Genres Books

For those who know of Roy Buchanan...he's not as well known to the general public...this book documents the upbringing and influences that guided and shaped one of the most talented and unique guitarists ever. A wonderfully researched chronicle of the life of an icon in music.

I've always wondered why Roy Buchanan, who in my opinion was the world's greatest guitar player, never broke through to a larger audience. After reading this excellent biography of his life, I completely understand why. Phil Carson did an outstanding job of pulling together a huge amount of detail into a page-turning, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny and other times heart-wrenching story of Roy's life. I've read quite a few biographies on music legends and the majority of them have been hard to read chronologies of factoids and interviews loosely held together. So, even though I was very motivated to learn more about the life of this unsung guitar master, I assumed that I was in for a chore. Much to my surprise, this was an outstanding read...a well researched, heart-felt, telling of the life of a gifted, albeit troubled, man.

If you're a fan of Roy's, then order this book immediately. If you aren't familiar with Roy's music then order a couple of Roy Buchanan CD's and listen to them while you read this book.

Note to Phil Carson: I'd love to see you take on the biography of another relatively unknown guitar master, Nils Lofgren (a protégé of Roy Buchanan).

THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC..ROY WAS FANTASTIC....IF YOU ARE A FAN, YOU NEED THIS BOOK..I WILL READ IT OVER AND OVER....

I like Roy's first records--loud and clear, with the focus on his playing. Later on they tried to make him like Clapton, but it didn't work. I would rate Roy in the top 5 of the people I have heard. I also like Bugs Henderson, Tinsley Ellis, Wes Jeans, and Dave Hole. This book is a very good read. I saw Roy at Park West in Chicago. He did a very short set. It was hard to enjoy him with the female booze hustlers bothering me, but, he seem to be in top form. I still have my ticket, inside Roy's live Japan import.

All I ever wanted to know,about the man and his music.Great biografy,have read many books on other artist.If you go through Buchanan`s songs,there are many differt styles he mastered.Country,rockabilly,rock & &roll,instrumentals,pop,r & b,jazz.Saw him live once in Oslo,that was great.My friends say,play the #Telecaster# and die young,but I have to play it,have -blonde 52 reissue.Now I study bossa nova masters,like Lois Bonfa,Joao Gliberto,Jobim etc.cause I got a job with a female singer,playing spanish guitar.There are a few cuts with Roy playing acoustic and they are great.Read the book,by his concert DVD,s,and if you run short,get bored playing the beast,listen to the man.There have never been a guitar player like him,he had his own style,his style will never be duplicated.All american music styles,and Malaguena.The roadhouse king will live on forever.Arnie Buy-ROY BUCHANAN his first and SECOND ALBUM on Polydor,that is a good start.Good reading,good listning and play them over and over,and you will hear his soul.

Look no further. This is the Reason book to own. I'm looking forward to a Reason 3.0 version!

This book is the most well written, documented, and friendly instruction manual I have ever read.

Firstly, its entirely clear that the author is a professional user of Reason, knows heaps about the program and how to maximize its potential, as well as suggests ways for taking it out of the norm.

Secondly, the tone of the author is friendly and fun. You get the feeling this book was written by your big brother or best friend giving you the details. The text is clear, simple, and accurate. The author conveys information without loosing your interest or overwhelming you with dry tech speak.

I have used Reason for 2 years and am a Reason 3.0 user, but still refer to this book often. It covers so much about the core of the program that you will quickly be able to learn the new devices in 3.0 as you will have a fantastic foundation and understanding of the application. The book explains all the devices in 2.0 (including the functions of knobs, sliders, buttons, synthesis models, loops, envelopes, etc), CV/Gating, Sequencing, ReWire, use with other major audio applications, useful tips/tricks, and plenty of links to helpful user websites. It also has numerous quick and easy "how to" tutorials, that are clearly documented step by step and with pictures.

Very well done. I am grateful for how quickly I was able to ramp up on Reason due 90% to this book. Honestly, this should be the standard for instructional texts.

