Tools Books

Tools And Techniques For Character Interpretation: A Handbook Of Psychology For Actors, Writers, And Directors by New York actor, dialect coach, and writer, Robert Blumenfeld is an informed and informative study of the interpretive science of psychology and the methodical analysis of acting and character interpretation on stage or before cameras. Presenting a superbly written instruction manual on the performance art of acting, Tools And Techniques For Character Interpretation provides readers with a thematically appropriate interpretation of the great psychologists Freud, Klein, and Jung, as well as a practical understanding of the applications of psychological analysis in acting. Tools And Techniques For Character Interpretation is to be given high praise and strong recommendation for all aspiring or practicing actors, directors and screenwriters for its remarkable coverage of the psychology involved with the art of acting. Also very highly recommended by Robert Blumenfeld is "Accents: A Manual for Actors" (Limelight, 2002) and "Acting with the Voice: The Art of Recording Books (Limelight, 2004).

Anyone who acts or writes should aspire to creating the deepest characters they can -- and what a wealth of contradictions, loves, fears, resentments, childhood hurts, faith and joy is every person on this earth, both the ones born with flesh and the ones someone writes and acts and who often seem realer than your neighbor. (I refuse to even consider that Hamlet or Shylock never lived.) Robert Blumenfeld's new book gives us a history of psychology and how it can be applied to creating many-layered characters; even more fascinating, he delves into specific interpretations of many great characters, and the psychology he himself used when portraying the Marquis of Queensberry in the off-Broadway long-run, complex drama, "The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde."

This is a book about not saying lines as an actor, or writing scenes as a novelist, but portraying the deepest soul of a character, no matter how short the role may be. Doing this is a great joy, and will make the audience member, or casting director, or reader sit up slowly in their seat and find themselves rapt with attention, listening to the endless reverberations under every word and gesture before them.

Keep this book on your shelf and consult it often!

In his preface, Blumenfeld explains how his book "takes from the science of behavior tools and techniques that will be useful to the actor in practicing the art of behavior, to the writer in creating characters with depth, and to the director in interpreting scripts." This handbook is fairly heavy reading, but is still accessible to people who are not very familiar with the world of psychology. Thankfully, Chapter 8 is nearly 50 pages of alphabetized psychology terms and topics. Blumenfeld covers basic psychological principles and theories with examples from film and television.

I can't say enough about the importance of this book. In short, Illich makes the point that there is a way in which the so-called "Third World" countries can avoid industrialization, and move directly into the post-industrialist state that the developed world is headed. There is no doubt in my mind that we will look back on this man's work sometime in the near future and realize how amazingly right he is. It is really a shame that he does not have more of an influence than he does. Some of the points in this book are so right that they seem impossible to refute or even question. I really can't even put into words the influence that the book has had on me. It is something everyone should read, and it's short enough that it can be done in a matter of a few hours. Please feel free to e-mail me and tell me what you thought of it, or of other works by this genius as I am going to work on trying to popularize and spread his ideas.

This only fortifies my opinion that our leftists operate as industrial elitists and only serves big business with their social programs that insure the subordination of an underclass of consumers to keep the capital and mythical progressivism on motion.

"Leftists operate as industrial elitists and only serves big business with their social programs that insure the subordination of an underclass of consumers to keep the capital and mythical progressivism on motion"?? What are you smoking?!! Actually, many Marxists revere both Illich and Fromm. We currently live in a world marred by global finance-capital impoverishing and destroying the well-being of millions for the mega-profits of a few, and industrial realities play a key role in the problem... as well as the solution: its time for workers to harness for themselves what they create and have created for their own benefit locally and internationally. I really don't think a proper reading of "Tools for Conviviality" condradicts this.

What a great book.....I have used many ideas and/or lessons from the book in my classroom.

If you are a health teacher, a physical education teacher or anyone working with children or adolescents, you need to buy this book!!! The lessons are easy to use and the activities are creative and engaging. One of the best methods books I have ever used!

An absolute MUST for anyone who teaches health topics and needs to liven up his or her instruction. Dr. Whalen and her co-authors present "tried and true" ways to engage learners and get the content across in a way that engages and holds students accountable students during the learning process.

Dr. Patricia McDiarmid
Assistant Professor Health Education
Springfield College
Springfield, MA.

Author Bobbi Balderman has provided readers with a straightforward, practical, eminently useful guide to the often confusing world of creative services. It's an insider's guide written in layman's terms, with helpful tips that have been highlighted on almost every page, and sample checklists and forms for those new to the production process. Whether you are a novice at marketing a nonprofit or a seasoned print pro who's never been involved with video production or website creation before, Balderman walks you through the step-by-step details necessary for getting the job done on time and under budget. As an adjunct professor who teaches public relations at local colleges and universities, I recommend this book to all my students. As a PR and marketing consultant, I also recommend this book to all my clients...

Have you ever wondered why it takes so long to do something when it comes to creating a video or brochure for your organization? That's because there are a lot of steps involved in making sure it comes out right. Bobbi Balderman outlines those actions in her book The Ultimate Guide To Purchasing Website, Video, Print & Other Services. I have a much more healthy respect for the process now...

