Genres Books

I routinely taped his radio program "Rock and Roll Alternative" in the late 70s to early 80s. He was always introducing new songs and educating me about the new music going on. If one of the new bands happened to be in town he almost always had them in the studio for an interview. This book is a great retrospective on that period of my life.

Anyone interested in the history of Rock should get this book. It's written in chronological order, and I found myself spending hours following the intricate relationships between the various bands.

This book is riveting. I label it dangerous, because after you'ver read it, you will be compelled to go out and spend all kinds of money seeking out records from all the bands that are spoken of in the book. Nothing is missing. Concerts that I attended are there with dates, times and copies of ticket stubbs. You thought you knew who played for who...........then you read this. Fascinating.

Getting this book is like striking gold for anyone who loves punk rock. It's a treasure-trove of information, in meticulous order. This is the kind of book you can open randomly at any page and just start reading. The author really did his homework. If you want to learn more about punk, you can definitely get the information reading this book.

Unlike any other book on the market about the Punk Rock revolution. It can be read cover to cover (as I did!) or you can pick and choose the entries searching for information on your favorite bands. If you are a music enthusiast, this book is definitely for you. It has all the stories on ALL of the bands whether they were comercially successful or not. Perhaps the best thing about the book is the excellent CD that comes with it. I can't wait to read the follow up!

I bought this for my 20 yr old nephew who is in a band. He said the book "rocks". It had a wide variety of oldie bands and current bands. Wilson needs to write Vol. 2.

I bought this for my teenaged stepson and he loves it. It's one way of getting him to read something from a book.

I was fortunate enough to obtain a signed edition of the book. Such graciousness only hints at the wealth of information Wilson provides to music lovers of all stripes. From genre expert to casual listener, from rock aficionado to generalist, this book provides for hours of reading and an equal amount of chat with friends. After testing your own knowledge, Rock Formations provides a launching pad for a good night of trivia.

The great strength of this book is that it is a casual read; as Wilson notes in the somewhat dauntingly titled "Warning/Disclaimer": "the purpose of this book is to inform and entertain." On both counts it succeeds. It covers such a range of bands, and does so in such an engaging way, that readers are rewarded on first and subsequent readings. And the writing style is succinct without being dry. Sprinkled throughout are revelations that mix reflection with a smile.

Wilson clearly labored for close to a decade on this work. And his interest is our reward. Affordably priced and nicely presented, one hopes that Wilson's book inspires a follow-up. I will leave the `moniker' and focus of that text to the author. He seems full well capable of dealing with both exigencies.

This book "Rock Formations" is an excellent example of something that should be out there in the literal world and is put together with the fan in mind to boot. There is information on "The Beatles" formation and what other famous band influenced them to create their name. You can find out which one of the "The Beach Boys" helped give a certain duo their name. If there is ever an example of an item to put on a Christmas list of "Things the Music Fan Might Enjoy" this is it! This book is a great insight to the way the creative minds of these artists think. It made me think.
If you ever wondered where a band like "Led Zeppelin" got their name from and what member of "THE WHO" helped to define it, well it's all here, from "Air Supply" to "Frank Zappa" This is one of those books you'll find yourself referencing for years to come. Where did "2PAC" get that name from? You'll have to read this book to find out. There are new artists appearing all the time. I hope there are many revisions to come. In three words "It Totally Rocks!" and is a "Must Have"!

I bought this book for my brother who is a music buff and an amateur musician. He was thrilled with the gift and proceeded to read the book in its entirety in a matter of days. Of course I was pleased he enjoyed the book and thought enough of it to put it on his coffee table for guests to peruse.

Since we live close to one another I would start thumbing through the book whenever I would come over to watch sports or to babysit his kids. What I liked most about it is that it is organized in such a way that makes it a fun and easy read. Other books of this kind read more like a dictionary with a slew of entries one after another that don't share anything in common. For example, in Rock Formations there is a chapter called "Early Impressions" that covers bands that took their names from incidents in their childhood pasts like Lynyrd Skynyrd (I always thought it had something to with flying, which made the name cruelly ironic). I actually started reading in one of the middle chapters and jumped around to different chapters until I had read the entire book.

As a non-musician and an average music fan, I liked the fact that the entries were worded like stories and didn't use a lot of musical jargon. I'm a big fan of 80's music so there were a lot of entries that I really enjoyed such as Foreigner, The Police, Talking Heads, Tears For Fears, etc. I believe the author is British, which explains the coverage of British groups that were popular in the 80's. My brother has more eclectic taste in music so he appreciated the "non-Rock" entries (i.e. Reggae, Rap, R&B).

I would definitely recommend this book for any music fan. It's a fun book to read and you'll probably yourself jumping around chapters as I did. I've also won a few friendly wagers with some friends that have heard myths and rumors about band names, although I'm not recommending this book as an instrument for gambling!

I've read many a' Rough Guide to a variety of musical forms, and Kurt Wolff's book on country absolutely takes the cake. From the music's hillbilly beginnings to the alt-country offshoots of the '90s, this well-researched book is written with wit and a tender affection for the genre's highlights AND lowlights. I can't imagine a better gift for someone interested in country music. My only gripe: Now that the book is four years old, some of the artist information could use an update. Second edition, Kurt? Please?

An essential addition to your music library - whether you're a country novice or expert. The author has meticulously researched and written about country music in a well-organized chronological format that allows the reader to fully grasp the roots and progression of this music genre. The book includes biographies of country artists (those who are well-known, as well as some forgotten gems), discographies, reviews, and essays which fit the music into a broader social and historical perspective.

