Genres Books

Darcie Denkert has given us a gem. Her lavish book with its incredible photographs tells Broadway and Hollywood tales with purpose. She discusses the influence of Broadway on filmmaking and the all-important connection between the two art forms in highly intelligent and most enjoyable prose. Her knowledge of the genres is huge, yet she lays it out in a natural way, never inserting herself into the stories, although she no doubt has many of her own across a distinguished career. Her passion for the subject is palpable. The people and places come alive in the telling.

This book is required reading for all budding theater impresarios and filmmakers.

You might expect that a work filled with such brilliant photography in the coffee-table sized format to be all fluff. Wrong, Ladies and Gentlemen. This work actually has something to say and does it in an intelligent fashion! Not for just anyone, but if you truly Love the American Musical it is a Must Have. Since I teach Musicals, both Broadway and Hollywood, this is a welcome reference work. Besides the photos are wonderful and many not seen elsewhere.

I couldn't agree more with the other two reviews. This is a marvelous book that any musical and/or movie musical fan will devour. And the design, layout and pics are all sensational. If only "A Chorus Line" had been included, the book would be perfect. (Maybe Denkert was precluded from writing about it for some reason.) In any event, this is a reader-friendly (not to mean dumb) coffee table book that won't break your wrists or the bank.

Being an observer of plays and movies with a particular interest in musicals I've long been puzzled by the difficulty there seems to be with moving a musical from Broadway to Hollywood. Why does a smash hit like Gypsy, sometimes called 'The best damn musical ever,' basically flop on screen?

Darcie Denkert is an expert on both Broadway and Hollywood. In this book she has carefully researched a series of the most famous musicals that were made into movies. Sometimes, like with Gypsy, the play simply doesn't translate into the big screen. The scene at the train station, for instance when Rose is shifting her attentions to Louise after June left in the play works well. The train station doesn't look like a train station, it looks like a set. The orchestra is visible, the song works. In the movie, at a real train station, you don't just burst into song. And the stars, great movie stars, just didn't fit.

This is the kind of information that only an insider with a foot into each camp could get and then put into a book. Referring to Gypsy again, the author also tells us how the stories got written, who did what, how did the music get written, what did they do in the screenplay to adapt it?

The book covers 6 big plays: My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Gypsy, The Sound of Music, Cabaret, and Chicago, and 8 smaller ones. This format gives all the space that is needed to completely tell the story. Gypsy, for instance gets 38 pages, and they're big pages. To we outsiders, not plugged into either Broadway or Hollywood, this is an absolutely fascinatin book.

darcie denkert has done a fabulous job talking about the great shows of broadway and their translation to the screen. i love this book--the illustrations are insightful and the text is very well thought out. it should be a great addition to any college course on musicals.

it is also a great thing to see a woman's voice come through on this subject that is dominated my many great writers such as ethan morrden and mark steyn.

go, darcie!

This is a great resource for anyone who is working with lieder written by one of the greatest leid singers of the 20th Cent.

I recently purchased a six-CD set on EMI of Fischer-Dieskau singing Brahms lieder. My collection includes the song texts in German, but, alas, does not have English translations. I needed to know something of the texts and thus turned to "The Fischer-Dieskau Book of Lieder", first published in 1976 and recently reissued. This book includes the original texts and English translations of 750 songs, including, of course, many texts set by Brahms. The book does not include all the songs in my compiliation, but it gave me much more than I had without it. It includes, among much else, the complete text and translation of Brahms's song-cycle, "Die Schone Magelone" Op. 33, which set 15 poems of Ludwig Tieck. In this day of cost-cutting, where both texts and translations are frequently not included in CDs, Fischer-Dieskau's book is an excellent resource.

The song texts are easy to use as they are accompanied by a three-fold index that lists the contents by composer, poets, and titles and first lines. The songs in the book are arranged alphabetically. The book also includes an excellent introduction by Fischer-Dieskau which manages to be both an overview and highly personal at the same time.

In addition to helping to find texts and translations of songs on recordings, this book has many other uses. It can be used simply to read the poetry that was set by the great composers of song and to follow-up by listening to settings of poems that the reader finds appealing. The book can be used as a guide to songs that were set by more than one composer or to explore songs. The book includes many texts that were set by the great masters of song, including Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Wolf, and others. There are many other texts set by composers who are obscure. For those with a desire to do so, this book can be used as a means of finding and exploring songs by composers who lie somewhat outside the most familiar track. And, of course, this is a wonderful book simply for browsing.

This book will delight any lover of art song and would make a treasured and unique gift to any lover of song.

