Genres Books

I used to be an opera singer and I have to say this is a fabulous book for any fan of Wagner. Tom May has done a terrific job of making this difficult material accessible, and the accompanying CDs help considerably. Even if you feel you have read everything there is to read about the maestro, you will find this book absorbing and very illuminating. Plus you'll probably want to buy a new recording of Tristan und Isolde as well [maybe the most beautiful music ever written, in my humble opinion]. I think Amazon may sell that too. LOL

This is a terrific read: entertaining and briskly paced. May considers historical and social factors in Wagner's work without bogging down the reader with theory or dull historicism. In fact, this work brings me a greater appreciation for Wagner than I thought possible (I'm not, my apologies, an opera fan). I would recommend it to the casual theater goer, the fine arts critic, opera fans, and anyone interested in music or 19th century theater.

This well writen book has an analysis of all Wagner operas. I found it helpful, used together with the Metropolitan Opera site.

I found this to be an excellent overview of Wagner and his operas in a book of only 200 pages or so. This book is for someone who is fairly familiar with the plots of Wagner's operas -- no plot summaries are presented -- and gives a good sense of how Wagner developed as both a composer and dramatist. The book is written mostly around the ten major operas wrote -- a chapter for each with an extra chapter to introduce the Ring. Although the book is relatively short, the reader learns a lot about Wagner's sources, his use of these sources, and key features of the individual operas. A portion of the discussion of the operas is tied to the CDs - one for the Ring and the other for the non-Ring operas. The CDs are primarily "greatest hits" - from the operas, with text making reference to different points on the CD in terms of timing.

This book is probably not the first book you read on Wagner -- I would recommend "Wagner Without Fear" by William Berger as an introduction to Wagner and his work. For other readers, this book really provides quite a bit of diverse information in a small space. The book is well-written and meets the needs of many readers in that it written around individual operas. A reader can go right to the opera of interest, but I think may will also want to read through the entire book to better understand the context of individual operas and their place in Wagner's development.

The book has a good bibliography (though it would have been nice to have some annotation).

The book is a good value as is, but with the 2 CDs (primarily BMG recordings), it becomes an excellent value. Any reader interested in Wagner should consider owning this book. 5 stars.

We play this CD every night as I begin our bedtime routine with my five-year-old son -- each song becomes more soothing as the CD unfolds, by the time he is out of the bath and we are reading a book, we are both totally relaxed, and as the final "Cradle Song" plays, he is drifting off to sleep. I find myself sometimes humming the songs during the day -- they definitely affect you on a subconscious level, in a peaceful, relaxing way. A great buy all around, for any member of the family, of any age.

Somebody finally got it right! I'm cured. Forget sleeping pills, herbs and other gimmicks. This is the real deal, straight from a fifteen year expert at Harvard. Gets right to the point. Very enlightening. And it works. We play the CD every night and it even chills out the teenagers. The music surprised us, it's even better than the book.

What a great gift, I recieved Deep Sleep 101 from my daughter and I loved it. Great concept of a book and a cd. Worked like a charm, the music was great and relaxing while the book helped me understand how to relax and why I was having difficulty sleeping. Would recommend this to anyone!

We were on vacation in Cabo San Lucas a year ago, and a hurricane came through. The hotel room had a CD player, and the book Deep Sleep 101. We listened to the CD all day every day. it kept us calm in the storm. Of course we now have our own copy, and it plays nearly each day at our home. Now when we travel. (like this week) The Deep Sleep 101 CD is a must pack.
Enjoy

A trip back to W.W.II using the experiences of the author. As an individual whom fatefully has not been required to serve in the military, and was born to fortunate veterans of W.W.II, I have only stories and history books as tools to look back on the events of W.W.II. As this event marches further into history we loose the ones that can share the experience with such realistic and firsthand detail. While reading "Deep Their Grave" I found myself hearing the ocean waves, smelling the salt air, becoming one of the crew, feeling seasick hopless, and excited all at once; and virtually an onlooker to the degradation of war and helpless to assist in a time of need. I look forward to the author's next book.