Great purchase - one of the best music reference books I own. Also check out the companion guide - 100 Essential CD's. Some interesting picks.

This is a truly fine one-volume encyclopedia of country music. Organized both historically and generically, the book is divided into 14 chapters, each discussing a type of music (hillbilly, cowboy, western swing, honky tonk, etc.) and tracing it from the time of its introduction to the present, with an overview followed by entries spotlighting the artists in alphabetical order. The chapter on rockabilly, for instance, includes both Elvis and the Stray Cats. Each entry concludes with brief reviews of recommended recordings. In addition, there are over 250 photographs of performers and album covers and numerous sidebars with short essays on a variety of topics.

The book comes in at almost 600 pages, covering the length and breadth of the subject and making a pretty fair attempt at measuring the depth, as well. To give an idea of the book's scope, the "classic" stars Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline don't appear until the middle. For anyone who may think country music starts and ends with Nashville, it will come as a surprise that so much of this music originated elsewhere.

You can read this book any old way you like, flipping through the pages, letting the pictures catch your eye as you discover favorite performers. If you grew up with country, there's many a trip down memory lane. If you're just discovering country, it is an excellent reference book just filled with information charting the careers of artists and their place in country music history. Well written, handsomely designed, easy to read and enjoy, it's a terrific book that will enhance any fan's love of this great musical tradition.

I bought this book at the advice of a friend and was not disappointed. Wolff is a thoughtful and articulate writer, and this book has plenty of recording artists that I was not aware of. It is arranged in chronological historical chapters, which show the progression of country music to the present. Interesting write-ups on all the major artists, and plenty of information on musicians you probably won't have heard of.

Love this book, just stumbled on it a few weeks ago, and can't put it down. I've been listening to country and loving it since I was a little girl, and this thing keeps turning me on to more music I want to go out and buy. Cool bio's on the artists and a great section on the seventies outlaw artists.

"The intriguing novel 7 Days by Sammie Ward delivers a page turning read about murder and suspense exposing political life and the shadiness that can be found."

"There are only seven days until Lieutenant Colonel Victor Sexton's retirement from the Army Criminal Investigation Division becomes official. His dreams about living a simple life are about o become a reality. He's looking forward to beginning the second phase of his life. Unfortunately a series of events changes his plans. "

"First of all a previous acquaintance re-enters his life and several murders occur which draws him into an investigation that uncovers information that forces Victor to question the motives of those whom he thought he could trust."

"Sammie Ward does a remarkable job pulling readers into this dynamic story full of dirty deals, infidelity, and hidden agendas. Ward's ability to capture the reader with her well developed characters will keep your eyes glued to the pages of this compelling story."

Lieutenant Colonel Victor Sexton is not a complicated man. He likes things simple; so simple, in fact, that after his retirement from the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), he's looking forward to settling into a low-key life of co-managing the Cadence Supper Club, a local nightclub owned by his brother, Gerald. Other prospects, such as a career in politics, tempt Victor, but he's resolved to getting some much-needed rest after a long life of service and sacrifice. All he has to do is wait seven days, and his dreams of a new life finally become a reality.

Suddenly, a series of events erupt in quick succession that threaten the cherished stability and simplicity that Victor craves. First, he unexpectedly re-enters the life of the lovely Captain Dominique Frazier, officer in the Army Nurses Corp, with whom he had a brief but torrid affair over three years ago. Next, a series of suspicious murders involving Victor's friends and close associates disturbs the peaceful, ordered life to which he's become accustomed. Finally, as he investigates the murders further, the hidden truths that he reveals cast shadows of doubt on those he has grown to trust, and he becomes an increasingly dangerous threat - most especially to his own life.

7 Days is a fast-paced and enjoyable read. The dialogue is crisp, the action quite satisfying, and Ward does an excellent job of crafting a compelling storyline, capturing the realities of back-room deals and the many other unsavory truths of political life. With each new plot twist, she leaves you with just enough questions to keep your interest at such a high level that it often feels as though you can't turn the pages fast enough.

Moreover, 7 Days differs from many of its relatives in the suspense/thriller genre because of its true heart: by displaying the concomitant agony that Victor endures as each of the tough decisions that he has to make places further strain on his personal and professional relationships, Ward gives us the true embodiment of a hero: physically and spiritually conflicted, yet resolved to do what's right for a cause greater than his own. His determination to persevere until true justice is served wins Victor your constant admiration and respect and keeps you silently cheering for him to overcome increasingly tougher obstacles.

Look out for more great works by Sammie Ward. Her versatility in interweaving such divergent themes as political intrigue, infidelity, and ghosts from the past makes her a superb writer to watch.

Sammie Ward masterfully draws the reader in a fast-pace, page turner that spins a web of intrigue, murder, and suspense. This lethal combination with romance will leave you wanting more than Seven Days!

SEVEN DAYS by Sammie Ward is a mystery involving military personnel and murder in the Officer's Quarters. Lt. Col. Victor Sexton had a week left in the military before retiring when the murder of a female Lieutenant occurred in her quarters on base. There was no one around at the time of the crime except her married lover's wife, who had followed them. Sexton wasn't interested in her story about seeing another man on the scene. Sexton saw it as a way to take the pressure off. Meanwhile, a former commander's wife set him up with a blind date. He wasn't very interested, but because of his relationship with the commander who now a senator, he agreed to go. The blind date, Dominique, wasn't interested in him either, that is until she saw him. He was the same man she had a two week affair with two years ago which abruptly ended when he left Germany and didn't tell her as much as good-bye. She also had a vested interest in solving the mystery of the murdered woman because she was a nurse under her command. Soon another nurse died in a very similar way and Sexton knew he must solve this case before the killer got Dominique. The pressure was on.