This book, compiled by one of the greatest lieder performers of our time, is an extensive anthology of lieder texts from mid-18th century (Haydn, Gluck) to the first half of the 20th (Shoeck, Hindemith), with the vast majority placed in the heart of Fisher-Dieskau expertise - the romantic lieder: over 150 of Schubert's songs, most of Schumann's, and then Loewe, Cornelius, Brahms and many more. Important cycles by Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Wolff, Mahler etc. are given in their entirety. The translation, even though it does not preserve the rhyme, does preserve the line structure and serves its purpose to the fullest. English texts (W. Scott, W. Shakespeare etc.) used by composers in their German translation, are "back-translated" to English, rather than presented in their original form. The texts are alphabetically organised, and in addition to the poet's (or translator's) name, the names of (in most cases) all composers who wrote music to the text are given. There are 3 useful indices - one by author, one by composer and one general index. In the interesting introduction to the book, Fischer-Dieskau briefly sketches the history of the artistic song from his own very interesting point of view. And here one has to realise that this is indeed a personal anthology made by a great performer of the German Lied. Most of the texts, with very few exceptions, are originally in German, or used by the composers in their German translation. If the text is not in German, as in the case of Carpani's "In Questa Tomba Oscura", it is there since it is set to music by Beethoven, or Tchaikowski's setting for the Scottish ballad "Edward" is in the book probably just because he used the German translation... This book can not replace much needed books that are not available, such as the entire corpus of Schubert's song texts, in the way that Norton's anthology of English literature can not replace the complete writings of the authors that appear in the collection. The texts are not annotated, something that would be welcome in a more reference-type book. However, for whoever is interested in the German lied, this is an essential and extensive anthology, accompanied by very good translations and very well organised. PS - now someone should come up with a French equivalent...

offers english (poetic not literal) translations of many german lieder texts neglected in other resources such as "word by word translations of songs and arias." indespensible resource for singers, pianists, and others interested in lieder who do not speak german. includes the greater portion of texts set by Schubert, Wolf, Schumann, etc. also includes texts set by more modern or obscure composers, e.g. Peter Cornelius, Clara Schumann, etc. a book that needed to be written.

I sing in a church choir and have been taking voice lessons for about 18 months. I walked into my next voice lesson with this book and the teacher that was just leaving said "That's a great book! I use it all the time." If you do not speak German it is a good reference to learn lyrics. If you are a fan, then having this book saves you from having to pull out the booklets from your Matthias Goerne CD cases:) DF-D wrote an excellent 17 page intro, but did not do the translations. He is an excellent writer-read his book on Schubert lieder.

I learned more about soloing on the guitar in one day using this book than I have in several years on my own. I've been playing for 20 years and I play mostly progressive metal and progressive rock. Frank is an amazing teacher and has a real knack for making the difficult subjects seem manageable and fun. What you'll get here is 5 approaches to EACH of the following chord types: Minor 7 (Dorian, Aeolian), Major 7 (Major, Lydian), Unaltered Dominant 7 (Mixolydian, Lydian flat 7), Altered Dominant 7 (Super Locrian, Diminished 1/2, phrygian major), Minor 7 flat 5 (Locrian, Aeolian flat 5, Locrian nat6), Diminished (diminished whole/half, super locrian nat6).
As you can see, there's a lot here. It'll keep you busy! What I do is take one section at a time and lay down a backing track on my little 8 track to practice over. For example, the first section deals with minor 7 based off of the C major scale. This means he starts with Dmin7. So I play a Dmin7 vamp and then spend about an hour or so a day going through the various approaches Frank recommends. Here's a little jem I learned on this section---try playing an F Major 7 arpeggio over the Dmin7 vamp, it's amazing! There's tons more. He provides examples for each approach to get you started, but once you learn the improv techniques over each chord it's absolutely amazing how fresh and original your soloing becomes. I was in a rut for years and this book has helped me overcome all that and produce some very intersting ideas. With these 5 approaches you can cycle through each and mix 'em up over the chord changes. I promise you that you'll never run out of ideas.
I should also mention that I own a few other improv books but I don't even use them any more. This one is all I'll ever need. Also, don't be shy about getting this book if you're not into Jazz. This is a book for ALL guitarists regardless of style.

Both Frank Gambale Technique Book I & II are essentially studies of five different improvisational approaches to tackle a particular chord type, namely: scale, pentatonics, arpeggios, triads, intervals. As such, Frank presents a wide range of harmonic possibilities on improvisation, based upon which the intelligent student can construct meaningful solos when these music elements are internalized.

Note that in those two books there is a large amount of materials to digest, however a solid understanding of these materials is fundamental to jazz improvisation. The aspiring guitarist is urged to seek ways, from other sources, to build lines once these improvisational elements are digested. Recommended for a core course of improvisation.

The earlier reviewer pretty much covers what the material is about, I just want to add that its just a power packed book. Its not about riffs or scales or modes - its about entire frameworks you can use for improvisation. The material is dense, it is NOT for beginners, but if you know a little about guitar and theory, this thing is incredibly valuable.

