Rock The Books

DOROTHY ON THE ROCKS is a book that will make you laugh out loud. You follow Maggie through Manhattan's Upper West Side and along the way you meet geriatric actors in the children's theater company Maggie performs in, the younger man she's sleeping with who still lives at home, Mr Ed the talking Westie and Maggie's personal fairy godmother-- who happens to be the reincarnation of her cabaret piano-playing accompanist, twelve inches high, with wings, and pixie dust. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you won't be able to put DOROTHY ON THE ROCKS down. A great read!

I read this book under an umbrella at the beach. I was so engrossed in Maggie's world that I didn't notice the rising tide until a wave spilled across my blanket! I loved this book - it made me laugh and pulled me in like Maupin's "Tales of the City." I'm waiting for the next installment!

Maggie Barlow is that friend some of us are lucky enough to have; y'know, the one with the untethered, seemingly "artsy" life, who arrives at any occasion equipped with the best war stories and funniest anecdotes of disasters avoided or endured.

You sling back a few together. Then a few more; and at some point she goes home and part of you is grateful that you are not privy to her personal, work-a-day life. The one that you sense is mostly unhinged.

Barbara Suter's funny, often biting account of her heroine's longing for, and self-sabotaging of her pull toward love, will hold you in its grip till its final page.

Like Oz, the conventional world does hold some Magic for this over-aged, boozy Dorothy. Unlike Oz, its witches, flying monkeys and bogus Wizard are not perched along a yellow brick road; but are burrowed deep inside of a cave of her own making. Luckily, we get a seat right beside her as she tries to dig herself out.

An amazing first book from a talented writer. I laughed out loud and couldn't put it down! For everyone who's ever been in love, lost someone, had too much to drink, or wished for a fairy godmother - a great read!

I have just ordered the book and am looking forward to reading it! I have heard great reviews about it!

Eagle Rock is a fast paced adventure with heart. It grips the reader from the first page and doesn't let up until the epilogue. It may be written for readers aged 8-14 but I found it a good read as an adult. The themes in the book (loss, fear and survival) are interesting at any age. As a principal I can tell you that students at my school loved it and talked about the book long after it was finished. Teachers found the questions in the back of the book useful for literature circles. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy Gary Paulson books, Gloria Whelan books and Jean Craighead George books among others.

When I read Raenette Palmer's Eagle Rock, I couldn't put it down! Not only does it tell a wonderful tale of survival and adventure, it is filled with a certain pathos. Kids in the upper elementary grades enjoy it and the adults who are fortunate enough to read it with them will enjoy it too. Keep more coming, Raenette Palmer!!

As a reading consultant in an elementary school, I saw many teachers of grades 3-5 reading this book as a 'read aloud' to their students. The kids were so riveted by the story that they didn't want it to end! Eagle Rock has become a favorite of 8-10 year olds I know. When I read it, I loved it, too. It reminded me of a Gary Paulson adventure story. I'd highly recommend this book to young readers and adults alike! Raenette Palmer is an exciting new author!

I picked up this folio in 1989, the year it was published, at Frankfurt's 'Musik Messe'. Since then, the cover appears to have been updated, but I believe the contents are the same - as both editions are 280 pages. Added, my edition (HL00692932) has all the bass and drum parts tabbed out.

Get this folio if only to wail on 'Voodoo Chile' and 'Come On (Part 1)'. I mean, just flog it! And tunes like 'Watchtower' and 'Burning of the Midnight Lamp', will teach you all about Jimi's 'Floyd Cramer' style of rhythm playing.