Deep their grave provides a riveting first-hand relationship with the crew of this WWII vessel as they experience the adventure of their lives. The plot builds a suspenseful story of historical accuracy with characters that are quite believable. The author evokes from us a respect for the mission and the courage that it took to attempt it. This book gives long overdue credit to those that gave their lives in service of country without adequate offensive or defensive capability. The ending, though a twist on the expected, is consistent with the real-life theme that permeates the situations and crises throughout the voyage. This book is hard to put down. The author has obviously lived this and has done justice to life on a ship at war.

Deep Their Grave is a fascinating first hand account of a great adventure. The author made me feel as if I was on the high seas, in the heart of WWII. An interesting story which pays attention to the technical details and realistic characters. I highly recommend!

Deep Their Grave is a fascinating first hand account of a great adventure. The author made me feel as if I was on the high seas, in the heart of WWII. An interesting story which pays attention to the technical details and realistic characters. I highly recommend!

This book was a great biography on the man, Dexter Gordon. Gordon is one of the most underated musicians in jazz history, and it is good that the truth about this man's greatness is finally being told. I recomend this book to anyone who loves Dexter as much as I do.

Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon was a seminal figure in modern jazz; his huge, magisterial tone was awe-inspiring, especially when heard on slow ballads. Influenced by the stylings of Lester Young, combined with the musical vocabulary of bebop, Gordon produced some of the most memorable jazz performances during the bop/hard bop era. Stan Britt does a good job of relating the Gordon story. The first half of the book is a fairly straight-forward account of Dexter's life, from the Central Avenue scene in LA, where he grew up; to his first professional gigs with Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, and Billy Eckstine; to his association with Wardell Gray and Charlie Parker; to his drug problems in the early '50s; to his expatriate days in Europe; and finally to his re-emergence on the American jazz scene with his return to NYC in 1976 and the making of the movie ROUND MIDNIGHT. Discussion of Gordon's recordings are removed from the chronology and gathered in a final chapter; I'm not sure I agree with this decision and think perhaps more constructive commentary would have been made of the recordings if Britt had placed them within the biographical text - a la Jack Chambers's approach in his superb biography of Miles Davis (MILESTONES). There is a fairly comprehensive discography, however, of studio dates on which Dexter plays. Britt is a good writer, and though obviously a devotee of Gordon's playing, he casts a critical eye where appropriate and refuses to write as an idolater. Recommended.

This book explains how Dexter Gordon was born in Los Angeles. His father was one of the few black dentists in the 1920's. Dexter said he wanted to learn how to play the clarinet like his father. His father agreed as long as he took music theory lessons as well. As a teenager he switched to tenor saxophone and the rest as they say is history. He got his big break with the Lionel Hampton big band on tour. During that tour he learned a lot from Illinois Jaquette who was playing 1st tenor. Eventually he made as many recordings as Stan Getz. He moved to Europe and settled in Copehagen, Denmark. He finally came back to the "States" and acted in some movies. For example: "'Round Midnight" and "Awakenings." Dexter is in a video called "Jazz in Exile" which you can buy through The Saxophone Journal. If you have any experiences with Dexter Gordon, please e-mail me.

I am a long-time devotee to Die Meistersinger (which is one of my favorite operas of all time), and have owned this score for over ten years. It is now well worn and the spine has a couple of weak places, but it still holds together quite well--as do all of Dover's well-bound books.

This edition has nice, readable engraving--though the rather small dimensions of the page make everything somewhat crowded. Also the sheer thickness of the score makes the book somewhat unwieldy, but considering the price of other editions, this is a steal at Dover's price!