No, you can't RECORD with Reason. But there are countless ways to use files that you have recorded with other, very simple or even free applications (how about your Sony Minidisk recorder hooked up to a decent mike? talk about light years ahead of what we had available way back when); files that you have downloaded, files that you have gotten off of records or CD's or even TV, in Reason (shame!). It can be as simple as having the drum machine play a sound file from anywhere on your computer, with a surprising amount of control of, for example, sample start-and then you move on to the more powerful samplers... And then this will provide you with many different ways to control and distort, filter, and manipulate those files that are so easy to trigger or otherwise get inside Reason. Because that is what Reason does, it gives you a studio full of tools-synths, samplers, mixers, and the many sound sculpting modifiers to create, twist, and control your sounds.

And this book does a fantastic job of showing you these tools, in a very carefully thought out order and depth. Like another reviewer said, you would have to be a serious power user indeed not to get many good ideas from this book; and like yet another reviewer said, people that write textbooks should look at this one and see just how well it can be done. It will take you from a novice to synthesizers to an expert on Reason and computer synthesis music creation, giving history and background to help you learn about the many music synthesis tools. It is filled with tutorials, how-to's, and tips and tricks that even go beyond Reason sometimes. You could take a tutorial and change it as you follow along and create it and have a complete Reason song of your own easily. I also thought it gave a summarily good introduction into the powerful usage of the Control Voltage interface from ages past (one of Reason's most powerful tools in it's bag of tricks-one that ties everything together like you have never been able to do with so many different devices), with tips and tricks there, too. There are a lot of toys available in Reason, but once you get past a certain not-too-difficult level, it is actually a very intuitive and very fun to use interface; and this book is definitely filled with this same infectious enthusiasm for that rack o' modules and wires. It is an extraordinarily good book for beginner to expert.

You should see my copy of this book, it is nearly destroyed from so much usage, carrying it about wherever I go and constantly going back to it for reference.

As a side note, I think the Acrobat Reader Operation Manual supplied with Reason is also excellent. It's just what it should be-precise and to the point-it's an Operation Manual, after all. If you take the time to practise and apply what you read, it will give you the background to know what you are doing (as much as is possible-sometimes when you have so much going on in a patch it would be hard for anyone to say how you got there-and that can be fun, too) and what every control does. This book will do the same and take you farther with much more help.

Before I read this book I had Reason installed on my computer and I didn't use it very often because the interface wasn't straightforward for a beginning user like myself to understand how to operate it beyond basic operations. This book is an excellent source to learn how to use Reason 2 or 2.5. It contains practical, hands-on tutorials, explanations of the knobs and interfaces, and helpful tips. This is a must have if you want to become proficient in Reason!

This book contained a great amount of information. To use as reference or to learn from over all a great buy.

It helped me along in using C.V. Gates ect. and offers lots of other great information.

A must for any user of reason

P.S. Any one that made comments to recording audio in to Reason ha ha ha

Get Cubase or some other Program that will run rewire.
Think before the mouth opens. . . . know what I mean Mate

Thank you to Derek Johnson & Debbie Poyser

This is a good visual book on the life of Johnny Cash - it is indeed a collectors item.

Bill Miller, who put together this book about The Man In Black from his own personal collection of Johnny and June Carter Cash memorabilia, knew him well, loved him and was loved by him for many years. The love that Bill Miller had for Johnny Cash is apparent on each and every page from the International Fan Club button with June's autograph to the last lyrics Johnny ever wrote. There were times when I laughed out loud.. and there were times when I had to hold the book upright to keep from staining it with my tears.

An amazing book about an amazing man compiled by a friend of Johnny Cash.. What more could you ask for (except for it to go on for many more pages)!

FOR THOSE OF US WHO FOLLOWED JOHNNY CASH FROM ALMOST DAY ONE, THIS IS POSSIBLY THE MOST PERSONAL AND MOST FULFILLING BOOK EVER DONE ABOUT HIS LIFE. BILL MILLER, A CLOSE FRIEND OF JOHNNY'S SINCE CHILDHOOD, HAS PUT TOGETHER A SCRAPBOOK.COLLAGE OF THE VERY BEST OF JOHNNY'S LOVING AND CARING PERSONALITY. IT'S LIKE GOING BACK IN MY OWN CHILDHOOD, TO THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THE GREAT MAN SING. THAT VOICE, IT WAS LIKE NOTHING WE'D EVER HEARD BEFORE. LATER, THANKS TO MY UNCLE PLAYING ON VENUE'S WITH JOHNNY, I ALSO GOT TO MEET HIM, AND ALWAYS HE WAS KIND, CONSIDERATE AND TO A YOUNG PERSON, OVERWHELMING.

