Genres Books

Storm Peterson was spoiled from the moment she was conceived. The only daughter in a family of five- it's either Storm's way or no way until she meets a famous R&B singer who only wants one thing - to get into those cute little panties of hers. Left scorned by his - love `em and leave `em antics- Storm sets out to avenge herself, but not only puts herself in jeopardy- because he is not the one to be played with - but her entire family as well. Ms. Smith has created an awesome story with believable characters, circumstances and situations that is most engaging from the first sentence. Excellent job done and best wishes for a successful writing career.

Sheila Peele-Miller
Author - Painted Picture

Storm Peterson soon finds out the hard way that beauty is only skin deep. Blessed with attractive features and well to do parents who overcompensate her accomplishments with expensive gifts, Storm is certain no one can deny her charm. She sets her sights on becoming the girl on the arm of her favorite male singer, Mr. R&B. But Mr. R&B sends Storm on a dangerous ride she isn't ready for. After a single visit to Mr. R&B's mansion, Storm becomes involved in a deadly game she doesn't know how to play.

Reign Storm is a must read for young adult females.

Deanna Michelle Smith has written an exciting but cautionary tale.

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME OUT. I HOPE THAT EVERYONE ENJOYS READING ABOUT STORM'S MANY ESCAPADES. YOUNG LADIES LEARN FROM HER LESSONS AND NOT FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES. DON'T BE FOOLED AND LURED TO SELF DESTRUCTION BECAUSE OF SOCIETY'S MISREPRESENTED GLAMOUR. EVERYTHING THAT GLITTERS, AIN'T GOLD. PLEASE BELIEVE!

I recently assisted with the edits on "Reign Storm". It is an amazing story of naivete, lost love and revenge. The young protagonist, Storm, is in control of all that she surveys...or so she believes. Reign Storm is the story of a girl who has everything, wants more than she can handle, and how her plot for revenge and her quest for controlling her family and her boyfriend crumble before her. It is a sexy, sensual novel that was difficult to put down.

Deanna Smith writes with a unique urban flavor, painting a canvas that highlights urban sophistication, trust, loyalty, love and betrayal. Readers will be engrossed with her flair from the first page to the last.

There should definitely be a sequel to Reign Storm. Best Wishes to you, Deanna.

REIGN STORM by Deanna Michelle Smith is the story of Storm, a beautiful high school student who thinks the world revolves around her. Not only is she beautiful but she drives a nice car, wears expensive clothes, attends the best school, has the perfect boyfriend and gets everything she wants because her parents spoil her abundantly. Storm believes her beauty is the key to success, and even though her best friend tries to tell her beauty is only skin deep, it falls on deaf ears. She is so caught up in glamour and materialism she ends up in a situation that is not only detrimental to her well-being, but is sure to affect those she loves in a disastrous way.

REIGN STORM is a wonderfully written book that touches on innocence, heartbreak and revenge. It teaches young girls a lesson that there is more to life than looks and money. There is also a lesson for parents to not spoil their children with whatever their heart desires, or the person they become in their adult life will be unhappy, selfish and shallow. The characters were very well-developed so much so that you could not only visualize Storm, but also her parents. I could almost contemplate their moves. Smith did an excellent job writing a novel that not only kept my attention, but had a surprise twist at the end. Smith's debut novel is sure to be a winner among both young girls and older women.

Reviewed by Eraina B. Tinnin
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

I am astonished that Braithwaite was able to breath new life into an old, often told story. It is a novel, not a history, but in places he puts the orthodox historians to shame.

The subtitle of the book is "A Novel of the Conquest of Mexico," but the book ends with the first glimpse of Tenochtitlan. In other words, there is no conquest of Mexico in the book. That is especially annoying because the New World isn't reached until page 125, and the book is only 329 pages long. So over one-third of the book is prologue, and the book doesn't get to where its title claims it is going.

The sequel, Hummingbird God, promises to finish the story. In my view, the two books should have been combined to make one great book instead of two pretty good books (assuming the sequel will be as good as Skull Rack). The publisher is probably to blame.

This book was so descriptively writen that I could visualize it every step of the way. Very exciting! I loved it's progression from the old world to the new world - bringing Rodrigo in contact with Cortez. My only disappointment was that the book was divided into two parts - I would have preferred to read the whole story at once, but as it is, I anxiously await the publication of the second half. Kudos to Mr. Braithwaite for his well researched, and entertaining novella. I look forward to more books by this author.

This is a well-written, well-researched historical novel of the conquests of Cortez, with a wonderfully creative presentation. The author tells the story through a dialogue between an inquisition-detained priest, who serves as his scribner, and a Bishop inquisitor, whose earlier life was a soldier in Cortez ranks. Their discussion is as revealing of the atrocities of the Spanish Inquisition as the story itself is as of those of Cortez. I look forward to the promised sequel to learn how the Bishop left the murderous Mexican campaign to become a feigned man of God.