Both Frank Gambale Technique Book I & II are essentially studies of five different improvisational approaches to tackle a particular chord type, namely: scale, pentatonics, arpeggios, triads, intervals. As such, Frank presents a wide range of harmonic possibilities on improvisation, based upon which the intelligent student can construct meaningful solos when these music elements are internalized.

Note that in those two books there is a large amount of materials to digest, however a solid understanding of these materials is fundamental to jazz improvisation. The aspiring guitarist is urged to seek ways, from other sources, to build lines once these improvisational elements are digested. Recommended for a core course of improvisation.

This is an excellent book for anyone who is serious about learning to play guitar. Although, I bought this book for $40 not $100+ as listed here. Gambale breaks everything down into chord types. Minor 7, major 7, unaltered dominant 7, altered dominant 7, minor 7 (b5), diminished. He attacks each chord type with several soloing approaches. He lists and gives examples of appropriate modes, arpeggios, pentatonics that can be used over that specific chord type. For example. When discussing a minor 7 chord he says there are two ways to look at it. You can look at it as a II chord or a VI chord. Say you are playing a dmin7. Dmin 7 is the II of C and the VI of F. So in this case you can use D Dorian or Aeolian. He also says that if you treat Dmin7 as the second of C you can use. Dmin, Emin, Amin blues/pentatonic scales over the Dmin7. Since the minor chords are II, III, and VI in any major scale. You can also approach soloing using arpeggios from cmaj over the Dmin and you can play these in fourths to get a more interesting sound, rather than just running up or down arpeggios. He has gone through all of that by page 8 and there is about 80 pages in the book. So basically, there is a huge wealth of knowlege in this book and it is an excellent way for a guitarist to get away from moving to the trusty pentatonic scales as soon as its time to solo. This book also comes with a Cd containing samples of each excercise as well as a couple short songs that Gambale has put together. Im not a big fan of the effects he uses while playing the excercises, but it doesn't really take anything away from the learning experience. If you can get a chance to get a hold of this book you should give it a chance, but know that it will take some serious time and experimentation to make these theoretical ideas come out of your guitar as music. They cant really be charging $107 for this, can they? Keep your eyes open and you should be able to find this book for around $40.

A superb book - lots of fun - but digestible only in little bites. There is a lot of information in here!

This book is a must read - it was so entertaining and funny, I had pop comming out of my nose laughing! And my friends and I had a great time sitting around the piano playing and singing the composed musice enclosed! We even added a few lyrics of our own to the already hilarious lyrics ;-)
Have Fun!

If you share my growing concern at the musical cross-over tendencies in synagogue songs and how "un-Jewish" much of today's Jewish music sounds, you'll find a charming antidote in Dr. Jack Gottlieb's new and original coffee table book: Funny, It Doesn't Sound Jewish. Gottlieb's earnest musical detective comparisons and analyses invite us into joyfully playing the "sounds like" game. After we chuckle in consternation, at the Yiddish or liturgical roots of a pop song's pedigree, we marvel at the truism that there seems to be "nothing new under the sun"; especially under the show biz music lights.

Gottlieb loves to make puns and burst bubbles. This effervescently entertaining study is filled with anecdotes, song sheet covers, musical illustrations, photos of composers and performers, and even an accompanying Audio CD to bring home his astute assertions.

Some of my favorites include: Did you realize that -

George Gershwin's It Ain't Necessarity So is kin to the Torah blessing Barachu Et Adoshem Ham'vorach?

The Torah cantillation for Merchaw R'via inspired both Bach's Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded and Paul Simon's American Tune?

Rozhinkes Mit Mandlin prompted Irving Berlin's Blue Skies.... and my all time favorite

I Am A Gay Caballero, I'm back again from Janeiro is both Y'hei sh'mei rabah m'vorach from the Kaddish and Ashrei yoshvei veitecha od y'hall'lucha selah

Are you curious to follow Gottlieb's unearthing of more of these amusing affinities? There are dozens of other examples, some more apparent than others, but all will cause you to "aha!" pause, smile, and, most importantly, think about what we consider immutable Jewish traditional melodies.

Dr. Gottlieb is an engaging author and lecturer (this book began as a touring presentation with him at the piano). He is a published composer of both secular and synagogue music who most recently was honored by The Milken Archive of American Jewish Music when it distributed a CD of his works on the Naxos label. He is also a meticulous researcher, program notes writer, and former assistant to Leonard Bernstein. In all these endeavors it is quite obvious that he is also a passionate lover of all thing musical and Jewish.

We offer kudos to Dr. Gottlieb for this wonderfully endearing study of Jewish melodic ties to mid 20th century pop music and enthusiastically recommend it as both an urbane entertainment and a carefully documented study. Buy it and enjoy!