BILL SENT MY WIFE AND I A COPY AND IT'S JUST A TREASURE. EVEN IF YOU BECAME A FAN LATER ON, THIS IS A BOOK THAT GOES BEYOND ALL THE OTHERS. IT'S LIKE JOHNNY HIMSELF LEFT YOU SOME OF HIS PERSONAL BELONGINGS AND GAVE YOU A GOING AWAY PRESENT. WE LOVE THIS BOOK AND TREASURE IT AND THANK BILL MILLER, HIMSELF AN OBVIOUSLY KIND AND LOVING MAN. BUY IT, YOU WON'T BE SORRY AND 25 YEARS FROM NOW THIS ONE BOOK WILL BE THE ONE EVERYONE TRIES TO FIND. IT'S SO GREAT!

I just loved this scrapbook-style memoir by someone who was probably Cash's biggest fan. The photos and the stories were just wonderful and the layout was fantastic.

Bill Miller is an amazing man. He and Johnny Cash were friends for many years. They shared a love of collectibles.

This book shares some very rare memorbilia from Johnny and June's lives. Bill Miller has more CASH memorbilia than most anyone I have ever met. I am so pleased that he is sharing all of those treasures. They should be shared.

One thing you should know...Bill Miller is donating ALL monies, from the sale of this book, to the SOS Children's Village. That really speaks volumes.

God Bless Bill Miller. For his dedication to preserving the memories, for his ongoing support of Johnny Cash fans at his website (http://www.johnnycash.com), for his vision to help those SOS children, and for ALWAYS being a stand up guy. Johnny always told me that Bill was a good man. And he was always right. :)

Kelly Hancock
Hendersonville, Tennessee

I do not order much from the internet, except I do find Amazon to be great. I have ordered serveral book, and they have all arrived in a very timely manner. The purchased have been very easy and there has never been a mix up on payments, they have also been prompt in emailing to let me know when we can expect our merchandise. I thank you for providing such a wanderful website were we can get great prices and good service too. JML California

You could build a library with all that's been written about The Doors over the past 40 years. This makes it hard to find anything new, but Ben Fong-Torres has done that here. Several never before published photos (including Jim dressed as an Indian for Halloween at age 7!) and interviews with Jim's father, brother & sister (his mother was unfortunately too ill to participate) make this a must for any Doors fan. Also has lots of commentary from Ray, Robby & John and others who were closely involved with the band.

Rock writer nonpareil Ben Fong-Torres has done an excellent job in this very fine work about the Doors. Lots of never seen before pictures and what a great treat that we finally heard something from Morrisons relatives, especially the rear-admiral. Im pretty sure those fat royalty cheques that started pouring in from 1974 has mellowed the old warriors heart over the years, but still you believe that somewhere deep inside, he was proud of his son achievements. It's a book that you can't put away, so if you start reading it early, you most likely will finish it the same day.

I loved the book! Well worth the money. It has great pictures too. It tells about the whole band and how they got along with Jim.