"Skull Rack" is an enthralling and riveting account of the Conquest of Mexico. Braithwaite brings his story to life with vivid details and imagery. The author takes a fresh spin on the history of the conquest, providing the reader with a new view of history. This action-packed novel not only entertains, but educates as well. A great novel for anyone who loves action and history.

As a South American who grew up reading the conventional history text books (heavily influenced by the land owners interests and those of the Catholic Church who so handsomely profitted from the indian slavery), I found this Novella a lot closer to the truth. Braithwaite has done a terrific job of investigating the subject matter and is a mesmerizing story teller. Thanks Ron for a wonderful trip back to the 1500's

The book disclose many backstages tales of opera. I enjoyed it pretty much.

I found this book absolutely fabulous. Mr. Volpe is to the point and shall we say, extremely honest, in his account of his years at the opera, including via himself. One finishes this book with a greater understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. It reads well, with enough details to keep the average reader riveted and without the unnecessary clutter found in some of those books that insist on giving us an hour by hour acount of events. I especially liked the way the book was subdivided. If it does follow a certain chronological order, each chapter focuses on a specific subject matter, for example signers... that serves as the guide thru the different events. Hence, this book is delightful and I strongly recommend it to all and especially, if not exclusively, to opera lovers. Even ones who do not know a lot about opera will love this book.
Marie Kirouack

Opera is dramatic and bigger than life on stage and back stage. Now we learn about all the drama that also goes on in managing the Metropolitan Opera, the largest opera company in the world and an arts organization that puts on more opera performances each year than any other company on earth. Its budget is more than $200 million for something like 240 performances per year. I was quite surprised to read how the monies to fund this huge budget are raised. No, it isn't the government, corporate, or even the richest donors that provide the bulk of the money as I had suspected.

The 2005-2006 budget was $221 million. The Box Office receipts were $101 million, the endowment of $300 million provided another $18 million, parking and commons revenues provided $10 million, and the support from the Federal, State, and City governments was only $375,000! Where does the other $92 million come from each year? 125,000 private donors, 2/3 of whom live outside New York City, provide donations ranging from $60 to more than $500,000 and total $80 million. The 300 members of the Metropolitan Opera Club provide another half-million, and the board members each provide substantial contributions to the met each year. I found this fascinating and quite a different mix than I had expected.

The author, Joseph Volpe, has run the Met for the past 16 seasons, but has worked at the met for more than four decades. He joined as a carpenter and worked his way up from the back of the house to operations. While he showed great skill in getting the shows on stage, he was passed over more than once for the job of Managing Director because of his blue collar background. But after floundering through some poor appointments, Volpe got the job. He admits that his personal style is more, well, frank than most other arts managers and the scowl on his face on the cover photograph (and in some of those included in the book) let us know that he is all about getting the shows on stage and at the highest level rather than getting us to love him as a person.

Volpe came to love opera while working at the Met. True, his grandmother had him listen to "Cavalleria Rusticana" with her when he was a child, but it was getting the magnificent sets to work and to hear the great singers, choruses, and see the dancers, costumes, and even the guests, that got him to see what grand opera is truly about and fall in love with the greatest of all art forms.

The book is part his own biography, part the history of the Met, and part about the great singers he has worked with while at the Met in his various capacities. The book has dozens of interesting photos from all the eras of the Met and the stories of the singers are well chosen and very entertaining. Pavarotti, as you might expect, provides some wonderful anecdotes when he is trying to help Volpe lose weight and includes Volpe in his "yoga" lessons.

The book is quite a pleasant read and I enjoyed it a great deal. It is interesting to hear about the whole of the opera company including everyone it takes to make the shows rather than just the great soloists. Coming from a blue collar background myself, I enjoyed hearing about the working guys and gals that make the show work for those fabulous artists who create the great music with their voices and hearts. The magic wouldn't be nearly as powerful without all those sets, costumes, lights, and the performers on the chorus or the dancers.

Recommended!

Joseph Volpe was a tough as the job he took on when he grabbed the reins of the Metropolitan Opera House, having to deal with the likes of James Levine and Luciano Pavarotti.
But as in the phrase beloved of behavorial psychologists, his was a "tough love." He started as a carpenter at the Old Met with but a passing interest in opera, but by the time he left, music infused his very blood with a passion for his work and the people who populated the space he called home.
The autobiography details the years, the failed marriage, the battles with superstars, the triumphs and disappointments with a candor perhaps unique in this type of memoir, where the authors tend to be either diplomatic or, as with Sir Rudolph Bing, unrelentingly acerbic.
Volpe tells his story in lean, plain-spoken language that reveals the inner workings of the gargantuan Met and makes that place of mazes and convolutions an environment the reader can understand.
Joe Volpe (after reading the book, it's hard to think of him as Joseph) dragged The Met kicking and screaming into the 21st century without violating the traditions that surround opera, and his book is refreshing, entertaining and revelatory.
It should be read by anyone interested in opera, politics or the big business of show.

