Cultural Books

This book is a philosophy treatise in disguise. Beware all who enter here! You'll not only get a knowledge of mosses and lichens, but a lot more! I couldn't put it down! Thanks, RWK!

Book came in time for birthday, in spite of bad weather and recipient was delighted.

Since, I've been recommending this book to all my friends with botanical interests ever since I read it two months ago, I might as well try to sing its praises to a broader public. I found it to be a book of a different order from most other nature books I've read. I'm not talking about comparative rankings here, though there is much to praise, but about its uniqueness. The only book in my acquaintance that I'm tempted to compare it to (though with a deeply respectful nod to the books of Lewis Thomas) is Aldo Leopold's "A Sand County Almanac". Both Leopold and Kimmerer have created essays with seemingly effortless grace and formal purpose, and both leave the reader with an enduring impression of someone writing who is, first and foremost, not a writer or a scientist or an environmental moralist, but, plainly and sincerely, a human being living and learning from and cherishing earth's nonhuman creatures insofar as possible on their own terms. We are most and best human when living in such caring wonder.

I've never purchased one of those books Amazon suggests when you're buying other books. But I'm glad I bought this one. Kimmerer is a scientist, a poet, a mother, a Native American and all these strands are blended in this remarkable book about her passion: bryophytes. Each chapter is a story that not only introduces fascinating information about these tiny but ubiquitous plants, but makes the entry into their world easy for a non-bryologist, AND leads to deep reflection about life. I found myself reading the book slowly, savoring and reflecting on each chapter. I plan to read it again before the year is out.

I bought this book because the author was coming to the environmental center I volunteer for. It is a wonderful book and the woman who wrote it is so deserving of our respect and praise. To quote someone who says it all, Janisse Ray said "something I took for granted has come alive, because I have been given its story. After reading this book, I took a magnifying glass outside and pored over the tree trunks. I have seen Robin Kimmerer's miniature landscape for myself. Yet, this is so much more than a book about mosses. This is a Native American woman speaking. This is a mother's story. This is a science revealed through human psyche. Robin Kimmerer is a scientist who combines empiricism with all other forms of knowing. Hers is a spectacularly different view of the world and her voice needs to be heard."

I heartily recommend this book.

The ideal audience for this book really has a large range; it is ideal for anyone wanting to experience a "trip" from a hallucinogenic drug without the actual drug. High Priest is an excellent piece of art, it is an encyclopedia of Leary's 16 most life changing "trips" when under various forms of hallucinogens. It is filled with strong imagery to support Leary's want to tell the world about the wonderful hallucinogenic "trip". His style is very unique in that especially in a series of short stories, he can in essence connect them, just as he does in his life with situations. He uses a very intense tone, and style becomes rapid as he submerges into a hallucinogenic state, almost as if you where there with him. Then as he's coming out of it his style loosens and becomes slower, and drowsy. Its almost as if there were two extremes one is cold and gray, and the other is vibrant and full of life. This book will definitely stir your interest about psychedelic drugs and the life behind it. Leary's intense flavor and swirling style can sometimes almost be frightening especially when he discusses his inner emotions about death, and his chilling way of expressing his views on the "life changing trips". I think this book is very educational depending on your view of education, and can teach people, things about other cultures that may not be their own, a counterculture if you will. I recommend High Priest to anyone with a thirst for knowledge and an open mind.

I'm sad to finish this book, as I have walked with Leary with his first mushroom encounter in Mexico, walked with his colleges and friends, from Dick Albert (Ram Dass), Robert Metzner, Huston Smith, Aldous Huxley, Walter Clark, Walter Puhnke, Michael Hollingshead, Alan Watts, Allen Ginsberg - I love Ginsberg - , Gordon Wasson, Frank Barrons and even William Burroughs. From his Millbrook estate to his Harvard studies, prison studies, first LSD trip, to his religious experiential studies and the amazing internal transformations that for myself are greatly superior to static intellectualism. And yet using such intellectual insights coupled with subjective encounters - in allusive non-categorical observance - brings forth the dynamics of Leary's story.

There is far too much information to relate here, the book is enlightening.
All together 16 trips or stories along with various quotes from magazine articles, short thoughts, to excerpts from other books from Ginsberg, Hollingshead, Wasson, Walter Houston Clark, Huxley and others make this book not only informative, but really do capture what is intended to be conveyed - the mystical- religious - subjective - internal - experiential - magical/irrational experience of psychedelics and most importantly, their beneficial use in social, psychological, ontological, neurological, rehabilitative, and spiritual uses. There is no doubt in my mind as to the benefits of psychedelics for the human race.

"Everyone who isn't tripping himself because he's too scared or tired is going to resent our doing it. Sex, drugs, fun, travel, dancing, loafing. You name it. Anything that's pleasurable is going to bring down the wrath of the power-control people. Because the essence of ecstasy and the essence of religion and the essence of orgasm (and they're all pretty much the same) is that you give up power and swing with it. And the cats who can't do that end up with the power and they use it to punish the innocent and the happy. And they'll try to make us look bad and feel bad." P. 79


This quote (and others) reminds me of Ray Manzarek's story in his book, Light My Fire, of visiting a Las Vegas style rat pack record executive who literally flipped out after hearing a tape of The Doors, hearing that they were psychedelic orientated music. The power people can never accept surrender and vulnerability that comes with the internal search as opposed to the external control.

"The threshold of adult game life is the ancient and natural time for the rebirth experience, the flip-out trip from which you come back as a man. A healthy society provides and protects the sacredness of the teen-age psychedelic voyage. A sick, society fears and forbids the revelation." p. 133


Trip 1 is Leary's non-chemical death and rebirth of a physical sickness.


Trip 2 is the story of Leary's discover of the mushroom in Mexico with some substantial quotes from Gordon Wasson on mushrooms.


Trip 3 has Dick Albert, Jack and Timothy Leary flying in Dick's plane. It also contains Leary's Playboy interview, other magazine quotes and quotes from Albert Cohen and Shiller's LSD.


Trip 6 has Ginsberg and Peter Orlovsky walking around naked, Ginsberg telephoning his pal Jack Kerouac and some great Ginsberg quotes! The movement to turn on the world - well intentioned, but naive, the power people would never submit nor allow such conscious expansion beyond the control principal to continue.


Trip 7 talks about the rational thinking of Arthur Koestler's verses the irrationality of a LSD - religious experience and how the two don't see eye to eye.


Trip 9 shows the benefits of incarcerated prisoner rehabilitation and recidivism rate decrease from LSD therapy.


Trip 11 touches on William Burroughs and how he thinks on another tribal level, as we all come from different tribal evolutionary thinking. In the end Burroughs drops out of the clan and disapproves of the way Leary, his fellow Harvard and other constituents handle the mushroom therapy - Leary's got a monopoly on love.
Trip 12 is about Michael Hollingshead's famous mayonnaise jar of LSD and Leary's first experience along with the Jazz musician and his wife, Maynard and Flo Ferguson. And amazing account, really. And Leary, as Huxley has written in 1953, was forever a changed man. He had seen the games, the roles played, the human fallibility of truths, statistics, ideals and so forth from an objective standpoint, from the ultimate subjective standpoint.