The Doors by The Doors and Ben Fong-Torres

Hyperion Books

Forty years ago The Doors broke on through and romanced the public with poetic nightmares combined with a jazz influenced brand of blues driven rock and roll. We all know about Jim Morrison, the bands wildly erratic front man who lived either on the edge of a stage or at the edge of his own mortality. The three remaining Doors members John Densmore, Robby Kreiger and Ray Manzarek give their take on what it was like to ride the ascending success and ultimately the burn out and downfall of comet Morrison. Ben Fong-Torres has the daunting but enviable task of coordinating the vast treasure of photos, interviews and fresh quotes into a time line narrative that takes the readers from the beaches of California to the graveyard in France. What Oliver Stone got wrong in his 1991 movie, "The Doors" Fong-Torres is determined to set straight in this retrospect. Even though it was Jim who gained the most publicity as charismatic singer and lyricist he was the first to correct anyone that would garner him with more than one fourth of the credit for the bands success. The corresponding biographies of each member help to re-tell the now famous stories but also add a more personal insight and explanation of these now legendary tales. It's always been my contention that actually being in such a famous band it is impossible to truly appreciate or understand your own impact. The Beatles never had "The Beatles" to appreciate or enjoy like the public did and the same thing goes with this remarkable group. The Doors were just trying to write some songs and score with the ladies of Venice but after these four individual and creative elements combined a funny thing happened resulting in pure rock and roll legend. It's all here in beautiful detail and imagery, from the band's first rehearsals and the ground breaking shows at the Whiskey, the Ed Sullivan snub, Miami madness to Jim's controversial departure from the United States and ultimately the planet. This is a beautiful coffee table styled book that chronicles all of The Doors phenomenal successes and internal struggles. Just as with The Beatles "Anthology" book the surviving members have assembled to tell their remembrances and share some never before seen photos and antidotes. This leaves Jim's creative and prophetic lyrics along side his infamous quotes behind as both his contribution towards the book and his path to or bread crumb trail back from the other side.

Matt Parish

Probably one of the best hip hop/rap books I've been able to find. They really go in depth with different genres and styles. The lists are amazing and you really must have a computer handy. You will find yourself looking up just about every song they list. Get ready to spend a fortune on itues as well as once you start to play the songs, you'll find that you just can't live without it. I bought one book for myself and one for a friend that works at an urban hip hop magazine in NY. He loves it as well.

this is a fantastic book! super informative and great trivia facts to stump your friends with. after all these years of owning it, i still go back to it to get a laugh or reminisce about the golden age of hiphop. a great book for any hip hop head.

Within this book is more information than any Hip Hop head or Rap music fan can handle. It Goes into forgotten beefs and incidents that have occured from 80 to 97. As well as a ton of other usefull information. I only have one problem... On page 236 "The House That Beef Built" #3 Goes on to say LL Cool J took out Kool Moe Dee in the infamous wax battle... But then on page 242 It states that during one of Kool Moe Dee's shows LL was in the crowd. Kool Moe Dee called him out but, LL refused. In my opinion that was a forfit. What do you think? Other than that... book is great!

Buy this! Great for laughs and serious topics alike, it is unputdownable. You will want to read it cover to cover then re read it. Excellent.

Pretty much everything that needs to be said has already been said here about this incredible book. Yes this book can rightly be considered the BIBLE of hip-hop history. Not only is it informative and entertaining, but it's done with tongue-in-cheek humor.
Now the reason why my review is biased is because I'm fortunate enough to be listed in this book. In 1983 I was part of the group Rickey G & the EverLOVING 5 MC's and we recorded the single "To The Max". Well... as far as I knew it was played a couple of times by Mr. Magic in New York, and that was about it. Yet lo and behold it's listed on the Holy Grail that is Hip Hop's Greatest Singles by Year (1983). The Editor's of this book have Exquisite Taste... but that's just my humble opinion. But in all seriousness, anyone who loves Hip Hop will thoroughly LOVE this book!

I am still reading the book and have been quite pleased with all the details of Mr Sylvester James Jr. Life, I am sure when a read the final pages it will be as smashing as the life he lived!! I also found a DVD, Filmed in San Francisco, in 1985 or 1987 when he celebrated his birthday, the video is grainy and not what I expected which was Him and the Famous (Two Tons of Fun,) what I have is Sylvester in his what I call break out years his voice was not as vibrant during this period but to have anything of him suits me just fine. He came into his own he perfected his voice and character, I still miss his presence on earth just as I do all the Great Ones.

Sincerely,
LEE

At last, a beautifully-written book about a beautiful artist - Sylvester. I have been waiting for this book to arrive for years and, finally, here it is!

I was hooked by the opening chapter which tells the story of a young boy named Tiki Lofton who sneaks out of his bedroom window at night and over to a friend's apartment where, in 1960's South Central, with the help of a young Sylvester, he transforms himself into a "Disquotay." The Disquotays were a group of boys who liked to dress up as sophisticated ladies. And Sylvester, or Dooni as he was known then, was in charge of the wigs.

