Genres Books

I recently threw a surprise party for my wife with an 80's theme. One of the games we played was 80's trivia. I was surprised at how many questions and answers were used from The Ultimate Soul Music Trivia Book. Many people participated and the book was a great source to pull information from. It really took us back and we all had fun!

I am a devoted fan of oldies but goodies and Motown ,be it books ,articles ,conversation, watching a live concert in person ,or on T.V. or listening to my own collection of music. I found this book very informative. People I showed the book enjoyed being asked questions to test their skill and helped them remininsce the good old days of Motown.I would highly recommend this book to keep this part of history alive and well and for just plain fun.

Fun, fun, fun! Open this book to any page, there's something worth knowing/recalling. Only one thing...where's the sequel?

I'm a Music Trivia Buff and this book is alot of fun.so many interesting facts.I Love Reading About Black Music History.the Influences&Many Different Eras and styles.alot of fun&Facts.I call this Book the Soul Jeoprady.

This trivia book is a must for all lovers of Soul/R&B music. My friends and I have had a ball trying to answer the questions in all the various decades. It is a must for a party, great way to get everyone invovled in a fun journey through the music.

I imagine due to the holidays was the reason that it took so long for this item to arrive. (mid January) However! The book is a quality item, it arrived in excellent condition and the person who received the gift is extremely happy. A very worth while purchase.
Some things are worth looking forward to. Very satisfied. thank you.

This book is a real treasure if you are enamored with the film! When you just can't get enough, it gives you a play by play of the whole script, side notes, and facts about scenes and the making of them. The pages are wonderful along with the pictures. I would highly recommend this collectable book for true V fanatics at heart!

(from an extended feature, copyright 2006 Michael F. Hopkins)

Few literary masterworks offer more narrative wonder,
and more frustration to adapt to the silver screen,
than the socioculturally-charged V FOR VENDETTA by
writer Alan Moore and illustrator David Lloyd. Its
mix of Fascist horror, Romantic adventure, and
Science Fiction contemplation, has thrilled readers
of Sequential literature and a world of enthusiasts
for over 20 years.
The questions posed by its pages, particularly the
point at which Terrorism becomes the State, or the
crucible in which Dissent can be compelled to fashion
the tools of Rebellion from the State's own Terror,
still await finer resolutions in the trouble-torn
world of the Here and Now.
As ambivalent as the tones of a William Blake painting,
V FOR VENDETTA strikes as aggressively for the souls
and minds of thinking, caring people who refuse to
settle for any quick emotion, and easy answer.

These are the focused aims superbly met by the wondrous
film from the shapers of THE MATRIX Trilogy. Larry and
Andy Wachowski spent many years forging their prodigious
script, and director James McTeigue brings the momentous
tale to stunning life.
Not a word-for-word adaptation of what is perhaps Alan
Moore's signature work, the film masterfully embraces
Moore's questing spirit; holding true to the original
author's vision while imbuing the film with a life and
character all its own. Its myriad inquiries into the
nature of Faith and Wisdom in a bigoted World run by
Lust without Ethics, and Reason gone mad without Virtue,
mark the cinematic V FOR VENDETTA as a classic tale of
the Human spirit prevailing against all odds.

Those who love to look within the shaping of such
presentations would do well to purchase V FOR VENDETTA:
FROM SCRIPT TO FILM, a handsome coffee-table book
(Hardcover, as well as paperback) from Rizzoli's
Universe Publishing which offers the film's complete
shooting script, a wealth of photos and pre-production
art from the movie, along with invaluable insights from
director McTeigue himself.
Edited by Spencer Lamm (who edited THE ART OF THE MATRIX)
and Sharon Bray, the volume is a massive tribute to the
power of gifted artistry; crossing idioms to make even
broader points to ever-growing audiences with unimpeachable integrity.

If there continues to be confusion regarding author Moore's
disavowing of such a landmark adaptation of his work, it
is hoped that this volume will make the adaptation's
worthiness crystal clear, beyond any shadow of a doubt.
Perhaps only Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa
Boyens (LORD OF THE RINGS) along with Ray Bradbury
(John Huston's MOBY DICK) had a more imposing task of
adaptation.
Those who admire both the Literary original and the
Hugo Weaving-Natalie Portman tour de force can respect
-if not agree with- author Moore's disavowal of film
adaptations. By the very breath, one can only hope that
the excellence of this motion picture -ably reflected
by this book- will earn Mr. Moore's respect, in turn.