Oh yeah, keep your thumb wrapped around that neck! And if your instructor smacks that digit with a pencil, like old man El Ray would do me, tell him classical guitar is for idiots and lose the jerk! (But, go ahead and learn some Albeniz anyway, if only for spite.)

this is a truly amazing representation of the works of jimi hendrix. i played the tabs right along with the music and it matches perfectly for the most part. of course there are always a few discrepencies, but no one can or ever will be able to match what the rock 'n roll gypsy himself did, especially not on paper. i would recommend anyone who is interested in learning to play like hendrix to try this book out. with the tablature it makes it easy for players at almost any level, from novice to advanced, to learn how to play jimi hendrix's greatest works

This is the closest guitar tablature book note for note that I have come across in a long time. Electric Ladyland is truely one of jimi hendrix's biggest accomplishments by all means. And I feel every guitarist should try to pick up some of hendrix's best works including Voodoo Chile (slight return). After I learned most of the songs in this book I got much better at guitar..........carying my guitar solo's much longer and performing much better LIVE. This also made me a better blues player with the performence of Voodoo Chile the long blues version. Their are many pictures in this book as well as the lyrics included. This book does not include the CD so you would have to purchase that before you bought the book. Everyone can play their best with this jimi hendrix's electric ladyland-guitar tablature.

This Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland book includes the music and the tab for guitar. This book is very hard to play you should atleast be famillar with some Hendrix before you go and buy this. It took me a month to learn 4 songs thats alot for me a month? Well anyways it includes the same booklet as in the CD only huge pages with large print. If your a guitarist looking to get a Hendrix Tribute together this would be great a few songs I love are Crosstown Traffic, All Along The Wacthower, Voodoo Chile(slight return). Also make sure you have the Electric Ladyland on CD before you buy this so you can play along and also get the song down note for note. Of course not anyone can play exactly like Hendrix I mean this guy had his own style just like any other guitarist. Well I think I have said enough about this masterpiece enjoy!!!!!

It's obvious that Patrick Lacy has done extensive research for this book from the minute you open it. The book is presented in Question and Answer format and deals with many issues about Elvis' life that have been misrepresented in various Elvis books. The author then arrives at a logical conclusion on what really happened, based on his research.
This is an excellent book for any true Elvis fan.

This is the book I wished I had purchased several books ago! Author Patrick Lacy has done painstaking research surrounding the last days - and death - of Elvis Presley. His sleuthing and subsequent documentation of various events plaguing both fans and interested observers alike are carefully laid down on paper. Without ego or arrogance, Lacy allows the reader to make up his or her mind by presenting as much detailed evidence as possible with as much coherence as possible. Elvis himself would have been proud. Definitely a book not to be without.

I will say that I fell for the "Is Elvis Alive" craz when it began in the late 1980s but after doing research, there's no way that Elvis is alive and he's not coming back. After reading this book, it did get me curious again to the possiblity of Elvis being alive but I know better. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and reading Patrick's opinions and the book, to me, is very well written and researched.

This book is a great resource. The author will ask a question and answer it by citing information from various sources. By contrast and comparison, Lacy than draws a conclusion. Whether you agree with the author's conclusion or not, the format for this book allows the reader the opportunity to examine information and come to an objective conclusion.

An absolutely wonderful book! What a treat to be taken into the archives at Elvis Presley Enterprises and be able to see up-close some of the clothing worn by the King of Rock and Roll. Being able to put the clothing with the time and place he wore it is a history lesson. Julie Mundy is a serious Elvis fan who gives the rest of us fans a peek into something we can only dream about.

Great work and collaboration from Graceland executives made this book possible. Julie Mundy brings us closer than ever to many of Elvis's clothes and wardrobes. All photos are well described, professional, and exciting!
This book also shows us some of Wurthmeiers photos that are stunning!
Great coffee table material and Conversation Starter
Would have been a great pleasure to author this book!
Long live the King!

Wow -- I love this book!!!!!! Having extensively researched Elvis's wardrobe for my book The Girls' Guide to Elvis: The Clothes, the Hair, the Women, and More!, I am familiar with a great deal of Elvis's clothing -- this book is filled with things I've never seen before! What amazing access to Elvis's closet!! If you're fascinated by Elvis's personal style (and who isn't?!), you'll want to own this beautiful coffee table book. Well, well worth the price!

