good book give it a try.

These people are amazing. I have never heard such incredible music in my life. I listen to their music for hours everyday. Their concert performances are astonishing, even those who are not fans (yet) listen and watch in awe. When Till Lindemann sings, I become so mezmerized, and added to this powerful voice is the beautiful music played by the five talents, creating a melody wonderful enough to make a person high. The book is a way to get a glimpse into the lives of these masterminds.

Even though I expected more text on this book, I think it's really good, some of the pictures are masterpieces, especially the ones in black and white. I recommend it to all Rammstein fans. It's well worth.

Im not much a reader, exept for the master mind of horror,
Stephen King and his brilliantly written work. When my book finally came in, I was so filled with joy that I went in my room and started reading the wonderful book which Rammstein graced the cover of. There was wonderful pictures and they six german master-minds of teutonic shock-rock are quit interesting to read about. I must admit, no other band has ever brought me the thrill of being a obssesive fan like Rammstein has. Those 160 pages filled with the deranged Berlin natives are the best 160 pages I read since the hilarious, Gertrude Besserwisser's "Sheisse!". If your a Rammstein fan like me, get Rammsteins book because as long as you have to wait for it to arrive, you'll be ten times as happier to get the honor to hold it in your hands and read it over and over and over . . .
Plus you get to see pics. of the wonderfull mad-men, Till,Christpoh,Flake,Oliver,Paul and not to forget the wonderful,
Richard Kruspe. These guys are great. Yeah, I know that my review makes me look like a Rammstein lovin' ..., but I urge you to buy it as soon as you can, like RIGHT NOW!!!!!

But thats besides the point.

Boy, did I ever love reading through this truly excellent compilation of common promotional and rare personal photographs in this well-worth-the-50 Deutschmarks book about the greatest German rock group of the modern, or any age, in my opinion. But hey, no offense to the Scorpions, or even Kraftwerk, it's just that Rammstein is definetly my favorite. Being of German heritage, I greatly appreciate the material included. There are many great-looking photos, ranging from on the set of their videos, to live in concert, to them on Holiday in Greece and Mexico. But that's not all. From each member of the group (except for Oliver the bassist, for some odd reason) there are personal recollections. What detail, and what exiting lives these guys have led! They speak about meeting, recording, performing live, and sometimes their personal lives as well (i.e. wives and children). And I love it! Back to being part-German, yes, that's just where I was to buy this item, last December, in Heillbronn. Right in the middle of the Weinachsfest und Markt (Christmas festival and market), boy, was that ever a fun time! Anyway, I really enjoy this book. Herzeleid, Sehnsucht, and Mutter are masterpieces of rock music, and man, these guys put on a hell of an action-packed show! But only from what I've read and seen in this book and on the Live Aus Berlin DVD, unfortunatly, I've never actually attended a live show. But that doesn't mean I still can't! I hope to do so one day, yes, indeed! Bottom line here, get this book! The Six Teutonic Titans of Metal will be in your gratitude. Auf Wiedersehen, jetzt, meine Damen und Herren!!!!

When i got this book... ooh, was i excited! this is extremely wonderful and gave me a better insight to how RAMMSTEIN works. Schneider's writing in this is a bit silly and has no real subject (what an awesome guy), but at least it's better than Olli.. who wrote nothing at ALL! LOL. Richard and Paul's descriptions are very interesting about the early days (petrol floor.. haha), and Till and Flake... well, they're just themselves...with sexy results! The pictures are great. i was gazing at one of them in south america so long that i noticed- Paul and i wear the same boots! Such sexy results have we! GET THIS BOOK, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT!...

I loved it!!! I couldn't put it down. The intrigue and detail made me feel like I was in Washington, DC and I loved the Biblical references. It had just enough sex and "f" words to make it good reading. I will certainly recommend it to my friends.

