Rock The Books

This book was written by a friend of mine and I wanted a nice copy. This copy was in virtually new condition, better than expected. Great deal and good delivery.

This book is a very informative guide to the wonders of granite mountain tops in the continental United States. It begins with a general introduction to the science of granite domes, how they are were formed in geological time and shaped by glaciers, and the resulting unique ecology and flora. Then Wessels takes us on a tour of the major granite dome peaks of the US, from Acadia National Park in Maine, west to Yosemite. Each chapter in this second section is both travelogue of a climbing adventure Wessels took on the mountain, and nature guide, describing ecological aspects of the mountain. At the end of the book are appendices that provide a more detailed look at the geologic time line of granite peaks, a list of plants that may be found on American granite peaks, a glossary, a selected biography for further reading, and an index. The book is amply illustrated with black and white photographs by Wessels and illustrations by Brian Cohen.

The book is quite enjoyable as well as informative. I found the introductory chapters on geology particularly interesting, as they explain the nature of granite deposits and how granite is different from other types of rocks. Most important, reading the book makes me want to strap on my hiking boots and get out and climb so that I can experience these wonders for myself!

First off, I loved this book. I know some will poo poo this book for not being a hardcore geology book, but thats what makes it so good. Mr. Wessells gives a very good geology course limited to the granite outcroppings in the U.S. and he does it so that is is very interesting. At times I felt like I was right there at his side as he described the landscape he was in. I had to limit myself to a chapter a day, though I cheated a couple of times, I could have read it in one sitting. I sure wish my geo classes in college had been this interesting.
Brian Cohen's illustrations are fantastic as well.
My only disappointment was the author's photographs, though that can be forgiven fro writing such a good book. It is now a permanent part of my library.

This album is a detailed and complete record of the beautiful happenings inspired and led by the Dead. A must-have for those who admire and respect the musical magic of the band.

The Grateful Dead Family Album by Jerilyn Lee Brandelius is the ideal book for anyone who loves the musical heaven, and cultural influences that the grateful dead brought us. You open the pages into a vivid world that shows how amazing this era was. There are thousands of pictures in this book: wavy gravy; mickey hart; phil lesh; JERRY GARCIA; stanley mouse; rock; mountain girl; bill legate, and hundreds of other recognizable faces. Jerilyn Brandelius writes short paragraphs telling stories of these great times, the causes the Dead supported, the concerts they threw, there tours around the world, and many more stories. This is a book that anybody who loved this era and the Grateful Dead, MUST HAVE!

As a long time fan of the Grateful Dead, I have not have read such a book. This book has rare photos and quotes given by the band members and other friends and musicians, spanning from their Haight Ashbury era, the Kool Aid Acid Tests, throughout the 70s and 80s, and the early 90s. Also, on the grayer side of things, tributes to musicians like Janis Joplin and one time organist Ron "Pigpen"Mc Kernan were written,respectively: which is sad, but good reading material. I would say more, but I think that it would be better if anyone who has appreciation for 60s classic rock or for the Dead especially should try this book out for themselves, since there are a LOT more thing in this book than I just said. Like I said, this book is for serious fans of the Grateful Dead.

I completely agree with the other reviewers here. I am a relatively inexperienced guitarist. I really wanted to learn to play Simple Man. I have looked through on line tabs until I was blue. After I received this book I was up and playing the intro in 2 days. The TABs are very, very complete and include the cords they are playing out of to help you get their even faster. I'll never part with my copy of this book. It is a must have for anyone wanting to really play Skynyrd accurately. I highly recommend this book.