As for the work itself, if you set aside all the nit-picking about new vs. old musical styles (which is implicit in the plot, don't get me wrong) and just listen to the music, I don't see how you can fail to enjoy this opera. It is very long, true--but that's Wagner. The plot is one of the merriest of Wagner's whole output, and the music is joyful in like measure. For sheer beauty, my favorite moment in the opera is the quintet in Act III, scene IV, but Walther's prize song ("Morgenlicht Leuchtend"), "Am stillen Herd" and the Prelude to Act I are all close runners up. In addition, being able to study Wagner's masterful orchestration--or look at the sheer number of individual vocal lines in the street fight at the end of Act II--is reason enough to buy this edition.

Wagner's only comedy (if you don't count Das Liebesverbot, based on Shakespeare's rather difficult Measure for Measure), is basically an initiation ritual. Walther von Stoltzing is in love with a young woman named Eva. He must prove his love by composing a song for the Mastersinger festival; if he wins the competition, he wins Eva. Meistersinger is also a treatise on why Wagnerism is better than the old (read Brahmsian) style of composition. Hans Sach, Walther's sponsor, insists that Walther's first improvised song, Am Stillen Herd, even with its weaknesses, shows much promise. Sixtus Beckmesser, on the other hand, insists that it does not adhere to the classical virtues, and, therefore is unworthy of any attention. The contest enjoins all its competitors to set the poem Morgenlich luectend im Rosigemshind to music. Beckmesser's version is sludge, and he makes a fool of himself singing it. Walther's song, on the other hand, wins both the contest, and Eva. As an argument, Meistersinger is pretty flimsy stuff; Brahms is no Beckmesser. Yet as music drama, Meistersinger is remarkable. Dover reprinted the early Peters edition. There is an English translation of all German frontismatter; unfortunately, however, there is no English glossary of German musical terms. There is a reprint of the original title page, which is kind of fun. The score is too big, and the book too small for podium use, but the book is well made, easy to read, quite reasonably priced, and ideal for the average opera lover.

Along with Die Walkure, I ordered Die Meistersinger to give me a even greater look into German opera. I was extremely impressed with the outcome even though I had been told by many people that it was 'heavy' and I should avoid Wagner at all costs.

I won't get into the nitty-gritty stuff of comedy/tragedy but in comparison to Die Walkure, it's much lighter and quite funny especially when one character (Beckmesser) happens to steal a song written by someone else and on delivering, messes it all up and makes a fool of himself. The themes continue to come back at every oppurtunity and the whole thing links together as one.

Of course Wagner likes his big, fat scores - this one comes in just over 800 pages and the other Dover scores, it opens flat (or reasonably) and doesn't damage the spine, i.e. no creases.
Text is all in German apart from a translation of the contents, characters and orchestration so unless you've mastered the German language, get your hands on a german or music dictionary. See through is minimal. $30 is a very good bargain for such a big score.

I feel like raising a point. The previous reviewer called this "Wagner's only comedy." I am going to have to disagree, and not because of his obscure second opera, but because of one of my favorite of his works, the mature Siegfried! What? Crazy! Well, maybe, but hear me out.

One cannot help but laugh at that first act with all that witty diologue between the young and ignorant Siegfriend and his evil foster-father Mime. That entire scene cracks me up. The fight with the dragon, in my opinion, is quite humorous when you consider the way irony in it (almost in a David vs. Goliath way). There is yet more comedy in the third act, my favorite line of the entire piece being when Siegfried pulls off Brunhilde's breastplate and declares "Das ist kien Mann!" or "That's no man!" Duh. Siegfried has never seen a woman in his life, and his reaction to Brunhilde's is so naive, and so funny. Then of course, like in all good comedies, they declare love and appear to live happily ever after (at least until Gotterdammerung).

Siegfried being a comedy also fits form well. Think about Beethoven's ninth symphony (I'm not saying it fits this symphony exactly, but work with me here) first and second movements are heavily dramatic, where as the third is a bit of a breather, a relief before the great conclusion of the fourth movement (though, of course a triumphant ending rather than tragic in the case of Gotterdammerung).

So next time you watch Siegfried, think comedy. Crazy it maybe, but i don't think it is that far-fetched.