In this, his first book, Terry (Wes '69), has melded media and crossed generations in the producing a first rate thriller. He's combined the intrigue of the author, R. Ludlum (Wes '51), with the the sohisicated repartee of the actor, B. Whitford ("West Wing's" Josh Lyman, Wes '81). The result is a delight for the devotees of the former two. With "So Shine...," Terry cements his rightful place between them. May he be equally prolific!

I could not put this book down and finished it straight through. It kept me up all night. It was such an absorbing and fast-moving story. There were a couple of stops where I had to close my eyes. The descriptions of stuff is just too real! This is a really fun read.

I read a review that said this was better than Grisham and , for a swhole host of reason, it is! Wonderfully put together, genuinely a fleshed out tale. Terry demonstrates an incredible understanidng of government, politics and Wall Street which he uses to create a REAL PAGE TURNER.

This is a complex story, and it kept me on the edge of my chair. The chapters are so beautifully woven that it's a delight to read.

Flipping through this book, lingering over the
pictures... what a wonderful way to spend
some moments of your life. It's like looking
through an old family album; tender,
endearing-- elicits lots of happy memories.
Helps the wait 'til the next tour! :)

I have just read the reviews and actually started crying. My intention with this little book was to share with those who loved Bruce what it was like to be on the Darkness Tour. I did not do this for money. I never made a dime on this book. I did it so that there could be a manifestation of a time that will never come again except in our memories. I hope it is a time that you can share more closely with a younger generation who did not have the opportunity to witness what was truthfully the spirit of rock and roll. Thank you to all who shared your appreciation of my work.

Lynn Goldsmith's Springsteen Access All Areas is a photodiary of his 1978 Darkness On The Edge Of Town tour. The photos are all in black and white and they perfectly capture the spirit of Bruce Springsteen. Ms. Goldsmith was Mr. Springsteen's girlfriend at the time and she uses that cache to give us glimpses of the man and his band that other photographers may never have been able to get. For those of you old enough to remember or even attend a show at the tour, this book will bring you back to that time and for those of us who were too young to know, it provides us with a look at an artist establishing himself as an icon.

Awesome - if you've ever been confused as to the reason that Springsteen fans are so...um..commited to their hero, this book will answer all your questions. Quite simply, the greatest portfolio of Concert and backstage photos I've ever seen.

Look in the faces of the people in the crowd - you'll see the connections between performer and audience that remains right up to this day. Fabulous. Buy this book.

This is a beautiful little book which captures perfectly a moment of music history.

Springsteen's 78 tour is widely regarded as one of the seminal moments of his career. Coming of the back of Born to Run, the settled courtcase with his ex-managers and the Darkness album, Springsteen undertook a triumphant tour accross America, playing 1,000 to 5,000 seater concert halls.

This tour was a pure celebration of rock n'roll and Lynn Goldsmith's unrivalled access (she was Bruce's girlfriend at the time) allowed her to record it for posterity.

The concert shots capture the excitement of the shows perfectly, the sweat pouring off the performers, Bruce's mock collapse, the interaction with the audience. I've seen bootleg videos and heard many tapes from the tour but I have to say that Lynn Goldsmith's book captures the excitment of being in the crowd at one of those concerts better than any medium I have seen.

But this is more than a collection of superb concert photos, it also captures the quieter moments backstage both pre and post show (including the infamous Bruce shower shot!) Shots of the band eating breakfast, Bruce writing etc.

This book is pricey but will definately appeal to all Bruce fans and admirers of outstanding photojournalism.

I really enjoyed this book - I am a pianist, not a violinist, but it was still fun and fascinating to read about Steinhardt's life with the violin.

I read Mr. Steinhardt's book in almost a single sitting. His explication of Bach's D minor partita, and particularly its final movement "chaconne" should be required reading for every serious, classical violinist. Despite my many years of involvement with the instrument, both as a dealer and amateur player, I was fascinated with Mr. Steinhardt's search for a suitable violin. Having heard the Budapest Quartet, it was a revelation to me that he acquired Joseph Roisman's fiddle; so appropriate that it would pass from one great quartet leader to another. A small error in the book was the date given for Jascha Heifetz's memorable Carnegie Hall debut; it was in October of 1917, not 1918. Aside from that
the book is a page turner, beautifully written and very personal.