This is the ultimate collection for anyone who plays guitar. You should be ashamed of yourself if you do not have this book, or any other Lynyrd Skynyrd book. This book is like my Bible. The only thing it's missing is "That Smell," which is possibly the greated song for guitar ever written. But it does have "Free Bird." Anyone who plays guitar should know the solo from "Free Bird," even if it is too hard for you to play. 4 and a half minutes of just kick-[behind] guitar solos. Some other highlights of the book are "Sweet Home Alabama," "Tuesday's Gone," "Gimme Three Steps," and "What's Your name?" But all the songs in the book are incredible. I wasn't a real Lynyrd Skynyrd fan before I bought this book and learned all the solos and riffs, and now I respect them more than ever. You need this book. Don't be caught without it.

I agree with the above. For any classic player this is a must. It's second only to the Eagles Anthology that has EVERY song ever done by the group. I am still wishing it had That Smell as well, but it gives you even ghost notes you dont hear on the tracks. Piano, GTR1, GTR2, 2 GTR as 1. The book does it all. Now I can play the Free BirD Solo the way it was meant to be played, not to mention simple man, and gimmie three steps. Hands down the best Skynyrd book to by. Check out 3 Doors Down they are gettin gback to the classic rock sound also, and even do a cover of that smell on a live album. 5 out of 5 on this one! A++!

We need more memoirs like this. It takes you back through rock and soul glory years, from the perspective of one of the hundreds of musicians who weren't really "superstars" but were stars simply trying to make a living and make great music. Coffey's rise as a rock and Motown guitarist, his forced move along with all the Motown gang to LA by Barry Gordy, and his subsequent fall from the upper echelon of the American music scene to working on a Chevrolet assembly line reads like a great rags to riches to rags novel. A nice plus is the complete discography and a section where he tells us what guitar he used on different songs.

Under Berry Gordy Motown became a place where studio musicians usually stood in the shadows of solo stars promoted in his studios, for Gordy held stringent contracts which prevented his musicians from playing for other record companies and often denied them credit on his records. In Guitars, Bars, And Motown Superstars, guitarist Dennis Coffey tells how he escaped Gordy's tight hold on music to become a success as both a Motown musician and solo artist - and his backstage look at the Motown experience provides quite a different perspective than most. This is no fly-by-night artist: Coffey was one of Detroit's most important session guitarists in the 1960s and 80s and played for many superstars: his insights are a 'must' for any enthusiast of the Motown scene.

This is one book you just can't put down. It grabs you and takes you on a funk-filled roller coaster ride through LA, NY, Detroit, and all points in between!

Dennis Coffey comes to life and brings you along for the ride of a lifetime. Exploring Detroit in the 60's and 70's, he talks about the rise of Motown Records, his gigs, shows, and tells the stories that only an insider like him can tell. With wit and charm, he often makes you laugh out loud, and you catch yourself imagining just what it was like to be making history. This is the kind of biography and story telling that we need more of. The session players like Dennis have all sorts of great stories because the people they are, and the people they worked with, are so far above extraordinary that it makes for great reading.

Pick this book up, but be warned, you won't put it down anytime soon.

ive been half playin most of these songs since their time of release.now thanks to hal leonard i can play them all the way through.my personal favourites are on the souvenirs album but there are other classics from his later releases netherlands and phoenix which are hearbreakingly beautiful songs.hoping mr leonard can bring out a volume 2 of dan's later works while i can still restring my guitar!

Containing all of Fogelberg's published compositions through 1979, this songbook provides piano music and guitar chords for all songs on albums "Home Free" through "Phoenix" except for songs by other songwriters covered by Dan. With the exception of "Paris Nocturne" with its five flats, most songs can be easily mastered by the amateur piano player. The ones most easily played are "Aspen", "Twins Theme" and "The Long Way." Even non-musicians will enjoy the book for the excellent photography and as a source of lyrics. This book is a "must" for all DanFans and an excellent gift for friends you'd like to introduce to Dan's music.

