Genres Books

Who would have guessed that such a simple, straightfoward musical would be the longest running show in New York history? Read this copy of the libretto, and you'll know why. The show is very simple and very honest. It has drama and lighthearted comedy in just the right amounts to create what is, in many ways, the perfect musical. This volume also contains lots of extra information about the show, including the lyrics to a new song written for the show in its later years, and a number of photos. The music is missing, of course, but even without the OCR to the show, you get a great sense here of what makes The Fantasticks so, well, fantastic.

It never fails to amaze me that Jones & Schmidt were capable of such powerful poetry while still studying for their masters degrees. This thesis show is a powerhouse of simplicity and a panorama of minimalism. Sound oxymoronic? It is. The show is so disceptively simple, but the stories it tells are universal, and they are guaranteed to ring true for even the most tarnished audience member. One read, and it won't be hard to "try to remember" this show for a long time!

This is one of the most wonderful musicals ever. It has a wonderful story and plot but the best part about it is the music. The music is absolutely FANTASTICK! The musical contains a wide variety of songs, each with its own mood and purpose. There are funny and amuzing songs, ominous songs, loving songs, wishful songs... there's something for everybody. I first saw the Fantasticks in New York and fell in love with the music. I have almost all the songs completely memorized and I am working on putting a few of the song into my audition repertoire. This is music that every true musical fan should have. Its brilliant.

It has been two years since I was first introduced to The Fantasticks. Ever since I saw the show I have been captivated by its remarkable story, lyrics, and music. It was only recently that I read this 30th anniversary edition and truly found out how amazing this show is.

Tom Jones' personal account of The Fantasticks shows the reader what exactly goes in to a show before it actually debuts. The first section "Try to Remember" is well set as the first chapter of the book. The reader will benefit more from reading this chapter before the show.

The third section (the second was the libretto) is a look at the actors really shows you the life of the longest running Off-Broadway show.

I know my words cannot do justice to this amazing book. I would recommend this book to any die-hard Fantasticks fan, or to anyone interested in getting to know the best musical ever written.

I became aware of this book through an article Hemingway wrote about books he would like to read twice. Well I can say that this book is best read in the winter, for it will melt the snow in puddles around your shoe, and warm your heart and soul at the same time. So make haste and buy it now, while the cold winds still blow.

The Argentine pampas was a land of freedom and excitement: one literary figurehead W.H. Hudson describes in his memoir FAR AWAY & LONG AGO: A CHILDHOOD IN ARGENTINA. Descriptions of natural history and wildlife abound - and also of politics and interpersonal relationships of the times. You'd think FAR AWAY & LONG AGO would give insights into Hudson's childhood and life - and it does - but more importantly it recreates the history, culture and geography of Argentina in a way few travel books accomplish.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

As we continue to pave over the beauties of our world and turn them into concrete wastelands, it is good to think back what life was like 150 years ago before we began the process of destruction in earnest.

W. H. Hudson, the naturalist, is revered in Argentina, where they refer to him as Guillermo Enrique Hudson and name streets and towns after him. In simple and stately prose, he writes about his boyhood as one of several sons in an English family that ran an estancia on the Pampas. Despite several failed attempts to school him, he managed to pick up one of the best educations available: by using his eyes and ears to study nature. His skill in language, which is considerable, came from reading his father's books on his own.

Whether writing about ombu trees, plovers, snakes, lightning storms, rheas (Argentinian ostriches), or his neighboring ranchers, Hudson brought a whole world to life with this book.

Hudson published FAR AWAY AND LONG AGO in 1917 while he was living in England -- around the same time that a Frenchman named Marcel Proust was following where that elusive taste of madeleines led him in REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST, and around the same time that World War I was destroying a whole way of life. As he writes in the book:

"It is difficult, impossible I am told, for any one to recall his boyhood exactly as it was. It could not have been what it seems to the adult mind, since we cannot escape from what we are, however great our detachment may be; and in going back we must take our present selves with us: the mind has taken a different colour, and this is thrown back upon our past. The poet has reversed the order of things when he tells us that we come trailing clouds of glory, which melt away and are lost as we proceed on our journey. The truth is that unless we belong to the order of those who crystallize or lose their souls on their passage, the clouds gather about us as we proceed, and as cloud-compellers we travel on to the very end."

FAR AWAY AND LONG AGO is perhaps one of the greatest autobiographies ever written. Although I finished reading it several days ago, I am still feeling its afterglow and get this itch to re-read passages from it. This is, indeed, a book that will withstand several readings.