Over 30 years ago there was a famous ad campaign for a brand of "Jewish rye bread," showing an American Indian eating a deli sandwich, and the caption read, "You Don't have to be Jewish to Like Levy's Rye Bread."

With regard to this book, this was never so true. Anyone who love the "Great American Song Book" spanning the first half of the last century cannot afford to miss this book.

Especially remarkable is that it IS a scholarly book, complete with footnotes and bibliography, but the tone is also so jocular.

The accompanying CD of musical examples alone is worth the cost of the book.

Do yourself a favor - Order this book, but pass on the Most book offered by Amazon.com in tandem. It is hardly as comprehensive and definitely pales by comparison.

Don't be mislead by the title of this book. It isn't glib or lightweight--in fact, it's a brilliant analysis of the subconscious effect synagogue music and Yiddish song have had on our most beloved popular music. When I picked it up (out of curiosity) I found myself mesmerized and couldn't stop reading.

The book is peppered with musical examples that continually evoke "I never realized that song was related to that"! Gottlieb must have spent decades researching this and it seems unbelievably thorough. He doesn't stop at musical analysis; he also includes a good examination of the history behind everything, particularly focusing on the heavy periods of emigration, when most of the (now) well-known Jewish composers came to America. The book made me look at some of the best known popular songs in a new light, yielding a deeper understanding of what went into their creation.

It may seem a little expensive, but you also get a CD packed with great rare recordings that have never been released before (try Bernstein performing Blitzstein's classic "Zipperfly" or Jolson singing "Khazn oyf Shabes" in Yiddish).

Gottlieb decides to pay limited attention to some of the living composers who focus on Jewish themes (for example, Jason Robert Brown and Osvaldo Golijov are only mentioned casually) but I suspect he could write another book on them. Let's hope he does--I would line up to get a copy.

I can't tell you how happy it makes me that someone wrote a book about my favourite album of all time! It gives a deeper perspective into the band and how the album came to be. This book is brilliantly written, and I had to stop myself from reading it all in one sitting! A definite treasure for Afghan Whigs fans.

Gentlemen has been one of my favorite albums for a long, long while and, as Bob Gendron states in the book, it's a truly unique masterpiece, unlike anything that's come along before or since.

Through interviews with many of the people involved in making both the album Gentlemen and The Afghan Whigs what they were, Bob vividly details the influences that provoked Greg Dulli to bare his soul so unabashedly. Among other interesting facts, we're finally given the true story behind the meeting of Greg, John, and Rick, as well as just the right amount of detail about the relationships that inspired the CD.

This is a quick, insightful read that any fan of Greg Dulli's work (with the Afghan Whigs and other projects) will appreciate. Now I'll just wait for Bob to write the story behind my favorite album of all time, the follow up to Gentlemen, Black Love. But I won't hold my breath.

I didn't know much about the Whigs before, so I really enjoyed this entertaining and informative book. It was an easy, fun read that gives insight into the creation of the album and the personalities of the band members. Hoping for more books by this very gifted author. A.M.Jandreau, Chicago,IL

Gendron's Gentlemen book encompasses the best aspects of the 33 1/3 series. It's readable in one sitting and is fast-paced, smart and accurate. The author takes great care with the source material and interviews to treat the album with the respect and love that it deserves. Through the historical detail, oral histories and criticism, this book illuminates even more to appreciate about the music, people and circumstances involved with this touchstone album.

This book is a thought-provoking, proper and thorough investigation of Gentlemen which was long overdue, but worth the wait.

What can you say about Gentleman that Bob didn't say? All I know is that it made for a phenomenal Sunday hungover read. This album got me through the hardest, darkest days of my life. Thank you for fleshing it out in this book.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF MOZART:
INSTRUMENTAL WORKS, UNLOCKING THE MASTERS SERIES, NO. 3
by DAVID HURWITZ - PAPERBACK - AMADEUS PRESS, 2005 - 187 PAGES.

RATED 5 STARS & HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by MOZART ENTHUSIASTS
for NOVICE MOZART CLASSICAL MUSIC LOVERS!

Over the last 20-years as a MOZART AFFICIANDO, I have read at least 50 MOZART BOOKS and would rate this book - A++ and 5 STARS!!!

Founder and editor of an online daily classical music magazine, author DAVID HURWITZ discusses features of Wolfgang Mozart's classical music in general and specific instrumental works to help listeners better understand and appreciate Mozart's special genius. This book is a guided tour of Mozart most popular musical works historical information on each work's composition, and an analysis about what makes each piece truly "noteworthy." This book also explains and examines MOZART'S CHAMBER MUSIC, ORCHESTRAL MUSIC (SERENADES AND SYMPHONIES), and CONCERTOS (PIANO and WIND). The book contains a free MOZART CD with sample BMG Classics recordings of some of Mozart's most famous musical works.

