Music Books

Bought this as a gift and never got to read it personally, however, was told it was a great book. Marv's a legend, and any Bills fan should take a read, capturing those "glory years" of the Bills.

Extremely hokey and a tad bit hurried through the end, but a pretty good book covering his life of football. *Mr. Levy really needs to lay off the use of superlatives as almost every player or team he has coached was the greatest at one particular thing or another. Also, I don't think Mr. Levy intended that the descriptions he has written regarding his locker room motivational speeches were to betray the fact that the players most likely considered the gravely serious war metaphors that he was constantly drawing on as a little too serious to be applied to a football game. No wonder why they consistently fell silent as he left them to contemplate his words. I can hear in my mind a player asking another "Like, we're playing a game here, right?" as Marv proudly leaves the locker room. Marv comes off as a classy guy hoping to coach again. I hope he gets his wish.

If one were to look outside of one's immediate family for a role model, Marv Levy would be a wise choice. Marv Levy is not all about football, although he has spent most of his adult life in one capacity or another in the game. His body of work is as a human being, caring for his players and family. In this era when books usually have some axe to grind against those who "done someone wrong," Levy seldom has a bad word about anyone, and any are usually absolved before the end of the paragraph. His book details his life, the good times and bad, the celebrations and defeats, and the fights and absolutions. He is a unique man who has written and interesting and worthwhile book about his experiences, written in a positive light about incidents that helped him grow as a man and a leader. For those looking for a good football book, an inspirational book or inpiration of life, read Marv's book. It's well worth it.

[Four of Four stars] Marv Levy of Chicago
and Iowa is sort of the Red Auerbach of
Pro Football. A journeyman, who maintained
his class and sense of humour which is not
just soundbytes in NFL films clips.

Mr Burns does us an injustice below in his
review by criticising the very fine Montreal
Alouettes of the CFL, but CFL fans will love
the chapters on our favorite League, particu-
larly, "My Grey Cup Runneth Over". The only
knock that one can have on Levy, and it's a
slight one, is that he hung too long onto
Kelly at QB (Frank Reich should have started
one of those Super Bowls) and Thurman (fumbles)
Thomas, who was simply an overrated player.

One spot in Marv's fine book, he maintains one
of the hardest things he ever had to do was
keep lightning quick Steve Tasker (one-time
Kansas Jayhawk) on the bench! Tasker, like Levy
is a class act who deserves to be in the NFL
Hall-of-Fame and could have been one of the
greatest RBs or WRs of alltime. Marv, as bad
as the NFL is getting even having you back in
the League at 81, again with the Bills (this
time at G.M.) is a breath of fresh air. Thanks
for all the memories. Your dad and my granddad
chewed a lot of the same turf in World War I.

Recent history has been kind to Marv Levy as the magnificence of having won four consecutive AFC Conference championships is now replacing the earlier bitter pill of lost Superbowls. Marv Levy has become the ceremonial uncle of professional football today. He is to pro football what George Foreman is to pro boxing, the friendly enduring face of a brutal sport.

This is a campfire book, a grown-up bedtime story about a bright young lad from Chicago, one of those lucky folks who got paid to do what he liked. It is a tale remarkably devoid of rancor or regrets but rather a mixture of self-deprecating humor, a bit of self-serving forgetfulness, colorful characters, and the pleasures of the jocular world of organized football. In his preface Levy advises us that his writing style is the re-creation of the pleasures of his memory. Take away the Kansas City Chiefs and he would have had the perfect life.

But before arriving at Kansas City, there were the minor matters of World War II, college, and building a resume. Levy entered the Army Air Corps with the help of a friend who, shall we say, understated Levy's vision impairment. When this problem was later detected, Levy was scratched from pilot training and spent much of the war in Florida as a weather observer. After the war, already in possession of a bachelor's degree from Coe College, Levy began his much heralded graduate work at Harvard. In truth he opted out of the law school in three weeks, choosing instead to earn a masters in history and collecting inspiring anecdotes for use in the Buffalo Bills' locker room years later.