The basic concept of this book is what basically makes it great. Old photos of Elvis in all kinds of different outfits, both for the stage and from his personal wardrobe, are paired with the brand new photos of the same clothes now kept in the Graceland archives.
As simple as that, but it works. The new photos are truly great and together with the high class layout, it makes it a really quality investment - a coffee table book in the best sense of the word. The accompanying text by Julie Mundy is informative and well-written. No need to wonder who made what clothes, when, what the cost was at the time, and when Elvis wore it - all the information is right here. I personally really enjoyed the parts about the people who designed for Elvis, in particular the interview bits with Bill Belew who amongst other things did Elvis' famous jumpsuits.
The book is also a look back through history. It reminds you that Elvis dared to have a fashion style uniquely his own way before fashion dictated that everyone should have their own individual style. The book is a beautiful and interesting document of Elvis' transformation - and the development in fashion as Elvis interpretated it - over his 20 years career and definitely a good buy!

This book tells of two men who made history , One in politics and the other of course in music, Both lives of these two men who met are explored into great detail with some simarlarites ??

You will have to buy the book to understand that one ? This is a factual account of then President Nixon and Elvis Presley meeting not once but twice to discuss the direction of America?

Enjoy!

Although my mom wrote this book, don't take my review as biased. It is just a really good book! Anyone who wants to know more about Elvis and Nixon should read this book. Although I am not much of a non-fiction reader, I found this book to be informative, enlightening, and a little bit amusing. The reason I say "amusing" is because picturing either of these so-call "distiguished" men doing the things described in this book is enough to give anyone a good chuckle. This book is a quick read, has great information, and is very well put together. The whole experiance of reading this book is fun!

This book by Connie Kirchberg and Marc Hendrickx examines thelives of two Americans fulfilling the so-called AmericanDream.

Both made it from rags to riches. There are a lot of similarities in the way these two persons made it to the top, but of course also differences. This book handles both. By writing the biographies of these two people who briefly met in December 1970, the authors try to paint a picture of two lives which seem to have a lot more in common then expected. For us, more familiar with Elvis than with Nixon, there were some interesting eye-openers on the last one. Although we couldn't get rid of the idea that some of the comparisons are a bit sought for. More interesting than the exact comparisons between the two man making it to the top in their own field (becoming 'The King' and the president of the USA), are the differences after making it to the top and what happened then.

As we all know Elvis made it to the top and lost his spot at the top because of the addictions that led to his death. The last couple of years only his loyal fans kept him 'on top' by still buying his records and going to his shows (even if they were not the quality they once had).

We also know the story of Richard Nixon, making it to the top of the (Capitol) Hill and tumbling down on the other side as a result of the 'Watergate' scandal. Both persons made a `comeback', and we're not referring to the TV special with the same name. But there are differences. Nixon became a 'respected elder statesman' and was rehabilitated in the eyes of the general public. He lived to enjoy that. Elvis' rehabilitation came after his death. There are three moments most people remember what they were doing when it happened: the first man on the moon, the shooting of Kennedy and the death of Elvis, this does say something on the man and his achievements. Unfortunately he wasn't able to enjoy it.

A great pro of the book is that describing the lives of these two people from birth we also get a lot of information on Elvis parents, something which isn't seen in too many books and a nice extra for Elvis fans to complete their `picture' of Elvis' entire life. Another nice feature of the book is the appendix in which a lot of documents and pictures surrounding the Presley - Nixon meeting are presented...Our conclusion:

'Elvis Presley, Richard Nixon, and the American Dream' is an interesting book since it goes into the backgrounds of the lives of two men we all know, the 'American Dream' is the red line used to tell the stories of these two people. These backgrounds add some interesting views on the youth of Elvis dealing with a lot of rumours surrounding his upbringing. Besides that, the view from which this book is written is different from other Presley-books which makes it also interesting. For those like us, primary interested in Elvis, we must mention there's a lot of `Nixon' in this book about Elvis' life and achievements, but we admit to be narrow-minded...

This book gave me a great amount of insight into the lives of both Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon which I did not know before reading. The lives of Presley and Nixon, from their upbringing to their metoric rise to fame and success, had many surprising, unseen parallels which this book explained very well. The way the book is written, comparing the lives of Presley and Nixon as they grew and evolved, really illustrated to me how similar the course of events which lead to their rise and fall were to each others. This book is an interesting read as well as a thoroughly researched text which I would recommend to not only the Elvis or Nixon buff, but any person who wants insight into the climate of the late twentieth century

this book is a must read for any Elvis fan. the book is very good. it is only about 110 pages long but is well worth the short read. anyone who wants to read a postive book on Elvis this is it.