Charming and engrossing book about playing the violin and trying to come to terms with one of Bach's great masterpieces. In my opinion the book is at its best when it is about music and the violin - which is most of the time. I'm less convinced by the sections designed to give it universal appeal and at times the style gets a little too folksy. However, it is full of wonderful detail and has got me playing the Chaconne (in Steinhardt's impassioned performance on the CD) in the car all the time. And given me an entirely new understanding of what a violin is. And we see the true apostolic succession - that of the artist - the present standing upon the achievements of the past - we see that at work. The idea of dancing the Chaconne suffuses the book with a feeling of what it means to be human and mortal. A lovely work.

Wonderfully well-written. Most musicians' books are loose collections of stories. Steinhardt has stories, but also architecture that binds everything together: dreams, the individual sound of every violin, the making of the violinist and musician, the Bach Chaconne. His dreams are both hilarious and beautiful. A terrific book, and you get a CD of Steinhardt playing Bach, besides.

Violin Dreams, on the surface, is a simple book, recounting Arnold Steinhardt's life as a violinist from his first days of playing, up to his career as first violin of the Guarneri Quartet - the quartet, by the way, from whom I first "learned" the Beethoven quartets. The book also tells of Steinhardt's lifelong quest for the "perfect" violin. But this is only the surface of the book. Intentionally or not, Steinhardt's very simple prose conceals a sub-stratum of deep feeling, musical insight, and a man's search for meaning in his own life.

As a sports professional, I found Steinhardt's confrontation of the possible loss of his ability to play at all deeply moving. What are we, when the thing we have lived for is taken away? If we are nothing without our profession and our tools, then we are nothing with them - as Steinhardt points out.

Arnold Steinhardt, it turns out, is a great deal more than just his violin. He grows increasingly curious about the music behind the music - repeatedly, we return to the Bach Partita for Violin solo No. 2 in D minor, from which the chaconne becomes a touchstone of Steinhardt's "journey towards music", as Victor Gollancz once memorably put it. He travels to wonderful places such as Machu Pichu (on foot, which says something about the man). He pays homage to the luthiers of Cremona. He grows through friendships with some of the world's great musicians, and from friends less musically exalted. And each journey brings Steinhardt, and the reader, closer to music, and to something both basic and ennobling.

At the end the book, I was taken by surprise at how emotionally engaged I had become. John Steen has pointed out that the real purpose of the critic is to make us hear music better and to lead us to deeper engagement with it. Away from his violin, this is exactly what Arnold Steinhardt has done with this book. I loved it, am buying multiple copies to give to musical friends, and recommend it heartily.

Now back to practicing, with no hope of every playing at Mr. Steinhardt's level, but with an increased love of the instrument, and of making music.

Jean-Marie Potiez is, of course, from France. I knew him through ABBA fan clubs some years ago. He gives a good account of the ABBA phenomenon. Agnetha was born in Jonkoping, Sweden on April 5, 1950. Her father staged amateur reviews in the town, and Agnetha began singing in them at an early age. When she was 15, she left school to take a job as a telephone operator with a car firm. She was singing with a group called Bernt Enghardts. She left them when her composition, "Jag Var Sa Kar (I Was So In Love)" became a hit on the Swedish charts. Agnetha moved to Stockholm and recorded her first album.

Agnetha composed music. She did nine solo albums between 1968 and 1988. She recorded in Swedish, German, English, French and Spanish. Her label in the early days was Cupol. She went on to form Agnetha Faltskog Productions with Staffan Linde as her manager.