Trip 15's Good Friday experiment under the coaxing of the intellectual and scholar Walter Pahnke is also an incredible story and ultimately Leary admits that the mind expansive consciousness is not a rational Descartes mind set, but a religious experience and of course, not under any particular religious structure - in this case Christianity is very constraining, limiting and restraining.


I love the explanation in Trip 16 that Leary related from Pat Bolero to a fellow psychologist who not only became fearful when hearing of "drugs" but could not comprehend her words that attempted to point to the clarity outside of the discursive mindset.


This book has some great Allen Ginsberg quotes and stories, great Burroughs stories, Leary's family, Dick Albert, Michael Hollingshead and many other intellectuals, scholars, divinity school students, the Good Friday experiment, artists, poets, theologians. I love his daughter's, Susan Leary, account of her growing up and observing the LSD sessions, of Alan Watts and others. The trip in Tim's place with Dick Albert, both erroneously thinking the pet dog was dying and other stories make this a very entertaining book to read. But ultimately, its the beneficial attributes from the psychedelic sessions weighted against the opposition that really make this book totally worthwhile.


"Reality and the addiction to any one reality is a tissue-thin neurological fragility. At the height of a visionary experience it is crystal-clear that you can change completely. Be an entirely different person. Be any person you choose. It is a moment of rebirth . . . . It is habit, fear and laziness that keep people from changing after an LSD experience. It's so much easier to doubt your divinity, drift back to speaking English, wearing ties, playing the old game. p. 334


"There comes a point in every lifetime when the blinders are removed and the individual glimpses for a second the nature of the process. This revelation comes through a biochemical change in the body. A Twist of the protein key and you see where you are at in the total process. p. 336


One thing I've learned as a prison psychiatrist is that society doesn't want the prisoner rehabilitated, and as soon as you start changing prisoners so that they discover beauty and wisdom, God, you're going to stir up the biggest mess that Boston has seen since the Boston Tea Party. . . sooner or later, as soon as they see the thing you do is working, they're going to come down on you 0- the newspaper reporters, the bureaucrats, and the officials. Harvard given drugs to prisoners! p. 18

I had seen enough and read enough of the anti-vision crowd, the power-holders with guns, and the bigger and better men we got on your team the stronger our position. p. 128


We even ran sessions for parole officers and correction officials (they tripped). Some of them had unhappy trips. People committed to external power are frightened by the release of ecstasy because the key is surrender of external power. One chief parole officer flipped out paranoid at my house and accused us of a Communist conspiracy and stormed around while Madison Presnell curled up on the couch watching, amused at the white folks frantically learning how to get high. He grinned at me. So you call it the love drug? p. 208

essential reading for the humanist, the individualist, the psychedelicist and the lover of freedom.

Tim Leary reminds us what it means to be American.

I wrote this first paragraph to another of Ace's negative reviews for Alan Watts but I feel my response can be applied with validity to his review here as well. I haven't read this Alan Watts book but how can you criticize Alan Watts for possibly, (I'm not going to take your word for it and I have little interest in whether this great man may have been an alcoholic at one point), having been a drunk in his youth when in another review you call Charles Bukowski, one of the world's most renown drunks, the greatest writer ever. Bukowski is known for having written great poems and being a complete alcoholic, I like his poetry it's good, but Alan Watts almost single handedly BROUGHT EASTEN RELIGIONS TO THE WEST! Watts was a Zen Buddhist and Taoist master. Alan Watts in one of the great heroes of humanity for opening up the close minded consciousness in America during a time when it was readily accepted by the masses to the loving heart of the Buddha's teachings and The Way of Kindness. Stop blaming others for your failings Ace and start being accountable for your own life choices. I don't care if being homeless was a purposeful decision or an accidental one but it's not Alan Watts, Abbie Hoffman, Timothy Leary, or Terence Mckenna's fault. You are trying to help people with your how to be homeless book just as those men tried to help the world to be a better place during very troubling times. I feel your negativity is misguided, if you really want to blame somebody for the world being so difficult and unfair I suggest you aim your resentment at corrupt power hungry close minded money grubbing greedy politicians, dictators, fascists, and CEOs of corporations and others among us in this global community that would take more then their share without ever any concern for if or how others survive if they can and not harbor anger at those who tried to create and/or maintain freedom in this country while increasing awareness and intelligence.

Sadly Timothy Leary's first wife Marianne, Susan's Mother suffered from depression and took her own life, something Ace neglected to mention here, and as we know depression can be genetically passed down from a parent to a child. I also think it's important to add Marianne's suicide took place before Timothy Leary had ever taken or was even introduced to LSD and her death was completely unrelated to his experimentation with the substance.

I never met Dr. Leary. We corresponded by mail, I talked with him once via phone during the time he was petitioning for asylum in Switzerland, and I subsequently calligraphed and co-edited the Terra II manuscript for him. This latter bit of collaboration got my mug and a write-up about my work for Dr. Leary on the front page of the daily newspaper here--sort of a "local boy does strange" story. I saw him from a bus window during assembly for one of the mammoth marches against the war in Vietnam, in DC (1970). That's the extent of my contact and involvement with the man.

Living as we do during the insanity of "the war on drugs," "the war on terrorism," and the rise of the commercial-political police state in our country, this book seems a long-ago, far-off relic of an age that has little if anything to do with ours. There is nothing groovy about the liars, murderers, and criminal minds who today run Camp America.

So, why bother at all with this book? For one thing, it is evidence of hope--that a hopeful life is possible with eyes, mind, and heart all open to the possibility that something new can enter our lives. It is a chronicle that directly addresses the question of despair, as Tim describes approaching his own breaking point and his subsequent epiphany. It is not a journal of pretense such as one finds in typical media accounts of Leary's journey, but of encounter and reflection upon what is "high"--true, meaningful, and worthy of furthering through the medium of one's own life.

In sum, this book is for the voyager and explorer, those who are not entirely shackled by convention and fear. It is a chronicle of transformation and an opening upon the living questions that form the basis of our existence.

I am a 57 year old Washington, DC trombonist with many years of "chittlin circuit" experience. Reading Fred Wesley's account of his life as a sideman really hit home with me. So far, I have purchased (at last count) twelve copies of this fascinating book and distributed them to fellow musician friends who I know would also appreciate it. This really feels good and also therapeutic that our story is being told and documented. Older musicians always used to talk about paying dues. Well it seems that we never stop paying them, and Fred really spells it out in a clear, brutally honest, and what I find to be a very humorous and entertaining fashion. I would highly recommend this book to musicians young and old and to anyone else interested in learning what it is really like for the majority of us in this bizarre and crazy business.

Lincoln Ross
[...]