Unlike Schott's editions (which Dover uses for its reprints of the other 3 operas of the cycle "Der Ring des Nibelungen" {"The Nibelung's Ring"}, the Peters version reprinted here DOES have the voice and instrumental staves mostly arranged in proper order, making things a great deal easier to follow. [Alas, there's one exception - having the voices (though not stage instruments - that part at least is already in proper order) between the violas and the 'celli {harking back to Baroque "basso-continuo" usage} - at least they're consistent with it which helps...] Also the fonts used by the Peters engraving are somewhat clearer than those of Schott in their first editions (their current edition of the complete works of Richard Wagner is SUPERLATIVE but no doubt fantastically expensive!!!).

This score of one of Wagner's most accessible works is not only a steal at the price, it's an excellent score, period (though I could visualise it using fewer pages if the engravings were done differently whereby the systems would have been somewhat smaller but done for a larger paper-size). GET IT!!!!

Dover, as always, has given to Art, primarily music, a wonderful gift. It is good to know of a publishing house with value to the greatness of Art, rather than the greatness of profit. The edition itself is a reproduction of an edition approved by Wagner himself, and is quite a necessity for any who wishes to indulge in the delights and caprice of Wagnerian music-drama. The format is easily read, and even more easy to follow; it is a great production of an opera in full-score.

Before I got the score, I had listened to the opera once through and after grasping the basic story with the libretto, I decided to go ahead and see what German opera was all about even though I had been told by many people that it was 'heavy' and I should avoid Wagner at all costs.

The result was something I hadn't been expecting. The score is wonderfully presented and extremely clear. Of course, its a big score (just over 700 pages) but opens out flatly and doesn't damage the spine - quite clever thing from Dover! Text is all in German apart from a translation of the contents, characters and orchestration so unless you've mastered the German language, get your hands on a german or music dictionary. See through is minimal.

The score had been intended to be the second package to arrive but ended up being the last. The reason: someone had mixed their 'r' and 'c' up and instead of posting to Ireland, they somehow managed to send it a few miles north to Iceland. It arrived though, explaining the long journey it had undertaken!!! A good bargain for such a complex and diverse score.

this has got to be one of the greatest operas of all time. dover's publication is neatly laid out and easy to follow. the paper and binding are good quality; i own many dover scores and they've all held up very well, even though i use them a lot.

'full score' means you get the music as it was written for every instrument (including vocals), just as the composer intended for it to be played, just as you would hear it performed live or on cd. a list of instruments is also included to give an idea of the massive orchestra that the work calls for. if you don't know german, you may want an english translation of the libretto (it's not translated here), and a good german to english dictionary, as wagner wrote his musical instructions (tempo, articulation)in german, rather than the usual italian.

for composers or music lovers, this is a great way to study orchestration and composition, right at the feet of one of the masters...

Nobody pushes a reader's emotional buttons quite like Catherine Spencer, and she doesn't disappoint in THE DOCTOR'S SECRET CHILD. Take a reformed bad boy hero, an unrepentant bad girl heroine, a rich cast of secondary characters, dialog which has you laughing one minute and crying the next, and you're left with another fabulous, five star read you won't want to see come to an end. This is a story so rooted in passion, realism and atmosphere that it belongs on every romance lover's keeper bookshelf.

As always, Catherine Spencer has written a book that transcends the ordinary in romance. Dan Cordell is a gem of a hero, someone we would all like to take home with us. His patience with troubled Molly and his willingness to wait for her to see her own worthiness give him a charm and likability that is exceptionally well portrayed. The writing and character development are outstanding, and the ending tender and hopeful for the future. A true romance.

The Doctor's Secret Child, Catherine Spencer's latest Harlequin Presents romance, is such an exciting story of Molly, a strong yet vulnerable young single mother. Molly faces going back to her past for her ailing mother's sake. She comes back to her humble beginnings in Harmony Cove. There she faces the harsh memories of the treatment she got from her emotionally-stunted father who recently passed away. But memories every bit as hard for Molly to deal with are of the townspeople's attitude toward the poor working class from Wharf street. Especially insensitive is their treatment of Molly, who once ws a teenager full of spirit and attitude. Molly gets the idle tongues wagging by keeping her daughter Ariel's father a secret while trying to settle in and take care of her mother.