This book is a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man by an extraordinary woman. While working as a tour guide a Graceland I met Mary. She was a wonderfully sweet woman who truly loved Elvis. She knew the man better than most and this book is a great tribute to Elvis' memory.

Memories Beyond Graceland Gates

This is a very positive book about Elvis ... it was wrote by Mary Jenkins ...Mary cooked for Elvis for years ... She loved Elvis dearly and his fans... Mary never said one negative thing about Elvis in her life... In the house Elvis purchased for her Mary would invite the fans in for a visit if she felt good she enjoyed cooking meals like she did for Elvis for the fans I was honored to be among one of the fans she cooked for along with Sharon and Sue...I will always remember the days I spent with her listening to Elvis stories ... the book is a must to any Elvis Fan collections... Mary passed a couple of years back she is missed by all for the love she had for everyone the beautiful smiles she gave everyone she met, the funny stories she would tell about Elvis such a pleasure to be around ... oh yes, she is the one that made the banana sandwiches for Elvis... The first one she made was a flop the next one Vernon stood beside her telling her just how to make it the way Elvis like it ... this book is one ever fan should have in their collection...
Shirley

I read this book about two years ago and thought it was an amazing book wrote by an amazing woman. When I started the book it was so captivating I could stop reading until I had finished the book! I highly recommend that everyone read this whether your an Elvis fan or not, it gives insights into his life that will help you better understand Elvis the man not the entertainer.

This is a fantastic primary history source for music afficianados who view music as a cross-generational tapestry, in addition to individual songs.

Dan Aykroyd and Ben Manilla organize this book into three groupings: Blues Legends who synthesized the gengre we now call the blues, Rock Royalty whose music has been inspired by it, and Keepers of the Flame who continue playing the blues closer to it's original style. The authors take a wide view of the blues, and present a tapestry of interviews that show precisely how deep the influence is. Connecting Muddy Waters to ZZ Top is not a huge stretch, but viewing Aerosmith as a 3rd generation recipient of the blues is more interesting.

One strength of the book is that Dan Aykroyd was able to capture many greats such as John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley before they passed. Perhaps that adds another hint of blue to the book - it would have been great to read similar interiews of more legends now passed.

I really love books like this. The formula was done by E-Street drummer Max Weinberg in The Big Beat, where he interviewed top percussionists. For years it's continued to call to me for yet another reading. I suspect this book will produce similar reactions. There's way too much to absorb all-at-once, even though the book reads so quickly you have to pace yourself down.

The lineup is stellar. Understandably, my particular favorite interviews are those on my favorite artists. R.L. Burnside is worth the price of the book alone. But the artist I most was pleasantly surprised by is Taj Mahal. He's far more articulate than I'd've imagined, causing me to retreat to his CD catalogue and re-explore his depth and scope of musical influences.

This is blues made accessible. But don't misinterpret that statement as "blues lite." This book's subjects are substantive and worthy. It's a mighty fine tribute to these deserving artists.

Perhaps the nicest aspect is how Elwood Blues stays out of the way of his subjects and lets them occupy center-stage, where they justly belong. In the hands of lesser authors, the book coulda easily become a "look at me interviewing a living legend" mess.

I got this book for her christmas she like crazy and I tought she was going jump up and hug me I am not a Blues Brothers fan that much but if this book didn't have any thing but blues music I would did dig it more I love blues music that is it plain and simple so I give this book 5 stars because my sister loves this book you should buy it she says it is great

I have seen at least a dozen of the artists interviewed in this book live and I have heard the music of almost all of them. I thought hearing them interact with Dan Aykroyd would be fun and really lighthearted. These interviews are so much more interesting, historical and enlightening than I expected. Anyone that would like to hear about some great musicians experiences, anyone that really wants some help getting into Blues music, anyone that wants some real clear and simple Blues history, anyone that wants to motivate themselves or a young person over the age of 12 to continue or clarify their musical interests would love this book.