Benny Andersson is the only one of the four born in Stockholm, Benny came from a family of accordion players. It was natural for him to teach himself piano. From 1964 to 1969, his Hep Stars were Sweden's biggest group. They had a rougher image than Bjorn's Hootenanny Singers. When their career ended in bankruptcy, Benny came away with the idea that there would have to be greater economy in the future. It gave him incentive to become co-owner of Polar Music with Bjorn and Stig Anderson.

Bjorn Ulvaeus came from Gothenburg, Sweden's western port and second largest city, where he was born in 1945.

Bjorn was still in school when he formed the West Bay Singers, a folk group. Stig Anderson suggested the name, Hootenanny Singers. Stig was great at naming groups.

Bjorn is known for his business sense and studied corporate law for a term at the University of Stockholm. He meant to be a civil engineer. He was drafted into the Swedish military for the mandatory 10 months, a handy experience if you are going to write songs like Fernando.

Frida Lyngstad was raised by her grandmother in Eskilstuna. Her mother had died at age 21, and it was felt that little Frida would fare better in Sweden since her father had been part of the occupying army.

Frida started singing professionally when she was 13. She sang with a big band, and that is how she met her first husband, Ragnar Fredriksson. He played trombone. Frida had two children by him: a son, Hans, and a daughter, Lotta.

If you are an ABBA fan, then you will love this book. The book takes you into the lives for 4 very special musicans.

Abba remain hugely popular in Britain and many other countries more than twenty years after they disbanded. This book is not an in-depth study of the different personalities and their difficulties, but it gives plenty of information about the members of Abba and their manager, including their lives before and after Abba. And (at least in my hardcover edition) there are pictures - plenty of them.

Regarding the four members of Abba, three of them (Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha) were born and raised in Sweden, all apparently having fairly normal childhoods, only their musical talent setting them apart from others. All three became hugely successful in the Swedish pop charts, Agnetha as a solo singer, Benny and Bjorn as members of separate groups.

The odd one out was Anni-Frid, better known as Frida. She was born in Norway as the illegitimate child of a German father and Norwegian mother. Frida was mainly raised by her grandmother, who took her to Sweden, where her mother joined them but died of illness a few months later, aged just 21. Frida also found it much harder than the others to achieve success in music, but she did eventually have some big Swedish hits of her own.

The author presents the main years (1969 to 1982) on a year-by-year basis, explaining the different events that occurred in each year - records, tours, TV, their personal lives - in a semi-diary format.

As far as the music is concerned, the story is quite complicated and not always easy to follow, but that is no fault of the author. Before they became Abba, they were four separate acts, each with their own careers and signed to different record companies. Once they came together as Abba, different things were happening in Japan, Australia, Germany, Sweden and elsewhere with different records - even before 1974. That was the year that Abba won Eurovision and charted for the first time in Britain and America.

There have been many books on Abba and will surely be many more. Despite being a huge Abba fan, this is the first I've read. If you're only going to have one book on Abba, it might as well be this one.

Did you ever come across a favourite song and say, "I wonder whatever happened to....? Abba took the world by storm back in the 60's when a quarter bought you an afternoon matinee at the movies, and minimum wage in my home town was $1.00 per hour. If you earned $1.25 or more, you had it made!

Abba possessed a unique blend of charisma, talent, and originality. Who can forget the sentimental lyrics of ,"I Had A Dream", the gentle flow of "The Rivers of Babylon", the melancholy strains of "Fernando" or the upbeat dance-hit, "Dancing Queen"? The list of hits went on and on.

What I particularly liked about this book was the numerous photographs all depicting Abba at their finest. Many photographs are ones not often, if ever, published before, at least not on this continent. In addition, the book reveals a lot of factual, personal information about the individuals themselves. The road to fame and fortune is not an easy one as readers will discover through the pages of this book. Some facts have been printed before, but other aspects of their career are presented here in a more complete, in-depth light. Fans of Abba, will no longer need to wonder, "what ever happened to..." because the epilogue tells you just that. Of all the books on the group, this is one of the best in print.