Contents: The Name of the Game; Getting Started; Defining the Project; Scheduling; Betting a Budget; Selecting the Right Supplier; Working with Your Creative Resources; Creating an In-House Department - The Pros and Cons; Making the Project Go; Bringing Ideas to Life - The Process of Art Production; Getting Ready for the Printer - Pre-press Production; Selecting and Working with Printers; Probing the Printing Process; The World of the Internet; Handling Video Productions; Producing the Video - From Script to Finished Product; Putting it All Together; Glossary; Index

Balderman does this sort of work for a living, and she knows the process well. She quickly destroys the myth of "anyone can produce quality work on their own", then proceeds to show you how things work in the real world. There are reasons why people specialize in this area, so you should take advantage of the skills they bring to the table. From composition to design to printing, there are hundreds of decisions to be made that affect the outcome of the product. Between spending time reading this book and following her forms and checklists, you'd greatly improve your chances of ending up with something that you can be proud of... high quality professional creative material, error-free.

I'll be the first to admit that I've found the whole "creative design" process somewhat overblown and tedious at times. In meetings where I've been with the artistic groups, I tend to zone out during debates about discussions, fonts, paper weights, etc. But I can now see where all that fits in, and how it really needs to happen in order for a quality result to emerge. If everyone settled for "just do something", that's what you'd end up with... a brochure or site that looks like you just did something.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who is involved in or is responsible for media creation. It's time and money well-spent.

A great book written in a well organized, easily accessible
manner. The information is not riddled with technical jargon but is
full of important details to help make your project successful. A
great resource for Graphic Design students as well as profressionals purchasing creative services.

This book is an essential antidote to all the fluff out there written by pundits and consultants. The books consists of 14 chapters written by experts in the field reporting original research on how the digital economy really works and how it is transforming business.

Anyone interested in seriously understanding the "new" economy needs to read this book.

I'm a voracious reader of books and articles about recent developments in information technology (IT). This book is the first I've found to present the latest research in economics, business, and public policy related to IT, and to do so in a way that is accurate, comprehensive, readable, and engaging. The editors deserve kudos for their choice of articles and for enforcing the analytical rigor so often lacking in consulting reports and popular articles in this field. I heartily recommend this book!

Some of the chapters in this book have priceless material, e.g. the Chapter on "Understanding Digital Markets" by Smith, Bailey and Brynjolfsson and the review of technology's role in growing income inequality by Katz.

We need more research like this.

This is one of the greatest computer books I've ever owned.

If you are a beginner, you can open this book, and find all kinds of great tools and techniques you never knew about before. Everything is described briefly, in just a page or two, so you can immediately get something out of it. If you are more advanced, you will find yourself flipping through pages, saying, "Yes, I knew that. Yes, I knew that. Oh, I didn't know that!"

This book is jam packed with tips, techniques and tutorials. If you're a serious UNIX user or shell programmer, this is an extremely handy book to have around. It's only negative might be that there is just so much in here, it is sometimes overwhelming. On the up side, there is an excellent index at the back.

This book is the best investment I have made and it applies to a lot of things you'd want to do, but never have thought about. 'Hyperlinked' contents point to other parts of the book if you need to know more is really a cool concept. It my Linux companion. I also used it to help those HP admins on some issues.

If you're an experienced Unix administrator or advanced Unix user, this is the book to have. The book goes one step beyond the usual books and goes into detail about getting things done in Unix.

In particular there is a lot of info here on shell scripting showing the differences between the Korn, Bourne and C shells.

What is good about this book is that it' not just a refernce but shows you the steps in getting really difficult things done.

I concur with all the positive feedback on this title. There's a lot of information here, especially specifics about which divisions did what, where, when and how. I am doing research on a relative who faught with the 17th Airborne, (a division that has not been as exhaustively written about as the 82nd, or even the 101st), and this book has supplied a lot of answers I couldn't find anywhere else.

US AIRBORNE DIVISIONS IN THE ETO 1944-45 joins others in the 'Battle Orders' series, discussing the mechanics and operations involved in delivering entire divisions to battlefields behind enemy lines via parachute and glider. Chapters survey the organization and operational history of these units throughout the war from 1944-45, charting their missions, details of their deployment and equipment, and military strategies alike.

I was pleasntly surprised with this book. It has everything that you wanted to know about an Airborne Division in the ETO and didn't know how to ask. The coverage regarding the organization is exhaustive and complete. The photos are great and appropriate, the diagrams superb and informative. The organization and equipment from WWII carried over to the postwar years and is even reflected today in how a modern Airborne Division functions. There is much information here that I have not seen elsewhere (e.g. the diagram and text regarding the use of the V of V formation for mass drops). This book is probably the most informative (along with its Sister books on the Mediterrean and Pacific Theaters)available for its size on the market. What a great buy! If I were restricted to one book on the U.S. Airborne (& I have a very extensive collection put together over 45 years), it would be this one. Great job Steve Zaloga, and another great work for Osprey Publishers!!