Joseph Volpe's "The Toughest Show on Earth" is a remarkably comprehensive look at the recent history of the Metropolitan Opera as told through the eyes of the retiring general manager, himself. Volpe has the best "view" in the house and no wonder...he's been there for over forty years.

From the start it's clear that Joe Volpe is not a man to be crossed lightly. Tough as nails (and nails were part of his business) he rises from an entry level position to the top job...and reveals much along the way. There's just enough "dirt" in this book to tickle the senses of the reader and anyone who has ever been in opera knows exactly what Volpe describes...in order to be associated with opera personalities it is sometimes required to act like one.

The longest chapter in "The Toughest Show" is devoted to Volpe's firing of Kathleen Battle and one can just see the steam building in the author's ears as he amasses stories of misbehavior on the part of the "embattled" diva over a period of years. Finally, he acts, much to the delight of the cast and crew. It's a juicy chapter and one of the best in the book. While Volpe offers reflections on just about anyone with whom he has come in contact, he reserves the nicest comments for conductor James Levine and (whom he calls the "Siamese Twins") tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. Without these three would there be a present-day Metropolitan Opera?

There are occasional bouts of self-serving given over to by the author and often he feels a need to defend himself based on some past controversial decisions, (which I found rather astounding given the fact that he is departing the scene) but what makes "The Toughest Show" such a wonderful book is the comprehensiveness of the Met story. It's not only onstage and backstage but everywhere else, too. "The Toughest Show on Earth" is the greatest guided tour around. It's a terrific read and Volpe deserves much credit not only for this book but for a lifetime of service dedicated to one of the nation's treasures...the Metropolitan Opera.

I passed on this book when it first appeared figuring a mere concert list wouldn't be very interesting, what a blunder! This book is far more than a concert chronology, it's an enthralling history of the band, bursting with photos and short essays on the people, places and events that make up Who history. This was clearly a labor of love for the authors, and if Who fanatics have been able to find a few errors scattered around, big deal, I'm just glad the book was reissued as a sub-compact paperback updated to the shows following the death of John Entwistle. As the surviving members of The Who have chosen to "Defiantly spit into the abyss" and continue to tour to critical and public acclaim, further editions of this fine book are entirely justifed. And boy was I thrilled to recently find I still have a ticket stub from a Who show thirty years ago documented in this book. There are maybe half a dozen essential books about The Who and this is one of them, if it's the only one you buy then you've made a good choice, it's outstanding whether you're a new Who fan or a grizzled Wholigan.

Seem to be reading and listening a lot to the Who, and this book was an impulse buy.

For the fan, this is a way to walk through history with the band, from the earliest beginnings as the Detours, and even before with Daltrey's founding of the group, and Townshend and Entwistle's affiliation with others.

A lot of stories, memorabilia, set lists, and very interesting stuff.

I really enjoyed this book. Especially the great photos included.
I bought my copy in London, so it was nice to travel parts of London and see a few places where they actually played! But it's really only for die hard fans of the band (like myself, I guess). Also interesting are the set lists to the shows they played.
I'm no good at writing reviews, but I'll highly recommend this one. It's worth the price. A thanks to Irish Jack and Joe McMichael for making it.

And of course The Who. The greatest band in the world.

First thing you should know is that while this is a thick book, it is also small; around 6" x 5", which is quaint, and not a flaw in anyway, just a surprise. There are lots of great pictures, reviews, accounts, and set lists provided.

The flaw, to my mind though, is that there are no references about circulating RECORDINGS of these shows. Most of the hardcore fans who would buy this book probably collect tapes, bootlegs, and cdrs. Most of the time a setlist or stage comments are provided for a show it's because a recording exists. I would have loved it if the authors could have aknowledged this with brief comments like, "A clear, but distant audience recording exists for the first 80 minutes of the concert" or "A mixed soundboard recording of this show has been bootlegged and rereleased many times." There are websites with this kind of information and other highly collected bands, such as Led Zeppelin, have entire books devoted to the collection of unreleased material.

If you're a fan you're guaranteed to enjoy this book regardless, so get it!

If you get an opportunity to see The Who (now on tour - summer/fall 2000) please do so. Other than Bruce Springsteen, they are without peer on stage.This book does a fine job of detailing Who gigs from the early 1960's (as the Detours)to the 1996-1997 Quadrophenia tour. The authors recap the songs, the stage "happenings" (smashed guitars, onstage feuds, etc.)and other "Odds & Sods". It's kind of like a baseball box score for Who fans! If you're already a Who fan (or are an aspiring one) this is THE book for you!