Differences between parties notwithstanding, the film
is a masterpiece; one which ably complements the book
from which it came. Each holds wonders for all. Time
for the idiomatic skirmishes to end.

Come in, and be enlightened.

Great book containing the shooting script with director's notes and hundreds of stills. The last third of the book contains artwork and storyboards and how they were transformed into film, complete with explaining notes by the film's makers. Poster gallery and credits included. All color photos and artwork, high quality print, great book on this great film!

Has the full shooting script. Lots of behind the scenes stuff.

THICK, glossy pages (the kind you sort of get a high from, from such heavy gloss fumes).

Wonderful artwork from the film!!!! Mock movie posters and the print posters. All very nice.

A must have if you're a fan of the film!

The book is well written and is a great overview of the VJ culture, the DVD is full of excerpts form live perfomances by the major artist around, interviews and CGI videos. A must-have for VJS!

Just finished reading this book and have to say its amazing.

very insightful cross section of the Vj community. Much to be learnt about the wide range of VJs out there.

It has a good mix between articles on specific issues, looking at the world of VJs, and technical articles explaining how established VJs have their setup.

The DVD has been produced to a very high standard, and like the book lots of informative content is on it.

The book looks beautiful with all the UV pages, and so much design work has gone into it.

anyone who has not got this book yet is missing out big time, recommended to the highest degree.

I was contacted by D-Fuse for an interview for a book a few months ago. I am a VJ as well and I was expecting some sort of paper bag book when it came out. I got it yesterday, a day after my birthday in fact and I have never seen a book (if you can call it just that) with so much detail and so much artistic value.

The audio-visual art + vj culture is one of those books you need to have in your livingroom for your friend to look up despite its content yet. Tp make it better there is so much information inside, even a graphic on how many VJs are per country.

Is a book compared to those of Frank Lloyd Wight. Is one of those books that make you feel like having one even you do not know what is about. The best thing is that you will learn a lot because of the way all reference are managed. And you know what? I'm on page 160!!!

Really good work regarding content and desing, I am very very impress. I am about to get another one, one to show to the people and another one for me.

This book is a brilliant piece of art as much as it is a great resource for beginning and established VJs. The presentation of pictures and graphics is stunning, and looking at all of the eyecandy in the book can be inspiring.

This book does a great job of showcasing the best talent in the business in the form of interviews and articles. There are also some really great tips and how-to guides that even the most experienced VJ can learn from. Equipment hardware and software is covered thoroughly and explained in detail.

This is truly a book all VJs should add to their bookcase because it will always serve as a great reference tool as well as entertain and enage you as a casual reader. I highly recommend this book to all VJs and people that have a passion for motion graphics and live performance art.

This book was several years in the making, and I admire the dedication of those involved in getting it to print.

Unfortunately, that means that in such a rapidly-moving field, it's a bit out of date. Several of the acts featured have disappeared off the radar by now, and there are some quite glaring omissions - such as the EyeWash DVDs, Resolume software (currently used by around a third of the world's top VJ's) and uh... PC's. This wouldn't bother me as much if not for the tagline on the back cover which touts 'full details of the hardware and software available for VJing are provided'. I'd suggest that 'examples of hardware and software available for Mac-based VJing are provided'.

If you get the impression that you need a pair of Mac Powerbooks to VJ from the setups and info given in this book, don't worry - that's not the case. The scene featured in this book is just one aspect of international VJ Culture, and it's been curated from a particularly Mac perspective.

It's a graphic-design triumph - you couldn't ask for more beautiful, slick presentation. The background of Faulkner and other members of D-Fuse as print-based graphic designers with decades of experience between them really shows. Personally, I find the layering and shiny panels a bit distracting and hard to read at one sitting, and I feel like I should put on gloves every time I pick it up as the slightest touch leaves great grubby fingerprints on some of the shinier pages. But it's a stunning, jaw-dropping book, which is just what the scene needed.

To be honest, I don't see this as a book to read so much as to show-off. VJing is a very visual artform, so what better way to communicate what it's all about than in gorgeous, awe-inspiring imagery? Even if it's a bit of a struggle to actually sit and read it cover-to-cover, it's the PERFECT coffee-table book. You couldn't ask for a better showcase for potential clients, newbie wannabes or... well... your Mum... to show what VJing is and why you're dedicating yourself to it despite the bad pay, the expensive equipment, the long hours, etc etc.