This book is comfortable reading for anyone. You can read the interviews one at a time or in any order and it won't effect the experience. Aykroyd's knowledge of the Blues is much more significant than I would have expected. I can't remember one question in the whole book that was just for a joke or soley comical reaction. Every musician seemed very comfortable talking to him. Every musician seemed to enjoy this opportunity to tell some real and simple truths about the Blues or their lives. Blues history books can become tedious. In this book once you hear four or five different artists that are not associated with each other describe the same Blues history or musical perspectives you know this book is really something special. Also the Blues discography was a great bonus.

After reading the first four interviews I bought a copy as a gift for a friend. By the time I finished this book I had a list of six people that I want to buy copies for, each for a different reason. This book is now my Blues mini-encyclopedia.

Fantastic story of the Brynner family. The pictures themselves are quite an interesting aspect of the book. I gave this book to my mother-in-law for her birthday, as her favorite movie is "The King & I".

Rock Brynner proves himself to be a very capable historian and writer. To put this together was an amazing labor of love. Not only is the text riveting, the photographs are wonderful, and there are a lot of them.

The book's title clearly fits. The Bryners build an empire and travel widely. The book describes both across 4 generations.

This family was certainly where the action was over these generations: shipping, mining, and entertainment. (Now, Rock appears to be a free lance academic, similarly, a reflection of our times.) A fascinating timber deal may have been the precipitating element in a Russo-Japanese War, a war which sewed further disconent with the Tzar and spurred his downfall.

In this book we get glimpse of the founding of a Russian city, how a clever hardworking immigrant could make a fortune and how tenuous that fortune could be. We see how events in Moscow and St. Petersburg affected people across many time zones and countries.

The mobility of the early generations is interesting. They easily move from Hong Kong to Japan, to Russia, to China and back again. These foreigners found not only businesses, but cities in these places. The paperwork seems to be mininal to nonexistent. After the revolution, leaving was problematic (but solved). Later generations circumnavigate the globe, but citizenship is a mobility issue.

Due to her own personal heartache, Yul's mother moves and these moves keep Yul one step ahead of political upheaval. Living with his mother, he was exposed arts at home and in Paris. His uncle provided a stable father figure. Had the divorce not occurred, would his father's influence have prevailed and would he have been a businessman or have been purged along the way? Were it not for his eventual fame, this particular book, this amazing story, would never have been told.

Rock points out how art immitates life (or is it the other way?) through the irony of his sister singing Madame Butterfly which is a parallel story to her grandfather's. He shows the themes of "leaving behind" (otrecheniye) and returning to place through the generations. I love how he refers to Yul's status as a faux monarch, and how the real ones relate to him.

This is a wonderful book. In reading it you see the impact of history on people's lives. You learn more about Yul Brynner (didn't know he did so much directing, spoke so many languages, knew mobsters) and the interesting life of Rock.

Empire and Odyssey, by Rock Brynner, is a most delightful read of non-fiction. To tell the most extraordinary story of his family, starting with his great-grandfather, Jules, Mr. Brynner has masterfully woven in the last 150 years of Russian history. His eye-opening observations are clearly the product of a facile and scholarly mind, but the reader is unaware of this richness thanks to the author's obvious talent for storytelling. The book hits the ground running with Jules sailing aboard a pirate vessel to find his way to Shanghai, where he lays the foundation for a trading company. By way of Japan, he is one of the founders of the city of Vladivostok, and there he deals with Tsar Nicholas II, who determines to build a railroad from St Petersburg, to this Wild East seaport town. The author uncovers the reasons for the resulting war with Japan, that ultimately precipitated the Bolshevik Revolution. His grandfather Boris struggles to outwit the Soviet beauracracy, for the Brynner Empire, and for his family's survival.
The Brynner patriarchs' remarkable love lives counterpoint the politics and industry, as they surround themselves with beautiful, strong, intelligent women, who fight for what they want, alongside their husbands, or without them.
By the time the story focuses on Mr. Brynner's famous father, Yul (after Jules), the reader is treated to anecdotes of Mikhail Chekhov, Jean Cocteau, Cecil B. DeMille, Rogers and Hammerstein, Marlene Dietrich, Frank Sinatra, and other titans of 20th century show business, providing unique and candid insight into the nature of celebrity.
The author finally turns the lens on himself, and the weight his family's legacy has had on his own life, which is no less remarkable. Bartending for the Rat Pack, chauffeuring Sam Giancana, bodyguarding Mahummed Ali, road managing The Band, and poignantly returning, on invitation as the Brynner scion, to Vladivostok, wearing his father's cowboy boots from The Magnificent Seven.
Empire and Odyssey proves that fact is more fantastic than fiction. Fast paced and entertaining, I recommend it to anyone. It left me wanting more. I hope Mr. Brynner will return to extract additional exquisite ore from this mother lode.

