Genres Books

James Campion is one of the bright young nonfiction writers of the new century, and he got a head start on this one. Back in 1995 the Jersey rock scene was changing and the craziness of life on the road in the clubs began with the swirling tide of Dog Voices. Their outrageous story is all-true in this thrilling page-turner. "Deep Tank Jersey" is "Almost Famous" times one-thousand.

It was one of the best books on rock and roll I've ever read, and I've read my share.

Buy this book to see just how pathetic the world of NJ music is. I found it by accident, bought it on a lark and am glad I did. It reafirmed every joke about NJ i've heard...

Leave it to James Campion -- the elfin Jack Kerouac of his time -- to expose the soft underbelly of the Jersey bar band scene in a gripping narrative which captures the sights, sounds and (god awful) smells of a Jersey summer as only an insider can do.

Although diminuitive in stature, Mr. Campion's oversized ego makes up for his lack of size and virility, as he becomes -- in essence -- the plot, characters and narrator of his cute little story about a bunch of punch drunk never-was'z.

I first came across Dr. Campion on his weekly cable show, "sports night", in which he was the host, producer, cameraman, gopher, sales manager, & Christ Object -- the Harold H. Heckuba of rancid cable tv.

Of course, the melodrama of Mr. Campion's personal life -- particularly his bachelorette party -- would make for dramatically more interesting reading than the sordid tales of a bunch of losers, but that will likely be saved for his memoir, which we understand is tenatively entitled "Meet me at my Summer retreat in Joe Namath's crotch region," due out in 2025 along with his Jesus book.

Salu, Dr. Campion!

I heard about James Campion on a Hunter WS. Thompson site, and picked up Deep Tank on Amazon.com and absolutely loved it! There is nothing down here that compares to the Jersey scene. I was up there once and couldn't believe the atmosphere for music. This is the BEST book on traveling musicians ever written. Campion is the new Gonzo king!!

In DTJ, James Campion journals a summer with "Dog Voices", one of the hardest working cover bands on the Jersey circuit. He manages to infiltrate their camp, gain their trust, and become one of them. His insightful personality and unique writing style make the book incredibly interesting; especially when you consider it's not a chronicle of a celebrity act AND when you realize he doesn't even use song titles during the descriptions of their performance(s). JC has been a long-time columnist for the Aquarian, a popular music weekly on the East Coast. This book, along with his other entitled "Fear No Art: Observations on the death of an American century" (which compiles his "Reality Check" columns from that paper) are great reading for fans of satire and substance.

This book brings back the Remo Williams series to its original flavor while adding new dimension to the Smith Character. A must read for Destroyer fans. The series is back!!

I thought the series was on its last leg. But the new guy seems to know what he is doing. Keep up the good work!!!!

The writing is tight, the plot develops and like the very best of the series, I simply cannot stop reading. Remo is himself he is no longer a marionette "karate dancing" for hack writers. Chiun is the reigning master bringing awe not, "aw no". I still have issue No.1 purchased many years ago. I have read all of the Destroyer series and I know that the series now has a chance to surpass it's own roots. There have been continuing themes before but never as tightly scripted and well plotted. The new author is not only extremely well versed in the sun source but he is expanding the legend. It may be heresy But this could be the best yet.

after a momentary lapse of reason it seems that Remo and Master Chiun have come to their senses and returned to the characters that we know and love. Although time seems to have tempered the biting sarcasm that was so common in the earlier scrolls of sinanju, it still remains as one of my main attractions to this series. I highly recommend this book and my hat is off to Jim Mullaney, Thank you sir, you do justice to this series.

I have to say while I haven't been thrilled with the Destroyer series lately, it is still a must read. I am esctatic that GE can get these books out on time. I like the story in this latest installment and I like the fact that it is going to arc into a miniseries. Remo's adventures have always been part political satire part history lesson rolled into an adventure story. This book goes back to what made this series so enthralling to begin with.

We adore this book! Mr. Gossett, a professor in our home town of Chicago, is brilliant. The scholarship is first rate, the writing is user-friendly without talking down to you. The subject is incredibly well covered - it's interesting, enlightening, fascinating and really worth it! Highly recommended!