Sammie Ward created a mystery with a lot of tension, hot romantic scenes and hidden agendas. The characters were well developed and the plot kept the suspense going until the end. There was even suspense in the rekindled affair between Victor and Dominique. Would they succeed this time or was Dominique still too angry at his abrupt departure two years ago? It was a real page turner that I couldn't put down until the last word. It was an excellent read for those who love mystery entwined with romance. You got plenty of both in this excellent book.

Reviewed by Alice Holman
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Seven Days by Ms. Sammie Ward, tells us the story of Colonel Victor Sexton. He has served sixteen years in the United States Army and is due to retire in just seven days. As Victor prepares for life as a civilian, a nurse is found dead in her room. As Victor's last assignment in the Criminal Investigation Division, he is determined to find her killer before his retirement.

Along with investigating the murder of Lieutenant Tamara Hill, Victor tries to win back the affection of Captain Dominique Frazier. A woman that he spent two wonderful weeks with in Europe a few years back, before he was unexpectedly called away on duty. After Dominique gets transferred near Victor, he is convinced that fate brought them back together. Dominique, hurt from his sudden departure, refuses to accept that she still has feelings for Victor and continues to push him away.

Seven Days is a good book to curl up to on a rainy day or any day. This is a fast-paced mystery that will have you wondering whodunit all the way to the end.

Reviewed by Shaquitta Leday
APOOO BookClub

This is a guitar tab book. there are no words except for the lyrics. if you want to read about the band or the album this is not the book to buy. some of the reviews dont know what they're talking about. there is no cd and the book says nothing about the band. if youre looking to learn the guitar edition of the cd you should get this book because its great. but dont be mislead thats all it is.

if u are a person who iz a punk rock fan, this iz fo u. It iz the 2nd album published by Limp Bizkit, a punk band with amazing music and talent. it features some geust apearnces such az Jonathan Davis, Method Man, and Scott Weiland. this also packs alot of types of music. by this i mean differant levelz of energy, not stuff like country. it haz mellow songz like re-arranged and no sex, n 2gether now which iz rap, and the real punk like break stuff and nookie. this iz an awesome album; i highly reccomend it!

Dont listen to these [people]who are saying "I met Fred Durst and you will feel like you know him persanally once you read this book!" ... Its not funny, people look at these reviews to decide if they will purchase something. Anyways, this is a GUITAR TAB book for limp bizkit significant other CD. I myself DO HAVE this book, and its very good. If you wanna learn some of those sweet riffs wes cuts, get this book. If you are interested i a lot of cool guitar solos and prgressions, this isnt the book for you. If you wanna learn how to play exactly what on the cd, get this book! I hope this is helpfull.

You met Freddy D? Cool. I honestly haven't read this book, but if it's about Limp Bizkit, then it's prolly really good.

I met Fred Durst and you will feel like you know him persanally once you read this book!

As with the majority of other reviewers of this book - the exception having apparently only a remote acquaintance with English, which would, indeed, make the book rough going - I found Mr. Phinney's work to be not just interesting, but delightful.

It is a rare feat to be able to touch the scholarly and analytical bases, as well as to entertain. I cannot imagine a university course on the cultural influences of African-American music - or on American popular culture or music - which would be complete without reference to this book.

I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It really is a richly detailed book. The interviews were fascinating. This is a superior book to others I have read on the subject. I liked the photographs, too. Author Kevin Phinney lets the artists do the talking and keeps the mundane sociology to a minimum. His writing style is informative without being preachy. He explains so much of rock and roll in exact terms that make sense. I wish the publisher would go and give the book more publicity. I only found out about it while searching the name of a former black blues player who's in the book. Anyway, a good book, well worth your time. And, you get a lot for your money. This is a solid bit of musical research. Enjoyable and entertaining reading.

I read Souled American in a few sittings - it's that good. Here, for what I think must be the first time in a highly readable and very entertaining book, are the truths that some music historians have tried hard to keep in the dark. Writer Kevn Phinney has a pleasant writing style and this enhances the overriding theme of this fact-crammed journey through Black Blues and White Rock And Roll - that much of what we know or experience as the roots of "white rock" was really the result of the hard work and vast talent of earlier African-American musical artists and, in some cases, musical geniuses. The interviews with such greats as Ray Charles, David Byrne, Sly Stone, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, and others are worth the price of the book alone. Mr. Phinney really knows how to ask questions and draw out information.

The author's understanding of how musical worlds, tastes, styles, and talents blended or were at odds with each other enhances his thesis. He appreciates the historical roots of blues and rock. When did any writer of a book head for Kansas City to really dig into the subject of KC Blues and then make a sane link to specific styles of rock and roll. Sheer brilliance. And enthrallingly written. The author brings in refences to myriad bands, such as The Rolling Stones or Chaka Khan. The musical richness of this volume is superb.

Mr. Phinney details politics, sociology, and culture as it influences music from the horrid days of Jim Crow to the White Rap escapades of Eminem. The author knows full well that white culture has been mightily transformed by black music. There is no escaping this fact. Souled American is a great book that has long been needed. Mr. Phinney makes stunning links between slave chants and specific musical riffs being heard today. This entire project seems a staggering undertaking. But the book is not daunting at all. It works on every level. It informs, enlightens, entertains, and succeeds on every level and I'm glad I read it. The author has a keen awareness of culture, counter-culture, and cultural shifts. Not only should the book be read by every musician, it should be read by anyone who loves the blues or rap or hip hop or good old rock and roll.