Unlocking the vast rewards of classical music takes more than just casual listening - it requires learning some of the basic aspects of music (rhythm, structure, harmony, etc) and a little of the historical context of the composers and his/her predecessors. Mozart is an excellent place to start into classical music for many reasons - one being his highly-melodic music is considered easily "accessible" to the average listener who can appreciate and enjoy it without any musical know-how.

In this fresh and much-needed new series, vetern music-writer David Hurwitz gives us an enticing roadmap to understanding the music of Mozart in a way that most anyone can deepen their music appreciation and enhance their listening experience. The text is friendly, well writen, without complex jargon and analyzes Mozart's music in simple but enough detail to reveal just exactly "what makes Mozart's music sound like Mozart."

Mr. Hurwitz takes the classical enthusiast through the some fifty major works of Mozart's instrumental music, focusing each chapter on one category (chamber music, symphony, concerto, church music). The vocal works (opera, concert arias, masses) are in a separate volume with the green cover. Within each major work, Hurwitz describes the most common musical "structures" Mozart used - such as the all-important sonata form, theme-and-variations, rondos, and the minuet. His "analysis" of Mozart's well-loved piano concertos is quite interesting and helpful, breaking them down into 10 'groups' to help get your hands around the differences in composition and effect of each. The accompanying CD of several movements helps bring to life Hurwitz's commentary of several featured works that are discussed in more depth.

I also appreciated his defense of "delightful music" such as Mozart's from the critical voices that sometimes devalues such music as merely "cute" - while giving elevated status to the later, more troubling-sounding music of the Romantic or Modern eras ... or as he jokingly terms it: "the suffering, Romantic, artist-hero expressing personal misery in their creations." Great music is not only about dramatic tension, disturbing dissonances and individual emotional expression but also about pleasant, happy tones that anyone can enjoy.

Hurwitz' book is one of the "fun to read" intros to Mozart and classical music appreciation and is highly recommended. It should appeal to both the newcomer as well as those with more experience in classical music as it also has great depth and detail. If your interest is to follow in more detail the actual musical scores for several popular works, a similar but slightly more musically-involved book is by Robert Harris' ("What To Listen For In Mozart"). Harris' books are also easy and interesting to read for the non-music major types.

This is the second volume of a two volume series explaining the genius in Motzart's work. This folume concentrates on the Instrumental Works. To listen to great music and to enjoy it is one thing. Yet the professional student of classical music sees/hears/understands so much more than the rest of us.

In this book David Hurwitz, the founder and executive editor of daily classical music magazine, takes readers through Mozart's seven major operas, one part at a time explaining what he sees in each area. This provides an insite that most of us, particularily those of us living in remote areas, can never see.

I never imagines that you could see so much in this music.

The book comes with a full length CD that includes eleven of Mozarts pieces.

As another reviewer has already pointed it, this collection would make an EXCELLENT intro to the wonders of classical music, as well as a must-have for Mozart fans. Even if you already have these pieces, having it on one collection makes the drive to work a pleasure rather than a chore. Highly recommend.

David Hurwitz is fantatically insightful. Himself a composer, he gets to the heart of Mozart. His discussion is the sort that enlightens newbies, and stimulates the professional by going back to basics.
I enjoyed every page of both the Mozart books, and the musical cds were full of well chosen examples.
Roberta Prada, contralto, author of "The Ear and the Voice" in English, with Francis Keeping andPierre Sollier, and translator of J Faure: "The Voice and Singing" with Francis Keeping. Principal of Vocalimages.com, and voxmentor.com

I stumbled across this book about 6 years ago in a sales rack at Crown Books in Topanga Canyon, California. There were only three left, so I picked one up and paid about $11 for it. How I wish I had snatched all three, because it is now impossible to get and some dealers are asking a fortune for used versions (Ron offers the best price and his are new!). One of a kind posters, many that are different versions from the same film and sometimes foreign versions, are artfully arranged and beautifully reprinted throughout this book. The reader can enjoy the fabulous art again and again, as well as learn quite a bit about the history of film posters, lobby cards and one sheets. Ron's narrative about his love for collecting posters is a treat and he paints a great picture with words of what it was like when he and his friends started out collecting. I urge you to visit Ron's shop on Hollywood Blvd. for a look at some truly classic film posters if you just can't seem to find this great book. What can I say but, "Five Thumbs Up!" (And thanks, Ron, for sharing!)

I stumbled across this book about 6 years ago in a sales rackat Crown Books in Topanga Canyon, California. There were only threeleft, so I picked one up... How I wish I had snatched all three, because it is now impossible to get and some dealers are asking a fortune for used versions (Ron offers the best price and his are new!). One of a kind posters, many that are different versions from the same film and sometimes foreign versions, are artfully arranged and beautifully reprinted throughout this book. The reader can enjoy the fabulous art again and again, as well as learn quite a bit about the history of film posters, lobby cards and one sheets. Ron's narrative about his love for collecting posters is a treat and he paints a great picture with words of what it was like when he and his friends started out collecting. I urge you to visit Ron's shop on Hollywood Blvd. for a look at some truly classic film posters if you just can't seem to find this great book. What can I say but, "Five Thumbs Up!" (And thanks, Ron, for sharing!)