A friend of ours runs a Band House, where touring members of bands stay when they're performing in her town. She's a VJ, and so in a good position to plug 'have you thought about using visuals?' on a daily basis. She said this book's been the perfect way to do that - she just leaves a copy lying around and the muso's thumb through it over their breakfast.

The DVD is a huge improvement over that provided with Spinrad's 'the VJ Book'. There's a load of great material on it, and most of it's of an equivalent standard to the imagery in the book - the glamour, high-end of the VJ scene. Positively wow-worthy, and the most impressive DVD collection of live VJing I've seen to date. Some of my favourite parts though were cut very short - eg just a minute or two long - and then there's the bizarrely out of place inclusion of long swathes of content by Elliott Earls, most of which has little to do with the VJ scene - eg a long mockumentary called the Saranay Hotel. Given that there was so much other great VJ content that could have gone on there, I can't work out why Earls' doco was included. It's got nothing to do with VJing or audio-visual art, and the quality is so vastly different to everything else on the DVD.

Like Spinrad's VJ Book before it, I've bought multiple copies of this book/DVD to give away whenever I can afford it. I take a copy to meetings with new clients, and I lend copies to newbie VJs that come along to our Plug n Play nights. The real problem is keeping a copy for myself, as everyone wants to take it home.

The VJ scene is really still very young - maybe equivalent to the DJ scene of two or three decades ago - and we need some impressive look-at-me Superstar VJ's to get the public to take notice, so that the rest of us can get on with doing what we do with hopefully a bit more attention being paid to what's going on behind the scenes on the screens.

I think this book is probably the single biggest factor so far in that process of getting the public to take notice. It's a lush, visually stunning celebration of a new phenomenon. Thanks so much to Faulkner and the rest of D-Fuse for giving this to the scene. Every VJ should own a copy. Or three.

VJ kattyb, VJzoo.com

As funky, ferocious, and fun as any big beat coming out a sound system in downtown Kingston on a summer night, this book brings Jamaican dancehall to life with some scintillating prose 'riddims'. A sensitive and vivid writer and a longtime student of all things Jamaican, Stolzoff goes everywhere, knows everyone, and brings it all together in the best book on popular culture that I have read in years. A must-read for anyone interested in contemporary music, African-American studies, or the Caribbean. Kudos also to the publisher for creating a beautifully designed book, with many superb photos from Stolzoff's camera. This book will be a classic for many years to come.

Randy Lewis Assistant Professor of American Studies University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma

As a lover of the creative, colorful and very controversial culture known as Jamaican dancehall, I received this book ecstatically, but I wasn't quite sure of what to expect. I mean, this is a world that changes so rapidly that any attempts to document it have felt outdated even before their ink dried. I thought Stolzoff would play it safe and keep his approach as superficial as possible-a nice coffee table book perhaps, filled with eye-pleasing full-color pix of scantily-dressed dancehall queens, posturing dapper dons, maybe even the occasional text paragraph with amusing tidbits like, "Whatever happened to Wayne 'Sleng Teng' Smith?" Instead, I found a meticulously researched study packed with so much detail that several times I had to "wheel back and come again" (re-read pages) in order to digest it all.

Of course, this isn't the first piece of writing to cast a critical eye on dancehall; but past discussions (helmed mostly by staunch roots reggae apologists who make no bones about expressing their view of the subject as an anti-musical ebola responsible for devouring the innards of upright, "real" reggae as exemplified by the likes of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear), irrespective of whether they have been pro- or anti-dancehall, have all revolved to varying degrees around the old dancehall "reggae" vs. "traditional" reggae issue.

Stolzoff distinguishes himself from the pack by sidestepping that stumbling block altogether: In (what I think is) a revolutionary move, he posits ALL Jamaican music, in essence, as dancehall-from the creolized drum and fiddle music of 18th century slave frolics to the thundering amplified bass blaring from contemporary Kingston sound systems. In short, he sees dancehall not as a distinct genre of music, but as an interactive method of experiencing music that might be specifically Jamaican.