Levy had abandoned law school because of his desire to coach football. After a stint as assistant coach back at Coe for the mighty "Kohawks," Levy over the next fifteen years crafted a highly respectable resume of work as head coach of generally mid-range college football teams, primarily New Mexico, California, and William & Mary. It was a stunning upset of the nation's number one team, Navy, by an undermanned William and Mary crew in 1967 that brought Levy to the attention of NFL, and eventually to the staff of George Allen in Washington as special teams coach.

Levy could not help but be influenced by his Redskins boss. Allen referred to his defensive linemen as "rushers," benched the popular pass-happy Sonny Jurgensen for the workmanlike Billy Kilmer, and played for the least mistakes. A running offense, a veteran opportunistic defense, and juiced up special teams play were his trademarks. Allen seems to have taken to Levy because of the latter's own imaginative thinking about the critical nature of special teams' play, which comprises about 30% of an average NFL game. Moreover, Levy could not have missed how Allen cultivated an image and played the psychological card adroitly.

Levy, a man not without ambition, was anxious to run his own ship, and in 1973 became the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes. Once the flagship of the Canadian Football League, the Alouettes were an artistic, aesthetic, and organizational shipwreck, bedeviled by an atrocious stadium, poor attendance, and impossible weather. Levy guided Montreal to the Grey Cup final in his first year and a league championship the following season. His five successful campaigns in Canada brought an invitation to come back south of the border and take the reins of the young Kansas City Chiefs.

In many ways the Chiefs Levy inherited in 1978 were very much like the present day Chiefs-a potent offense with a porous defense. He also inherited an overbearing club president, Jack Steadman, who did not understand Levy's priority of drafting for defense [Art Still, Mike Bell, Gary Spani, among others], nor his coach's penchant for a tough ground game a la his contemporary "Ground Chuck" Knox. Perhaps reflecting the thinking of his old mentor George Allen, Levy believed that an adequate quarterback could direct the Chiefs, as Billy Kilmer had in Washington. At Kansas City Levy inherited the aging QB Mike Livingston and drafted Clemson's Steve Fuller. Steadman--and Lamar Hunt himself-- created what was probably an unnecessary controversy in their criticisms of the quarterbacking position, a situation aggravated by the arrival of yet another QB, the gunslinger Bill Kenney.

The Chiefs improved, and the defense became stellar, but neither Hunt, Steadman, nor many of the fans were satisfied with a .500 team. Released from the Chiefs in 1982, Levy would always remember how a meddlesome front office and instability at the quarterback position could undermine an otherwise flawless rebuilding program. Thus, when Levy accepted the Buffalo Bills' call in midseason 1986, it is no coincidence that he had already over the years cultivated friendships with owner Ralph Wilson and his executive staff of Bill Polian and John Butler, and that the quarterback situation was quite stable under the maturing Jim Kelly. Clearly a unity of respect and purpose among all levels of Buffalo management marked Levy's years with the Bills and allowed the team to focus entirely on drafting, development, and execution.

Levy assumes that most readers know of the exploits of the Bills in their glory years, and as a rule he paints with a broad red, white, and blue brush. As a history major himself, he has forgotten or omitted some situations that still intrigue knowledgeable observers: his protest of Cincinnati's no huddle offense to the NFL Commissioner prior to the 1988 AFC Championship [a style of play which, ironically, would become the hallmark of the Bills, the K-Gun] or Thurman Thomas's missing helmet episode at the opening of the 1992 Superbowl. But there is self-revelation as well. Levy was over 60 when hired by the Bills; he admits that he had begun to doubt whether he would ever coach again. How could he know then that his best days were yet to come?

This is a well written little starter book for someone who doesn't know much about music. Nice CD as well. I liked it enough to buy another copy to send to someone else who was a beginner. She liked it as well as I did.