Paul Vermel and Carolyn Paulin (musicians both)

This is a book every opera conductor should read. A lot of information and beautifully written by one of the greatest opera scholars.

This beautifully presented tome is fascinating. There may only a few die hard, full time dismissers of Italian Opera left, but they will find it harder to be so snooty after reading any of the chapters. It is all about context. Gosset provides you with detailed examples of the conditions under which the works were composed and performed and the pressures facing all involved. It is fascinating and made me feel like a musical sloth in my own perfomance habits.

There are very elegantly printed musical examples as well as the odd juicy snide comment about singers whose attitude to performing these works is less than thorough. Sometimes the detail is daunting and perhaps a little dry but you could pick and choose your chapters if this is worrying you.

How reassuring that books like this are still being written when the Music section of Borders is filled with biographies of such musical heavyweights as Sting and Bono.

"Divas & Scholars" is a masterpiece from every possible perspective, and I am astonished that there are only 4 customer reviews ahead of mine. It is written in the liveliest, most personal style. Every chapter, every paragraph, every sentence is filled with fascinating information and insights. (The only book on music that I have ever read that is its equal is Charles Rosen's universally acclaimed "Classical Style," which was published 35 years ago. Rosen himself gave "Divas & Scholars" a rave review in the New York Review of Books (10/05/06).) No one before Gossett has ever explained so clearly the conditions under which masterpieces by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, and Verdi were not merely created but nearly tossed off, in almost the manner one associates with live television in the 50's. No one else has ever explained so clearly what a first performance looked like and sounded like, the lighting, the gestures, the sound in a particular theater or particular instruments, and the particular text and ornamentation that a singer chose. No one else has ever shown in such specific detail how performance traditions (and music) were transmitted and how they changed over time and place. "Divas & Scholars" can be read by everyone--the opera lover, the record listener, the stage designer, professional opera singers, orchestra musicians and conductors, and directors. It could be read by everyone who has ever loved Norma, Lucia, and all the other great figures of bel canto opera. It could be read by anyone with an interest in the social history of Europe in the first half of the nineteenth century. A summary of the delights of this book would be as long as the book itself. Five stars are not enough. It will be a resource and a pleasure forever.

I found this book a true revelation. No review can express just how much valuable information there is in this book. Certainly the earlier reviewer is correct that this is one of the most important books ever written on early nineteenth-century Italian opera. The focus is on Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and early Verdi.

Some chapters can be rough going, with a good bit of technical detail. But even the amateur can find much to learn here.

If you're an informed opera-nut, don't miss this one.

Great book! I enjoyed every chapter. It not only let's you smell the roses from your childhood since I lived in Polk County Florida during these times, but it definitely lets you smell the orange blossoms!

I went to High School with Bobby. This is a great book of the small town of Auburndale, Fl. It's fun reading. I can assure you that you will laugh a lot if you put yourself in his shoes.
I recommend it highly.

Although just a bit younger, being from "Inwood" between A-dale and Winter Haven, I know/knew some of the people mentioned in the book. I also have some of the same memories growing up in the area. I went to Winter Haven High School because back then we had a choice. Today I would be going to A-Dale High. I enjoyed the book very much. I don't think Bobby Braddock and I ever met but we do share friends and what it was like grow up back then. It is a time gone for good and that is tough to face sometimes. We had quite a few talented people in music come from Auburndale and Winter Haven.

I was on TV once, flogging a book, when the interviewer, a Terry Splendid-looking mannequin of a guy who could read without moving his eyes but not without moving his lips, got the 30-seconds-and-counting signal from the control room. "We're about out of time, Mr. Adams," he said, hefting my 700-page book as if he were guessing the weight of a hooked mackerel. "This is quite a tome you've created. Could you tell us, in a few words, what you were trying to say in it?"

The answer came to me in a split second, like lightning from the night sky, and I threw it straight to Terry quicker than a baked potato from the oven: "I was trying to say, in three or four hundred thousand words, what a great songwriter named Bobby Braddock typically gets said in three or four hundred. A beginning, a middle, an end. A story, a narrative about original sin."