By far the best comprehensive read on music made in the United States that I've read. Phinney weaves a story line that takes us all the way back to the era of the African slave trade where an Englishman named Richard Jobson becomes the first European in recorded history to write about his observance of witnessing Africans involved in the making of music. He brings us through history right to today's doorstep where music makers as diverse as Eminem to Wynton Marsalis continue to tell the story not only of their music, but who we are as people living and contributing to an constantly evolving culture. The research is extensive and exhaustive. It reminds me of Ken Burn's Jazz series on steroids as it encompasses all genres of music through many centuries including slave work songs, minstrelsy, gospel, ragtime, blues, jazz, rock and roll, R & B, rock and todays hip-hop. There isn't enough attention made to the Latin tinge in American music but that ommission just as it was with the Burns series doesn't take away from all of the great research that defines this book. For music lovers and people who are interested in the underpinnings of American culture in general, it is a must read! It is a definitive statement of the addage that music is a mirror that reflects the people and times it was created in. Highly recommended!!

Bobby Jackson
Cleveland, OH

If you are a music fan, a history fan, a pop-culture fan, or just someone who loves intelligent storytelling then you will love this book. I really was not exposed to the Blues or early Jazz prior to reading Souled American and now I find myself listening to music with different ears.

Robert Reilly's "Surprised by Beauty - A Listener's Guide to the Recovery of Modern Music" has been with me since it's publication. It is one of the most heavily book-marked, annotated books I have - and much cherished.

This book is perhaps not perfect and it is probably not first-order-brilliant either, but it is beautiful! I treasure it as much as I treasure much of the music that I have since enjoyed because of this book.

Surprised by Beauty is highly spiritual. Stephen Hough, the wonderful pianist who records for hyperion (interviewed in the book), says on the jacket cover:

"Robert Reilly has the unusual and delightful ability to infect the reader with insatiable curiosity about the composers he champions. Names that often were unknown, and sometimes unpronounceable, suddenly seem totally fascinating and worthy of discovery at the earliest opportunity. Yet beyond this level of exploration is his personal vision of music as something profoundly spiritual, expressive of what is best and most enriching in human life and having the possibility of leading us to encounter God Himself."

That is a good introduction to Surprised by Beauty. The opening quote of the book is from Max Picard: "[In] sound intself, there is a readiness to be ordered by the spirit, and this is seen at its most sublime in music."

The love for music never ceases to impress - and as knowledgeable a man as Mr. Reilly is always a pleasure to have along for instruction.

Before I delve at some length into examples I (dis)agree with in this book, let me summarize:
If you want loving introductions to the music of

John Adams, ("The Search for a Larger Harmony")
George Antheil ("Bad Boy Made Good"),
Malcolm Arnold, ("English Enigma")
Gerald Finzi, ("Inmitations of Immortality")
Stephen Gerber, ("Keeping America Real")
Morton Gould ("Maestro of Americana"),
Roy Harris, ("Singing to America")
Vagn Holmboe, ("The Music of Metaphysics")
László Lajtha, ("Music from a Secret Room")
Gian Francesco Malipiero, ("Beyond Italian Opera")
Frank Martin, ("Guide to the Liturgical Year")
William Mathias, ("Musical Incantations")
Carl Nielsen ("Music is Life"),
Einojuhani Rautavaara, ("New Northern Light")
Albert Roussel, ("The Freedom of Personal Vision")
Edmund Rubbra, ("On the Road to Emmaus")
Harald Saeverud, ("A Norwegian Original")
Aulis Sallinen ("Scandinavian Consolation"),
Peter Schickele, ("Schickele Unmixed")
Franz Schmidt, ("Setting the Apocalypse")
Alexander Tcherepnin ("From Russia With Love"),
Eduard Tubin, ("In From the Cold")
Geirr Tveitt, ("The Music in the Waterfall")
Mieczyslaw Vainberg, ("Light in the Dark")
Peteris Vasks ("Another New Northern Light")

as well as Duruflé, Elgar, Janáèek, Martinù, Poulenc, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Vaughn-Williams and Villa-Lobos - you have picked up the right book.

These are the composers dealt with in little chapters, ordered alphabetically and cobbled together from reviews and pieces written in different magazines. Nonetheless, there is a coherent line through the work - cumulating in a few interviews with composers such as Robert Craft, David Diamond, Gian Carlo Menotti, Einojuhani Rautavaara, George Rochberg and Carl Rütti.

Just for John Cage, Mr. Reilly has no kind words ("Apostle of Noise"). And the specter haunting some chapters, not to be rescued until Robert Craft takes up his cause, is Arnold Schoenberg. In fact, Schoenberg so rubs Mr. Reilly the wrong way that he elicits the books strongest (and perhaps most contentious) statement from Robert Reilly: Ugliness is the aesthetic analogue to evil.

To say it right away: A lover of modern music - and with a much higher tolerance for the unnecessarily absurd (Concerto for two cheese-graders, jet engine, electric toothbrush and chromatic garbage disposal? Bring it on!) - I have grid (grinded) my teeth many a time. A more conservative reader than me would find himself nodding along throughout the book. Either way, it is a veritable treasure-trove.

After every chapter, there is a little section discussing the merit of important works of that composer in different editions. This is immensely helpful in choosing where to start the musical discovery-tour.

Telling of the nonchalance with which he treats the breadth of his appreciation of modern music is the following quote: "Anyone who enjoys Britten's music of this kind should likewise appreciate Mathias's". I imagine the greater part of his initial readership to wince even at the very idea of Britten, assuming that they know him or his work.