Fred wesley's book takes you on a Journey of the Music industry that you seldom every get on the whole un-cut real. this Man is responsible for some of the Baddest Jams known to the Human Ear Drum. He is a Multi Talented Instrumentalist, Producer&Arranger. He Grew up Down south&dealt with so much,but that was just the start upon entering the Army, then His Exposure to the Music Business under the Controls of Ike Turner. back when Ike&Tina Turner were together. then Fred going over to James Brown's camp which alone makes this Book a Must have. He doesn't pull no punches about JB's Camp&How He ran&did things. then fast forward to George Clinton and the Whole P-Funk Mob&operation. you move on to Count Basie. this Book deals with Inflated Ego, Sex,Drugs,Music, Race, Politics of the Industry&so many other details that you just can't even imagine sometimes that go on behind the curtains. very detailed&a Must read.

"Hit Me, Fred" by Fred Wesley is one of the most honest and engaging autobiographies I have read. Honest in that Fred gives us uncolored insight into to the world of the music industry with all of the inflated egos, false hype, drug abuse, and intense politicizing. Also honest in his love and appreciation for his mentors, his unabiding affection for his fellow sidemen through out his career and his sense of awe when the James Brown band or Parliment or the Count Basie band were playing at their best. "Hit Me Fred" is engaging for all of the reasons above with the addition of Fred being a gifted story teller in general. This book is a must read for funk enthusiasts and aspiring musicians.

Despite being a big Fred Wesley fan, I must admit I was skeptical about any entertainer writing an autobiography with no co-author and no credited editor. In fact, I got a copy of this from the public library first because I just couldn't imagine that the book would really be worthwhile reading.

I was wrong. This book won't win a Pulitzer prize but Fred writes a very readable and entertaining memoir. It's particularly enjoyable to those of us who believe Fred is one of the most important musicians of the latter 20th century, but reads well enough that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone who had no idea who the author is.

Fred Wesley is "THE MAN". Here is a musical funk legend who has really paid his dues. He was the glue that kept the Funk going strong despite of James's legendary self-righteous super-ego and his harsh tyranny ways that interferred with the creative freedom and progressive potential of the most talented musicians that God has ever put on earth. James invented Funk which I will give him the credit he rightfully and respectfully deserves, but he definitely didn't do it on his own (thanks to the talented musicians of Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Alfred 'Pee Wee" Ellis, St Clair Pinckney, Waymon Reed, Richard 'Kush' Griffin, Jimmy Nolen, Al 'Country' Kellum, Clyde Stubblefield, John 'Jabo' Starks, Melvin Parker, Fillyau Clayton, Bootsy and Phelp Collins, Bernard Odum, Sweet Charles Sherrell, Johnny Griggs; the talented singers of Marva Whitney, Vicki Anderson, and the late great Lyn Collins; last but definitely not the least, I can't forget Bobby Byrd because if not for him, James life would have taking a bleaker turn since Byrd and his family not only helped James get out of prison and on parole, but got James into his gospel group which James would later become the frontman of and, with his ambition and talent, would take the group further than they had ever imagine. There are other James Brown musicians names that I can't remember but had a major influential impact on builting the structural foundation on the sound we now know as 'Funk'. This book honestly puts everything on the table with his experiences as a professional musician as well as how shady the music industry really is.

I previewed this item from the newsletter organization which published it for a long time. When I received a gift certificate reward for doing volunteer work for an on-line non-profit, I went for it! It is a great, uplifting read; very creative edit job! I enjoyed it immensely. Most, if not all of the women in it are under 40 though. This surprised me, as the demographic target was not advertised as being this specific. I will probably pass this along to one of my younger women friends.

I hope this review will do justice to Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices From a New Generation of Women, a compendium of achievement-oriented women compiled by Paula Goldman with the assistance of the International Museum of Women (www.imow.org). The women are between the ages of twenty and forty, and have made extraordinary contributions to their families, communities, economies and societies. They come from every corner of the globe, from Beijing to Bogota, San Francisco to Saint Petersburg, Cairo to Calcutta. Each offers her individual story: her experiences and goals. We learn of the many obstacles they encountered in their anti-feminist cultures that could easily have prevented them from achieving their goals. But each in her own way overcomes them due to her determination to express herself, to make an impact on her personal world and on the world at large. Each is determined to be in charge of her own destiny.

As a woman in my seventies, I am an ardent admirer of this book because it inspires all women, not just the age group of the younger women chosen for its pages. Women are often not encouraged to plummet their creativity, to go into the world which in many cultures remains the domain of men. And so women have become somewhat timid and uncertain of their own capacities. Imagining Ourselves reminds women in general that their abilities exceed their own appraisals, and that they can prevail inspite of the financial and emotional roadblocks so often in the way. The book displays the talents and attitudes of 105 women from 57 countries and serves as a primer for women everywhere. I feel immensely gratified, in our current world of violence and insecurity, to view this compendium of women who so admirably claim and exercise their power.

Imagining Ourselves offers page after page of women expressing their beliefs, their creativity: we are shown photographs, paintings, poems, stories, essays, business acumen, talents without boundaries, often achieved under crushing adversity. The book is a convincing reminder that women can indeed change the course of our violent world. It is the voice of Erika Hibbert who speaks about young women in South Africa mending the collective wounds of apartheid. It is the voice of Jessica Loseby from England who talks about successfully having a family despite being confined to a wheelchair - something that would been virtually unthinkable for a disabled woman even a generation ago. It is the voice Mayerly Sanchez who, in the midst of Colombia's civil war, had the temerity to organize youth against the violence. She orchestrated a historic national vote in which thousands of kids and teenagers across the country went to the polls to make a highly televised statement against the violence. And one month later, as a result, tens of thousands of adult Colombians also went to the polls to demand an end to forced kidnapping and abuses of children associated with the war.

"Mayerly did not grow up as an elite member of her society. She did not have access to extraordinary wealth or networks of privilege. She ... was simply a young woman with a good idea who did not stop to question the proposition that she could make a difference in the world." Imagining Ourselves is a provocative and illuminating book that contains a uniquely diverse selection of young women who remain true to their ideals.

Ms. Goldman sees her book as a kind of conversation... to be used as a tool to unite women, a conversation she hopes all women will join. It needs to be said here that these women represent the middle and upper-middle classes of their countries, women who have had the benefits of education and technology; they are not the voices of the poor and underprivileged.

Ms. Goldman stresses two points I particularly appreciate: one, that fulfilling their dreams requires women to exercise more patience and persistence than they originally anticipated. It is easy to get discouraged, to allow despair to get the upper hand, and throw in the towel too quickly, too soon. Her other interesting point is that the realization of their dreams rarely looks the way they expect it will look, and that they need to remain flexible in order to accept the new and different outcomes that may, however, lead them where they wish to go. The beauty of creativity, Goldman reminds us all, lies in its unpredictability and we need to recognize that this is good, that this is an invaluable part of the creative process.

The brilliant Chilean author, Isabel Allende, has written the Foreword of this book. She writes of her childhood and the repression suffered by women in her country. How being born female was the biggest disadvantage, how she, along with others, rebelled against the many unfairnesses perpetrated against them, and how life slowly changed for women, particularly after the invention of the birth control pill. However, she stresses that much still needs to be done, that she does get depressed from time to time, and how grateful she is that this book landed on her desk to remind her that women are feeling empowered today as never before.