I could never make it through Hudson's fantasy __Green Mansions__, but __Far Away and Long Ago__ is another book altogether. Written when Hudson was approaching eighty, more than forty years after he had left Argentina for good, it's filled with the kind of longing you might expect. And even though he's a witness to the mid-nineteenth civil wars in Argentina or, more incredibly still, listens to travelers reciting poems by the eighteenth-century Spaniard Menéndez Valdés, Hudson seems modern; he makes other times, other places, far away and long ago, as he calls them, seem incredibly near.

Hudson's excellent short story "El Ombú" is also well worth seeking out. And, finally, while it's true Hudson left Argentina for England, the US also has some claim to him; it was from New England, after all, that, shortly before his birth, his American family left for Argentina. Just thought I'd make that clear, since people are always calling him "Anglo-Argentine".

I have a half dozen books on the Fender company and this is by far the best. The typical vintage guitar book serves two functions. It gives information on the history of the instrument - guides to production dates, etc. In addition there are usually lots of pictures for lovers of vintage instruments to salivate over ("guitar porn" as I've seen it described before). This book delivers in that regard, but does not stop there.

It goes on to serve as an excellent study of a small business struggling to survive and then coping with its own success. I found it hard to put down. Even though I knew the outcome, I found myself carried along with the story. Enough "insider detail" is provided to reveal character and move the "plot," but not enough to bog the book down. The book also serves as the best biography of Leo Fender that I have read. He is revealed as an inspired man with significant flaws. Importantly, "revealed" is the operative word here. Smith generally does not preach or make pronouncements. He describes actions and quotes interviews. The reader is left to his own conclusions.

The best book I've come across on Fender and possibly the best available. Lots of information and great period photos. A book you can keep coming back to.

This is by far the best Fender book I have. It is very well written, and it makes for some good reading. He doesn't only describe the great things about Fender but the bad things and mistakes as well.

This is a very un-biased book and it's very nice to read. The pictures in this book are awesome, and this is only one of the books I have that I trust the facts on. Kudos to Mr. Smith!

Smith does a great job of telling us who Leo Fender really was: a simple man with a complex mind. The pages of this book are loaded with lots of interesting stories and facts about the man who developed the solid-body electric guitar. Not always complimentary, yet never vicious. An honest presentation of the man who provided the tools that helped create rock-and-roll. Obviously well-researched with many great photos of Fender and his "offspring".

I find that it would be inpossible to play an instrument and have children, but not own this book. I used this book while I was learning to play piano growing up and just recently found it in an old box of books. This is an excellent compilation of Folk Songs!

I love this book. I have had it forever. It sat on my grandparents piano when I went to visit my grandmother's house in the early 1970s. It sat on my parents piano when I was growing up. I managed to obtain a copy of the revised edition with guitar chords and it has not left my side. When I moved west and had to give up some of my music, I brought it and a binder of other music. At one point I ended up with both my parents tattered copy and my newer edition so I gave my tattered, well-loved copy to my sister.

I got this book from my mother when I was 16, that's more than 40 years ago, and it has been with me and my children ever since. I played the songs on the piano, on the guitar, and with the accordion, and I know them all by heart, including the lively and colorful illustrations !
The arrangements are really good and easy to play.
Every year with Christmas I play the songs, and I wouldn't miss this book for the world. If you like singing and playing, order this book, you and your kids will love it !!

I have had this book forever! I know almost every song in the book. I love the old pictures! The songs vary from old ballads like Barbra Allen to the American national anthem. I strongly recomend this book. It will always be part of my childhood memories.

I initially purchased this volume for one particular song, but soon discovered a number of melodic, lyrical pieces for both myself and my students. It is certainly not an academic collection, in terms of complete songs from cycles, but gives a melange of different national songs genres.

I bought this book for voice lessons when I was a beginner and it really helped me a lot. Several great piece for tenors, in a good tenor range.

I have all of Joan Frey Boytim's books in this series:The First Book of: Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor and Bass, The First Book of: Sop., Mezzo, Tenor and Bass, Part II, The Second Book as well as the Second Book, Part II and The First Book of Sop., Mezzo, Tenor and Bass, Part III. They are wonderfully helpful to any voice student. It is possible to get the cd accompaniment to all of the books, too. I encourage anyone who has not used them to get on the 'band wagon' and invest in them.