GRAVEN IMAGES is exactly what it claims to be, 235 pages of the best fantasy and science fiction film art you could possibly imagine and-- beyond! It features beautifully reproduced photos of everything from the common one sheet all the way up to six sheets (that were literally plastered on the sides of buildings to be viewed from car or train) and everything in between including half-sheets, inserts, and lobby cards. It also includes a glossary to define these terms for you in case you are unfamiliar with them. Best of all the items represented aren't simply the American publicity materials, oh no, collector Ron Borst who compiled the book has also chosen to add foreign material chiefly British, French, and Belgian though other countries are represented as well, and some of these posters are absoutely breath-taking.

The book starts with a 15 page forward by Borst (everything is always illustrated) aptly called "The Genesis of a Collector". Among other things Borst's hobby has lead to one of the best known memorabilia shops in Los Angeles. This is followed by the handy-dandy one page glossary, and then by a five page intoduction by the ubiquitous Stephen King that sets the tone for the book which of course is how publicity material, specifically theatrical posters sets up the audiences expectations for the film. It also contains 2 lists, one which is King's list of favorite horror movies as of 1992 and the other his list of favorite horror movie posters as of the same date. Looking at the list I'm assuming that he's referring to American one sheets.

MOVIES (alphabetically)
Alien
Burnt Offerings
The Changling
Curse of the Demond
Dawn of the Dead
Dementia 13
Evil Dead
Pet Semetary
Psycho
Texas Chain saw Massacre

ONE SHEETS
Child's Play2
Curse of the Demon
Earth vs the Flying Saucers
I Was a Teenage Frankenstein
I Was a Teenage Werewolf
Night of the Living Dead
Paper House
Rabid
The She Creature
Them!

The remainder of the book is divided into eras and each era is introduced by a different science fiction writer; The teens and twenties are handled by the late Robert Block author of PSYCHO, the thirties by Ray Bradybury, the fourties by Harlan Ellison, the fifties by Peter Straub, and the sixties by Clive Barker with an afterward entitled "Imagi-Movie Memories 1922--1968" being contributed by Forry Ackerman. Their anectdotes are all well and good,but the real reason to buy this book is the art, and art it is! So many of these images are so beautiful that it hurts to look at them.


The teens and twenties were the high point for this type of poster art in films, but soon it would end, a victim of mass production. Within a few years circus posters, cigar box labels and all the other forms of beautiful lithography of which these early posters were but a part would be gone forever, and by the 1980's almost all theatrical posters would be photographic in nature. Once you've seen the posters reproduced in this book you'll realise just how big a loss that really was. If you get a chance take a look at this gorgeous book--grab it! What you find within its pages will open your eye, especially the work for the silent films that were coming out of Germany such THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI and METROPOLIS for the art chosen to sell these films was every bit as exciting an innovative as the films were themselves.

My only criticism of the book is that I would have liked to have seen mention by name of all the artists who had produced these ephemeral masterpieces. I suspect though that the artists, like their work, were disposable. How sad.