Indeed, this meticulously assembled collection reflects the indomitable spirit inherent in women. I, too, believe we are moving more and more into an era of matriachy similar to that experienced in eras past. And the inspiring contents of Imagining Ornselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women is ample proof of this fact.

by Duffie Bart
for Story Circle Book Reviews
www.storycirclebookreviews.org
reviewing books by, for and about women

As a proud member of the International Museum of Women, I really recommend this book to women of all ages, of any cultural background, anywhere.

What makes this book so endearing - and so different from many other books concerning women's current socio-cultural/political issues - is that the stories are very personal, internationally diverse yet filled with a common essence that reaches out to every women regardless of generation, nationality, or social, economic, or educational level. Even "Eve" back in Eden could have benefited from this book, recognizing the archetype (or stereotype!) that she was setting for generations to come!

Furthermore, the stories, even when extraordinary (and many are), are simple and ordinary in the best sense in that the women who authored them address the issues of their times as everyday themes that are both timely and timeless - and certainly appreciable by men as well as women.

The book is also just a great picture book, almost like a travel book, but one that journeys through minds and souls as well as landscapes of achievement by truly beautiful and gifted women united by their place in history.

What really enhances the book and defines its time is the availability of its adjunct Imagining Ourselves/Museum of Women web site exhibit, which is multilingual. This interactive element expands the book's value from frozen print to a growing presentation of living, contributing women from across the globe.

Women in every time, in every field, in every culture have served as inspiring sources of education and guidance for other women, but unfortunately women of the past were not as informationally or cross-culturally advantaged as the women of today, hence, their reach was limited and thus their support from and of other women was limited.

What a great miracle the Internet is in overcoming such boundaries as time, culture, and geography!

And what a great miracle this book is, particularly for the women who are its subject - the most well-educated, well-traveled, professionally empowered, and internationally integrated generation of women to date.

About the Author/editor: Paula Goldman was born in Singapore in 1975. She lived in Jakarta, Indonesia with her family. In 1997 she moved to Southern California, where she graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. She then went on to receive a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University. Paula is studying for a PHD in Social Anthropology at Harvard University.
Paula had a vision, and through her vision and her internal non-stop forward move she came up with the idea to do a book that would involve many different women from many different countries.
The idea of an Anthology came up when she was conversing with a friend, Denise Dunning. Their ideas bounced back and forth with memories and experiences of other women from different countries that they have had friendships and encounters with. To be able to put all of these amazing women into one book would be the only book of its kind.
Paula Goldman has always been driven into journeys in regards to working with people in conflict and in helping to better the opportunities in certain impoverished areas. Paula is a true moving spirit, spreading her strengths and education to all those that she can reach. Through her ideas and words, Paula brings to us her book about women across the globe which in turn has created a true legacy to her name.

About the Book: Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women

The journey to creating "Imagining Ourselves": Global Voices from a New Generation of Women started in the fall of 2001, during a breakfast between friends. It was a true challenge and a beginning to a book that only now can speak for itself.

Women between 20 and 40 from all over the globe were invited to share a piece of their culture that would result from basically one question, "What defines your generation of women?" In order to be able to even come close to reaching over one billion women, The International Museum of Women was approached and became partners with Paula Goldman in order to fulfill her mission. Then an International Advisory Committee was formed involving twenty-five women from around the world who served as interpreters in communications.

The results were organized into a book called, "Imagining Ourselves", which is a global collection of many different stories, poems, art forms, and intimate portraits of women finally opening up their most inner personnel being, and striving to become a woman that will make their ancestors proud.

The submissions that you will see in this book are spiritual, humorous, beautiful, thought provoking and some could be considered offensive. These are some of the real women of this day and age. They are women that have overcome their heritage and seized the day, so to speak. Through their art work and stories they reveal to us what it is like to gain an education and succeed in stepping up in a world that has challenged them, whether it is through poverty, violence, politics, extreme old fashion rules, or just life itself.

The women that have been chosen for this book come from all over the globe. From countries such as: Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East & North Africa, North America, Oceania, Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Europe. These are just a handful of cultures that, "Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women" represents in regards to how far women have come with their achievements, self-esteem and the ability to stand up and be proud of who they are and where they were born.

Recommendation: This book is for every walk of life and every room in the house. I also recommend it as a historical read to be cherished by our libraries across the globe. It is truly one of a kind. "Imagining Ourselves: Global Voices from a New Generation of Women", will build ones self-esteem and hopes that women are becoming stronger and are overcoming all of the elements that stand in their way in building a more unique self. No matter what part of the world women are from, they are equally striving for a stronger voice to be heard. Womensselfesteem.com highly recommends this book to all people across the globe.

"Thank You Paula Goldman, for everything you have done for women!"

My friend, who dropped by my office to take me out for dinner, saw the Imagining Ourselves book on my desk. "What's this?" she asked. "I just got it from Amazon, take a look" I said. "I don't think I'm gonna like it", she said, "all these books about women empowerment and all, I never connect with all this."

My friend is a scientist. With her PhD in biology, working at an Ivy League university with the world's best researchers, she thought that "all that women empowerment stuff" was irrelevant for her. After all, she has "made it" in the world, never feeling that being a woman was much of an obstacle.

And this is why this book is so great. It didn't take my friend more than a few seconds holding this book in her hands to realize how much "all that women empowerment stuff" had become a part of her. So much so that she can live the life she does without that constant awareness, without that constant struggle. It had become a part of her to such an extent that she never thinks about it anymore. "All that women empowerment stuff" had been so successful in bringing change that to some women it had finally become irrelevant.

My friend picked up the book from my desk and read the back cover. Then she looked inside. Then she sat down, and I didn't hear from her for about an hour. She couldn't really put it down.

If you think that you are beyond "all that women empowerment stuff" then this is just the book for you. And if you don't, well, then definitely read it.

James Brown was a true innovator. Nobody can take his genius away from him. He has passed on to occupy the ancestral realm. Remember the ancestors are always with us, you simply have to invoke their names.

I recommend this book for any James Brown fans or casual reader of history.

RIP to the Godfather of Soul, Soul Brother #1, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. This been a great blow and to all of us James Brown fans here. This book was the one I needed to keep me focused. Just read it all the way through earlier this year. Very strong, uplifting and powerful. James Brown was the Hero, the Legend, the American Pioneer. He wasn't just an entertainer or a hit maker or an artist, he's a man that have overcome alot on what's happening in the world: going thru poverty, business, the Civil Rights Movement, the world, loss of jobs, politics, way of culture, way of living, and a way to express ourselves thru a meaning of religion, life, hunger, soul, pain, and suffering. The Man had it all. Boy I'mma miss him and his talent. His spirit always captures us thru this day. GOOD GOD!!!

Thanks for all the hardship and legacy you put us into, Brother James Brown.

I bought this book a couple of years ago, and once I began reading the first page I couldn't stop until I'd finished the whole book. The things that JB had to go through as a young boy, it's a wonder he didn't wind up on death row, or in an early grave. It's a good thing that he turned his attention to music, and put all he had into it. Even though he was never really raised by anyone, or had a real family life he was able to make his mark in life. I'm glad that he acknowledges the power of God, and he knows what God can do. I enjoyed reading this book. This is a must read for everyone.