This book contains the lyrics, music and guitar chord diagrams for all the songs from the albums "Home Free" "Souvenirs" "Captured Angel" "Netherlands" "Twin Sons of Different Mothers" and "Phoenix." An obvious must-own for the DF fan and any fan of good music.

i thought this book was very to the point!!
i loved every word,line,phrase diggle used.You can tell that he is very serious about his work but also loves every second of his job.i beg all of you who read this to buy this book for two reasons.Firstly the book rocks!!!!!!Secondly,the money you use to buy this book goes to diggle and the buzzcocks,which means your supporting them. If we raise enough money they may make a new album(im not saying they need more money)But even if they dont need more money or even if they do either way. buying this book is your way of saying keep at it buzzcocks,and diggle keep writing~~eric

Short, sweet, and to the point, much like the Buzzcocks songs (and the Buzzcocks, version 1) themselves. Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll the way it seems to always play out, with some level of enlightenment coming along the way. Diggle opens up in this book with lots of honest stories, some funny and some painful. I particularly appreciated his honesty; Diggle has some very pointed comments about his bandmates and music (there's no love for 80s schlock here).

The book revealed a number of things I was unaware of, such as his companionships with Ian Curtis and Kurt Cobain, and the unfortunate inspiration for Fast Cars. Diggle also talks about the severe injury to his wrist a few years ago, something that threatened to kill his ability to play guitar.

I got to see the Buzzcocks not too long ago. It was very evident that Diggle loves what he is able to still do. That lust for life quality is very evident in the book.

Harmony in My Head definitely left me wanting more; it is very short at 150 pages. I'd also be curious to read Pete Shelley's "side" of things.

This book is an insight into the mind of pop punk geniuses. Steve Diggle does an excellent job telling the story of the mighty Buzzcocks. This book is very funny and there's plenty of inside info on other bands and fellow members. I highly recommend this to anyone who can read and/or digs the Buzzcocks.

HAUNTED HEART: A BIOGRAPHY OF SUSANNAH MCCORKLE isn't likely to reach the general interest, non-musical reader, for her name is likely to prove familiar only to those with an in-depth interest in female jazz vocalists. This audience, however, will find HAUNTED HEART a brilliant expose of a troubled American songbird, surveying her many achievements as she devleoped her own style and performed in venues around the world while struggling with bipolar disorder. From her emotional ups and downs to her influences on singers of the 70s through the 90s, HAUNTED HEART is a key piece of musical history not to be missed.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This is an exhaustive biography of the jazz/cabaret singer Susannah McCorkle. The book features a blow-by-blow account of McCorkle's musical career and psychological processes. Why "psychological processes?" Susannah struggled with bipolar disorder for at least all of her adult life, if not longer. She took her life at the age of 55. It is therefore very relevant to showcase her mental state as a major focus of the book. I found it exhausting to read about all of her ups and downs. Think of how Susannah must have felt to live through them!

The other focus of the book of course, is a detailed account of her musical career. McCorkle started out as an aspiring author and one day in early adulthood heard a Billie Holiday recording and decided she wanted to sing jazz. Even though she still wrote short stories with some success, Susannah then started on the road to become a prominent, although always struggling, singer. I felt I was with Susannah as I read about her career and life. The author, Linda Dahl, brings this woman into sharp focus.

To me, one moral of this biography is, "take your meds, folks." Ms McCorkle was not taking her prescribed medicines when she died. I can't help but wonder if the outcome could have turned out differently.

Haunted Heart by Linda Dahl is a biography of American cabaret singer Susannah McCorkle, who took her own life in May of 2001. The author seems to have had extensive cooperation of family members and friends in researching the book. McCorkle suffered from depression and bipolar disorder all of her adult life, and part of her childhood as well. Much of the book is given over to her illness.

Like many women, McCorkle was dissatisfied with her physical appearance, this combined with her mental illness no doubt contributed to her unhappiness. She was a large woman, though well-proportioned and not at all unattractive, but far from her own ideal of feminine beauty.