"The first Disquotay bash that Tiki went to was over on 120th and Athens, at Etta James's house, sometime around 1965. Etta, who would later be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (largely on the strength of her 1961 hit "At Last") and the Betty Ford Center (largely on the strength of her smack addiction), was already a recording star and a friend to many local Los Angeles drag queens . . . The house, with its swimming pool and fireplace, had stunned her. Women, drag queens, and guys, all sending joyful noises in Tiki's direction; the music had been jumping; Walter Jackson's version of "Lee Cross," Jr. Walker & the All Stars' "Shotgun," "Nowhere to Run" by Martha and the Vandellas, Fontella Bass singing "Rescue Me." Gay kids all perched on gigantic speakers, singing and carrying on . . . Tiki had said to herself. "This -- honey, where is this world?" Within months, she would be a full-fledged Disquotay, made-up, bewigged, bejeweled."

Joshua Gamsom recreates this world vividly in that first chapter. Simultaneously, he introduces us to the members of Sylvester's family. His beautiful and beloved mother and grandmother. His twin sisters, Dette and Dean. The quotes are full of heart and expertly placed and the story unfolds like a fine silk fan. I can't help but think that Sylvester would be very pleased to read this biography.

I had the honor of meeting with Sylvester to discuss a project a few years before his death. It was mid-afternoon and he was sewing sequins on something, which was his favorite pasttime. He was always sewing, a talent he picked up from the women who raised him. He walked over to the turntable and put on Patti LaBelle's "If Only You Knew" and said he was dedicating the song at his One-Night-Only concert the following night to his fans and supporters in San Francisco, the city in which he always felt most at home. That night, with Martha Wash at his side, they performed that song together, bouncing their voices off each other inside the Castro Theater. Those two powerful voices, the acoustics of the Castro Theater, and the magical spell he wove with Patti LaBelle's song was something to behold.

That Sylvester could hold his own with the amazing Martha Wash is a testament to the power of his falsetto. He didn't have a thin, reedy falsetto. His was full-bodied, gravelly even, and very much in evidence on one of his biggest hits, "Do You Wanna Funk."

"So when I tell you, that you're really something, baby, will you stay, or will you go away."

Joshua Gamson captures the essence of Sylvester's personality, the diva fits as well as the immense kindness and sensitivity, and wraps it all together into an highly readable book that I wholeheartedly suggest you pick up. Although some have faulted him for not having an encyclopedic knowledge of music, Gamson lets experts like Joel Selvin provide insightful commentary.

It is my hope that someone has optioned the book for a movie and we can expect to see this wild individual portrayed in all his glory.

John Waters wraps up "The Fabulous Sylvester" pretty well in his cover blurb: "A well-written, touching, dignified biography of a gay black diva who never really fit into any minority but managed to achieve his dreams of stardom. Now that's what I call a man."

Five Stars. Great Read.

Magic happens where reality and fantasy overlap. It's a space that dance music star Sylvester effortlessly occupied during the outrageous and flamboyant club scene of the mid-70s to early 80s, when those lines were happily blurred on a nightly basis.

Gamson does an excellent job of showing Sylvester's `six-degrees of separation' influence - he worked with emerging stars like Bette Midler, Patti LaBelle, The Weather Girls ("It's Raining Men"), American Idol judge Randy Jackson and Patrick Cowley (Megatone Records).

By focusing mainly on Sylvester, Gamson gives the reader an inside look and feel of the gay club scene that was a mix of Broadway and Bowery Row. Sylvester epitomized that drama and contrast with his falsetto voice but powerful vocals and androgynous but commanding stage presence. He created a propulsive musical genre ("Do Ya Wanna Funk?" "You Make Me Feel") that defined the era's manic, raw and pulsating energy.

AIDS turned the party lethal, killing off both his audience and the mood for high energy music. Soon, Sylvester, along with hundreds of others in the arts and entertainment community, was dead. There are lots of devil-may-care musicians whose audiences escape through their lives and music, but there will probably never again be a time when the audience and the artist were so intimately in synch, both feeling and living the beat.

The Fabulous Sylvester is a fascinating recounting of the life of Sylvester, the dance scene and Sylvester's career. This book explores the life of Sylvester from his early childhood days to his development into an international dance icon. This book does not sugarcoat any part of Sylvester's life. It is detailed and honest and shows us all aspects of his life and career. This book is as interesting and fabulous as Sylvester was.