I'm 34 I had listened to some James Brown manly the hits. I had the oppertunity to see his show a couple of months ago. It was fantastic. I started getting some of his other albums like the big payback(my favorite) I must tell you I'm hooked I can't get enough of that sound. I finished this book today. It was awsome his takes on things are so down to earth. If you're down with Mr. Brown than you gotta read this.

What a life. What a personality. I have enjoyed this book enormously: You get the feeling that this is James Brown telling you his extraordinary story in a long and fascinating conversation. He talks about his music, his personal life and troubles, his philosophy, and, what I think is most thrilling, show business and stage performance.

My main goal in reading this book was resolving a personal doubt: Was he the genius behind his records, or was it Maceo Parker, Fred Wesley or his producers? After reading the book and listening to his records with lots of new insights, I have little doubt that the main driving force (although not the only one) in his records was himself. What Brown says about his music, where it came from, how it was made, what he intended to say, really made me discover many things in his records! For instance, if you have 'Live At The Apollo (1963)' (one of Brown's best albums) or have listened to it, DON'T MISS what he has to say about it -and play the LP again. I couldn't stop laughing for almost a quarter of an hour.

On another hand, I was also wondering: Is he a ruthless, egotistic and authoritarian character, as he is sometimes portrayed? In the book, JB openly and candidly talks about the discipline in his band, prison, guns, Black Power, and politics; and, paradoxically, in the end I finished with the impression of having received a lesson in confidence in man, tolerance, faith and spirituality. Soulful singers like him or BB King really have something to say about life-not only in their records.

On a last note, I think the (co-)writer Bruce Tucker has structured the book very well, hooking you from the beginning until the last page. As usual, it is better to avoid beginning with the prefaces and forewords, and leave them for the end. Only a little information about musicians in the sessions would have been welcome -although it is true that it's not the scope of the book.

Definitely worth reading it if you are a James Brown fan, and also very commendable if you are interested in music in general.

Liars, Cheaters and Evil doers helps us chart a course for civil debate...not a polyanna treatise, but the importance of real debate,
calling things the way you see them based on information, reason and justice, not hysteria in which relative truth is subjected to the acid tongoue and the basist instincs, but one that tries to articulate points of view in which people of good intent can forcefully disagree in a way that promotes truth rather than inflames the worst in us. It is an ancient desire and De
Luca and Buell should be commended for risking to take up this mantel in these dangerous times.

Before reading Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! I was certainly conscious that the tone of our political discourse has always left much to be desired. In the back of my mind, until the last few years when the demonization deepened, I assumed this was to be expected in adversarial situations like politics and we had to live with it. The last few years, though, has only left me feeling hopeless that the situation has progressed beyond the possibility of it ever being civilized.
Since reading Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! I have become aware that there are so many facets that contribute to the current climate than I ever dreamed of. It is like trickles of water washing down from the melting snows of the mountains. A trickle here, a trickle there, and soon it unites and a mighty river flows. We seem to be in that might river now feeling a force that seems beyond our control.
That is not necessarily so. Reading the thorough and deep analysis of political demonization by Tom De Luca and John Buell will educate on all of the ways in which this situation came about. You can't solve a problem unless you first understand it. This book does that and more. It offers insightful solutions.
This is a must-read book for anyone who cares about having a country that does right by all of its citizens. We can't have serious debate over issues that affect all of us if we can't learn to be civilized, respectful of differing opinions and, most of all, to listen to each other with an open heart. Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! is a first, and major, step toward that end.

Although I agree with other reviewers that this is a much-needed and thoughtful study of a serious problem in American political discourse, I found the text tough going. I suspect that previous reviewers might have some background in Political Science that I lack. Although I have a PhD from the University of Chicago, it's in a Humanities field, and not Social Sciences.

The title suggests a lively, down-to-earth volume, with a lot of specific examples, but instead the book turns out to be dry, abstract, highly theoretical, and filled with the kind of jargon academics use in communicating with one another, while shutting out the general public.

Despite this problem, the book does have many interesting insights to offer, particularly on the role president Bush's religious fundamentalism plays in his political behavior. But that's old news. Anybody who's been paying attention in the years since Bush became president knows that he and his circle are determined to turn the United States into a fundamentalist theocracy, and are succeeding at a terrifying rate.

In a televised speech, co-author Tom De Luca noted: "It's not demonization when you have the goods on somebody." De Luca's book did not succeed in changing my opinion that America is now in the hands of the most absolutely and irredeemably evil people ever to hold power in the entire history of this country-- and we DO "have the goods" on them. But the opposition (the spineless and cowering Democrats) lacks the courage to do anything with the edivence.

This book rewards close reading but be warned-- you're going to have to work to get the message!

In "Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers!" authors Tom De Luca and John Buell admirably examine the corrosive phenomena of "demonization" in American politics and the harm it has done to our civic discourse and democratic institutions. The scope of their work is breathtaking as they trace the trajectory of "political demonology" in America from its infancy as a clash between puritan conservatism and hedonistic liberalism, to its contemporary manifestation in the virulent culture wars of recent decades as "culture warriors" on both sides of the political divide disparage and demonize their foes. Delving deeper, De Luca and Buell uncover a "moral paradox" inherent in our national character that appears to fuel our need to transform political opponents into enemies. The authors contend that our political culture has now reached a zero-sum impasse engendered by the approximate parity of the two political parties as each seeks victory through mobilizing their core constituencies by exploiting wedge issues and engaging in character-driven politics. Liberals, conservatives, and moderates have all been guilty of this, while those victimized and demonized are very often the most vulnerable among us. De Luca and Buell offer a thoughtful antidote to the polarized partisanship that has seized hold of us. Their goal, a "more generous democratic politics" forged out of a new political covenant based upon true equity and opportunity, is a noble one. This well-crafted and insightful book should be read by everyone who feels strongly that our political discourse must match our best ideals.

"Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers!" by Tom DeLuca and John Buell is a welcome antidote to the shrill ideological slugfests that fill the airwaves disguised as political discourse. Their simple formula, "proper condemnation requires appropriate distinctions," is a call to end the simplistic retreat to demonization in civil debate, and demands that we aspire to, and require, a higher standard of discourse from ourselves, colleagues, elected officials and the media. This book offers valuable analysis and a hopeful conclusion to so many of us who despair of the current political climate.

When one reads "Lizzie" it is difficult to fatham that this delightful story of a young girl is J. Robert Whittle's first novel. His style possesses the genius of Dickens and the sensitivity of a Bronte. He brilliantly captures the essence of this precocious former street waif as she begins to make her mark on eastside London. I can't wait to read the next three books in the series! A true delight!

This is the first book in the Series. Mr. Whittle has a great imagination and does a great job of keeping you guessing what Lizzie and her friends will do next. I recommend this book for readers and non-readers...for the young and young-at-heart. Everyone will love Lizzie!

These wonderful books by J. Robert Whittle may not appear to be available on this site, but believe me they are available -- and you don't want to miss them!! The first book quietly became a Canadian bestseller through sales only near his own town in BC. Now they are working with a distributor at last and these gems will be easier to find in 2004.