THIS BOOK IS A JOY TO BEHOLD.SINCE THE FRONT JACKET ILLUSTRATION REPRODUCING THE ONE-SHEET POSTER FOR "MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE"(UNIVERSAL,1932),CREATED BY KAROLY GROSZ,UNIVERSAL'S OUTSTANDING POSTER DESIGNER ,TO THE MORE THAN 500 OF THE FINEST VINTAGE FILM POSTERS(AND RELATED MEMORABILIA)BELONGING TO THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF RONALD V. BORST.MY PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS:THE BRITISH TWENTY-FOUR-SHEET POSTER(PRESSBOOK)FOR THE GERMAN EXPRESSIONIST FILM "DAS CABINET DES DR.CALIGARI(U.S.TITLE:THE CABINET OF DR.CALIGARI),DECLA-BIOSCOP,1919;THE PRODUCTION DRAWINGS BY ART DIRECTOR ALBIN GRAU FOR F.W.MURNAU'S "NOSFERATU,EINE SYIMPHONIE DES GRAUENS"(U.S.TITLE:NOSFERATU,A SYMPHONY OF HORRORS"),PRANA-FILM(GERMANY),1922;THE TWO ONE-SHEET POSTERS FOR "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA"(UNIVERSAL,1925),AND THE ONE-SHEET FOR PAUL LENI'S "THE MAN WHO LAUGHS"(UNIVERSAL,1927);THE SIX-SHEET POSTER FOR BELA LUGOSI'S "WHITE ZOMBIE"(UNITED ARTISTS,1932);KARL FREUND'S "THE MUMMY"(UNIVERSAL,1932) ONE-SHEET POSTER;THE SENSATIONAL(IN ART-DECO STYLE)ONE- SHEET FOR THE BRITISH PRODUCTION OF H.G.WELLS "THINGS TO COME"(LONDON FILMS,1936);THE TWO MYSTERIOUS POSTERS,ONE ONE-SHEET AND ONE THREE-SHEET,FOR JAQUES TOURNEUR'S "CAT PEOPLE"(RKO,1942),REPRODUCING THE LOVELY FIGURE OF SIMONE SIMON;THE ORIGINAL BRITISH QUAD POSTER FOR EALING'S "DEAD OF NIGHT"(1945);THE DOZENS OF POSTERS FOR AMERICAN SCIENCE-FICTION FILMS OF THE 1950'S.ESPECIALLY THE REYNOLD BROWN'S(1917-1991) CREATIONS FOR UNIVERSAL'S FILMS:THE ONE-SHEET POSTERS FOR "CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON"(1954),"REVENGE OF THE CREATURE(1955),"TARANTULA"(1955),AND "THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US"(1956).WE CAN ALSO ADMIRE HUNDREDS OF OTHER STARTLING FANTASTIC FILM POSTERS.HOW LUCKY MR. BORST IS!THE ESSAYS ARE VERY GOOD.MY FAVORITES:THE LATE ROBERT BLOCH'S "THE TEENS AND TWENTIES" AND "THE THIRTIES" BY RAY BRADBURY.BLOCH WAS A REAL CONNOISSEUR OF SILENT MOVIES,AND BRADBURY IS ALWAYS AMUSING.A GREAT AND BEAUTIFUL BOOK!

I have seen the collection in person and let me tell you that this book is phenomenal! . There is no book that comes close to this masterpiece. Ron still sells copies at his store in Hollywood. It is a must for any horror fan. From silent to the 70's it's all in there. There are even some items in his book that are 1 of a kind. Yes, the only specimens left on the planet earth. A feast for the eyes!

Robert John is a friend of the band and the favorite photographer. these pictures span the whole time of the band and are beautiful. RJ has captured the spirit of GNR. the forward by Axl Rose also is unique and well-written.

This is the only GNR book I have. I have only started liking them 6 months ago and I'm surprised that book stores still have GNR material around. I'm positive that any fan would love this book. The book has GNR pictured from their early days in 1985 to almost the end in 1992. I love the fact that Robert John shows them from the beginning with their teased hair, and lipstick to a more mature look as they get older. The book has concert photos, backstage pics, GNR rehersing and even some more personel ones with Axl by himself. If you are looking for a biography of the band, then don't buy this one. On the bottom of the pictures Robert John tells you the place and year it was taken but otherwise it is strictly just a photo book, nothing else. I highly recomend it in any way.

I've being a GNR fan since I was 8 and I was given this book when I was 12(I'm 25 now!). I still have it and its pages are falling out from looking through it countless times. It gives a good chronological look at the band which is left to your own interpretation as there is no text, which I felt was better since GNR fans are fed so many stories about the band. You get the usual commercial view of them, but you also get personal photos which give a good insight into their lives. I thoroughly recommend this book to GNR fans young and old.

This book contains several rarely seen pictures of the band. Some are action shots, while others are stills.. All in all, this book captures the G'N'R' attitude very well!

As a huge fan of gnr, i was anxious to get some kind of book about them. I had all the records and even some rare bootlegs, but i could not find any literature about them. When i stumbled across this book at this site, it was an instant buy. i was very impressed at the quality and depth of Robert John's photographs. I have happened to see GN'R live and Robert John's photos certainly capture their flare and stage presence. A very good book. If you are looking for a biography go buy "The most Dangerous band in the world" or"The True story" If you want a good book of photos spanning GN'R wildest days, i suggest you buy this.

Harvest Of Illusion is an amzaing book. I have been a teacher of metaphsics and spiritualty for many years and I am always looking for great books to read particuarly good stories that can lift one up and educate and entertain at the same time. This book by George is all of this and more. If you liked the Celestine Prophecy or Conversations With God YOU MUST read this book. I recommend it with 10 stars.

Michele Blood Author of MusiVation products and producer of MPowerTV.com

"Harvest of Illusion" is not the kind of book I would usually read. However, a friend recommended it. I finally got around to reading it, and my only regret is that I waited so long. It's a terrific book --- imaginative, stimulating, fun to read, and with a GREAT message about the potential for goodness and fulfillment that resides in all of us. Especially because of the uplifting message, I hope it will be widely read.