The author says McCorkle was in love with the idea of being in love (as in the song), she also seems to have been in love with the idea of being a cabaret singer. None of her many romances was entirely satisfactory, despite the fact that she was twice married to men who seem to have been loving and caring. Though a respected professional singer for over twenty years - winning several record of the year awards, her career was not actually very successful. She had a loyal, but small, following among New York's cabaret set, but was not otherwise highly sought after.

The shortcomings of both her personal and professional lives seem to have been related to an inability to compromise. Though, for example, her husband lived in Schenectady, NY, she insisted on living in New York City - even when not performing there. Likewise, she often complained about people talking during her shows and the noise of waiters serving food and drinks. She failed to accept the idea that a cabaret singer is supposed to "put butts on chairs", as someone puts it in the book, not give a master class on the subtlety of Cole Porter lyrics!

Susannah McCorkle comes across as having been a "user", viewing others merely as ways to achieve her goals - particularly musicians, critics, club owners, and others connected with the music business. Repeatedly, she is shown cultivating those whom she feels can advance her career, while ignoring, even dismissing, others. Many people helped her get started, paying for demo tapes, for example, or by encouraging owners of small restaurants and clubs to let her sing, if only for tips. Yet, there was no mention of her having helped others get started later on.

One story near the end of the book struck me as typical of her manipulative behavior. The manager of her favorite venue, the Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel in New York remarked, that in Autumn of 2000, she had acted affectionate to him, even giving him a hug, which she had never done before. Later on in the book it comes up that she had taken pains to be affectionate with him, suggesting it was a conscious effort to do so, not a spontaneous act of friendship. Only months before she died, she was still "playing" people she thought were useful.

Significantly, she had few friends among professional musicians, though several friends were amateur musicians. For the most part, her close associates were writers and others connected with the arts and show business. Many of her acquaintances were themselves involved in psychotherapy, both as patients and practitioners.

McCorkle began her career as a writer, only later becoming a singer. She continued to write throughout her singing career, and worked (unsuccessfully) to become a novelist. Her singing style and careful phrasing reflected her interest in words and story telling. She often sought out original lyrics to old songs, and even taught herself Portuguese in order to translate Brazilian songs, so popular in clubs during the 70s and 80s.

The book itself is a little scholarly, perhaps, and not always easy to follow - for example, when the author quotes someone who is quoting someone else. I would have appreciated more frequent date references since the author attempts to intertwine McCorkle's career and personal life with the progress of her illness. The book is a well-documented and carefully researched biography of a person with a troubled personal and professional life. Recommended.

This book is a wonderful, wonderful read. I would highly recommend that you read The Celestine Prophecy series first and then follow with this book as it is an excellent "sequel" of sorts. This book is so interesting and captivating. It's all about Dahn Hak Yoga (creator Ilichi Lee) and the journey of a woman through coincidence and destiny.... I didn't put it down and I'll read it again. You wont regret buying this book.

HEAVEN WITHIN takes the reader through an adventure of growth and transformation based on one woman's determined decision to reach enlightenment. This book introduces the beauty of ancient Korean wisdom and training and is a great affirmation for anyone experiencing the trials of living a more uplifted life.

When I read this book I could feel such brightness and truth emanating from the message in the pages. It rang true for me. If you are interested in a great spiritual adventure this is the book to read. I urge you to take this journey.

This was the most entertaining and exciting novel about the perennial search for enlightenment that I have ever read. It is a novel full of rich symbolism and practical usage for ancient Eastern wisdom. I was able to draw many parallels from my own life's journey to that of the main character, Kari. The book begins with an exciting discovery and culminates in an adventure to Mt. Bakdu in Korea, one of the world's vortexes. I was able to learn much about the human spirit through the physical and spiritual training received by Kari. The title of the book says it all - Heaven is in Within you. Once our mind-body connection is healthy and stable then true happiness is possible. Kari was able to find a newer and deeper meaning to her life in the face of numerous emotional and physical hardhsips. The book outlines a path we can all take to avoid stress and realize health and harmony. The book correctly points out that we live in a world of self-imposed limitations and prejudices. If you are interested in recovering your health, exploring your soul or appreciate the concept of self-healing then I highly recommend this book.