All Mr. Whittle's novels (he has 5 now) are read by readers of all ages. I know, because everyone from my grandparents to my kids, and nieces and nephews, have enjoyed them. Why? Because they're like an English Anne of Green Gables ... wholesome and lots of fun. Lizzie is some spunky girl and her best friend is a boy, so great for guys too. I can't wait till Book Four comes out in 2004! Have a look at the author's website for more info. Thanks Mr. Whittle, please keep writing!!

Lizzie reminded me a great deal of Dickens. It is set in the same time and era as many of his classic tales, amidst the same tapestry of sights and sounds... and ever present, foggy, London. I love stories about little girls with a punch, and this is definitely the story of a little girl with a punch. Dickens couldn't have written it... too politcally incorrect.

I'd consider this book a hidden gem, and only "hidden" because Whittle is a new author, and still relatively unknown. I couldn't set it down the whole time I was reading it. I greatly enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone.

This book is just the first of the Lizzie series. It is a wonderful book and is even good for teens. I got the privelege of meeting the author, Robert Whittle while on vacation in his home town of Victoria. He is absolutely endearing and is a wonderful writer. I can't wait to read all of the rest of his books. Lizzie is such a warm and exciting character and this story just makes you feel good! Very vivid....just takes you right there to where it all happened. I highly recommend it to all!

Great Book... if you're an Ellington fan and like "Strays" music this is an absolute must. Very informative and interesting and also great reading. The author was here in Seattle for an Elllngton concert with Earshot Jazz and I met and chatted with him.... a very charming and informed man. cmm

one of the most interesting biographies I've ever read. When Billy Strayhorn was growing up in Pittsburgh he met Duke Ellington in the back of the theatre after a concert Duke performed at. He blew Duke away when Billy played the piano for him. Years later Duke would remember him and asked Billy to come out to NYC to see him. When Billy asked for directions Duke would write on a piece of paper, take the A train. While on the A train to Upper Manhattan to see Duke, Billy wrote the music for 'Take the A Train". So it goes the great collaboration between Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn would begin. Always in the background and never given the proper credit for all the music he wrote Billy Strayhorn would live a lush life. Travelling the world and meeting the kings and queens of the jazz world, he could be the life of the party but the applause for Duke Ellington's music would bypass him. Being black and gay back in those days was not acceptable behavior so Billy stayed in the background and Duke kept him. Billy wrote the music and Duke played it, his own personal muse. Billy loved the 3 am hour the best, it was the happiest hour of the day when you're too exhausted to care anymore and numb to everything else. A wonderful book.

i find myself always enjoying Books on People&this is no exception.very well detailed Book on a Important Composer&His Many Demons&Surroundings.I heard a few years back that Will Smith was considering doing the Bio Movie on Billy Strayhorn.it would be really interesting to see how things would come out on the Big screen.this book reflects on Music Talent&whole Life.very well done book.

Hajdu really does a nice job of summarizing the life of a songwriter. He keeps his story moving with pacing, characters, travel, and yes, even drama! Racial prejudice, sexual prejudice, loneliness and alcoholism did nothing to stop this little man from Pittsburgh who knew he was destined to a "lush life" and wrote about it in his fantasies, such as the title song begun at age 19 in Pittsburgh.

He grew up poor, effeminate, and misunderstood; but he loved the theater, and he knew where he belonged. Off to New York where his awesome talent so impressed Duke Ellington that he was immediately hired into the organization, where he would thrive and struggle and live and write for the rest of his life. He died of cancer, after penning and arranging much of Ellington's later work.

The book tells his story with panache that would make him proud!

This book has a lot going for it. Do you like music, swing and jazz? Do you like intersting people? Did you live through the 30's, 40's and 50's? Do you enjoy reading about that era? Do you enjoy reading a well written biogratphy? If the answer to any of these is yes, you'll like this book, it the answer is yes to several of these questions then you'll LOVE this book. David Hajdu has done an exemplary job of documenting the life of Billy Strayhorn. I really felt like I knew the man after reading this. He has done his research and he also writes with a very smooth style that keeps you intersted. I love music and I've read bios of Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, BB King, Chuck Berry, Led Zepplin, Allman Bros. on and on. This is one of the best if not the best music bio I've read.

There are several outstanding books on the general subject of Six Sigma and Eckes has written two of the best. Previously in The Six Sigma Revolution, he examined major corporations such as Motorola and GE in which Six Sigma programs really did create revolutions which continue as I compose this review. These are properly acclaimed successes. Of course, little (if any) attention has as yet been devoted to those organizations which initiated and then later abandoned Six Sigma programs. The reasons for doing so vary, of course, but most can be classified within two categories of resistance to change: cultural and technical. As O'Toole brilliantly explains in Leading Change, it is a formidable task to overcome what he characterizes as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom." In this volume, Eckes suggests all manner of strategies and tactics by which to overcome resistance and then sustain Six Sigma programs, once launched. Correctly, he stresses the importance to an organization of achieving a "balance" between its culture and its technology. Moreover, at a time when change is (literally) the only constant and occurring at an ever-increasing velocity, its is also a formidable challenge to maintain the proper balance of the two. For many years, I believed that most people fear change. I no longer believe that. Rather, I have become convinced that most people fear the unfamiliar. Hence the importance of constant and effective communication between and among everyone involved. Eckes suggests that this book will show his reader how to "Create the need for Six Sigma" but, in fact, the need probably exists already so there is a need to help everyone recognize that need and appreciate the importance of responding to it. Therefore, Eckes also shows his reader how to "Shape a vision of Six Sigma so that employees understand the desired results and new behaviors of a Six Sigma organization." Also, he shows the reader how to "Mobilize commitment to Six Sigma and overcome resistance" which is inevitable. Only then can any organization change its systems and structures "to support the new Six Sigma culture." Next: "Measure Six Sigma cultural acceptance" and "Develop Six Sigma leadership." All of these components are absolutely essential, difficult to integrate, and even more difficult to sustain in appropriate balance. In this volume, Eckes explains how and he does so with precision and eloquence.

In recent years, I have become more involved in Six Sigma or process improvement programs which vary somewhat in terms of their design and scope but all of which encountered several of the "pitfalls" which Eckes discusses in Chapter 8:

1. Feeling obligated to achieve quick success

2. Clogging up agendas with competing distractions

3. Having unrealistic time frames

4. Ignoring previous quality efforts

5. Conducting poor Six Sigma cultural planning and follow-through

6. Delegating (i.e. dumping) cultural development or seeing it as a one-time event

7. Not having appropriate cultural goals or objectives

8. Not allowing for unexpected interruptions

9. Allowing false or cosmetic positive readings to suggest authentic cultural transformation has been achieved

10. Underestimating resource allocation

Of course, whether or not involved with Six Sigma initiatives, any organization can experience some or even all of these "pitfalls." In this book, Eckes offers sound, street-smart advice on how to avoid them. Time and again, he places great emphasis on the importance of cultural values by which everyone involved in a Six Sigma can be guided and, when under duress, sustained. Herb Kelleher has this in mind whenever he explains what Southwest Airlines competitive advantage is: "Maintaining excellent customer service involves a process of getting people to understand the importance of it to them in their daily lives as well as in others'. We were a little concerned as we go bigger that maybe some of our early culture might be lost so we set up a culture committee whose only purpose is to keep the Southwest Airlines culture alive. Before people knew how to make fire, there was a fire watcher. Cave dwellers may have found a tree hit by lightning and brought fire back to the cave. Somebody had to make sure it kept going because if it went out, there would be serious problems. That cave dweller was the most important person in the tribe. I said to our culture committee, `You are our fire watchers, who make sure the fire does not go out. I think you are the most important committee at Southwest Airlines.' I really do believe that to be the case." This is precisely what Eckes means by "culture" in this book. For everyone in any organization already embarked on a Six Sigma program or now considering one, this is a "must read."