The red light on Camera 1 was blinking. "That's all our time, folks, see you tomorrow!" Splendid's image vanished from the monitor, to be replaced in an instant by a commercial about Rolaids. Terry and I both looked like we could have used a couple.

Those of us who write long for a living are filled with envy for the likes of Bobby Braddock, the masters of writing short. And so it is with green-eyed admiration that I report the recent arrival of Down in Orburndale, a finely paced, 271-page, growing-up-Southern memoir by--you guessed it--Bobby Braddock, the quiet man behind the words and music of some of George Jones and Tammy Wynette's greatest hits.

If I could write songs half as well as Braddock writes books--this first one, at least--I wouldn't have to worry about my obscurity in the field of long prose. I'd be rolling in clover. The boy from post-World War II Auburndale, Florida, has got the knack, short and long. This book is a confessional of lessons learned from a fully-spent youth, remembered with humor, pain and unflinching honesty.

Bobby Braddock has written an exceptional book -- a portrait of an artist as a young man, if you will. So much honesty about a part of America that is gone. So much honesty about a boy who grew up there and would go on to become one of America's great songwriters. He sees the humor of his darkest moments, and I'm still laughing just thinking about those moments. The book ends just before he makes his fateful journey to Nashville, and fame and fortune. I can't wait to read the sequel. If braddock the bumbling, stumbling boy-to-man is such a hoot, then Braddock in the weird wild world of the Nashville Music bizz is bound to be a classic!

It didnt take long to read this book..couldnt put it down. Totally surprised at what I read and I give Kudos to Mrs. EH! I liked the frankness about everything without all the details! Engelbert held nothing back he didnt want to and Im glad he is still with his family! He still has a beautiful gift and should thank God for watching over him and his family! I still say he can sing better than any other ever!!

I read Engelbert's Biography and I found it very interesting. Many events in the book were stated with the up most honesty. Most biography's are written with only the good things the person wants you to know. Engelbert and his wife tell you his story just as it was. I have never read a book in just 2days,but I couldn't put the book down. I am a great fan of Engelbert for over 30yrs and I'm sure anyone who reads this book will enjoy it.

What a tale Engelbert has to tell, and how entertaining is the way he tells it; it's been a life full of twists and turns, and he writes it all, with all the bumps and bruises along the way.
From his childhood in Madras, India, where he lived through the violence of pre-Independence terrorism, to the many hardships of trying to make it as a singer, which were made that much tougher by the ever-present "couch-casting" that went on, a form of getting ahead that he would not participate in...and its prevalence explains why many of the untalented seem to "make it", if only for a season, while some of the really gifted have a rough time getting noticed.
Engelbert's rise to stardom was meteoric, with the single song of "Release Me" in 1967, and he went from living in a sparsely furnished flat into the lap of luxury, and all the pitfalls that come with fame and fortune.

Through it all, he has had Patricia, or Popea, as he calls her, with him since the early days. Beautiful as well as intelligent and strong, she's been the one that has kept the family of 3 boys and one girl (the stunning and talented Louise Dorsey) together, and "stood by her man" through thick and thin. Popea writes a portion of Chapter Fifteen with gritty honesty, and explains how, and why, she withstood the many women, the paternity suits, and all the paparazzi that hounded them through those many years of notoriety.
The women, as Engelbert explains, were an "occupational hazard", certainly not helped by his years of lonely nights and hard drinking on the road, and the many females who would make themselves exceedingly available.

Engelbert comes off as an extremely complex individual, but very likeable. A perfectionist in his work, living life to the fullest, and discovering in his later years that he has the gift of healing; this assertion I believe, as I find that the sound of his voice can have curative effects.
There are portions that are laugh-out-loud funny (like the UFO story in Chapter Seventeen), and adding to the charm of his writing style is some of the "Brit-speak" slang, with expressions like the now rarely heard "grotty" (a favorite word of mine coined by George Harrison in the '60s).

The book has two sections of photographs, from the age of 17 on. Favorites of mine are the one with Muhammad Ali, and a lovely family shot taken by the pool in one of their USA homes, affectionately named "The Pink Palace".
The final 12 pages are devoted to a UK discography, and include chart positions.
This is fast reading, and riveting, so walk the dog, feed the cat, turn off the telephone, and make yourself a big cuppa, because once you open this book, its going to be very hard to put down.