Probably the best book you can get, if you want an ABBA photo book. In this case even better than "From ABBA To Mammma Mia", since there is pictures from a broader period . It is written in cronologic date-by-date, where each year, as well as "The Movie" and the concert tours got its own chapter. You don't have to be an ABBA fan to enjoy this book, everyone can enjoy this trip in text and pictures through the fantastic story of ABBA.

The Ascent of Rum Doodle is a "laugh out loud" book. It is a cult classic among climbers as it parodies climbing books from the 50's. The dry, understated British humor is a perfect fit for a story of a clueless, ill-fated climbing venture in the Himalayas. The foreword by Bill Bryson sets up the book very well.

This deliciously absurd, very short book can be enjoyed in a few hours. But the real pleasure is in reading it again to pick up the jokes missed first time. The story of an incompetent group of British amateurs and their attempt to climb the world's tallest mountain (the forty thousand and a half foot Rum Doodle), it is told in the first-person by the hapless expedition leader, Binder. Much of the humour comes from the contrast between Binder's stoical optimism and the disasters which he describes. Rum Doodle has been a classic word-of-mouth hit in the UK. Written in the 50s by an unassuming railway engineer who led a quiet, unassuming life, this flash of genius could easily have remained unread had it not been discovered and championed by Bill Bryson, the US author and Anglophile (who has written the foreward to this edition). If you like Monty Python or the UK version of The Office, you will love Rum Doodle.

If you're a serious student of mountaineering history and/or literature this is a must read. Rum Doodle will help you to put your passion into proper perspective.

If you don't give a damn about climbing but enjoy understated humor this is a fun read.

However, if you don't "get" nice and dry British humor don't bother. It's just not the book for you.

This is without a doubt the greatest spoof of the British mountaineering expedition accounts ever conceived. Every word of the book will ring true to readers that are familiar with the genre. I've read it three times and still find myself laughing out loud. But then again, I'm a climber so what do I know?

This book is one of my all-time favorite books! I was first introduced to "Rum Doodle" by my dad, Dee Molenaar, who himself had been a member of several mountaineering expeditions in the 50's and 60's. The Ascent of Rum Doodle brims with humor and a unique take on the world of high altitude climbing. I don't know if Bowman himself was a mountain-climber or not, but he certainly seems to understand the dynamics and personalities that sometimes are part of a mountain-climbing expeditiion.

There was a period of time a few years back during which I ate up the literature of British exploration like candy - the tragic story of Robert Scott in the Antarctic, the thrilling survival adventures of Sir Ernest Shackleton, and the like. These yarns had in common their Britishness - a bizarre combination of courage and, frankly, foolishness (Scott thought he could get to the South Pole on PONIES and died in pursuit of that belief, accompanied by some people who had never even been south before, while the Norwegian Amundsen sensibly took dogs and experienced skiers and beat him to the destination).

Fortunately the British have a world-class capacity to poke fun at their own foibles, and that is what "Ascent of Rum Doodle" is all about. It parodies a (fictional) expedition to ascend Rum Doodle, a 40,000-foot (!) mountain somewhere near Everest

Expedition Leader Binder narrates his own story. In the spirit of the literature he parodies, our hero Binder never once falters in his belief of the superiority of his crew and the indomitability of the British Spirit. This, despite his crew consisting of a geographer (who is unable to negotiate the London bus system), a doctor (who is always sick), a climber (too overcome by "lassitude" to get out of his sleeping bag), a native cook (so disastrous that the team attempts to leave him behind on the mountain), and a photographer (who does not capture a single shot during the entire expedition.

This hapless crew are babysat by thousands of native porters, who at one point must condescend to actually carry the British crew (fortified by the many crates of medicinal champagne they have burdened the porters with) on their backs.

Did I mention they accidentally climb the wrong mountain??

It's apparently a kind of cult classic among people who actually do this kind of adventuring (not just armchair folk like me), but it's a quick and funny funny read, so even if "frostbite" has not been a factor in your reading choices up to now, you should have a go at this one. A humor classic that should be better known in the U.S.