This book pivots on the suspenseful plot Catherine Spencer draws so deftly. The characters are drawn with such compassion and show all of the contradictions of human nature. The nosy neighbor is a truly kind caretaker for Molly's mother, Hilda. Dan Cordell, the young doctor taking care of Hilda, is from a privileged famiy yet he chooses to work in a clinic caring for the disadvantaged.

How do the characters fit together and how will Molly handle the secret of who Ariel's father is? Will the fiery Molly make concessions for Ariel's sake? Will Molly find love and fulfillment? You already know some of the answers to these questions if you have read any of the many fine romances Catherine Spencer has written. The Doctor's Secret Child is the best of her many superbly written novels. Reading this book will delight you with intense descriptions of passion and charm you with the unexpected way love can triumph. The Doctor's Secret Child, Catherine Spencer's latest Harlequin Presents romance, is such an exciting story of Molly, a strong yet vulnerable young single mother. Molly faces going back to her past for her ailing mother's sake. She comes back to her humble beginnings in Harmony Cove. There she faces the harsh memories of the treatment she got from her emotionally-stunted father who recently passed away. But memories every bit as hard for Molly to deal with are of the townspeople's attitude toward the poor working class from Wharf street. Especially insensitive is their treatment of Molly, who once ws a teenager full of spirit and attitude. Molly gets the idle tongues wagging by keeping her daughter Ariel's father a secret while trying to settle in and take care of her mother.

This book pivots on the suspenseful plot Catherine Spencer draws so deftly. The characters are drawn with such compassion and show all of the contradictions of human nature. The nosy neighbor is a truly kind caretaker for Molly's mother, Hilda. Dan Cordell, the young doctor taking care of Hilda, is from a privileged famiy yet he chooses to work in a clinic caring for the disadvantaged.

How do the characters fit together and how will Molly handle the secret of who Ariel's father is? Will the fiery Molly make concessions for Ariel's sake? Will Molly find love and fulfillment? You already know some of the answers to these questions if you have read any of the many fine romances Catherine Spencer has written. The Doctor's Secret Child is the best of her many superbly written novels. Reading this book will delight you with intense descriptions of passion and charm you with the unexpected way love can triumph.

This was the first book by this author that I have ever read.A tale of a young woman abused by her father, unloved by the poeple of her home town, who had no choice but to run away when she got pregnant by her upperclass boyfriend who later became a doctor. Catherine did a good job of portraying the disparity in the social classes, the snubbish attitude of the upper class and the small mindedness, misjudgement and prejudice often found in small communities. The hero is great, once he found out that he had fathered a child, he did not shun his responsibilities. The chemistry and the passion is intense and it was a staring point until they realised that they loved each other. This is too close to real life and well written. I loved it and could't put it down.

The Doors On The Road by Greg Shaw
by Tarn C. Stephanos

Ask anyone who has had the opportunity to see The Doors in concert and chances are they will refer to it as having been one of the most amazing experiences of their life. During the May 1969 Critique interview Robby Krieger recognized that people often attended Doors concerts for the "religious experience." I believe that Jim Morrison, the shaman at the helm of the Doors phenomenon, recognized that, as do most, if not all, Doors fans.

Like the impact of the medieval Crusaders who spread their words of wisdom to every unenlightened hamlet, village, and individual so too the impact of The Doors whose message of inner freedom created a concert experience akin to a pagan celebration. Seeing the Doors live was nothing short of a religious sacrament and the arena in which the band played was a house of prayer.

But until recently Doors fans have been without a chronicle of performance locations, dates, and set lists. For years Doors tape collectors could only guess at where and when The Doors played live and what sort of songs constituted their usual live repertoire. With the release of the book The Doors On The Road by Greg Shaw, Doors fans finally have a book that meticulously traces the live history of The Doors from their genesis in Rick and the Ravens to their solo projects. This book is a welcome addition to the library of every Doors fanatic and lover of rock 'n' roll.