If you are a woman or know one, don't miss owning this book. In the spirit of the Whole Earth Catalogs, this book is an incredible collection of cutting-edge information and ideas for women. Beautiful graphics, original reviews of over 2,000 resources and eye-opening articles grace these pages. With contributions by Anita Roddick, Joan Jett, Mary Daly and more than 200 women from around the country, this is one book you don't want to miss

If you are a woman or know one, don't miss owning this book. In the spirit of the Whole Earth Catalogs, this book is an incredible collection of cutting-edge information and ideas for women. Beautiful graphics, original reviews of over 2,000 resources and eye-opening articles grace these pages. With contributions by Anita Roddick, Joan Jett, Mary Daly and more than 200 women from around the country, this is one book you don't want to miss!

If you want to get the flavor of this great resource, check out the website for The WomanSource Catalog at http://www.womansource.com. Not only can you sample the introduction, table of contents and many pages selected from The WomanSource, but you can also find a terrific assortment of women-powered links. There's even a place to share your own resources or submit links for publishing on the site

I newly purchased this book. Intuitevely you will get into memorising cuneiform characters with the help of this workbook. Without noticing I have come to find that I have memorised nearly 40 cuneiforms in a day. I wish some more advanced workbooks such as this would be published to assist us to progress into becoming full scribes. I fully recommend.

A WORKBOOK OF CUNEIFORM SIGNS. Aids and Research Tools in Ancient Near Eastern Studies No.3. By Daniel C. Snell. 140 pp. Malibu : Undena Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-890003-058-8 (pbk.)

The author tells us that the idea for this workbook came from the 'Japanese Kana Workbook' by P. G. O'Neill (Palo Alto and Tokyo : Kodansha International 1967), a highly successful workbook for teaching the Japanese syllabary.

Snell's cuneiform workbook gives a similar course of programmed instruction that teaches the 110 most frequently used cuneiform signs. It teaches the standard Neo-Assyrian sign forms, and a method encouraging active use of the signs is presented on the grounds that an active knowledge of the signs will stay with the student longer.

The signs are divided into eight sections. Each section contains step-by-step exercises and ends with a quiz reviewing all the signs presented. Two appendices provide an alphabetic list of values taught and a list of the signs.

The 'Workbook' is designed for home study by students in beginning Akkadian classes and provides a practical and systematic introduction to the cuneiform writing system. It should be used in conjunction with R. Labat's 'Manuel d'Epigraphie akkadienne' (5th ed., Paris : Geuthner, 1976).

The book measures 8.5 by 11.0 inches, is well-printed on strong paper, and is bound in a sturdy wrapper. In both design and procedure it follows O'Neill's popular and highly effective 'Kana Workbook' very closely.

Snell's 'Workbook' is an excellent book which achieves what it sets out to do. Since it covers only 110 signs, it won't of course turn the user into a full-fledged scribe. But it will be of value to beginners in cuneiform, and it should help dispel some of the mystery which surrounds the beautiful but complicated cuneiform signs.

I agree with the previous comments.
I'm trying to learn Akkadian with the help of Huehnergard's excellent Grammar of Akkadian, and know very little of cuneiform.
Snell's workbook does not teach you grammar but is very easy to use on its own as an aid to reading and writing cuneiform, drills you little by little (one sign at a time), can be read in snatches on your spare time, does not have pretensions , and, all in all, is well-produced.
The book looms larger than its price (though I got it from a different seller).

This book really helped me when I was first opening up to the idea that our thoughts and beliefs create our reality. It explains everything in such a clear way. Reading it was like having a life couch to give me guidance and faith (in print.) Now, over a decade later, I still refer back to it from time to time when I need some inspiration and reinforcement about my path, how to view difficult situations, or decision-making. I have read many, many spiritual-based books that contain these principles, but this is one of the few that really stands out. It has lots of really creative exercises for those who like them, but even if you don't do any of them, the book is just as valuable. Personally, I do not understand why this book never became "big."

For anyone seeking this type of material, I also highly recommend The Power of Now and the Sanaya Roman books (specifically Creating Money, Spiritual Growth, and Personal Power Through Awareness.)

This book is incredible; it has given me clear and effective strategies for transforming negative self-criticism into positive, transformative visualizations. The accompanying CD allows you to get started with this wonderful process before you even turn a single page. I have given the book to family members who have also loved it.

Margo Adair's book is such a mind opener. It gave me some simple concrete examples of how to calm my life. It's incredible how her exercises not only help me to feel good, but also help clear my mind so that I can find room to develop different solutions to some of my more pressing problems. I keep going back to it often. The CD is the most helpful. I listen to it while cleaning or driving. It's great to do the exercises on the CD when I need to just sit and focus my attention to what's happening at present.

The innovation of using imagination for creating solutions to everyday or stressful problems has won my devotion.
Any person who is seriously looking for ways to get in touch with themselves in a very productive way should read this book.