I know that there is a fair amount of dislike amongst certain more "snobby" musicians who frequent certain discussion boards regarding Melbay's music books. Quite simply, I would say to ignore them when it comes to this book as they have no idea what they are talking about. This is a great beginner's quide. I play a few musical instruments, but the Appalachian dulcimer is the first one which I attempted to play without 1:1 lessons. The book is very easy for individuals to follow and, if they follow everything the author says, they will eventually learn to play like a pro. It's a great guide. I would definitely recommend getting it, however, with the DVD.

This is a wonderful book / CD / DVD! As a complete musical idiot, I thought I would never be able to learn an instrument. I've picked up so-called beginner's books before. They usually start with the premise that you can fluently sight read musical notation. This book is truly for the beginner! The companion DVD is extremely valuable as Madeline walks you through the basics of playing the mountain dulcimer.

This is a great book for beginners. You do not need to be able to read music to enjoy learning to play the dulcimer with this book (there is also a DVD that goes with the book so you can physically see how she is playing). It has a ton of standard tunes and takes you though a few modes. I would suggest actually learning the notes and not relying on the tablature forever, but what can I say, I am a musician and I like people to expand their musical boundaries. This book is a good start.

This is a good beginner's book that covers all the basics and gets you started on the dulcimer, especially if you don't have a teacher. However, it quickly goes beyond the beginner's stage and discusses more complicated concepts like playing in different keys. A true beginner will want more songs at the easy level to play before getting into the more complex material in this book.

The CD and DVD that go with the book are very helpful as other reviewers have said. These are included in the new version of the book. If you look closely on the front cover image, you will see it says DVD included. So there is no need to purchase it separately. The quality of the image on the DVD, which is blurry and appears to be much copied, is why I am giving this teach yourself method book set four stars instead of five.

If you took the poignancy and moving love story of "Bridges of Madison County", sprinkled some of the spiritual wisdom of Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra, and added the ingredient of heart-tugging romantic music into the mix, you would have something approximating "Midwinter Turns to Spring." Not only did this novel and its music stir feelings in me I've never felt before, but while reading it, I would often close my eyes to ponder and experience the profound truth in the author's words. Alfonso's words, "I find that, in stillness, I am transported to that remarkable place where I can know God and be aligned with his wisdom" were reminiscent of Eckhart Tolle's assertions about being fully present. With stillness comes a knowingness that loving another human being is God's way of affording us "glimpses of His unfathomable love." I was also awestruck by the transcendent definitions of love that the author managed to weave into the dialogue. I've found that they've helped to redefine and liberate my own concepts of love. Brandon's words, "Love is not just a feeling - it is a choice, a commitment, a way of behaving toward another" is a concept worthy of the late Leo Buscaglia's teachings about love, and one that more people should embrace. "Midwinter Turns to Spring" stirred me emotionally and spiritually, and moved me to tears. I'm certain that all who read it will come away with not just another feel-good love story but will savor the same enlightened experience that I've had.

I love "Midwinter Turns to Spring"! I can't remember the last time I cried reading a novel. It made it more special listening to the music soundtrack -- and I cried even more listening to Zendrik sing, especially "La Ultima Vez." The book has given me a renewed sense of hope about love. It is such a touching, beautifully written love story and a feel-good type of book. I fell in love with Alfonso right from the start -- so passionate, caring and loved life so much. Savannah is what every girl can relate to. We have a little bit of Savannah in all of us. And the way the author described every place and thing and feeling was as if I was there. I've been telling everyone that this is a must-read book!! This certainly deserves to be on Oprah's Book Club and I've written an e-mail to Oprah telling her so. This book rocks!

"I enjoyed 'Midwinter Turns to Spring' so much -- it was such a lovely story, so believable and so well-written from beginning to end. The characters just came to life for me. Throughout the whole book, I was just riveted to it, and couldn't wait to find out what would happen in each chapter. I'm an artist by profession, and therefore, I loved the art aspect of the story -- it intrigued me and drew me into the world of the characters. I cried on numerous occasions throughout this book, but at the end when I read the letter from Christina to Savannah my heart just broke for them all. Whenever I read books, I usually tell the story to my husband as I go along -- and he got as engrossed in this story as I was. When I finally finished reading the book and was trying to tell him the ending, I just fell into his arms and broke down sobbing. I was so happy with the ending and I just had to fall in love with the character of Alfonso. The whole package is beautifully done -- from the book cover to the companion music CD. It's simply marvelous -- and I told my husband this book needs a big audience, and should be made into a movie -- I'd love to see it come alive on the big screen because the story is so lovely. Maria Veloso is an incredible writer -- I wish she'd write more novels like this."