Harvest Of Illusion: A Spiritual Adventure by George C. Wallach is a highly entertaining and enthusiastically recommended novel set late in the twenty-first century. The attention engaging story is about the power of spirituality to transcend the mundane routines that can blind one to infinite possibilities beyond one's immediate life and ordinary physical needs. An open-minded metaphysical story that embraces the concepts of reincarnation and life beyond our own solar system, Harvest Of Illusion is an engaging and absorbing narration which is especially recommended to the attention of those with an interest in New Age spirituality, metaphysics, reincarnation, and reincarnation. Harvest Of Illusion marks George C. Wallach as a deftly talented and original storyteller of considerable expertise.

An amazing adventure is available to everyone; an example of which is the point of this book. Harvest of Illusion may help you to understand your own adventure a little better, or it may simply entertain you.

On the surface you will read about a time in the not too distant future on earth where the security of our knowledge is questioned and proved incomplete. Beginning with Mari who is seemingly abducted by aliens, only to learn that she has agreed to participate in inter-being propagation in a previous life. Don't run off screaming. The author is attempting to open the eyes of the reader through a fantasy, in the most gentle, unobtrusive way possible...the imagination. It is well done.

Mari's husband, Murph, is a psychologist who helps people who believe they have been visited by other beings. When his own wife turns to him and tells him that she has had her own very close encounter he grapples with his beliefs and his desire to know for sure if these things happen. He is given absolute proof when Xanthas, Mari's before unknown half other-being, half sister, is presented to him in need of discovering the E-gene...the ability to feel emotions. It doesn't hurt that her physical form is the ultimate in attractive, and Murph falls in love with her.

It eventually is realized that Mari has "cheated" on Murph in her procreation attempts with Jenoor, another alien being, resulting in Murph's realization and understanding that he is enduring this pain as a lesson he needs to learn, carrying over from his own previous lives. He is tempted to reciprocate with Xanthas, but if he does he will need to repeat this lesson in his next life. Is it worth it?

These beings are not truly aliens, but another life form, of earth. They have lived beneath the surface, and have coexisted on the planet unbeknownst to humans. It is time to reveal themselves, as there is great need to warn the humans of an impending extraterrestrial invasion by the Harvesters: a body of beings who planted the humans here to begin with, along with the gray, subsurface beings. Will the citizens of earth accept these gray Mantid beings as allies? Will the Harvesters reap what they sowed and consume the occupants of Earth?

There is more to the story. It goes much deeper than the fantasy, science fiction that it seems. The souls of the characters are not strangers to each other. They have been reincarnated time and again, together. They are helping each other with lessons in the classroom of life, in order for their souls to grow and graduate to the next levels. The story of the aliens is not the important part of this book; it is after all, all an illusion.

The underlying lessons are what makes it a must read. You will be guided through realizations about your own soul, your own journey. You will come to understand the truly non-fictional concept of the nature of the spirit, the purpose of being. You might come to realize the power of positive thought, or the process of mentally healing the physical body. You may understand the nature of death, or the meaning of life. You may see past all of that and understand the illusion of it all. In the process, you'll read an entertaining, if not enlightening, work of fiction.

Mr. Wallach has written a clever,thought provoking,informative and totally creative book. His message reads true and speaks to we humans from the perspective of more highly evolved souls in other universes. The story is compelling and in his descriptive narrative, regarding space ships, space entities and how they move about in our universe, his information seemed to be coming from his higher self and in fact at times I felt he was receiving factual information from these entities he was creating. I came away from this adventure in reading feeling and thinking differently about my health, our planet's future and the limitaions we have come to accept in every day life. If you are a thinking, caring, spiritual person you will totally enjoy and reap a harvest of positive food for your soul. Anyone working in or with energy will profit from this wonderful book.

This book is incredibly written,and facinating!!!!!!!!!
BUT the incredible part is,that this extrodiary young woman was 15 years old when she wrote it.
What a gifted young lady.!!!!!

Philomena,
Trenton,NJ

This young woman has you on the ege of your seat!! At 15 she wrote this book, I can only imagine (and hope),for more ,from this extremly talented author.

This is a very artfully written, good book! Even thought I live in Delaware, it would be entertaining for someone who lived in another state too. I read it in one day and I enjoyed the whole thing. I hope Miss Woods writes a sequel.

This is a very artfully written, good book! Even thought I live in Delaware, this book would be entertaining even for someone who lives in another state. I read it in one day and I enjoyed the whole thing. I hope Ms. Woods writes a sequel.

If you're in the mood for a good shiver, read this one alone at night! The author, a 16-year-old prodigy, has a flair for dramatic imagery. Most adults would be proud to "set the stage" the way she does! She also has a wonderful way of taking historical facts and adding (in italics) her own imaginative details. In sum, Haunted Delaware is the most entertaining book of ghost stories that I have ever read. I hope Ms. Woods writes another book soon!