This is an amazing novel. The language is fluid and expressive. It felt like it wasn't authored at all, as though I was witnessing a natural unfolding of character, each slowly spinning out of control by their now tainted souls after witnessing 1st hand the senseless murder-spree of a public massacre -- which seems to be part of our Modern-American society. It beautifully plunges into the darkness of their souls, growing darker with every page turn. It masterfully intertwined the threads of these people's lives with perfectly placed flashbacks that piecemealed fragments of the event that began the whole bloody thing. And I really enjoyed the ending which I won't give away, but was the only real way to end it. Anyone who has suffered a traumatic event wonders: "What if I did... one thing differently that morning?" This is a beautiful piece of story-telling. And masterfully done.

What's most stunning about this novel is the way Freirich gets inside of each of his varied characters as each one bends -- or even breaks -- under the weight of their shared tragedy. His prose is always fluid and elegant, even as it shifts between the characters' many distinct points of view. The novel does skip around a lot -- between characters and through time, as the details of the shooting are gradually revealed -- but it does so in such a deliberate and skillful way that it feels like this is the only way this story could have been told. It builds steadily to an ending that's both surprising and inevitable. In short, this is a masterful first novel. I can't wait to see what else Freirich has in store for us.

How great is it to read real literature again? Such a breath of fresh air. Freirich has written a rich, completely absorbing, yet totally accessible novel. He digs into the characters and we stay with them on their transcendant journey from hapless bystander to complex, fully realized, emotionally wounded collateral vicitms of random violence. This moment is surely the most indelible moment of their lives and we feel that as they fight and struggle to figure it out themselves. The multiple viewpoints and storylines serve the incident nicely as it forces us to think how different people might process the exact same event in a completely different manner. It's provoking, and thoughtful. And the themes certainly stay with you long after you've finished. It'll be interesting to see what Freirich comes up with next.

Really what else is there to say that hasn't already been said in every review on this page. The characters are complete and vivid, the story will take you on an emotional journey very few books get right, and this one really gets it. So stop reading reviews and buy this book, it won't disappoint. FIVE STARS ALL THE WAY.

I was drawn in to the meticulous recreation of each of the main characters' worlds as they attempted to cope with the aftermath of a random horrific shooting.The author does a great job of showing their worlds rather than telling you about them. I hope the movie is as good.

Part of the beloved Arnie Carver series of novels for young adults, Arnie Carver and the Plague of Demeverde follows the adventures of Arnie Carver, once Thayne Davidson Miller III. The child prodigy of billionaires, he hated how airtight family security protected him at the expense of keeping him away from other children his own age and everything a child might want to do. But on his thirteenth birthday, he became a billionaire orphan when terrorists allegedly killed his parents. No evidence of Thayne's parents' supposed murderers could be found, though - what really happened to them? To solve the mystery, and experience life unsheltered if not entirely unprotected, Thayne replaced himself with a lifelike robot and took on a new alter-ego, attending an international high school named the Global Optimum Development Academy as Arnie Carver. Just as Arnie gets settled in, a deadly disease starts plaguing the island and the school - what could be causing it, and why? A gung-ho adventure featuring a young protagonist who respects schools and books as well as learning through experience, sure to engage young readers to the very last page.

Thayne Davidson Miller, III, is, to his way of thinking, the very self-embodiment of "the poor little rich kid." As the only child of billionaire parents, he has been afforded every advantage in life except one - the ability to actually be a child and do the things other children do every day. His parents take him with them wherever they go, and he has already mastered such subjects as law and medicine by the time he becomes a teenager, but he hates being isolated and allowed to interact with only a few select adults. Life as he has always known it changes irrevocably on the day of his thirteenth birthday, however, when both of his parents are killed by terrorists.

After a year of mourning and isolation alongside his only friends (Jacque, his "gentleman's gentleman," and his dog Chopsie) Thayne is determined to do what any other teenager would be doing - attending school with students his own age. Not just any old school will do, of course; it has to be a school where his advanced intellect is allowed to soar. While he considers the Scorsos International Academy and University, it's really a foregone conclusion that he will choose GODA (Global Optimum Development Academy) on the island of Demeverde, for it and the mysterious man who runs it played an important part in his parents' lives. GODA is much more than a mere school - even calling it an academy of learning is to do it a disservice. Only the best and brightest are accepted there, each with a special talent all his/her own, and learning is an active, all-encompassing endeavor.

With his parents' killers still unidentified, Thayne's personal safety is paramount, so he can't enroll as the famous Thayne Davidson Miller, III - in fact, Thayne really can't leave home at all. Fortunately, one of his family's businesses is able to build a lifelike robot to assume the role of Thayne, while "Arnie Carver" jets off to Demeverde. He quickly makes the first real friends of his life and loves the challenges and opportunities the school provides for him. His new life would be ideal were it not for a rare and terrible sickness that comes to be associated with the island. At first, it's just a child here and there across the globe that becomes sick, each of them having visited Demeverde at some point in the previous couple of years. When the disease strikes one of Arnie's friends, however, the Demeverde connection can no longer be dismissed out of hand. That's when Arnie and his friends set out to discover the source of the plague for themselves.