Rock Brynner's biographical history of his amazing family has to be one of the most exciting non-fiction books this year. This is not a tale that could have been told in a magazine article (unless it had filled the entire magazine) ! Yet this reads as swiftly as a really compelling article in Vanity Fair magazine. It is like Dr. Zhivago, Around The World In Eighty Days, and Horatio Alger all rolled into one, starring Yul Brynner no less, with equally superb supporting roles played by his own father, grandfather, and heroic scapegrace son. Heroic in the last case, because the latest Brynner is a first-rate historian who gives the reader a beautiful historical sketch of the fascinating but little-known part of the world that has been called 'Russia's Wild East.'

The actual story of all the members of this family is as, or more astounding than anything Yul Brynner performed on the screen, which is saying quite a lot. When the story moves to Yul and Rock it is peppered with new cameos of many of the most intriguing people of our times. As for Yul himself, his Superstar status is not in the least bit diminished by all this elaborate detail - it only becomes more awesome. Hollywood usually glamorizes it's subjects but Yul was that amazing exception, the real thing ! One also discovers that it was not such a stretch for him to play an unusually admirable King, or Pharoah since he had a good assist from his own life and from his own DNA. His immediate forebears also all looked as if they had stepped off movie screens, were natural leaders, and lived very thrilling, demanding lives. It is a something of a miracle that they all survived the swirl of major historic events that they did live through.

The biographical and historic material by Rock is beautifully researched, well balanced, and described with bright wit and economy of phrase. Yul and the ancestors would be truly proud !

Do you need a resource to let you know about the depth and breadth of punk rock? Yes you do. And the Encyclopedia of Punk Music and Culture is it. It's jam-packed with info. The entries remind me of Richard Hell talking about the Ramones "it was just hit song after hit song after hit song." Just like a great punk album is one short blast after another, the entries are direct and to the point. It covers all the styles and mutations of punk. I was surprised by amount of stuff that was in here. I half expected to look up Christmas Eve, 1993 and find the time Joey Ramone climbed over a mountain of snow to wish me "Merry Christmas."

A great, great book.

"Hey! Ho! Let's go!" While this isn't the first book I've read about punk rock, it is by far the best and most complete! I love this book! Not since Joan Jett sweat on me in a mosh pit have I had such a meaningful punk rock moment as I had the first time I plowed through this book. The author brought back major memories for me, but he also made me realize that yes, even *I* still have a lot to learn about punk and punk culture. My second reading was even better because I covered myself in pig's blood first. I would have given this book 5 stars but there's not enough stuff about the Plaster Commandoes and Ditchwitch. Awesome!

Sure, the book covers everything you would expect. There's The Velvet Underground, Stooges, CBGB's, Sex Pistols, Ramones and the whole British class of '77. But what really knocked me out was the breadth of the author's knowledge of the punk/hardcore scene of the 80's, 90's and today. He realizes that a lot of vital punk music occurred between The Clash and Nirvana and he doesn't ignore it like 99% of the books, films and TV shows on the subject have. So we get Minor Threat and Black Flag and The Descendents and The Replacements and Dag Nasty...you get the point. Inclusive, respectful without being reverent and a lot of fun to read. If you care at all about punk, pick it up.

I thought I knew it all, but the author has taken me places I thought I had been before in new ways. If you care about punk and are smart, here you are. This book is readable, and scholarly. I think I'm gonna be online buying about 25 CD's that this book made me realize I need. I want to drink in a bar that uses this book to settle arguments and bar bets. Why haven't I seen these pictures before?
Every detail is right, and I have consumed punk for 20+ years.