As a student of Joan Boytim's for almost 4 years now, she has imparted to me an almost unabsorbable amount of practical insight in to singing well. This book--and her others for the other vocal ranges--are mere extensions of her teaching expertise. For the serious vocal student as much as for the amateur, or just the person interested in classical literature, these books are wonderful. And cheap--compared to the price of sheet music.
Used all over the world, these books have sold thousands of copies...and for a very good reason. They are the best compilations for the best price. Practical, challenging to the beginner, enlightening, and just great.

A very interesting story which helps to set the stage for other books to follow in this series. A good stand alone tale but also the foundation to all in this series. Very believable events and interesting characters.

I loved this book and want to continue to read the rest in the series. I couldn't put the book down, waiting to see what was going to happen to this young, brave boy that grows into a fine man. I want to follow the story as his life unfolds, but want to keep them in order. I would like to thank the author for an exciting adventure of the true west, and hope there will be a happy ending to Art, the Preacher's life.

Good Book Would like to read more. Please send a list of others

Really enjoyed this book. After reading all the Preacher books and almost all the Mountain Man Series, I felt that the author was repeating many sections in some of the books. Not this one! It tells the story of Preacher when he started out. So it was all new material. It was hard to put down!

This and its companion volume The Fitzwilliam Virginal Book: Volume Two are the foundation of any early keyboardist's repertoire. I don't have the version with the CD, having bought mine some 10 years ago, but my students and I play from this book all the time, and it's a lot of fun if you love early English music. The selections are typical of the period and represent both well-known and lesser-known composers, and the critical notes are excellent. This book inspires me to practice!

Being just an `average' 'Tudor period' keyboardist I can play 3, maybe 4, songs in this book. That beats the kids who can play 1, [kinda]. ... no-one I know can `batter' more than 5. Worthwhile if you like to `follow' CDs, and I do, but most folks will get so discouraged by trying to play this music they would have to look up to see a lizard's belly ... the Rodgers Virginal Book, also by Dover, is a whole lot more realistic to play music from ... oh, it is not the `high falooten' stuff in this but it doesn't drive one to strong drink in the knots of frustration as fast, either.

This is a must for all classical keyboardists. I say keyboardists because the music is meant for a harpsichord or virginal. I love it and play through it all the time.

Vol. 1 is, for me, a `follow along to the CD text and vol. 2 is a `I can play that' .... well, at least `hit most of the notes and just about get the timing'. Funny thing is most of my `favorites' are in vol. 1. That is must like because I like Byrd's music and my favorite Byrd's, less 1, are all in the first volume but it is a lot better to listen to the Hyperion set of Byrd [you can get here [01- 02 - 08] ... I mean there are things which should not be butchered.

I recommend both volumes ... the first because it contains wonderful things you can play, if you are a much better keyboardest than I or follow a CD and the second because one can, even at my level of keyboard playing, Delight yourself, awe strike the dog and make totally miserable the local 12 year old with green spiked hair whose LIFE is punk rock

and in the Barnabas family lately that luck has turned all bad.

In the 19th century Jacoby Barnabas founded a publishing house, one that prospered and, in due time was passed along to his decendents who, for the most part carried on the business quite conventionally. The third generation was a different matter. One grandson refused to enter the business at all, another was 'to be looked after' and his brother simply disappeared. The rest managed to entangled themselves in love affairs and murder!

Enter Albert Campion (not his real name), friend of the family and amateur detective (and perhaps in line to the throne) has dropped by to take tea with the family but before the evening is over one of the family is found dead with the prime suspects being his wife and his cousin who apparently have become 'quite fond' of one another. As Campion begins to look into the matter he uncovers all sorts of things, office scandals, a long-time mistress and just how a proper businessman can vanish while walking down a London street in broad daylight.

This is the seventh in the Campion series and at this point Albert is emerging from the shadow of Lord Peter Wimsey, the character Allingham patterned him after. Albert is becoming more down to earth and focused, developing more of his own persona, although Allingham is not above making a sly reference to 'Denver' - Lord Peter's family estate.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable mystery, particularly for those who are fans of this series or of mysteries of this era. The characters are well done, the plotting is clever, and the clues are all there fairly laid out for the reader to follow.

With "Flowers for the Judge" Margery Allingham signals the change in her writing style which was first hinted at in "Police at the Funeral." Campion has matured a bit and changed from a hapless zany to someone just a bit more like a friend of the family. Still occasionally fatuous, but, more often, showing flashes of brilliance. In keeping with this, the stories themselves are shifting away from adventure tales and becoming more typical of detective stories. While Allingham is rarely very good at keeping secrets, there really are mysteries and inexplicable clues to puzzle out.