I just finished reading "Midwinter Turns to Spring" last night! Amazing! This is the best book I've ever read! I did not want it to end! I loved listening to the music soundtrack while reading the book, curled up on my sofa with a glass of wine -- what an unforgettable experience!

I am a fan of Oprah, and have read many of Oprah's book club picks -- and I think "Midwinter Turns to Spring" is very worthy to be a part of Oprah's book club. The messages, emotions, and definitions of love given in this book should be shared with the world.

Maria Veloso is an amazingly talented writer. Before I read this book, I had stopped believing in love because of so many marriages I've seen end up in divorce. This book made me believe that love does exist and is something one can find if one chooses to. This book also strengthened my faith in God and reminded me to trust in him and follow his plan for my life. This book is life-changing -- it certainly changed my views on life. I've recommended this to all my friends and will be ordering more copies to give away as gifts.

Wow! I just finished reading "Midwinter Turns to Spring" and I can't say enough good things about this novel and accompanying CD. What a literary piece of work! This novel is one of the best love stories I've ever read. The accompanying CD really took me to a whole new level while reading the story! I hope that the author plans to write another piece of work like this one. The author has such a gift for writing. I can honestly say I just became so engrossed in the story I felt like I was watching a movie as I proceeded through the book. What a wonderful idea and interesting concept to incorporate music into the story...I definitely had a deeper understanding and relationship with the characters while listening to the CD. The music is just beautiful. I've played the CD so often my 3-year-old now walks around humming the songs.

This book is hardly at a "young adult" reading level, but it still ROCKS!! It's got the cutest little pictures and info in it, and you can take it anywhere!! I love Nick so this little book comes in handy when i'm feeling down or something! Backstreet FOREVER!

This book is great!! Not to mention it's about Nick Carter, a major babe from the BSB. I think this book really talks about his life, and to all thoseNick Carter fans out there, READ THIS BOOK!!!

it's very interesting indeed even though it's unoffcial so far i have nick, brian, aj and howie and i still have to get kevin but it's a good very interesting facts!!!

Nick Carter is definitely a major babe with an inspiring story. Of course he is the object of many girls affection (especially mine), but for good reason. Not only is he HOT!, he is someone's whose story is so uplifting it helps everyone get through what they think will be hard to overcome. He has come a long way from where he started out and I commend him for it. I LOVE YOU NICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought this book was the best because it was about Nick Carter. This book had all the facts about him that somepeople didn't know. There were really great stories in this Pocket stories Nick. It told everything about his babyhood & growing up. Also tell how Nick got into the backstreetboys, what it took, how long, & what he had to do. Nick's storie helps all kinds of people who want to get into the music business. Who ever wants to be a singer should read this because it tells everything that Nick had to go threw like the excitement of being a singer, the heart brakes because he didn't make it, & the other rough times that he had gone threw. Nick I hope that you keep making books about yourself & the group to let all of your fans know what you guyz are doing, & how your doing. I love this book so much I really hope that other people enjoyed it as much as I have!! Love Ya Nick.......<3/your #1 fan-tracey.<3.<3.<3.

Nightmare U.S.A. is an extremely informative and well written book. The author keeps it fun throughout by putting a sense of love into his work. I found, as I read through this hefty tome, a true feeling of 'being there' watching the films that are presented. I'm looking forward to the next installment. All in all, a wonderful read for those interested in the study of exploitation films.

So great a book I bought two one for my business partner and one for me!