I was sure this book would be interesting...but it went way beyond anything I could have imagined. It was poignant, honesty..incredibly honest..I can't believe there were were several chapters where I couldn't see beyond my tears. I am so glad I got this book..it is a very deep look...and I'd love to sit down with him and be his friend! Thank you, Englebert, for letting us inside your heart.

i truly enjoyed reading this book. I have been a fan for 26 years and it was enjoyable to read about his life.
The book was a quick read and as entertaining as going to his show. my favorite chapter was where his wife wrote her feelings. I took alot away from that. That is what love is about!!
read this book and enjoy!

It offers exactly what it says. Great for learning piano/guitar duets. ADding the vocals is a given.

I first heard the song Imortal on one of the music tv channels,I'm thinking it was VH1. I wish the music channels were all music again. I realized later she was also on the Elektra soundtrack (Great movie and nice outfits-Jennifer Garner) I put the Imortal song on a DVD-I recorded it from TV, I always wanted to learn to play the song so after alittle thinking I decided to purchase the music. I'm the kind of person who buys something -only if it has a few good songs.She has a GREAT voice.

I am a vocalist and am taking piano, and I love this music book! It is really great for the vocalist/pianist/guitarist Evanescence fan. However, don't buy it thinking you will sound exactly like the band. Of course, they can't match up the music exactly, and it is a bit different than the album versions or the songs you're used to. However, if you like Evanescence and want to do their songs, buy it!

This book is a great book, especially for guitar /piano / keyboard players. You can play it with your band (if you have one), and the sheet music for "Hello", "My Immortal" and even piano fill for "Bring me to Life" and other songs are there!

Note: Guitar-Bass parts does not included.

This book is easy - BUY IT!

I love this book, I use it all the time at my singing lessons.

My order arrived within the 2 to 14 business days, probably around 6 or 7 days, and was in perfect condition, no marks or folds and it was safely packaged.

This book has a wonderful selection of soprano arias from common to somewhat lesser known pieces.

A little something for everyone in here. All the arias you've been looking for in one album. YAY.

I've had this book since I was 17 when I first started studying voice. It's a great resource, especially for beginners who have not yet mastered Italian, French or German. It provides literal translations of every aria which is so important. It is also lightweight but sturdy. My copy is still in great shape. The only bone I have to pick is that the fach varies quite a bit from repertore suited to light lyric sopranos all the way to the dramatic. One singer obviously would not sing all of these arias. However, if your voice grows and matures I guess it's possible to start with a Handel aria in this book and progress to the heavier Puccini, depending on how your career goes. In any event, it's a nice collection of arias and you'll probably find 2 or 3 at least that you'll need at some point which is much better than shelling out cash for the complete scores.

Although not all of the arias in this edition (or any edition for that matter) will fit one particular fach, the range and selection of pieces is really wonderful in this volume. I prefer it to the first volume, only because it has a few lesser known gems that are great audition pieces, whereas the first volume covers mostly pieces everyone has heard a million times before (though there are some of those in this volume too!).

Over all, well edited, wonderful translations and very easy to read.

A great book for beginners. Gets you playing, and enjoying the familiar folk tunes in no time.

I got several books on learning to play the harp from my local library. This one is head and shoulders above all the others I checked out. It's written simply and wittily. The techniques are well explained and the song selection is really good. I'd highly recommend this to anyone interested in learning to play.

This is a great working book to learn to play Harmonica for the Beginners ( i.e. me). The edition with the two CD's where you can hear the author play the harmonica and also sing the songs is really useful ( it's worth the extra cost!) as you can then hear what you want to sound like. Great book guys. Just work with it and you will feel the same. Also don't give up too soon, the exhilaration you get when you can get the harmonica to do your deed is worth all the agony. Good luck.