Stolzoff's an anthropologist, not a rock critic, so rather than examining the music in isolation, he reconstructs the world that is dancehall's context, starting from the beginning with the sound systems, the cornerstone of the Jamaican music world.( Stolzoff scores a major coup by including extensive interviews with sound system pioneers like Hedley Jones, who provide a lot of insight into the Jamaican music experience prior to the birth of the local music industry-all other books on reggae up until this time have summed the whole era up in a sentence or two). Upon that foundation, Stolzoff layers the various social and ideological trends that have shaped the dancehall: rude boys, Rastafar-I, fashion, technology... You come to see that as chaotic as the dancehall universe appears to be, it is a well-ordered cosmology where everything has its place: sexuality, piety, violence, flamboyance, humility... They can all co-exist.

What I really, really love is the "career trajectory" Stolzoff maps out from his observation of the dancehall field. Using many of the aspiring and established dancehall stars he befriended, Stolzoff illustrates the stages of a career as a performer in the dancehall economy-which is an actual economy that employs millions of Jamaicans in various capacities.

I think this is definitely an important book and a complete must-read not only for fans of Jamaican music, but for anybody interested in the way that music and culture intersect with the daily lives of its participants.

This is an excellant book, written by a genuinely knowledgeable scholar of dancehall music and Jamaican popular culture. Dr. Stolzoff has done an incredible amount of research for this book and puts it altogether with Wake The Town. A must for all reggae and dancehall afficionados. This book will be a classic for a long time.

I would like to commend Mr. Stolzoff for an in depth and enjoyable study of dancehall reggae. Being a dancehall fan for some time now, it's wonderful to see the music and culture being taken seriously. Ready first hand accounts of artists like the great Tenor Saw was an unexpected and exciting part of the book. Mr. Stolzoff goes indept as he discusses the origins of dancehall back to Africa right up to today with the top artists like Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Sizzla, etc etc. As Ricky Trooper says in the begining of the book, if you haven't been to the dancehall before, you wouldn't understand it, dancehall it something that you have to experience. Great reading!

This book is too incredible to believe. For those of us who are into dancehall, when we are in the midst of it, study and academia seem so far away. I never thought it was something that someone could record on paper and carry the true vibes of the whole thing. Stolzoff has not only captured the vibes of the dancehall itself, but also the vibes of life for the dancehall community, the economy, and the realities of Jamaica today. For anyone who ever wanted to get away from the tourist fakeries of what you think Jamaica and reggae music are all about, this book is for you. Of course there is nothing like the true experience of the dancehall itself, but outside of that, this book is the next best thing. Buy this book, you won't regret it. Even most of us Jamaicans, can learn a thing or two from it. And for my anthropologists out there, this book is the most gripping, meaningful ethnography since Bourgois' "In Search of Respect : Selling Crack in El Barrio".

This book gets you all hyped up about the 60's so long ago and yet not that long ago. It takes you through city by city of The Beatles US 1964,1965, and 1966 tours. Telling a period in the young lives of this generation what it was like to be turned upside down by the biggest rock group of all time. The book continues through the Apple years,Break-up and Solo years. There are pictures of The Beatles,fans,and memorbila that you wonder if you still have. I also saw them in Forest Hills tennis Stadium in Queens 1964, and Shea Stadium in 1966.

My introduction to Beatlemania was at the age of 10 finding a 45 of "Let it Be" in a stack of 45's in a box a neighbor had put out for garbage. Yup, I guess you could say that I was born a bit too late.

That's where this book comes in. "We're Going to See the Beatles!" brought me right smack dab in the middle of all those crazy kids - mostly girls - who went mad for the Beatles and in so doing ushered in a new era of culture, music, and politics.

Yeah, we all know those cliches. And that's the charm of this book, because it avoids all those looking-back analyses, and also all those glimpses from the hanger-ons, and instead tells the story of the Beatles Invasion through the eyes and hearts of their young and frenzied fans. So while I missed all that, this book made me feel a part of it, and I got caught up in it as if it were happening all over again. I think Berman did an excellent job of piecing together the many first-hand accounts to tell this story directly, without weighing it down with unnecessary commentary. Sadly, it also brings you along for the downward arc of the Fabs, but so the story went, and getting that choking lump in my throat for Lennon's murder made me realize how captivating this story truly is, especially as told by those who lived and breathed it while it was happening.

If you missed seeing the Beatles, do not miss reading this book.

I enjoyed this book so much. We're Going to See The Beatles!: An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were ThereI even bought one for my Mother who accompanied me to the last Beatles concert at Candlestick Park. This book recaptures all those memories for me again. I also liked the way the chapters were organized. And having pictures of the fans was a big plus. A fun and easy read. I would say a real must for all of those who ever saw the Fab Four in person or want to read about the fans who had that privilege.