Joshua Gamson took the reader on a magical journey of Sylvester's glitter world of music, sex, and drugs with the abandonment that was the time of the 70's. Sadly, there was no gold at the end of the rainbow and we, like Sylvester, saw the decline with terrible retribution.

I highly recommend this book; it's a quick read and you won't be able to put it down.

My friend and I are vietnamese fans of LP and we must say that it's really hard for us here to buy anything about LP we like, because most websites never ship to Vietnam. But luckily, a friend of mine told me about this site. And the first thing we bought when we entered this site was "From the inside". This book is something I think every diehard fans of LP must have. It's full of beautiful pictures, lovely quotes from LP members and commentaries of Mr Hahn about all the videos in Meteora album. I found out a lot more about all the LP members and how they made music. You should really buy this book, I swear you'll be satisfied with it.

I've been a Linkin Park fan for probably about 6 years now and I'm amazed every time hear something new from them. The creativity and energy they put into each note, each measure of anything they put thier names on. That type of dedication is severely lacking in the music business today. I'm glad to say to say I'm a fan, without any hesistation or worries. I've read this book, 2 maybe three times and it's the kind of book you can go back to and get new views of the bands months or years after the initial read. It's a good job, well written and an easy read, not at all full of superflous language and unnecissary jargon. It proves they are a band of thier word, just average kids from SoCal, with nothing more in mind than making great music.

If you are a Linkin Park fan, want to know more about the band, or just want to recognize how six down to earth guys spend their time on tour, this book's for you. This is a diary of life on the road. It is filled with beautiful pictures, and look inside minds of one of the greatest rock bands in history! A must have for any Linkin Park fan!

From the Inside: Linkin Parks Meteora is a really good book. It tells you how the band started out and gives you interesting facts about the band, Linkin Park. The book tells you what the fans mean to the band, and where the root of their songs and music comes from. A 'Rolling Stone' reporter gives you his insight on the band, and talks about the interview he had with Linkin Park. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Linkin Park, or to anyone in a band, or starting a band. They give you good tips to keep in mind if you are in a band and making music, and what to expect.

I just received this book in the mail and immediately read it cover to cover. The photographs are phenomenal! What was particularly moving for me (I no longer say amazing because the guys are so consistent with this) is the humility of the band members. In their interviews (both live and in this book) they are interesting as people, not just rock icons. I'm an older fan (43 years old) and a lot of people my age are surprised about my devotion to Linkin Park. It comes from listening to rock and roll for 30+ years and never hearing anything that comes close to the talent exhibited by this group. It is not just their individual talent, and they are all immensely talented individuals, but the synthesis of those individual talents into a sound that is unlike anything ever heard on this planet. Their music moves me in a spiritual way. Thank you Linkin Park so much for your music and this book!

Animal Farm and 1984 are classic literature. You've probably already read them.

This edition presents them in a classic manner -- it is a lovely book, lovely dust jacket, and Christopher Hitchens does the intro. I usually find him funny and a little snarky, but in this intro, he is serious, high-minded, informative, and respectful.

I wanted to read 1984 again, since so many people are kicking around the terms "Orwellian" and "Big Brother" regarding current politics. I'm so glad this is the volume I bought. I know I would have gotten the same *words* in a flimsy paperback, but this was a really nice read.


I read both novels again. It has been... 20 years? Maybe longer since my first read-through. I'm a different reader than I was before.

Now it seems to me that the people who shout "Orwellian" the loudest, the people that warn of "Big Brother" most fiercely, are the ones who really want to be Orwellain Big Brothers. Interesting.

I've got that grisly Room 101 scene back in my head -- I had forgotten that one. Thanks, Mr. Orwell.

This is a lovely edition. Treat yourself.

Animal Farm and 1984 are two of my favorite books. I reccomend them for anyone. Although 1984 is sometimes a bit mature.

George Orwell was a genuis and if he were alive, he wouldn't have to be spinning in his grave right now, watching the world of '1984' descending upon our heads.