The mystery in "Flowers for the Judge," is who murdered Paul Brande in the cellar lock room of Barnabas Limited. Brande is one of the owners of this respectable publishing firm, along with his cousins John Widdowson and Michael Wedgewood. Paul, noted for running off without notice, and being a bit hare-brained to boot, leaves behind his wife Gina. He had proven himself somewhat lacking as a husband and Gina was in the process of trying to divorce him. To make this even more suspicious, her relationship with Michael, while not exactly improper, is a bit too close to be considered a simple friendship.

When the police discover that the murder weapon was Michael's car, which was used to pump carbon monoxide into the lock room, suspicions blossom. With Michael unable to produce an alibi, the result of the inquest is a forgone conclusion, and Michael is remanded over for trial. Gina and Ritchie Barnabas (another cousin) turn to Campion for help.

The case is complicated by other events and hints of scandal, yet provides Campion with only fragmentary evidence with which to track down the truth. Driven by the need to exonerate Michael rather than simple get him released, Campion's task seems impossible. He leaves no stone unturned in his efforts, and, in the end, risks his own life to reveal the true murderer.

I rather like the new Campion. And the change in writing style introduces considerable depth and emotional content than was present in the more light hearted romances of the past. Characters are more developed and accessible, as well. Not only is "Flowers for the Judge" a great story in it's own right, it is also a portent of more wonderful tales to come.

This is a most excellent mystery, written by one of Britain's premiere writers. Beginning with a murder (naturally) and a missing person, Campion and his companion (with the barely pronounceable first name) Lugg, set to uncover what happened. Some of the old "English/British" expressions might send one to the closest OED (Oxford English Dictionary, of course) and a line of "French", literally, at the end of the last chapter might require a "French" dictionary (for those who, like me, did not take the language in school). Otherwise, a fine book. I wish they would put the video (PBS) version of this book out, as it (the title character, Campion) was well played by Peter Davison of Dr. Who fame.

Albert Campion, universal uncle and amateur detective, is invited into the family circle of staid British publisher Barnaby. There he finds an enmeshed family system, and a series of mysteries. Twenty years before one of the brothers vanished into thin air, while walking down a London street. Now Paul has been found dead in the manuscript vault. His cousin Mike (who is fond of the widow) is prime suspect. It was his car, left running outside the vault room's ventilator, that caused Paul's death of carbon monoxide poisoning. Cousin Ritchie, the reclusive manuscript reader, offers his eccentric assistance. A wonderful surprise ending to all this, which will be welcomed by anyone who's worked in a stuffy publishing house, or endured an asphyxiating family firm.

If you play flute, you *need* this book. Hours of entertainment, trust me on this.

It was indeed a pleasant surprise to discover that this book existed. As my son is an aspiring flute player, it was an additional surprise to find a copy of this book in his possession. And, also, as a fiercely dedicated Tull/IA fan for 30-plus years, as well as a classically trained musician, it was with eager anticipation that I set about analyzing its content.

OK, here goes:

Ian, I love you more than you will ever know. And Jeff, I applaud your efforts. Really. You went to a LOT of trouble, and many of the transcriptions are very well-done. But you didn't pay enough attention to many of the details. First of all, why did you title the book "Flute Solos Created by Ian Anderson" when much of the book is dedicated to transcribing not just the flute solos, but the melodies of the sung lyrics? And you didn't even bother to tell us which sections were the solos and which were the sung lyrics; I had to figure those out for myself. As a long-time fan, that wasn't that big a problem for me, but a more casual fan would be quite lost rather quickly. Also; a few of the songs transcribed here featured no flute whatsoever in the original recordings, specifically "The Chequered Flag" and "Look Into The Sun"; what was your point?

Granted, the point is valid that the improvisational nature of Ian's flute playing warrants sufficient liberty to be taken in reading any transcription, but that doesn't excuse your interpretation of "The Whistler." This piece is most definitely NOT in 12/8 time, especially the solo whistle sections. Try it again in a very brisk 3/4, and be a lot more generous with your 16th notes. It's not only more accurate, but much more consistent.

Details, dude, details. You failed to include a lot of Ian's flute counter-melodies, not only at the end of "Living In The Past", "Witch's Promise", and "Cross-Eyed Mary", but the vital counter-melody in "Bouree". They're not only fascinating studies in improvisation, but counterpoint as well.