I was there. I lived through Beatlemania. Author Garry Berman captures the essence of what it was like to have experienced all the hysteria, emotion and passion of what it was like to have been a Beatles fan as it was happening. As told by the fans themselves, nothing is held back.

The book transports the reader back to a time in history when Beatlemania reigned and allows a birdseye view of what it meant to be a Beatles fan circa 1963-1970. The fervor of the fans is painted on every page in intimate detail.

For anyone who experienced Beatlemania first hand, or anyone attempting to answer the question "What was it like?" this book is THE authority on the subject.

This book is a great trip back to the early days of Beatlemania. Glad there was so much input from the male fans too as the Beatles impression on us guys is greatly undocumented. A lot of the stories brought back memories I long forgot. I kept saying "Oh Yeah! I forgot about that!" while reading. It's a fun, clever book and I love reading the stories by the people who lived it.

The book is medium-it isn't an easy book you only play once and then you're bored, but it isn't very difficult. Some of the arrangements are needlessly crazy, but some are well done. A piano player of about 3-5 years is about the right level.

The piano and vocals are clearly printed which makes for a good quality score. Chords for each harmony are printed in the vocal sections but not in the introductary measures. Difficulty of music depends on the particular song for example, "Somewhere" and "One Hand, One Heart" are easier. I've enjoyed playing this music and would recommend it.

If you want to play/arrange/orchestrate or simply see the genius of Berstein, this is the way to go. As an arranger, I needed reference to orchestrate a West Side Story Medley for a show, and I'm not talking your regular "standard" tunes. This vocal score is also a piano reduction of the orchestrations and was aboslutely what I needed. You can see nearly every instrument line, counter melody, even instrument indications. This was the best $50.00 I may have every spent. Saved me hours and hours of trying to "lift" off the lines. They were all there, even for the dance sections from Cool & The Rumble, which is what I really needed. Don't hestitate if you're looking for the real Berstein stuff!

The music from West Side Story is captivating, and I love being able to relive it again and again. Hearing the music from the show takes you back to the story of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.

If you're looking for a faithful translation from the full score, this is the one. This score is based on Bernstein latest revision as reflected in the Carreras Te Kanawa recording (1985).

But be warned, this score is only for upper-intermediate/advanced pianist, classically trained. It's not a fakebook, it's not a simplified/reduced piano score for casual use. The arrangement gives two alternatives for playing some part of the song, and you can choose to play it the hard way or the easier way (which is still rather difficult). The hard way is of course the most faithful to the orchestral score.

For example, the dance part in "America" can be played by using single notes of the left hands rather than using full chord, which is great if you're trying to cope with the tempo. The arrangement for the slow pieces such as "one hand one heart", "maria", "tonight", and "somewhere" is really beautiful.

Tip: Listen to the "west side story" conducted by Bernstein himself to get a grasp of the tempo, dynamics and phrasing.

I had the supreme honor of working for Atlnatic Records as a promotions Manager in the '70s, so I saw first-hand a lot of what's in this book. I saw it through the label, the artists, radio and retail. And lemme tell you, the book is spot-on accurate. The two words that best describe Atlantic Records are sophisticated and engaged, and those characteristics come top-down from the founder, Mr. Ahmet Ertegun, and through all of his management.

While the book is an amazing account of Atlantic Records, what is more is the indispensable perspective on the music business at large. For anyone even remotely interested in the history of this industry and its artists, this book is vital.

The cost is a bit pricey, but the old saying you get what you pay for has never been more true. The oversized book features fantastic photography and superb quality. I just wish it would have had included a 30-song sampler of the history of Atlantic artists.

Ahmet Ertegun has to be one of the true legends of popular music in the 20th century. When I first heard that Ertegun had penned the story of Atlantic Records 2 to 3 years ago, I immediately searched it out. But for some reason publication was delayed over two years. Alas it's here. This huge book has everything. First hand oral historical accounts on the birth of R&B with Ray Charles, Jerry Wexler, Otis, the Drifters through the evolution of 60's Rock with Cream, the Stones and Zepplin. The photos are spectatcular and Ertegun's own accounts insightful.....A brilliant man with impeccable taste. He may be the hippest son of a Turkish ambassador to ever found a legendary record label. While I personally can do without the more recent sections dealing with 80's and 90's music (how can you include Jewel with the likes of Ray Charles and Ben E. King?), this book is so huge (almost 10 lbs.) that the majority of the book far exceeds all expectations. At a time when lightweight books by airheaded groupies who played abolutely no role in the creation of a musical revolution somehow make their way into publication, this book stands alone as a classic account of a time when the musicians really were artist who paid their dues, song writers were stylists, and goood taste and genuine talent not only mattered, but actually sold records. If you are a true music fan, this book is the next best thing to being present at the birth of the R&B. One more suggestion, get the Atlantic R&B box set. If I were allowed to keep but one body of work from my music collection, this would be the one. It is the Rosetta Stone of modern R&B.