Undoubtedly, Arnie Carver and the Plague of Demeverde will be compared with the Harry Potter series. After all, you have these extraordinary kids going away to this extraordinary school to learn extraordinary things, they play an invented game called coca that elicits the same sort of excitement as Quidditch, and the main character is a young protagonist with a dark history that robbed him of his parents and perpetually dangles a potentially deadly threat over his own young head. Arnie Carver isn't Harry Potter, though, and this novel forges a story that is really quite its own.

I loved the book. Thayne is a wonderful, sympathetic character, and I warmed up to his new friends and classmates just as quickly as he did. The wonderful technologies employed at GODA are a treat to visualize, and I have to believe older children and young adults will find such extraordinary things as SlipDiscs fascinating. I would even go so far as to call the book inspirational - were I a couple of decades younger, this is just the kind of story that would have gotten my intellectual juices flowing. It never hurts to see true friendship put on display in front of you, either.

On top of everything else, author Kenneth R. Besser lays a solid foundation for future books in the series, leaving us to wonder what the real story behind the unsolved murder of Thayne's parents' might be, question the motives of the man behind Scorsos International Academy and University, and yearn to know more about Unius, the mysterious, seemingly all-knowing, head of GODA. This has all the makings of a great series.

Arnie Carver and the Plague of Demeverde is the well-told tale of a boy named Thayne Davidson Miller III, a genius and the heir to a fortune. He's the richest kid in the world, who has everything in the world, but needs "to learn how to be a part of the world."

After his parents are murdered, early on in the book, young Thayne has his chance. Although grief-stricken by their deaths, he is looking forward to a few changes in his life. For the first time ever he is now allowed to attend classes (under the assumed name Arnie Carver) with other kids - although the school he chooses turns out to be quite different from the schools you and I are familiar with!

Besser writes with the confident ease of a good storyteller. The wit, the humor, the adventures, and the legal hi-jinx will delight precocious young readers and teens. Combining elements of sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and political thriller, the author at times seems to parody these genres as he relates the adventures of his young hero. And because of that it's a book that adults can enjoy as well.

By the end of this first in a series of books, the bright young protagonist has not only become a part of the world, he has helped to save it. But there is still more for him to do and discover, and I can't wait to find out what will happen next!

Reviewed by Braine Plach (age 10) for Reader Views (1/08)

Have you ever thought it would be terrific if you had all the money that you ever wanted to have? Can you imagine not having to wait until Christmas or your birthday for presents? For some kids, this would be a dream come true. But Thayne Davidson Miller, III, doesn't think it is very much fun. Instead of being a blessing, it is a curse.

Thayne is constantly being surrounded by security guards. Thayne's parents are billionaires, so having a normal lifestyle as a young boy is impossible. He is a normal boy who would enjoy playing soccer or football with other boys, climbing trees or just hanging out with his friends. Instead he has to fly on his parents' jet to all kinds of far-off places. It's not like he gets to see anything when he goes to these other cities. He is constantly being watched.

When Thayne turns thirteen, his life takes a drastic turn. He has now inherited the 50 businesses that his parents owned. He is an orphan! The murders are unsolved, so Thayne takes the matter into his own hands. He attempts to discover what really happened to his parents.

He has a very brilliant mind and uses it to his advantage. He creates a life-like robot and a personality to live out his dreams of being normal. Arnie Carver is born. Will this make Thayne any happier or only add to his misery?

Kenneth R. Besser is a master at storytelling. "Arnie Carver and the Plague of Demeverde" is just one of a series about Arnie Carver. The twists and turns throughout the story will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Books like this, with its science-fiction twist, will have kids anxiously awaiting their next Arnie Carver book.

Is being wealthy really worth it all or is it a sure fire way to ruin your life?

To those around him in this futurist world of cool gadgets, Thayne Davison Miller III has it all. His parents are the richest people in the world. He travels around the world, and best of all, he is dearly loved. The one thing missing from his life is being around kids his own age. That might sound like a simple thing to ask, but Thayne isn't your average kid. Kidnapping is a real threat and his parents fear for his safety to the extreme degree. So his parents with the help of Jacques Marquis, Thayne's man servant and only friend, decided long ago on home schooling.

On his thirteenth birthday, what was meant to be a delightful surprise turned tragic as Thayne's parents were assassinated on the way to his birthday party. With the exception of his beloved dog and friend, Jacques, he is all alone in the world, but with an added problem. The killer or killers were never caught. He too could be a target.

Thayne devises a plan to set a trap for the people responsible for killing his parents. He sends a life like double called an intellitron as decoy to the local school. In the meantime, the real Thayne attends the Global Optimum Development Academy on the island of Demeverde under the name of Arnie Carver.