It is not my intention to belittle your ambition. But one of the most amazing things about the analysis of Ian Anderson's music is the depth of his talent. Any transcription of his music warrants sufficient attention to detail, and I think, despite your very noble efforts, you fell just a bit short. Should any aspiring flautist or Tull/IA fan buy this book? Certainly. But they must also be made aware of these small (and perhaps anal) shortcomings. And perhaps in a later edition you will note them.

Thank you for allowing me to speak my piece. Rock on.

I bought this book when it first came out (which was about 1978) which was also about the time I started playing the flute in an efort to emulate my musical hero, Ian Anderson. The fact that it is still available is testimony to it's value.

This book contains some brief instructions on how to do some of the special techniques Ian uses. It also decodes how those special techniques are indicated in the sheet music. Since this came out in 1978, there are no pieces in it that were produced later than that date. This means the most recent material in it comes from Songs From the Woods. This includes the easy Fire at Midnight, the somewhat more difficult Cup of Wonder and the more difficult Whistler (which is actually easier to play on a tin whistle, except you can't switch from the D whistle to the G whistle fast enough to play it live, so Ian doesn't). That touches on the real value of this book. Even a beginner can get through modest renditions of Living in the Past and Fire at Midnight and perhaps even Look into the Sun, while the extract from A Passion Play is extremely difficult. There is material here for all levels of players, along with motivation to get better so that things like My God can be attempted.
Contents:
Baker St. Muse (Nice Little Tune/Crash Barrier Waltzer), Big Dipper, Bouree (of course), Bungle in the Jungle, The Chequered Flag, Cross=eyed Mary, Cup of Wonder, Fire at Midnight, For Later, Living in the Past, Look into the Sun, My God, Nothing is Easy (including playing this solo the way it is written), Passion play edit., Thick as a Brick edit. (instrumental from "I've come down from the upper class..." section), The Third Hoorah, The Whistler, The Witch's Promise.

Now if only somebody would put out sheet music for Divinities!

Congratulations to the author and editors of this book for attempting to capture Ian Anderson's most wild solo passages! Granted, with some determination and lots of listening, Ians solos could be figured out... the hard part is finding out all of the other odd things he does... The author of this book has done a wonderful job of accurately notating this book, (including noting Ian's frequent use of harmonics, dark tones, and singing/playing simultaneously.)

I found a few notes/rhythms that are different from the actual sound recordings, but since most of Ian's work in this area is improv, it can be interpreted many different ways.

All of these solos are from the late 60's/early 70's... I would like to eventually see a book of some newer songs as well. Overall, this is a very entertaining book, with some very challenging passages... just make sure you have your favorite Tull CD's handy so that you can play along!

Having just finished reading Mr. Kadish's novel, it's fresh in my mind.
I found this book very pleasant indeed. Intermingling of fly fishing, family, history, Einstein's threories, war & acheiving peace within your own self... Although these topics may seem unrelated, Kadish intertwines them with ease & talent.

Anyone with a taste for flycasting and flyfishing history will revel in Kadish's book. The author's very perceptible passion for his subject is evident on every page, and his story is filled with interesting and entertaining twists. I read the book the first time in a single sitting, and only a few days later went back and enjoyed it at a more leisurely pace. Highly recommended.The Fly Caster Who Tried to Make Peace with the World

Randy Kadish is a very talented writer. I haven't read fiction in years because I was tired of being disappointed. There are no disappointments in this book. The main character is fully developed and of great complexity. He is a masterpiece. There is a good amount of time and space spent on details of fly-fishing technique but their inclusion worked even for a non-fishing reader; the art of flyfishing became a rich and flexible metaphor for life. This is the kind of book where the reader forms personal relationships with the characters and becomes emotionally invested in them. When the book ended I inwardly wished that it would go on longer. This author deserves fame and fortune and I don't see any reason why he shouldn't achieve them.

The memoirs of Ian Mac Bride described in this book are familiar to all those who have suffered through some sort of tragedy during their life. Kadish's story is one of recovery, faith, and love with some twists along the way. If I were to compare this book to a meal I would say it resembles a nice hot vegetable stew on a cold winter's day. It's comforting and with every bite/page you taste something new. I enjoyed going back in time to experience life in New York City during the early 1900's. As a fisherman I enjoyed the history lesson on the origin of dry fly fishing in this country. I also enjoyed the technical descriptions of fly casting techniques. As a an artist I enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the Beaverkill River scenery and characters met during his life of fly casting and fly fishing. There's also a bit of bamboo rod making, the physics of Einstein's theories, references to great books, history lessons of the Civil War, WWI and WWII. My favorite subject of all, however, was the lesson of faith and spirituality.