His passion for Janáèek's String Quartets is so palpable that not having them (I had them when I read it) must seem half a crime. His championing of Saeverrud (my initial reaction, too, was: Who???) is passionate and sophisticated.

A book, in short, that will get much and repeated bedside reading and the occasional study - a charming companion through 20th century classical music with amiably strong - if not always agreeable - opinions. Highly recommended.

Being a neophyte in modern classical music I'm very much in need of a guiding hand and Reilly's book has been the most helpful yet to boost up my appreciation of music and Beauty for that matter. His writings not only assure the validity of my fears or `sense of barbarian for not understanding the meaning of the sounds' I have been listening to, but endow a refreshing and profound understanding of how modern music can be free from its praise of entanglement. It has been a delightful and moving experience to read Reilly's so unique and exquisite way of illustrating modern composer's journeys into their pledge for Beauty. He brings you close enough and candidly to their emotions and struggles in a timely historic ambiance as to appreciate even more their daring willingness to come up with beautiful music! No doubt his has been `a labor of love for music'- one can actually hear the resonance of the Spirit of Music without having started on his recommendations!"Surprised by Beauty" was definitely a wonderful Christmas present and I highly recommend his reading!

Being a neophyte in modern classical music I'm very much in need of a guiding hand and Reilly's book has been the most helpful yet in boosting my appreciation of music and Beauty, for that matter. His writings not only assure the validity of my fears or 'sense of barbarian for not understanding the meaning of the sounds' I have been listening to, but endow a refreshing and profound understanding of how modern music can be free from its praise of entanglement. It has been a delightful and moving experience to read Reilly's unique and exquisite way of illustrating modern composer's journeys into their pledge for Beauty. He brings you close to their emotions and struggles in a timely historic ambiance so as to appreciate even more their daring willingness to come up with beautiful music! No doubt his has been 'a labor of love for music'- one can actually hear the resonance of the Spirit of Music without having started on his recommendations!"Surprised by Beauty" was definitely a wonderful Christmas present and I highly recommend his reading!

Those of us who have the fortune of living in our current musical climate have the benefit of hindsight concerning a great many things. If we look at the last 75-80 years we see the advent and reign of the reactionary (rather than evolutionary) dodecaphonic school in all its pedantic and intolerant glory- traits often ostentatiously shunned by self-styled progressives. Then we see the collapse of its dominance, followed by reactions to the reaction: the adoption of simplistic methods such as aleatoric processes and minimalism. Robert Reilly treats this course in history not as a glorious long line of musical evolution, but as an interruption to true musical progress. I don't know that I would completely adopt his line of thinking here, but there is truth in what he says. We seem to be right back where we started at the beginning of the 20th century. Composers write Romantic music now even as they did then...and the 12 tone system never seemed to have caught on with more than a devout minority of enthusiasts, some of whom will even readily admit the system's appeal as largely cerebral.
More valuable in Reilly's book than the larger argument is his advocation of a group of composers who have at some point or another fallen on hard times in terms of legitimacy and recognition in the eyes of the musical scene at large. Reilly's succinct and informative snapshots of these composers, as well as his down-to-earth style, is crucial for the rehabilitation of these men, many of whose music I personally respect, love, and find vastly underrated. (For example, I recently discovered the music of Geirr Tveitt...WONDERFUL stuff, but who knows it?) It is true that Reilly's list is limited- there could be scores more names added....but his treatment of the names he does include should promote some interest in these men and help to generate the respect they deserve.

Now if about 20 more Reilly's would write books like these perhaps we may recover a good deal of great music that has fallen victim to circumstance and neglect due in large part to the tonality wars that have distracted musical activity for almost a century.

I should say right off that I am deliberately taking my time to read this book & haven't read every chapter yet. I know of nothing quite like it, though. A feature I want, at this point, particularly to commend is the way the author has (1) of conveying his delight in, and the meaningfulness of, the music as he has experienced it, while (2) somehow saying enough that this reader, at least, can distinguish between the sure bets and the iffy ones from the reader's own point of view. Thus I credit Reilly (and the wonderful Samuel Palmer cover art) for putting me on to the Chandos recordings of the symphonies of Edmund Rubbra -- once I bought and listened to a CD of his symphonies 4, 10, & 11, I knew I would want more. One of Reilly's fine columns in Crisis Magazine put me on to Joly Braga Santos -- sure enough, I enjoyed the work (Symphony #4) praised there, as well. The Naxos CD of Douglas Lilburn's symphonies is another example. On the other hand, while Reilly likes Martinu and Nielsen, what he says about these composers conveys important things about their work such that someone like me who is not enchanted would have sufficient warning that this is someone to hear first before buying. I hope that in a few years there can be a sequel to this book. In the meantime, I'm glad to have a copy of Surprised by Beauty and to be able to read Mr. Reilly's columns in Crisis.

A Testimony of the Lions is a book you will not want to put down once you start reading it. The only fault I found is that I wish the author would have made it twice as long as he did. It is good read for those with doubts about evolution or Christianity. It is a totally interesting book involving science fiction, history, and religion as well as a fast paced thriller. You need not suspend your sense of reality to read this book. It is right up there with modern technology and is quite credible in how it reads out. Otis doesn't pull any punches. I just hope someone makes a movie from this novel.
I'd go see it in a heart-beat.

This book is my favorite genre, historical fiction, but with a twist! Entertaining, enlightening, and emotional, Mr. Otis keeps the reader up at night waiting to see what the next page holds. Fantastic read!

This was an intriguing read challenging me continually to verify historic events. Finishing the book weeks ago I can't get it out of my mind. Events in life keep pushing me to read parts again and again..