Had it not been for Ahmet Ertegun and his family moving from Turkey to America, more than 75% of the music that would come out over the time afterward would never had come to be and the musical mainstream would dramatically have never been the same.
I consider Ertegun to be would one of the best musical geniuses of the 20th century for it was he that started the snowball rolling and it kept getting bigger and bigger. He had his own acetate-cutting machine when he was a kid (pretty neat) and wrote his own songs. Close with his brother, Nesuhi, the two were avid jazz fans. When Ahmet got the urge to make records and hire acts to record for him, he founded his own record company with partner Herb Abramson in 1947 from a $10,000 loan from Ertegun's dentist. The rest is history. Atlantic had a huge roster of stars from jazz and R&B greats of the '40s, '50s and '60s to hard rock bands of the '60s, '70s and '80s. It starts with background history on Ahmet and continues on with the start of Atlantic from the '40s to the present. This huge book chronicles it all loaded with quotes from artists and from Ahmet and the production team as well as tons of photographs. It is pricey but it is worth every penny. Thank you, Ahmet Ertegun. American music would never have thrived without Atlantic!

Ahmet Ertegun what a Important figure in the Music Business? the Guy truly knew His stuff at making a label Important.just His Association with Ray Charles&Aretha Franklin alone speaks volumes to me.He had a strong Idea of what He wanted&He got it.in it's Hey Day Atlantic Records was as Important as Any Other Label then or Now.the one thing you get after reading this Book&Hearing the Atlantic Box Set is that Ahmet Ertegun could vibe with anyone.a Must Have.

First of all, this book is huge and weighs a ton. That is appropriate for the subject matter, because Atlantic Records is a huge presence in the history of rhythm & blues and rock. Chock full of pictures and commentary, this presents a totally fascinating portrait of Ahmet Ertegun and his record company, including all the great artists associated with Atlantic. From the early days with artists such as Ruth Brown and the Clovers, through the early career of Ray Charles, and on to Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett and the incomparable Aretha Franklin, Atlantic Records made its reputation in R&B. Less well known, but hardly less influential, is its presence in the jazz world, thanks to Ahmet's brother Nesuhi. In the late '60's Atlantic expanded into the field of rock with Cream, Led Zeppelin, and, later, the Rolling Stones, and was a major player in art/progressive rock by signing such bands as King Crimson, Yes, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

They could have ended the book in the early '70's, in my opinion, because after corporate buyouts and sellouts, Atlantic's imprint became less distinctive. Face it, Foreigner could have been on any label and it wouldn't have made much difference. Later forays into country music seem very un-Atlantic, to say the least. But during its heyday, there was no label putting out as high a level of quality music as Atlantic records, and this is its fascinating story.

When looking for an interesting and light overview of opera history, this is a great book. If you are looking for a brief overview that will keep your attention (unlike other history textbooks) and you like anecdotes, this book definitely fits the bill. I have taken many music history courses and am very familiar with history timelines, but this book gave me the interesting tidbits they don't always tell you about in the classroom. Very amusing, but not the resource if you're looking for the most "scholastic" book.

I bought this book after I had been in "Carmen". Mr. Barber brings out a funny story in operas that are meant to be sad, romantic, and makes the comical ones even more laughable. I reccommend this book to all lovers of opera

I loved this book. It's funny and cute! I did never know Wagner loved pink silk underwears... It's the best book to read if you are not an opera lover, and have to get the information...

This book tells all the fun stuff that you don't usually hear about opera composers along with a sturdy structure of opera history. Easy to read and intensely funny, this book's only weakness is that it misses a lot of important composers and concentrates on a couple of unimportant ones. Thus, the reader is left with a feeling like the author got tired of writing and stopped halfway through. If the author added enough information for this book to be more comprehensive representation of opera history, it would a wonderful book for both opera experts and opera neophytes.