This book is amazing. I play guitar, and wanted to start up on the harp. Within the first week, I was playing them together better than I ever thought I would. The book is a great tutorial, very detailed, including an excellent history of the harp. The pictures couldn't be better, and guitar chords are shown. It's just a very effective book. And then, put in the cd's and you find that "Doc" Gindick gives even more instruction. You really feel as if you're with a very patient, relaxed private instructor who really loves what he's doing. The second cd has gorgeous renditions of the songs notated, and really sets goals for you to reach. If you have any interest in harmonica, this is the book to get, it's well worth it.

If you are new to the harmonica and do not care for (or understand) a lot of theory, this is the book and CD to begin with and keep for future reference. I have tried several other books and CD's and got totally lost in the mucical notes and theory. I keep coming back to Jon's publications.

My daughter loved this book as a toddler when I got it from the library and she still loves at 7 yrs old. So much so that she put it on her Christmas list because she doesn't want to borrow it from the library anymore. Cute illustrations and great easy to sing additional versus to a classic song.

I love this book and my daughter does too. We have a lot of Iza Trapani books and I'm on Amazon to buy another. This is the hardest one for me to sing in places but the story is so sweet and it teaches kids about doing nice things for others. The first few times I read it, it really did bring tears to my eyes. I get tired of reading a few of the Trapani books after enough days in a row but I may never get tired of this one.

iza trapani is the best. she's got wonderful imagination. every page is beautifully painted to take little minds and hearts out of this world. my son loves and remembers all her rhyme books since he was 3.

We (my husband, my sons and myself) love this book a lot, the story is great (see the other review) and our sons love it when we sing it out. It has became our standard gift for babyshower and small kids' birthday parties, whenever we can.

We felt that this book deserve more "promotions" -- too few people heard of it. Too few bookstores have it in stock -- I could not buy as a gift if I forgot to order it ahead of time. This book deserve to be in every kid's bookshelves. This is the first time I ever write a review because 3 reviews are just too few. I am sure more would give it 5 stars if only they get access to this book.

and the best will come back to you." (Unknown)

A cute little boy wants a doggie but doesn't have enough money. He has saved some money but it isn't enough. (Oh! I wish there were more books on saving money! Kids need them.) The pet store owner shows him other pets he can afford but the boy's mind is made up. He goes home and has a lemonade stand but it rains and he catches cold and can't do anything to make money to buy that doggie in the window. In the meantime, his sister, mom and dad each have a need that he can fill with some of his money and he gladly does so without hesitation. At the end of the week, he counts the money in his piggy bank and realizes he can't afford the doggie. He accepts this (another great lesson for kids to learn--to accept when they can't have something) and goes to visit the doggie just to say, "Hello." How sweet.

Good things happen to that little boy, I think, for the rest of his life with such a kind, giving heart. Thanks, Iza for a very special story with lots of takeaway value.

Soar!

'Been in the game for 12 years getting no place. Moved to Nashville, hang out, thought I was doing stuff right. But I kept hearing what I didn't want to hear - my songs weren't quite there. 'Been too stubborn to accept that. Then I read Leiken's book and read what all those publishers said. Okay- I'll give it another shot, doing it their way. Thanks, Mollie. Good to know you're out there

We sent our songs to all the cheap "consultants" in the world for direction with our music career. But this book has been more helpful than all of the "experts" put together. 'Bought four copies - one for each member of my band.

Finally! A book that really helped us! My band and I read all the other books. Went to the seminars. Paid the lawyers. But this book has opened our eyes, sharpened our pencils and got us going. Our songs are 'way stronger, and now we have a major deal on the table.
Put your egos away and listen to this lady. She knows her stuff. This book will change your life and career, too.

We sent our songs to all the cheap "consultants" in the world for direction with our music career. But this book has been more helpful than all of the "experts" put together. 'Bought four copies - one for each member of my band.

How To Be A Hit Songwriter: Polishing And Marketing Your Lyrics And Music offers practical creative and career advice from an Emmy-nominated songwriter Molly-Ann Leikin. From rewriting without overwriting, to coping with rejection, to meeting deadlines, to developing business smarts, and so much more, How To Be A Hit Songwriter is a definitive, down-to-earth, accessibly written, "must-read" instructional reference guide for all aspiring song writers and composers of popular music.