Robert Otis writes a thriller that you won't be able to put down. In fact, the last 60 pages will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book much reminded me of John Irving's old classic, A Prayer for Owen Meany. Otis writes in that same story telling fashion, and his main character is one you will quickly find much in common in your own quest to attempt to do what is right in life. In fact Otis even explores the possibility of meeting and talking with Jesus Christ, to ask that age old philosophical question: what is the purpose of life and humanity. As far fetched as this might seem, Otis makes it possible with a kind hearted scientist who is tired of the bureaucracy of his top secret job of developing a time machine for the government, and uses this technology for peaceful purposes, to escape to 33A.D. The novel has heroes and villains, a spirited romance, people you will know from history, topped with a very thought provoking and charming script. This historical fiction is a must read if you're looking for a book to get you into the Christmas spirit, or through difficult days in your own existence. I read many books (mostly King, Koontz and Grisham), and this book has that same kindly flavor and intrigue. Do something nice for yourself, and check it out!!

A TESTIMONY OF LIONS

The work of a very intelligent scientific historian that presents a challenge to the average Joe. The beginning suggests a reflection on the author's own childhood and the formation of a crisp imagination. He capitalizes on the reader's knowledge of recorded history and willingness to reach into the vast arena of "How it might have been". The surprise ending leaves unanswered the feelings of fulfillment and fodder for the imagination of the reader.

"This book is about life as it is interpreted by books."

So begins the introduction of Edward Mendelson's The Things That Matter: What Seven Classic Novels Have to Say About the Stages of Life. As a professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, Mendelson has read and discussed many novels. What interests me more than his being well-read, though, is his approach to reading novels.

Novels, of course, present a world full of life and characters of their own and should be read to understand that world and those characters. Mendelson takes a view like my own, however: that novels are not meant to be read in vacuo. "A reader who identifies with the characters in a novel is not reacting in a naïve way that ought to be outgrown or transcended, but is performing one of the central acts of literary understanding."

When I began to read novels in earnest I was a bit late to the game; most of my unassigned reading while I was growing up was taken from the topics of the sciences and computers. Before I had entered my twenties I had achieved unusual proficiency in those areas, even for a specialist, but I was embarrassed by my ignorance of literature. Of course I had read the usual works covered in the public school system but no one had managed to impress upon me the value of novels. Consequently, it would be more correct to say that I skimmed the usual novels and I could regurgitate various facts about The Scarlet Letter, Lord of the Flies, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn but they didn't mean much to me at the time. So instead I read The C Programming Language, TCP/IP Illustrated, and UNIX Programmers Reference. Even much of the history that I managed to read was for a rather specific topic, as was the case with The Codebreakers.

Rather than attempt to go through life hiding my ignorance of literature and constantly fearing its exposure, I decided to solve the real problem by actually reading novels and attempting to understand them. I started with some that I remembered enjoying in high school, such as Alas, Babylon. I then returned to The Scarlet Letter and branched out to things that I should have read but had managed to avoid and in the process discovered the likes of Jane Austen. Though my love of books was always present, it was in returning to the novel that my love of reading grew.

In The Things That Matter, Mendelson takes us on a tour of the stages of life, discussing each in turn as it is considered in one of the seven novels featured.

Birth
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (1818)
Childhood
Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë (1847)
Growth
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë (1847)
Marriage
Middlemarch, George Eliot (1871-72)
Love
Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf (1925)
Parenthood
To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf (1927)
The Future
Between the Acts, Virginia Woolf (1941)

In Mendelson's capable hands, each of these novels is able to take on particular meaning. Not only are the events of the author and the historical context considered, as might be true in any literary criticism, but each is tied back to the stage of life that is the focus and what it means. In discussing meaning, Mendelson does not arrogantly push a pet theory on the reader. "Theories belong to science," he writes, "which relies on repeatable results that can be tested by experiment or refuted by fact..." Reading a novel is a personal experience and writing about novels is from an individual perspective.

Readers are invited explicitly to join in the dialogue, judging what is written for themselves, and considering meaning for themselves. Disagreement with the writer is the reader's prerogative. I love how Mendelson treats the situation. "I hope our disagreements, when they occur, can provide the comforts of both heat and light."

I enjoyed The Things That Matter thoroughly, as I'm sure will any reader who thinks of novels as worthy of reflection and consideration beyond what they mean to the author.

I echo Tom Casey's review below. I read some of these novels thirty years ago, and started re-reading them two years ago. What perfect timing, then, for Edward Mendelson's very interesting approach on these novels. On the surface this book does not appear to be the typical academic work it is, but each chapter on its own could have been a doctoral thesis. To tie these seven novels into passages of life is quite remarkable. In addition, footnotes, though infrequent, shed light on very important issues of the times that are easily overlooked. To enjoy this book one should have a fairly good knowledge of the novels. But you can read the essays in any order that you want; each essay stands alone. Highly, highly recommended.

I just read "The Things That Matter," having seen it on my library's shelf and picked it up out of curiosity. I loved this book not only for its content but for the timing with which it showed up for me to read. My brilliant-at-math-and-science-stuff child was having a challenge with English Lit class; this book has given me a way to relate to them the value of novels to real life stuff, especially thinking about how "universal ideas" in life play out in personal actual life.

I found Mendelson's critical reviews of "What Seven Classic Novels Have to Say About the Stages of Life" timely and well written. I highlight below several points that struck me.