For those of us who read it before '1984' it was a frightful tale of a possibly impending future. For those of us who grew up after '1984' it's more of a big "So what?" as it isn't nearly so different from the current reality as it ought to be, unfortunately.

These books are very entertaining, mind you, and very well written; but they were not written to entertain, but to instruct. I would suggest you read them with an open mind and for entertainment, the first time, and then go back later and read with the understanding that he intended to highlight some of the more despicable aspects of society and the world at large.

Two classics of 20th and 21st century political thought. Animal Farm discusses the dangers of communism and totalitarian governments. 1984 is as relevant today as when it was first published over 50 years ago. I was born in 1984, and even though Big Brother and the Thought Police were not around then, we still might face big government intrusians in the future. As for this edition, two classics handsomely bound in hardcover for under $15, come on people, buy it already!!!

On 1984:
In George Orwell's 1984, war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength. So goes the slogan that describes life in dystopian London, a city monstrously ruled by the totalitarian state of Oceania. Along with Oceania, the states of Eurasia and Eastasia rule the world. Their co-existence isn't peaceful, however, as the three states are perpetually at war with each other. In Oceania, the government's figurehead is Big Brother, who is a personification of the collective power of the state and not a real person. His "face" fills the streets on the poster fronts plastered all over the city with the words "Big Brother is Watching You" underneath his overbearing glare.

Winston Smith, the novel's main character, works for the Party (the government). He despises his job along with the Party and Big Brother, but under no circumstances is he allowed to show it. In fact, to so much as even think a thought against the Party or Big Brother is considered treasonous and punishable by death! At present time, the Party doesn't have the technology to read people's minds, but they are working on it. Instead they control behavior through telescreens (television panels) and microphones. In London, telescreens are ubiquitous and cannot be turned off or interacted with. Presumably there are agents monitoring activity nearly everywhere that a member of the Party might frequent through these devices. In addition to technological surveillance, there is also human surveillance offered by both children and adults. Citizens of Oceania and members of the Party in particular are encouraged to report any unusual behavior which is interpreted as disloyalty to the state. It becomes virtually impossible, then, to get away with saying or projecting any kind of dissidence towards the Party. Individualism of any kind is considered unorthodox and a threat to the state. Winston would not be allowed to read this review without risking his life.

Oceania's population is divided between Party members, who make up 15%, and the unintelligent and underprivileged proletariat, which round out the remaining 85%. The "Proles" as they are known, could theoretically rebel and destroy the Party, but they are too ignorant and simple-minded to even dream of it. Winston knows this to be true, though still reserves some faint hope that he could be wrong and that the Proles could rise against the machine. The only other hope he has of an overthrow lies in the mysterious existence of the Brotherhood, a shadow collective inside of Oceania seeking to eliminate the Party and establish a democratic government. Winston has never met a member of the Brotherhood because it is impossible to even approach somebody to find out if they are disgruntled with the Party. To do so would be to risk your life. If they caught you, you would be eliminated and dubbed an unperson in Newspeak (the official and preferred language of Oceania). You will never have existed.

This is why Winston was apprehensive when Julia, a girl working in the same government building, slipped him a note. Initially he had suspected that she was a member of the Thought Police, an organization involved with seeking out heretics or disloyal Party members. Was she trying to snuff him out? Had she tapped into his mind and found a reservoir of anti-government angst? Winston thought his days were numbered, but was she the one that would reveal this to the authorities?

Orwell has given the world a political and psychological masterpiece. Written in 1948 as a vision of how the world would look in 1984, Orwell's only fault has been the fact that the novel is more relevant today than during its namesake. In our ever-advancing technoage, 1984 stands as a caution and a warning against governmental controlling measures. But to view his novel as a reaction against totalitarianism is to miss the boat. Orwell also explores human nature from a multiplicity of levels. He examines the human thirst for power and how this thirst intensifies when a group fuses their collective thirsts into a giant groupthirst (to use Newspeak). He asks what ultimate loyalty really means and how it can be redistributed from one object to another. What will such a task require? Can pain or love or any human longing outlast or outperform the other? Can truth be altered? And if so, who has the right or the power to alter it? These questions and more are asked in 1984. Will your answers to the questions tow the Party line, or will you sigh in paranoiac relief that you can think for yourself?