I am a music major at college and study opera intensivly. There are some really boring books on the subject, but When The Fat Lady Sings is NOT one of them! All of the facts were there and were presented in a way that kept my attention. I would reccomend this book to the music student looking to brush up on composers, to the people who want to know a little more about what opera is, and to the person who wants something interesting to say at a cocktail party. Anyone can learn something from this book with or without music knowledge. I didn't think a book could be written about opera that is both true to the subject AND funny. Well done Mr. Barber!

This page turner has left me wanting more! What a terrific summer read! A must for anyone interested in a story that will have you gripped by the end of the first chapter.

If you can figure out who was the murderer, you are a better sleuth than I am! Wonderfully crafted murder mystery. Margaret Snyder New is a great storyteller in the true tradition of the old Texas cowboys. I loved this poignant, intriguing novel. Would love to see the movie!

The mystery is grippiing- I couldn't put it down. New's writing is full of fresh metaphors and wonderfully vivid description of the Texas fronteir - can't believe it's her first! Sure hit.

A fun, easy read, very difficult to put down. The story is well-written and extremely entertaining. The way the characters are interwoven and brought to life leaves the reader sorry to finish the book. Very highly recommended.

If I only read one book this summer, this is it! It's a great Texas mystery. Loved the characters and story about the Texas Rangers. Easy read, great prose. This book has it all! Richard

This book was a really quick read: not only was it too short, but I couldn't stop once I started. After reading the first two books, I really wanted to know what the plot would turn out to be and the Wizardwar wraps up everything and each event that happens is important. Even though I didn't skim this book, it only took me several hours to complete. If you read the first two, you would love how this book has a mixture of the two books. I can't stand the ending though! It wasn't bad, its just that the book ended! Overall the book was very well written and a nice creative break from my favorite author, R.A. Salvatore. But honestly, after this book I'm starting to like Cunningham more. The character developement is amazing as they grow and grow on you. I would highly reccomend it to anyone who likes fantasy (and elves: Elaine likes elves) but you should read the first two books (The Magehound and The Floodgate) first!

The Counselors and Kings trilogy is author Elaine Cunningham's best work since Elfshadow. Although they can be taken one at a time, these three novels are best read as one monolithic book. In The Wizardwar, the author brings the intricate plot to resolution, in one of the best finales I've seen in fantasy literature.

Readers of the previous books might have picked up some hints about what will happen in the magical kingdom of Halruaa, but many things are left unanswered. Namely, who is descended from who, and why does this matter? I won't spoil it for you here, but suffice to say that the answers might be surprising, and it indeed does matter. The machinations of the elven wizard Kiva and the efforts of her victims to stop her are both intriguing and exciting. Though the object that is the Cabal was finally revealed in The Floodgate, you'll finally discover exactly what it does.

Cunningham weaves an truly fine yarn, as usual interspersed with excellent characterization and humor. The magical kingdom of Halruaa comes to life in astonishing detail, including a unique cast that is both memorable and believable. For any fan of the Forgotten Realms, this is a must-read.

This book is excellent. As a gamer that has been living in the Forgotten Realms for years, I was truly fascinated by a closer look into this new area of the Realms. The book tied up all loose ends and shocked us with several revelations. The introduction of new people, such as the Crinti, have really given gamers fuel for their fires. The characters are deep and complex. I will agree with one other review, it was a bit rushed or short depending on your point of view. If you are a fan of mages in the Forgotten Realms, this series is an excellent place to start. Thanks Elaine for such a great series and I'm looking forward to the next.

This book is everything I have come to expect from Elaine Cunningham. Its very well written, the characters deep and detailed, and the plot well thought out. However, the last 100 pages or so seem very rushed. Like this trilogy likely should have been four books, or book three should have been extended another 200-300 pages. Quite frankly though, when the only thing you can find about a book that is negative is that it seemed too short, it must be a pretty good book. Pick it up. Its well worth the read.

The Wizardwar brings the Counselors and Kings trilogy to an exciting conclusion. In this book, all of the main plot lines from the previous books are tied up nicely with some good surprises. The main characters really develop in this book and take on new levels of depth. The interesting culture and intrigues of the people of Halruaa are really fleshed out in this book.

Needless to say, if you enjoyed the previous two books, this conclusion will not disappoint you in the least. Elaine Cunningham continues to please this reader with another excellent Forgotten Realms series.