. I have never, never, NEver realized the intricate complexities of "Frankenstein" til I read Mendelson's analysis. I had heard that the authoress (Mary Shelley) was brilliant and accomplished and connected in her time, but to be honest all I could image in my mind prior to this book was the film treatments of a) Boris Karloff, and b) Mel Brooks. Suffice it to say I have a whole new appreciation of the rich ideas and paradoxes Shelley wove into her story!

. Mendelson does a fine job of weaving seven stories into seven Stages of Life (Birth, Childhood, Growth, Marraige, Love, Parenthood, The Future). Never mind the excellence of each chapter's analyses; the crafting of the whole book, and its demonstration by example of its meta-theme that "things that matter are written about in great literature," excite my professional admiration for a job of craftsmenship and talent well done.

. Further exciting my admiration are several points mentioned in the preface and in the essays as Mendelson distinguishes "universal ideas" that these authoresses (Mary Shelley, Emile Bronte, Charlotte Bronte, George Eliot, Virginia Woolf) present in their narratives:

1) He chose all woman authors because "it has nothing to do with any fantasy that women have greater moral and emotional intelligence" but rather "a woman writer [in the 19th and 20th centuries] had a greater motivation to defend the values of personal life against the generalizing effect of stereotypes." This is still an issue today for ALL of us, I think, whatever our personal circumstances or lifestyle choices.

2) That opposite life principles may be equally true, that what is publically espoused may be privately doubted. Or said colloquially, "The opposite of a Great Truth may be in itself a Great Truth." Examples include, in "Frankenstein," the espoused principle that a good upbringing of a child will result in a good character of an adult. But: "The opposite may also be true."

To read Mendelson's "take" about these works and their authors has made me feel more acquainted with seven "tastes of greatness!"

"This book is about life as it is interpreted by books. Each of the chapters has a double subject: on the one hand, an English novel written in the nineteenth or twentieth century, and on the other, one of the great experiences or stages that occur, or can occur, in more or less everyone's life." These opening lines of Edward Mendelson's work of literary criticism - The Things That Matter - encapsulate his intent. A study of seven classical novels by Mary Shelley, Emily and Charlotte Brontë, George Eliot and Virginia Woolf, Mendelson's essays present his thesis that novels provide insight into specific stages of life and, these novels, when viewed collectively present a "history of the emotional and moral life of the past two centuries."

Mendelson has aimed his work at readers of any age, the only prerequisite being knowledge of the seven novels. He writes in a conversational manner, as if lecturing directly to the reader. Theories and supporting arguments are presented within the text, footnotes included only when critical. Woven throughout is information about the prevailing theories and literary themes of the period.

In the section on Wuthering Height_s Mendelson explores Brontë's idea of romantic childhood, tracing its roots to the romanticism of Wordsworth and Freud. His _Wuthering Heights is a very different one than the one commonly studied in high school. Heathcliff and Catherine are desperate to recapture the total unity experienced as children, to merge two selves into one. Whereas the commonly held perception is of a novel of thwarted passion and cruelty, Mendelson believes Brontë deliberately led readers to this conclusion and away from her true meaning. "She disguised Wuthering Heights as a story of doomed sexual passion perhaps because she regarded her potential readers with something close to contempt...they could not understand what this book tells them."

Each of the authors is examined with the same focus, each essay meriting its own review. Mendelson states that he "could easily imagine a similar book to this one made up of entirely different examples."

I'll keep my fingers crossed that inspiration strikes and Mendelson shares more of his thoughts on life and literature.

Armchair Interviews agrees.

In case you ever thought less of women writers than their male counterparts look no farther than Mendelson's review of seven classics all written by women who wrote what matters in life with vivid, vibrant language.

Starting with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein that is the result of an inspirational motto by Mary Wollstonecraft: "A great proportion of the misery that wanders, in hideous forms, around the world, is allowed to rise from the negligence of parents," to early attachments in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, to early disattachment by Charlotte Bronte, to the humdrum beats of ordinary life in Middlemarch by George Eliot, to the realization of life's illusions in Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, to a rebellion in To the Lighthouse, also by Virginia Woolf, and finally to the disillusionment met in Between the Acts, yet again by Woolf.

Great books as can only be understood best by this book.

Coker has written a readable, entertaining, and comprehensive biography of the man who became, rather improbably, the greatest rapper of all time. Focusing on his life, his titanic talent, his character, and the intrinsic grace of his storytelling, this book does not dwell on the petty rivalries that engrossed the media and dominated most discussions about Biggie Smalls. This book is overwhelmingly positive; in fact, the author seems somewhat infatuated with the subject, and this is the only reason I do not give the book 5 stars. For instance, Coker does not dwell on how Biggie exaggerated the poverty and depravation of his childhood to a great degree. But overall it is a great book that gives a solid feel of the life and times of the King of N-Y, although it is a bit of a puff piece.

Book Review: The Life, Death, And Afterlife of Notorious Of Big

By: Cheo Hodon Coker






The Notorious B.I.G. aka "Biggie" has left the rap game in body, but his music lives

on. Unbelievable; The life, death, and afterlife of The Notorious Big which was written

By: Cheo Hodon Coker. I gave it a five star rating; because it gave a better

understanding of Biggie problems and emotion that he faced on the streets of Brooklyn,

New York to the Hills of Hollywood, California. Coker makes it clear that Biggie

conquered the music industry with his street rhythms to win number of awards. Never

the less he come short to explain why when Biggie saw his wife Faith they did not talk to

each other for the last time.


The book was a good Biography of Notorious Big. It rest; fill with a lot of street

talking just as know Biggie to talk on a day to day bases. The book makes it seem as if

McPherson 2




Biggie was the person telling the story that how good the book is. It also explores a lot

of interesting issues that not many people are willing to talk about. Biggie had attended

Catholic School and getting a lot of things from his mother, who was a teacher, young

Biggie did not have much to do.