The Doors On The Road logs not only the dates and locations of every Doors concert but also the set lists of most shows and the names of the opening acts. It includes contemporary reviews that indicated whether The Doors gave their all, whether they were plagued by equipment problems, or if Jim was drunk and hung upside down like a vampire bat for most of the show. The book is complete with dates of recording sessions, and album and single releases of Doors and solo projects.

Perhaps the most important revelation in the book, considering Morrison's aptitude for poetry, is the listing of poems he recited during various songs throughout the different venues. At the Singer Bowl gig in New York (August 2, 1968) Jim recited an extensive selection of poetry all of which is listed in the book. This, and hundreds of other fascinating insights about Doors appearances can be found within the pages of Shaw's The Doors On The Road.

Doors fans interested in the Miami concert and its consequences will be amazed by the book's inclusion of the complete transcript of Jim's conversation with the audience (drawn from the audience tape) as well as a listing of every canceled concert.

Not all bands are able to use the live forum as an arena to cultivate ideas and translate their inner visions into songs. For some bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys the live experience was nothing more than a distraction from the creative process. Their greatest creations came to life behind closed doors in the studio. Bands such as The Doors, the Grateful Dead, and Phish created their greatest masterpieces onstage. By the Doors' own admission, they preferred small, intimate clubs where they could mold their songs like clay in the hands of an artist, reshaping some songs, merging others. The Doors released stunning studio material but it was through the live forum they could break free either lyrically or musically. Only by performing live could they attain true freedom.

Doors concert tape collectors will find Greg Shaw's The Doors On The Road to be a priceless source of live Doors related information. One exciting revelation corrects the source of the tape thought to be the Doors' first show of their two shows January 17, 1970 at the Felt Forum in New York City. It turns out this first show was really the second show! The first show has never surfaced amongst tape collectors though it was officially taped for Absolutely Live. Doors tape collectors may also be surprised to learn that many of their most coveted live Doors tapes are incomplete, some missing the encores, others missing the opening acts. The number of times The Doors performed their legendary "The Celebration Of The Lizard" on stage is amazing. And for ages I thought one price of the Miami incident was the loss of the Soft Parade tour which meant that Soft Parade tunes were rarely performed live. Shaw's mention of a surprising number of live versions of "The Soft Parade" "Touch Me" and "Tell All The People" will wet the chops of every lover of the Soft Parade album.

The beauty and importance of Greg Shaw's book is that it will cater to the hardcore as well as casual Doors fan. There is, quite literally, something in its pages for everyone. Whether a fan wants to know when and where The Doors played the day they were born, or if they want to find out whether a certain Doors song was ever performed live, and if so where, this is the book to own. The set lists are as complete as possible considering the state of original documentation. Shaw's lists were drawn from concert tapes, media reviews, and the memories of those who lived it. There is detailed information regarding the disastrous Miami concert and the gigs lost, as well as a detailed bibliography listing scores of Doors books, videos and official and unofficial live Doors concert releases. Unlike other Doors books, this one doesn't just retell the story of The Doors, rather it is a historical document useful for in-depth research or casual reading.

My advice is to grab yourself a copy of Greg Shaw's The Doors On The Road, find yourself a hollow tree trunk, get out of the rainstorm, and have a brainstorm. This is one book no true Doors fan should be without.

My rating is A++. HIGHLY recommended

The book gives dates of every show and a description of each - sometimes alot, sometimes none, depending on the show's significance. I was hoping for more pictures of the band matched up to it's respectful concert but this is where the book lacks for serious Doors collectors. I like using the book for chronological reasons and to set the story straight of when and where each concert actually took place. Some of the dates are approximations and are listed as such. Some shows not even the surviving band members can remember or place a date and time on. However the author has gone to extreme measures to provide the reader with the most accurate details as possible and, although the pictures are scattered and few, it does have many rare posters, handbills, and fliers of the bands concert dates. Overall it is a great book for to the point accurate and detailed accounts of the magical ride of The Doors from 1965 to their most recent appearances without the late Jim Morrison. I recommend this book and praise it for the amount of research that went into this book and the effort taken to stick to the actual, non-fictional information. If you are trying to figure out when The Doors played and where - Stop! This book does it for you and that's why it is a valuable book for all serious Doors fans. Enjoy!