I can't do justice to this wonderful book. The author weaves biblical quotes, biographical experiences, poetry, physics and theology into a mystical journey that is as engaging as it is accessible. Thank you for this wonderful journey, Rabbi Kushner...or rather, thank you for showing me that I was on the journey all along and didn't appreciate it.

It was one of my great privileges and honor to have had the opportunity to study under Rabbi Kushner while a gradate student at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. Rabbi Kushner is a wisdom teacher of the highest quality and his book Honey from the Rock is one of those rare books which touches the depths of our own hearts, and speaks forcefully to the quiet voice of wisdom inside of each of us. Moreover, Rabbi Kushner can open doors long sealed shut, and reveal some essential beauty within those rooms, hidden and lost to our personal awareness. This book captures the essence of Jewish Mysticism at its best, and reminds us of the deep abiding wisdom within ourselves. The book also acts as a catalyst, leading us to life giving waters from which we can drink deeply to invoke personal and planetary healing.

One of my favorite pieces of wisdom is a powerful reminder of what our purpose in this world is: as Rabbi Kushner notes:

Everyone carries with them at least one and probably
Many pieces of someone else's puzzle.
Sometimes they know it.
Sometimes they don't.

And when you present your piece
Which is worthless to you,
To another, whether you know it or not,
Whether they know it or not.
You are a messenger from the Most High.

Rabbi Kushner is truly one of those wise men who carry many pieces of the puzzle. We are blessed to have him as a guide of the Most High.

A reprint of "Honey from the Rock: Ten Gates of Jewish Mysticism", with an added preface and foreword, this is a book I've treasured and read many times since I bought the first edition in 1983.
It's poetic, with a warmth and humanity that touches the heart an illuminates the mind. Its 10 chapters are broken down into short pieces (93 in all), and when quoting from the Torah or a rabbinical saying, the original Hebrew is written below the quote.
This slim volume could easily be read in one day, but I don't think you would want to...it's a book to savor and reflect upon, because in its simplicity, there is much depth.

"The begining was seeing for even one moment
That there was something more to reality
Than meets the eye.
The end is seeing for even one moment
That the apparent multiplicity
Is in reality a unity"

...

I wrote the original review in 1998...now, almost 10 years and 2 children later, this book is once again the hands down favorite for nap/bed time. Our 22 month old son loves the beautiful art work: every page has a favorite image he points out. The story is well written as it moves through the parents' attempts to get their baby to sleep...good lesson in the story for parents I might add :-) I would highly recommend this book as a gift for parents expecting a child and/or with young kiddos.

This was our one year old's favorite book and is great for young babies. The best part for me was that it was full of things that I could act out while reading to our daughter. For example, at the beginning it shows the baby holding the book on her head, so I hold the book on my daughter's head, and she laughs. Then the mommy pats the baby on the back to burp her and bubbles come out, so I pat her on the back. Although bubbles don't come out, she points to the bubbles in the book and says "bubb-buu, bubb-buu!". There are things to imitate on almost every page.

The charming pictures are bright, colorful, and easy for little kids to recognize. Plus, the story is whimsical and fun. I hadn't heard of this book, but found it browsing around at a book store. It deserves to be much better known than it is. My only real complaint is that our daughter has torn out all the pages.

My 15 month old daughter loves having this book read to her before nap and bed-time. Her favorite part of the book is when the baby falls asleep "and begins to dream." She loves the pictures with the book, also. As she has gotten older, she has gone from pointing out just the baby to now pointing out the moon, the fish, the birds, and the tower clock. She usually knows when it is time for bed and starts shaking her head "NO" until we read the book together. She likes reading the book so much she will "read" it by herself during the day.