By the age of 16 he had dropped out of High School and had become a crack dealer.

Coker often said in the book that biggie just wanted more. Sean Combs, a Music

Producer, who pay Biggie money to stop selling crack. Biggie would not stop

because he had just had a baby and the music was not giving him the money he wanted

Combs one time had to went down south to get Biggie, because Biggie was down there

selling crack. Biggie often says that he did not think that he could make it in the rap

game.

Then come the war "East Coast" VS "West Coast", which the Media put a lot of

paper to the Fire and made it bigger. It ended up with the death of Tupac death, and then

soon it would be Biggie turn.

Over the entire book was a success I would recommend that people take out of there

busy life and read this book, most of all the rappers in the music busy now. It would also

help to stop the "Beefing" of rappers.

This book is Big as biggie smallz, i always respected Biggie smallz and i always wanted to know who really was Christopher wallace and when you read it you just fell pain for his mother, cause christopher was the son every mother want to have, this nigga could have done everything to see the people around him happy, when you read this you see how Biggie would never done nothing whrong to 2pac ,every hip hop fan have to buy this cause we all know many things about 2pac life but finally we don't know nothing about Biggie smalls , before reading this i was taking Big as the best flow hip hop will never had, after reading this book i thing that this fella was the realest hip hop will never have , i want to tell all the 2pac fan who take Biggie as the so called greatest to never forgot that 2pac has 6 lps before his death and Biggie got 2 only, this nigga was at the begining of his career and he was on his way to be the mike anyone jordan , jackson of hip hop!at the reading of this book you see that the 2 dearly legend of hip hop was two friend with nothing in common but with everything complementary, so enjoy cause this may not be the best biography i've read it's arleady one of the best ... it's 25 years full of love, pain, drugs,sex, guns , talent,women and many more!

A must read for anyone interested in the history of hip hop. Before I read it, I had only heard of the Notorious B.I.G. Now I feel as though I know him - personally.

During the 90's, when gansta rap and the East coast vs. West coast fight broke out, I was too busy working on my Bachelor's and Master's degrees to pay much attention to anything else.
I had also heard of Suge Knight and Sean Combs, but only from newspaper reports. Reading this book really filled in a lot of the details for me. Suge Knight is portrayed in a postive light as really caring for his artists and seeing to it that they were treated right. He became violent only when he thought that those artists were being taken advantage of, and that they (as well as he) were losing part of the money they were entitled to. I had always wondered what had prompted this violent streak of his. I remember the newspapers would only report the latest incidents, never try to explain them. The book also explains what it is, in fact, that Sean Combs does. I had always wondered: Is he a rapper? A producer? An executive? And, how did he amass so much money? Combs had always been a mystery to me. To some extent, he still is, but the book goes a long way toward solving this riddle too.

This book explores many interesting puzzles like these and shows how intricate relationships within the hip hop community had become, even by the 90's. Biggie Smalls is portrayed as a flawed yet sympathetic character. At first, he's a child attending Catholic school in uniform, who feels different from all the others hanging out on the corner. His mother is a teacher, he's fatherless, and while not rich, he's by no means poor. His mother gets all the latest gear for him so he doesn't go out and get in trouble. As he grows older, however, the lure of quick profits grows stronger, so that by the time he's 16, he's dropped out of school and become a full-time crack dealer. The book wants us to believe this is so he can buy even more of the latest gear, and that he's never statisfied with what he's got. I'm not sure that that's the whole story, but surely his life was never as bleak as what he depicted later in some of his songs. One gets the feeling that somewhere along the line, something just isn't right - either with the world, or with Biggie. Then, once Biggie becomes a rap star, he says in the book that he never expected to, that rapping was just a hobby and that the profession he had actually chosen was that of the crack dealer. So, we're expected to believe that this rap star thing just happened as a fluke, and came just as much as a surprise to him as to the rest of the world. Maybe all this is so, but if it isn't, the book makes no alternative explanations, nor even attempts to. All we're left with, instead, is an incomplete portrayal of the man who would later become known as the Notorious BIG. All in all, despite the inadequacies in the portrayal, one is still able to admire and respect the genius and charisma of this man. This is both a tribute to the man and to the author. It makes us aware that even legends have character pitfalls, yet we're still able to remember and love them for who they were.

I am so glad that I read this book. This book glorified Biggie as a everyday fella not a superstar. How good of a person he was and what he did for others including the ones that hated on him, which were many.

This book gave a first account on how he went for "ashy to classy" and how hard he tried to keep it once he found out that he really had talent for music rather than talent for selling crack.

What I didn't know, but really didn't surprise me was how much of a playa Biggie was. He had his wife Faith, Lil' Kim and Charlie Baltimore and I am going to say that it was more than that. It bugged me out him and Faith never even spoke to each other when the saw each other on the night he died. I guess it is true that you never know that last time you may see someone for good.

I love the loyalty of his true friends from St. James, mainly Lil' Cease. This book also showed you how grimey Lil' Kim really is. What devastated me that most was how his relationship between him and Tupac just crumbled over bullsh--, straight bullsh--. If you ask me my opinion and this is just my opinion, I think Tupac what just in the wrong place at the wrong place, just like the rest of his situations. Now, don't get me wrong that's my boy too, he just makes bad judgements, just like Biggie staying out in Cali, like everything was cool.

Overall, this book was the best biography I ever read. It was straight up real, it made you feel as if Biggie was telling you the story of his life himself.

Later!!!