The used prices on this book are scandalous. That said, this is easily one of the best books on The Doors, period.

This book is exactly what it says, a chronicle of every Doors show ever played, with information provided where available (and where people could remember). Obviously, many entries are more complete than others, particularly later on as concerts were better covered, etc. Where possible, entries includes the date, venue, attendance, set list(s), support acts, a brief synopsis with notes on the show (how they sounded, if Jim was wrecked, if they messed up a song), etc, etc.

Absolutely the Bible of Doors bootleg collectors, this book flew in the face of claims from the band members themselves that concert tapes didn't exist, when, in fact, author Greg Shaw obviously reviewed concert tapes for many of the entries here. The Doors responded by releasing a box set that disappointed Doors boot fanatics, then wound up slowly releasing some of these shows that we'd heard about for years (Cobo Hall, Detroit, Aquarius Theater, etc).

This book really should be back in print, it's much more valuable than another tell-all about the band or about Morrison. Excellent rock book. Not sure it's worth the ridiculous amounts that some are selling it for, but if you can find it for less, it's just a no-brainer.

Through the author's obviously extensive research, we are given a backstage pass to one of America's most influential groups of the 60's. Mr Shaw does not pretend that this is the last word on the subject(in fact, he leaves his email address at the beginning for updates) but this is a clear picture of the performance aspect with as much info as possible. Dates, set-lists and venues are here as well as a review of the show. No punches are pulled from Mr Morrison who did not give consistent performances every night. Given his personality who could expect him to? The work also goes into the post-Morrson life of the band culminating in the induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Jan. 93. Doors on the Road is also filled with photos all the way through their career. Enjoyable from beginning "until The End." Thanks Greg Shaw. Ladies and Gentlemen, from Los Angeles,Ca, THE DOORS!!!!!

This book is the absolute best available about Afro-Cuban religious traditions, music, and culture that I have ever seen. Velez writes in a clear style and with great respect for Mr. Villamil's heritage. Finally a book in english has addressed the controversy surrounding lineages and lines within Afro-Cuban religion. Not to mention one of the few books that describes festivles and musical celebrations within these religions instead of 'new age magic'. Secondly, the voice and mannerisms of Mr. Villamil come through the pages as if you were watching a documentary. As a long time (medio asiento) affiliate en La Regla de Ocha this book has truly touched my heart. Instead of spewing out made-up "secrets" it conveys the feeling, culture, and legacy of these little known traditions with utmost dignity. If you enjoyed the book I would suggest seeking out some of Mr. Villamil's CD's under the group Emikike it is amazing. Velez deserves some kind of award for this work because it is truly astounding..... just when I was about to give up on English books concerning Afro-Cuban culture.
Charles Panella
", but you have to keep hammering away there because he was destined for that and I wasn't. This is my religion and I love it with all my heart" FGV

The first thing to be said about Ms.Velez' book is that it is written in a disarmingly straightforward style - a rare if not unique occurrence in contemporary scholarly writings. Without shying away from tackling the complexities of an issue (and there are many in the book) Ms. Velez' style allows the reader to concentrate on the content rather than wrestle with tortuous syntax and intricate constructions. It is perhaps for this reason that the author manages so felicitously to blend her cultivated voice with that of the "informer" in a delicately balanced counterpoint. This, in turn, is well suited to the multifaceted role of F.G.V., who play the role of a self-centered first actor as well as that of an anonymous yet ideally representative prototype of a time and a place. Or rather, multiple times and places.