Just as Arnie and his friends settle in for the school year, a mysterious and deadly disease plagues the school. At first, no one believes the disease is related to the island until one of Arnie's classmates comes down with it. Now it is up to Arnie and his friends to find out what is causing this disease. And if they do, will it be in time enough to find a cure for Arnie's friend? Kenneth R. Besser kept me guessing until the very end as it should be!

This colorful cast of children with special abilities, keeps the story upbeat and smiling. One of my favorites is Steven "Tinker" Schocken. He has a special knack of fixing things. Then there is Bernadette Rogers who senses what people are feeling. That's not all. With her mind, she can get you to see things her way, unless you know how to mentally block her. (Way cool!) Another unusual person in the book is Choi Guihah, who has an uncanny ability to do things with her muscles, which includes making a soft landing from twenty feet. These are but a few of the characters making this a truly appealing story.

Review by J. Kaye Oldner

I was always pulling up a blank on my mind when anyone mentioned Tupac. Not only that, I also never knew when his music was playing. All I knew was that he was a rap artist who was shot to death one unfortunate day. What I came to learn from this book was stunning not only in the stories about his past, but also stories about his family, particularly his mother. The time and place of his beginning is humbling; for a child growing up in an impoverished and dangerous city, Tupac has shown society that great people CAN come from even the poorest of places. His revolutionary ideas and strong, provocative lyrics showed not only that great people can emerge from the most unlikely of places, but also showed that our society is full of corruption and in desperate need of reform, starting with the less fortunate and oppressed.

The book is the story of the author's life as it was when he grew up with Tupac. Even if you don't know who Tupac is (somehow I doubt that) you will still enjoy this book. The story is one of a man who plays the cards he was dealt and how no bad hand could hold him back. It gives you an appreciation of the artist, the author and of yourself all at the same time.
This is the book to read for Tupac fans as it is written in story-book format thus enabeling you not only to learn the specs of the life but also to be put in the shoes of someone who was near him before he was famous. Great book, great life, great read!! Pac4life haha!

Back In The Day: My Life and Times with Tupac Sharuk



Tupac was the greatest rapper/actor in history. But to get to the top he had to go through struggles in his childhoods. Thats why the theme of the story

Back in the in the Day: My Life and Times with Tupac Sharuk is to follow your dreams no matter what you had to go through and dont't stop unless

you have to. Tupac also teaches us to use our talents to enjoy our life. Darrin Bastfeild , the author of the book , go with Tupac adventures during his

high school years.So let talk about more of the theme.

Tupac actions of the theme was letting no one stop him from his talents. Every day he would wake up, go to school, come home or go to his freind house

and write raps, sleep then repeat the process all over. But one thing Tupac and the author always endured was both of them was poor although Darrin had

had a little more money then Tupac. So Tupac would borrow clothes from his friends or kids from the school bring him clothes. Any chances Tupac had to

to get a break he takes. For example Tupac and his friends almost had a break into Hollywood but the seruity guard caught them and the manager of Salt n' Pepa

reject them saying he had to cacth a plane. No matter how much he was rejected Tupac still had a break.

Tupac also shows the theme by the words out his mouth. One thing Darrin points out is that Tupac said he was little was that he wanted to be a revolvutionary

when he grows up. That shows Tupac known what he wanted to be which he did but did it in a different style such as a rapper and an actor.He always told

everyone what he wanted to be and he showed it. Like one of the Tupac wrote when he was growing up "We Work Hard" was what he did .He spoke out for

people like him while he and his mom was with the Black Panther movemment about the voilence in his nieghberhood. So not only did Tupac rap but he was also a

worker for peace.

Yes this theme is true because I had my own taste of bad karma. When I was born I had a blood infection so I stay in the hospital for fifthteen days. Around two

years old I had lead poisoning, which I miricaly survive and had to get surgery on on my ankle. At five my sodium level was to high. and only last year did I nearly

passed out because of my heart membrace I got when I was born. Still I'm smart, got accepted to a good school and go there and play an insturment in band.That

proves that the past can not predict your furture.

In the end Tupac achieved his goals. He starred in movies such as A Raisin in the Sun and made smash hits like Califoria Love. He had the world knowing what

his name was and rocking to his beat espcially in the black nieghberhoods of America. He known people like Biggy Smalls and Mary J. Bligh. Darrin almost went on

a tour with Tupac realized they had lives of there their own and went their seperate ways. Tupac shows just we can anything we want to as long as we set are minds

to it. But sadly, he was shot and died seven days later.

This is a good book, insightful and well written by Mr.Bastfield, it was clearly written as a labor of love and a need to document an intense kinship, that ended before it had a chance to mature in the later years of life. Since Tupac Shakurs untimely death there have been many people trying to capitalize on his memory, however this author and book do not fall into that category. For those who are interested in the somewhat awkward but always smooth teenager, who would one day become Rap musics greatest legend, this is a heartfelt account of the building of the man behind the myth, the carefree but yet fiercely determined ghetto kid, who had the right stuff to overcome the enormous odds stacked against him. Few have the courage to dream big and then pursue those dreams at all cost, this is a story and observations of a young man who did just that. The book falls short in some areas but overall is well worth reading, and a job well done by Mr.Bastfield.