I've written a longer, more extensive review for Film Threat, but I'm going to do another one here because I believe this book belongs on the shelves of every horror/exploitation fan, film buff and film journalist. Yes, it is expensive, but it's also a 500+ page oversized hardcover with color and black and white photos (many from filmmakers' personal collections), movie reviews and interviews (many with directors who have never spoken about their films publicly before). As I said in my previous review, this is probably the best film book of the decade.

If exploitation films are your cup of tea, you need this book. Period. At some point this should become some sort of mandatory college text book, as it is not only a history in filmmaking that is rarely covered by more "serious" journalists, it's also a crash course on filmmaking.

Once you read this incredible book, which will cause you arms to fall off if you try to do it in one sitting, you'll be thrilled to know it's only the first volume (the second one, according to the author, is scheduled for 2010). And you thought things couldn't get any better.

Simply put, you aren't a fan of exploitation/horror if you don't have this book in your library.

Price:
I've talked to many people that feel the price is a bit steep and I agree the book isn't cheap. It is however 500 pages filled with interviews, pictures (everywhere), and essays. Think Arnold Schwarzenegger's The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding : The Bible of Bodybuilding, Fully Updated and Revised size wise but about horror films. I mean the book is no joke and there could be an exploitation horror film made about a serial killer who uses this heavy book as his weapon, that's how big it is. I felt the price was well worth it as a horror fan and film lover in general.

For those of you who aren't the biggest readers:
Basically, all you have to do is read section I The Exploitation Independents which is the history of American independent exploitation films during 1970-85 and goes from page 11-48. After you start reading you'll want to keep going and after that it's basically a reference book with essays and reviews, so you could read up on a particular film. What I'd do is either read up on a film I found prior to watching it or after I watched it to learn more.

THE BOOK:
Stephen Thrower appears to know film even though he made a rule to not include reviews on classics, foreign, and studio made films, he still makes tons of compare and contrast references to classics and mentions great directors such as Bergman and Fellini. I highly recommend this book to horror and film fans, my friends in everyday life not so much but I think my horror Amazon friends will love it, specifically reviewer Clint Bronson. Clint has crazy knowledge on horror and from my readings of his reviews 1970s imparticular which, after much thought, is the best decade for horror hands down. Be sure to check out Clint's reviews as well.

Section I- As I mentioned details the history of the exploitation film from 1970-85
Here is how Thrower breaks down section I and the history, this was a great read.
The roots and the Godfather of gore H.G Lewis.
Romero and the Modern Horror Pantheon
Critical Responses to Exploitation Cinema
Drive in Massacres
42nd Street Monsters
Serial Killers
Psycho-Killer, Qu'est-ce que c'est?
Slashers- J'adore
When Blood Is Not Enough
Torture
R ape
It Came from the Stars/Swamp/Bushes/Caves
Things That Go Bump in the Night - One of my favorite avenues of horror being the ghost story. Thrower is honest in this area saying a bigger budget with good acting helps this area of horror.
Art of Perversity-Horror and Incoherence
Decline-Carpenter, Hooper, Romero, Craven
Hollywood Trash

Section II
Essays on Films and Filmmakers
This goes from 73-373 and like I said at this point it's a reference book. You can skip around read films that interest you and as you see others go back to the book and read up.

Section III
Reviews
118 Additional reviews. These are done in a shorter format then the essays above.

Section IV
Appendices and Index
Including an exploitation independent checklist Horror, 1970-85
A Bibliography
Index

I actually learned about this book in a non horror magazine Film Comment which gave it very high praise as well.

If anyone wants to know if a particular director or film they like is talked about in the book feel free to ask.

Being somewhat obsessed with the period and films covered in this mammoth tome I can unreservedly say that reading this was a religious experience for me. The amount of research gone into this project is extraordinary and the enthusiasm author Thrower has for forgotten gems like THE CANDY SNATCHERS, DEATH BED, BOARDING HOUSE and others is truly infectious. Not since Mike Weldon's original PSYCHOTRONIC came out in the early 80s have I been this giddy about a movie book.

Part 2 is announced in the back of the book which means the good times keep coming.