This is truly a unique book. Not only is it informative, but also easy to read. I don't know of any other source that delves as deeply into the life of a single Afrocuban religious musician or practitioner as this book does. It is a gold mine of information not only for the serious student of Afrocuban culture, but also for any practitioner.

If you consider yourself a serious drummer in the Afro-Cuban styles (batá, bembé, palo, abakuá, rumba, comparsa, etc.), you must read this book, as you will learn a great deal from it. It is refreshing to see the music and the culture through the eyes of a musician and practitioner himself (Mr. García Villamil), a true living legend. Every page is loaded with TONS of information, dating from his Yoruba great-grandfather's time to the present.

Since the 60s, Earl Hooker has been a mythical figure for me. Over the years I've heard his brilliant slide guitar solos here and there, mostly as an accompanist and eventually on his Blue Thumb vinyl release in 1970. And of course I had read all the superlatives that his musical cohorts liberally expressed in the blues press. But reading Danchin's exhaustively researched tribute has given a whole new life to those recordings. The detailed stories and thorough personnel listings associated with each of Hooker's scant few recording sessions add immeasurably to the enjoyment of my Hooker collection. Danchin does a remarkable job recreating a life using only second-hand info gleaned in the main from dozens of interviews with all those bluesmen and friends who inhabited Hooker's hectic world. My hope is that Danchin will apply his skills to telling the story of another deserving (and still LIVING) blues legend: Little Milton Campbell!

The amazing part about this book is that the author was able to find out so much about Earl Hooker. The guy is a legendary guitar player. If you read interviews with his contemporaries like Buddy Guy or Otis Rush, they will attest to Hooker's greatness. Unfortunately Hooker died thirty years ago and is pretty obscure today. He didn't sing, so he survives on records largely as an accompanist to other people and on albums he recorded under his own name for a wide variety of mostly small and forgotten record labels. Many of his recordings are hard to find today. Surprisingly this author was able to find out about Earl Hooker's life and his world in great detail and in so doing rescue Earl Hooker from disappearing into history. In addition to being amazingly well researched this book is written by a fan of blues music. If you read this book you'll probably want to hear more of Earl Hooker, and that's probably the best compliment I could bestow on the author!

to come to the point--this is one of the best books ever written about a blues artist---it gives a great insight into what the life of this incredible guitarist was really like in the 1950's and 1960's...i laughed a whole lot---this book is very entertaining--earl was just about the greatest guitarist of his time and this book serves to remind those who love him of his greatness and to educate those who have no idea who he was-- if you never even heard of earl hooker, this is still a highly entertaining book about a very entertaining fellow-- the author did a great job of putting together dozens of interviews (done over a period of over 20 years)into a very nice book--its a big book too---lots of pages---some cool photos too- i plan on reading it many more times---two big thumbs up!!-

Earl Hooker was one of the most influential guitarists that ever lived; not just in the blues, but in many different musical styles. His mastery of slide guitar and the wah-wah pedal (many times combining BOTH, thus creating a truly hair-raising sound) are legendary. But sadly, Earl Hooker is all but obscure now, owing to his early death (he died in 1970 at age 39 from tuberculosis), his uneven recording career (he only made 3 "true" albums; he recorded many obscure 45 rpm sides and guest appearances), and even his famous name association (he is half-cousin to the late boogie king John Lee Hooker) didn't seem to help him achieve real stardom; one he so greatly deserved!

As all of the previous reviewers have pointed out, this is an extensively researched book, chock-full of interviews with many of the legends Hooker played with in his seemingly short career (Pinetop Perkins, Big Moose Walker, A.C. Reed, B.B. King), each one giving detailed accounts of Hooker's somewhat eccentric behavior, his lifelong battle with TB, but most of all and importantly, his undeniable guitar prowess. Unfortunately, by the time Hooker began to get noticed for his amazing natural talent and hard work, TB overtook him, causing his untimely death.

This is an excellent book, both for true Earl Hooker fans, and new ones alike. He had so much more to give the world of music, and had he lived, he most certainly would've attained the same success and legendary status as Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy and Albert King, just to name a few. Essential reading!