I liked this book quite a bit.

Mainly because it offered a different perspective than most other books about Tupac.

This book was written by a teenage friend who experieced the same things Tupac himself experienced. They 'shared the struggle' of trying to better themselves in a very harsh environment.

This book shows the almost relentless passion Tupac had to try and influence the world around him in a positive way. And the internal struggle he had with some of his actions. He knew of the contradiction and was trying to evolve. Too bad he was cut short in his quest.

One of the most telling insights to the basis of Tupac's personality is the answer to the question one of his earlist teachers asked. "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

For those who haven't ever looked too deeply into Tupac's more intellectual and compassionate side, there is a surprise in store, Tupac's heart. For those of us that knew he was much more than a thug, you'll see more and more of his depth.

An easy read that kept me flippin pages..

This book is the best source of information anywhere regarding Paul's Boutique.

Highly recommended!

poured through it in a couple of days, fantastic read during probably the most 'heady' times of the Boys. enjoy!

LeRoy knocks it out of the park. This book is what all the other books in the series should be. It's packed full of interesting information about before, during and after the making of the album. It's a fun read. Quick and easy. No filler.

I am not much of a Beasties fan. Like some of their music but their voices can drive me nuts at times, truth be told. I don't even own Paul's Boutique. I only bought this book on a lark as I knew the recording techniques forged within this record was a turning point of sorts in music. When I received the text in the post, I picked it up then could not put it down until I finished the entire thing. After that I went directly back to page one and started again from the top.

The book begins in the late 80s and goes until '92 or so. Everyone the author discusses gets treated fairly, whether they deserve it or not. Delicious Vinyl is seen as a sort of west coast magnet for all things creative, though in truth they were a controversial label to say the least. Def Jam is somehow given a pass for not paying The Beasties over a million dollars in royalties after the author finds relevant quotes to show that Russell Simmons was just looking out for the group by stiffing them. The crazy thing is that everything seems so vivid, understandable and believable. It makes you long for those halcyon days when Joe Smith was CEO of Capitol Records but seemed more concerned with Magic Johnson's rebound average than any of his own recording acts. Of course, none of this makes any logical sense at all, but within the context of the book it is proven that some good things actually came out of this upside-down era in music.

Rather than blow the book by revealing some of the sorrid details within it, I will simply say that whether you dig the Beasties or not, Pauls Boutique is worth a read. It is a fascinating story. Perhaps even the great Bob Mack himself could not have told this story any better.

... and then I came here and read the unanimous 5-star reviews and agree with all of them.

There's not much I can add that wouldn't be redundant.

Except to say that "Paul's Boutique" -- one of my favorite albums -- has always kind of been shrouded in mystery. The album may be dense with information, but there's not a lot of background that I could find.

This book changes all that. It is as filled with names and details as the album is full of samples.

From Leroy's very well-reported account, we learn the backstory of the Dust Brothers and the mysterious Matt Dike (long rumored to be the main mastermind behind "Boutique") plus, a sampling of the late 80s L.A. scene from which this album emerged; we meet a host of side players like Mario C and Money Mark, and also the ill-fated exec Tim Carr (whose heart and mind, I'm convinced, where in the right place all along); there's the promotional wrangling that went on at Capitol before the release and after the record flopped; and also what was going on with the three main charcaters -- MCA, Ad Rock and Mike D -- who wanted to derail the locomotive of "License to Ill" and almost got crushed under the cattleguard.

The book tells the story of the album, and at first I thought it kind of scrimped on the background of the recording of the individual songs, but it closes with a finely detailed track-by-track examination that reveals a lot (but not nearly all) of the samples that helped make up one of the richest, coolest, bangingest records ever made.

Pete Best occupies a place in history worthy of a great Shakespearian character. He was the Beatles' original drummer who was sacked in favor of Ringo Starr at the precise moment the band was offered a recording contract by George Martin of E.M.I. Records. Best and co-author Patrick Doncaster tell the whole early Beatles saga, sparing us few details of the carousing, pranks and debauchery, but also imparting the fun, cameraderie, and musical growth of the Fab Four in those heady Mersyside days. I was expecting a fun read when I bought this book, but never expected the haunting, spooky feeling that remained after I finished the last chapter entitled "Down Among the Ghosts." In this short final chapter, Pete describes his emotions today when he wanders down into his mother's basement, the site of the former Casbah Club, one of the original Beatles venues. Here he lets himself travel back in his mind's eye to the rollicking days when Liverpool's musical explosion was going full tilt; and the bands, the screaming girls, the laughter, and dreams of glory were his everyday reality. In these visits, he conjures up the many departed people and former friends who poured downstairs each night. He sometimes takes a few whacks at his little brother's drum kit which sits by the old coffee bar. Then, he lets the cloud of memory evaporate, and climbs back up the stairs as today's Pete Best, a civil-servant living not far from his old home. Really a unique and amazing read!