Think about it. Seriously think about it. What was the downfall of your quality endeavor? Your performance improvement plan? Your Six Sigma initiative? Was the wrong strategy used or was it the wrong tactical approach? Mostly likely it was neither your strategy nor your tactical approach. The failure was most likely do to people. Most likely your people hadn't really bought in. Buy-in from your people is necessary for an initiative such as Six Sigma to be successful. The people in your organization create your organizations' culture. How do you get cultural buy-in? How can you sustain that buy-in?

In the book Making Six Sigma Last, the author, George Eckes shows us how. Through heart-felt stories, humorous personal examples, and real business illustrations the author takes us through the process needed to create and sustain a culture that supports Six Sigma.

First we learn about Q x A = E. This powerful formula shows us that: "Q" Quality, the technical and strategic elements of a Six Sigma initiative, times "A" Cultural Acceptance, of the technical and strategic elements of Six Sigma, determines "E" the success of the Six Sigma process. Then, the author addresses resistance. We are reminded that it's a natural process for people to resist change. Eckes describes four types of resistance and offers specific strategies for overcoming each. The next chapters show how to sell it and then manage it. Now it's time to ask did it work? Did you get the cultural buy-in you were attempting? How do you know? In Making Six Sigma Last, Eckes offers a model that is used to measure the cultural acceptance within the organization or as Eckes says, "how well Six Sigma has been baked into the organization". Five case studies are used to illustrate these concepts. Then through profiles of leadership, the author shares real business examples of what worked, what didn't and why. Finally we learn how to sustain the culture that will support Six Sigma initiatives with the chapter on pitfalls: 10 things to avoid.

Making Six Sigma Last is an informative and easy read. It's effective and efficient, hallmarks of Six Sigma. The book leaves you inspired and hopeful that this stuff really can work. Don't start without it!

What I enjoyed most about this book was the applied "psychology of business" in other words, how to get people (organizations)to do what you want them to do and like it!

The book gives you answers to the "what if" questions that anyone trying to succeed in changing their corporate culture has. The examples and the personal tone of the book make it a fast, informative and easy read.

No one knows Six Sigma, which seeks near perfect customer satisfaction, like George Eckes, the consultant who literally wrote the book on it (The Six Sigma Revolution: How General Electric and Others Turned Process into Profits). In his second book, Eckes emphasizes the importance of molding organizational culture to generate broad acceptance of a Six Sigma initiative, using illustrative examples from his workshops. He describes ways to overcome internal resistance to change, to sell the program's benefits and to get key people as well as the masses on board. If you are launching a Six Sigma program, Eckes provides many specific suggestions of strategies you can employ. But because much of Eckes' wisdom can be applied more generally to organizational change efforts, we [...] recommend this insightful book to any executive, whether or not Six Sigma is your strategy of choice.

The new book: Making Six Sigma Last, by Mr. George Eckes, is the the most comprehensive and excellent road map to reach corporate cultural excellence.

The previous book by Mr. Eckes: The Six Sigma Revolution, successfully teaches us the way to implement the tactical component of Six Sigma: process management excellence.

The current book is the only book to date that offers a complete process to achieve the key strategic component of Six Sigma: corporate cultural excellence.

Mr. Eckes has again produced an enjoyable, very enlightening and important Six Sigma book that is easy to read and comprehend.

It is perfect for corporate executives, managers, employees, consultants, quality practitioners, and students of best business practice.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my high regard for the outstanding book: Making Six Sigma Last.

Regards,
Marc St.James
November 24, 2001

Mr. Satan's Apprentice is a heartfelt, soulful journey of self-discovery and self-expression. Gussow writes powerfully and lyrically about his complex friendship/partnership with the eccentric blues genius Mr. Satan. In the end, this is an uplifting example of a real-life "dialogue" between two very different -- and equally compelling -- central characters.

I could hardly put this book down to perform activities of daily living, let alone going to work. "Mr Adam" has created a masterpiece of American musical literature. Being a blues lover of many years, I was bored to death by the almost clinical approach of most writers on the subject. Not so, Mr. Gussow! He delivers a passionately honest and heart felt memoir filled with wonderfully alive and vibrant individuals, sharing with us the one true American music, the blues.

It is an amazing thing when an artist (in this case, Gussow, a writer/blues harp player) can somehow manage to make their mark despite all the confusion and hard knocks life throws at them- and they sometimes throw at themselves. This is a moving story about a burgeoning blues musician captured with excellent dialogue... Gussow has made his characters come alive and jump off the page the way writers are supposed to.

Not only is it Gussow's personal memoirs of his early years in music, but a riveting biography of one of the most unique and original blues acts in recent years- Satan & Adam. Gussow's accounts of his early music/life mentors (such as the underexposed harpist Nat Riddles) with sincerity and genuine emotion is fascinating. The telling of Mister Satan's story is a valuable contribution to blues history that could well have been lost in obscurity.

There are issues explored in this book that have rarely been expounded upon with any meaningful insight in any musician interview or book I can remember. The passages in the book where Gussow is in the middle of Harlem grappling with the rift and misunderstanding between black and white is especially poignant, particularly from his perspective as a young, white, Princeton educated "bluesman".

Although this book isn't an instructional course on technique or musicianship- for those who aren't aware- Adam Gussow is considered by many blues afficionados to be one of the best harmonica players alive today. So he's paid some dues and he knows what he's talking about.

Adam Gussow had the good fortune, the talent, street smarts and the heartfelt focus to get out there and live it- become an apprentice to a bluesmaster- just like most traditional art is passed down from accomplished teacher to eager student. I admire him for it. Mister Satan's Apprentice is a must read for any struggling musician or blues fan- it just might get you thinking about your own life's journey.

Recently it was my privilege to see author and harmonica player Adam Gussow at my local huge independent bookstore here in the Eastern US. I rarely do commercials, but if you can't catch Adam, you can check out his new novel "Mr. Satan's Apprentice". Adam calls it "a blues memoir", and so it is. The guy is a no-shit, kick-butt, street-smart harp player! FYI, I have fairly high standards in this realm. If you've seen or heard the New York duo "Satan and Adam", you'll know what I mean. The guy is ALSO a juicy and creative, energetic, sexy writer - something I'm also picky about. Princeton Ph.D. candidate - English.