On the quality of the edition:
The cover is hard and firm, just what you'd want from a hardcover edition. Unlike other hardcovers which bend easier, however, this version takes quite an effort to keep the book fully opened and bent back to read. This makes it impossible to read with one hand holding the book up. I read with the book placed on a surface, so I have no problems. But for others, this might be an issue. All in all, I am very satisfied with the quality of this edition.

This I DARE YOU (MP3 CD) version will NOT PLAY ON A CD PLAYER. IT ONLY PLAYS on a computer.
I was a little disappointed since I purchased it to play in the car and on a portable cd player. It only plays on the computer disk player. I'll have to download it myself to an audio MP3 format. It must have been recorded as a DATA file. The narrator is a little momo-toned and I was very surprised that I zoned out on a self-help type CD. There are 14 chapters that run anywhere from 2 minutes 16 seconds to 26 minutes 14 seconds. Some are short, most are average 5-10 minutes.

My Grandfather owned a First edition of this book and I read it when I was about 13. It is a book that if you apply all that the author dares you too. you cannot help but achieve sucess.

The "I Dare You plan," first published in 1938 for the young and young at heart, is brightly authored by William H. Danforth, founder of the Purina Company. Written in scoutmaster style, this little gem will have you saluting to adventure. It is precise, simple, and uplifting.

"That is the first principle that I want thoroughly to fix in your mind--that life is a four-sided affair--that your daring program is going to lead you into physical adventures, mental adventures, social adventures, spiritual adventures. You have not one, but four lives to live--a four-fold opportunity to grow. A body, a brain, a heart, and a soul--these are our living tools. To use them is not a task. It is a golden opportunity. To find new capacities within you is not robbing you of any pleasure. It is bringing new treasures into every waking hour. It is helping you touch life at all angles, absorb strength from all contacts, pour out power on all fronts." Danforth adds "How dare you have within yourself these four-fold capacities and not use them?"

Like to be riveted into action? This book will do it. You will also feel rather selfish after the first reading (for witholding your dynamite). Go over it again several times. Mine is highlighted at every point (and there are many). I suggest you study I Dare You! along with the vintage movie "Fighting Father Dunne" (1948).

As one of the other reviewers noted, I too read this original book from my father's library when I was [...], in the 50s. Although almost forgotten, when I was writing articles on leadership, I realized this may have been the single most important book I had read...and used throughout life, becoming a leader in every...yes every...organization I belonged to, from high school Senior class President, college fraternity President, Band president(s), VP-Pres. elect of a national association, President of a state-wide organization, to Editor of a writers Quarterly and business owner. Now at 71, and looking back, "I Dare You" is quite possibly the only book necessary for directions in life. It's not about "success" or "money," it's about being your best and being the best FOR everyone around you.

This little book is-for the most part- really great. It moves fast and grips the reader. I felt immediately inspired by it. However, there is one flaw. I have trouble taking the advice of anybody that believes in talking snakes. Practically the whole character building chapter is based on religion. One of the sides of your square is supposed to be labled religion. I think thats an unnecissary addition to the book. You do not need to buy the worlds greatest fairy tail to be successful and happy in your life.

The information is invaluable and an excellent reference at an incredibly low price. But a beginner reading this book would be like reading about myocardial infarctions for someone not knowledgeable in medical terminology (that's a heart attack). It makes sense if you have a grasp on ballet already, but should not be bought as a guide from which to learn ballet. If you are looking for a place to quickly look up a step, and already have a good deal of training, then this is the book for you.

I was reaquired to purchase this book many years ago for a college level ballet class I took. I still have my copy. It's an outstanding reference for terminology.

This a great manual if you want to compare RAD, Vaganova,BBO and Cecchetti methodology.

I am a dance instructor, and have been using this Ballet Dictionary for over 15 years. It is easy to use and all of the terminology is correct and easy to understand. Steps are described in great detail, and I would recommend this book to dance students of every age and every skill level. For the price, you can't find a better Ballet Dictionary!

All dancers should be familiar with classical ballet terminology. This book is great for spelling, pronunciation and defition. It's one of those great books to have in your ballet bag at all times. I wouldn't go anywhere without mine! Highly recommended for all dancers.