In a sense Pete Best was a winner of another kind.
He made a succesful marriage for one thing and after 1995 a lot of money.
His recording career in the States came to nothing and yet the songs were typical Merseybeat,mostly written by Waddington and Bickerton who would achieve success in the 70s with a string of hits by the Rubettes.
Also overlooked is the fact that he was the only one of the 1962 Beatles who got a Decca recording contract

Wow. I read this book and enjoyed it immensely. It is the most honest account I have read in years.
Pete Best was with the Beatles during the early sixties, when they had yet to hit the big time. They spent several months in Hamburg, just learning their trade. He was with them through the Cavern Club years and the Decca audition. But just when things started to go right for the band, he was sacked.
Why?
We don't know. Pete says that he still doesn't know after all these years.
You may expect the book to be bitter about the Beatles success - but it isn't. You may expect him to bad mouth the band throughout - but he doesn't. He paints them in a remarkably nice light, that comes across as both honest and believable.
He recounts tales about drugs, drink and girls - and describes the personalities of the big bands they met - Tony Sheridan and Gerry and the Pacemakers for example.
And he also gallently talks about the day he was sacked, and the reasons why he thinks they did it.
The prologue at the end that describes his subsequent career shows that we shouldn't be sorry for him at all... What we wouldn't give to be at the heart of that!

Highly recomending this book for any Beatles Fans.
Anyone who is interested in the early Beatles History
this is a must read....
I finished reading this book in just under two days.
And like another reviewer I also found myself unable to put it down! It just drawns you in.
I came away with a different prospective on Pete,
really not knowing much about him or his life except that he was the original drummer for the Beatles.
I actually bought this book to be autogrpahed as I was going to see him the following week and lucky the book arrived in time..
A must have!!!!!

Just by chance, I picked this book up at a Tower Records, and found myself unable to put it down! Pete Best sounds like a true, honest to goodness gentleman, and I must admit that his firing is by far one of the more seedier, dirtier chapters of Beatle lore. Pete gives excellent insight into these first few years that helped bring rise to Beatlemania. I especially found his story about the George Harrison illness episode to be utterly haillarious! I won't tell anymore about it; read for yourself. The reader is given a very there-as-it-happened feeling. As far as Pete's drumming goes, a Keith Moon he was not, but he did what was required and being a drummer myself, I think the whole thing about not being good enough was a wrong assesment. I was very pleased to read this book and know that Pete has handled himself in his later years very well after the incident involving his being fired from the group. I understand he's now doing the lecture circuit routine. Good for you Pete; you deserve your fair share of acknowledgement; you helped get the Beatles to the level of success they achieved. Highly recommended!

This latest installment of Bruce Spizer's books on the Beatles American Records is another "must-have" for fans and collectors of Beatles records. Informative, entertaining and full of wonderful color pictures is how I can best describe his latest work. This edition contains a wealth of information on so many different label releases. You need this book to document the many official and "unofficial" labels. I went through the book in less than a month. Highly recommended!

I have all of Bruce Spizer's Beatle related books and this final instalment matches all of the others for sheer detail and quality. It's a mind boggling journey through all of the Beatles "other label" US releases and certainly an education for collectors and fans alike. I especially like the "Capitol in The 70's & 80's" chapter covering the various compilation Lp's issued such as "Hollywood Bowl", "Rock & Roll Music" "Reel Music" & "Love Songs"..this completes a "Capitol" loose end.
It's a typically thorough book and sits proudly alongside the other Spizer instalments and the 50+ other Beatles tomes on my bookshelf. Well done Bruce. Very recommended to Beatles fans and Collectors alike.

This and all the other Beatles Books by Bruce Spizer are the absolute best Beatles Books on the planet. They are full of facinating facts, pictures and stories. These books are great history lessons for all fans. Even The Beatles themslves should be thanking Bruce for these books because there is information in these books I am sure they never knew about themsleves or their records in the USA. I suggest all Beatles fans buy Bruce's books.

I was lucky enough to see Bruce Spizer at the 2007 Chicago Beatlefest.
I purchased the book "The Beatles Swan Song" and was very happy that Bruce personally signed the book for me.
This "blooming book" / (i.e a reference to A Hard Day's night)is a must read!!!!!
The book is hard back and the print is very legible (even for my eyes) and the graphics are just lovely.
The content?....let me say this again, "Thank you Bruce, I appreciate your work and research you did."
"THE BEATLES SWAN SONG" book is simply an amazing piece of work!!! VERY HISTORICAL!!!

Mr Spizer is the ultimate Beatle book author.In both content and quality he is outstanding.This book like all the others before it is very helpful and entertaining.