Adam's book describes a journey that a few of us know, but most do not. The musician in you will relate to the tale of the emergence of deep and powerful music from the little instrument - and the romantic in you will throb with the ways the emerging harmonica player and boundary-crosser discovers the things he needs to grow musically and personally - and then sometimes fearlessly, sometimes not, sets out to acquire them. You'll meet his teachers and mentors, and like it or not, you'll see life through the eyes of this seeker of musical and personal connection. You'll go with Adam on the romantic roller coaster as loves come and go - and you'll travel with him to Paris to play in the Metro and on the street; to the American South, and to other places exotic and otherwise - including a hitch with the road company of Broadway show based on Mark Twain's Sawyer and Finn. Later we get into the recording studio with Mr. Gussow and Mr. Satan - the Harlem street mystic and one-man band who becomes Adam's main-man mentor and muse, the Mr. Satan of the book's title. Throughout the book you'll find Adam the street intellectual examining his position as a white man among black men (and black women) in this blues-filled world - an examination in which Mr. Satan plays a key role.

A book for players and lovers - of the spirit of the music, of the street; of the endless forms of beauty and love, as they are found ALL over the place. The author is one who knows, and magically, describes, many of the gut experiences we players know; to my knowledge no one's ever written quite this way about these things before. Like the performing moments, the pulling out of all the everything you've got and then some, when the audience is on it's very EDGE, right there with you; when you are truly and purely the great IT! Blowing and drawing deep, and deeper, and then high and higher; and the room is all whoops and smiles, and all there in your hand. A good player knows these things, and believe me, in a blues band, nobody gets that kind of juice but the harp player.

OK, so maybe you don't know the peak of performance grace and light - but you know your peaks, and Adam's telling can stir it back into view...

Adam Gussow writes of music, romance, conflict, and awakening in an intimately physical and heart- connected way. As a player, I'm rocked. -"Harmonica Jack" Merrylees (JMerrylees@aol.com)

In "Mister Satan's Apprentice," street musician extraordinaire Adam Gussow has left in just about everything, and it's about 40 percent too much; the book would have read far better at a sleek 250 pages. But the good stuff is really good, and the book is well worth reading despite its distractions and digressions. In his early 40s, Gussow is currently a doctoral candidate in Princeton's English department. But thousands know him as the harmonica-wielding half of the "progressive gutbucket blues" duo Satan and Adam -- three-CD recording artists, photogenic subject of any number of newspaper and magazine features, and cameo stars of the U2 movie "Rattle and Hum."

In his autobiography, Gussow gets deep inside blues, and his relationship to it, and manages to successfully translate the music into language. "Blues harmonica played well was a miniature tongued slalom, a tornado swallowed and contained," he tells us, and his words capture every bit of excitement that the grooves and notes have to offer. "Mister Satan's Apprentice" is about much more than the blues, though -- it's a provocative meditation on race from a white man immersed in a traditionally black genre, neighborhood and world. Playing around with his first harmonica, in 1974, Gussow contemplates the subtleties of playing blues. "It had something to do with being a black guy," he muses.

As the protagonist in his narrative, Gussow pales (no pun intended) next to two marvelous characters: his two mentors, Nat Riddles and Sterling "Mister Satan" Magee. Twenty-two years older than his protégé, Mister Satan is as colorful as they come. He's a visual artist and apocalyptic numerologist with a murky music-industry background, and a font of, if not wisdom, then brilliantly idiosyncratic aphorisms and soliloquies. A Harlem fixture when Gussow approaches the guitarist to jam along, he shouts and hollers, runs hot and cold, towers over other men. Mister Satan looms larger than life, but harmonica player Nat Riddles is entirely real, an odd-job taxi driver with a dazzling smile and soulful tone. "He was perpetually on the verge of becoming the blues world's Next Big Thing," Gussow writes. "A young black harp-player with the Sound." Riddles flits in and out of fortune, showing up unexpectedly to astound a New York club, phoning from somewhere in the South, destitute and desperate, surviving gunshot wounds only to eventually succumb to a cruel wasting disease.

It's the music, finally, that counts most -- Gussow gives his story its own soundtrack, one of restlessness and yearning, of his struggle to capture the Sound: "The Sound was Southern-bound, it was cocky, playful, manic, chucking, resentful, edgy, comforting, relentless. It took incredible lip strength and finesse to produce. It was sexual. It was the haunted, restless feeling of a guy's apartment late at night after the woman who used to live there had moved out. It was whatever nasty things she was doing with the other guy-a virile sensitive soulmate-this very minute. It was the best way of beating those visions back into the ghoulish cave they had crawled out of. Working hard at the Sound was a socially acceptable way of sobbing, raging, and primal-screaming from a hot heart while pretending merely to be practicing." A little of this kind of writing goes a long way, and there's an awful lot of it here. Granted, it's a real challenge to maintain a level of excitement in writing about music page after page, particularly about blues, a genre built on the same few chords locked in a repetitious groove. So it's forgivable that Gussow often leans out a little far: "The sidewalk scene dissolved; I was wandering in a garden of earthly delights, hands cupped against the sweet cold fluid air. Every bent note was a pitch-perfect arrow puncturing the gray dusk. You only live now. Blue notes danced and spun, lines endlessly unfolding like so many wrapped gifts laid bare." You have to remind yourself that he's talking about a harmonica, one of the more prosaic of instruments.

For all Gussow's breathless adjectives and action verbs, he's frustratingly vague about the technical aspects of the duo's "huge raw perfect sound." The book's photos show Gussow with effects pedals at his feet, but he makes no mention of them; he doesn't mention the basic information that he plays in "cross harp" style until page 386; Mister Satan's "phase-shifted guitar wash and deafening clatter" is described pretty much only in metaphorical terms, as, for instance, "an endlessly unrolling Persian carpet with gristle and clanks added." Gussow is so good at getting inside his playing that the narrative sags whenever it moves to other topics. A hefty amount of the bloat deals with his failed relationships. We meet mercurial crackhead Robyn and inconstant ex-fat girl Gail, but mostly there's erratic, irritable hyperfeminist Helen. Gussow tells us on page 30 that Helen left him back in 1984, so we're predisposed to dislike her, and we indeed do. "Most men had a girlfriend," he writes. "I had Aphrodite crossed with Kali the Destroyer, She of infinite ravenous limbs." Worse, the book's artfully jumbled narrative, with short sections ordered sort of sequentially on several tracks, dooms us to read about Helen over the entire course of the book. We think we're finally through with her, and then: "1983. Things with Helen had turned out surprisingly well . . ." Enough already!

In the late '80s and early '90s, a period when racial violence kept flaring up in the outer boroughs of New York City, Satan and Adam's young-old, white-black novelty made a splash, but momentum slipped away. "Minor celebrity beckoned, then faded," Gussow writes. And despite the book's vibrant cover photo of the pair, they no longer perform, according to an e-mail Gussow sent me. "[I]t's impossible to keep the act together," he wrote, noting that Mister Satan now lives in south-central Virginia and has no telephone. That's a real shame.