Who is Bob Dylan? None of the biographies I've read - Sounes, Heylin, Scaduto, and a short book by Toby Thompson (1971) - are by people that really knew him. Shelton is the New York Times reviewer who heard Dylan play in a Greenwich Village coffee house not too long after he came to NY and wrote a very promising review about him, which helped him on his way... Shelton also got to know him, spent time with him, and was able to piece many things together and interview people that were not mentioned in the other books. The interviews and stories are interesting and informative, fill in gaps left by the other books, and we get more of a feeling of Dylan, especially before he came to NY and as he was developing. This is a very well written book. Fans will like it a lot.

It was, to me, the best biography of Bob Dylan. Very good writing, never boring or exhaustive with details or ponderings.

. . .start (of course) with the albums, of course, especially "Freewheelin'," "Highway 61 Revisited," "Blonde on Blonde," and "John Wesley Harding," "Basement Tapes," "Blood on the Tracks," "Bootleg Series Vol 4," and maybe "World Gone Wrong." Then check out "Don't Look Back" on DVD. Shelton's book has a lot of great information about Dylan, but it's not the best organized or most concise biography you'll ever come across (maybe it's the editor who worked on the book's fault [?]). It's also now a bit dated, published in 1986. Clinton Heylin's "Man Behind the Shades" (1991) and Howard Sounes' "Down the Highway" (2001) are both more up-to-date and easier reads. Greil Marcus' "Invisible Republic" (1997)does a better job of placing Dylan's music in a historical context. "No Direction Home" is a sprawling collection of interview excepts, biography, oral history, the author's personal recollections of Dylan, musicology, and literary criticism that never really connects the dots, but there is a lot of great information for the experienced or semi-experienced Dylan enthusiast to wade through

Expertly written by Robert Shelton (the New York Times music and popular culture reviewer generally credited for "discovering" Dylan in 1961), No Direction Home: The Life And Music Of Bob Dylan is a faithful and definitive biography of the talented artist and his unforgettable music. An extensively detailed chronicle which explores all sides and aspects of a cherished and popular figure in American music, No Direction Home is a welcome addition to 20th Century Music History Studies collections and "must" reading for all Bob Dylan fans.

Whether or not this is the BEST Dylan biography is hard to say, there are millions of them out there...certainly it has to be the best-researched, and one of the most heartfelt; Shelton gave Dylan his first great review, "discovered" him, in effect, and though he critically assesses Dylan's subsequent works there's never a doubt that he's Dylan's biggest fan. A midnight conversation on a private jet between Shelton and Dylan in the mid-60's is the best thing in the book, fascinating reading...but there is such a concept as too much of a good thing, and the minutae Shelton indulges in gets tiring. He apparently went to every concert and every party Dylan did, and his insistence on inserting himself into the scene makes me wonder about his objectivity. Maybe Shelton thought he was one of the new journalists. I don't know. But less Shelton would've been helpful. Also, Shelton insists on punctuating almost every paragraph with a hidden line from one of Dylan's songs; for awhile it's clever, but it gets old fast.
The book was out of print for a long time, and that's too bad. I hope it stays in print. It's incredibly packed with facts and interpretations and long quotes both from Dylan and those close to him. It's just TOO MUCH, that's all. But good. A worthy biography of the most potent force in popular music since Sinatra. How's that for a name out of left field?

Peter Jennings was taken from us at the pinnacle of his
career. He shaped the news in many areas like the
ABC Nightly News. The book provides many specifics about
his life and career. There are memorable pictures
contained throughout the book. i.e.
o The Miss Canada Pageant of 1965
o various political conventions
o the Munich Olympics
o the Clinton Presidential Inaugural of 1997
o a meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991

The acquisition would be perfect for persons interested
in journalism, politics and government.

This book is purchased for our Book Club for next year's books. Several of our members had read it to be sure it was okay. It was difficult to purchase - first we had to wait till it was published (you know how THat goes!) and then the price was exhorbitant (that was overcome) and finally it joined the other books we purchased for the Club. Oh, and say, did I mention that this is a book for next year's selections? and that it will be much like "saving it for dessert?" I haven't read it yet either - just scanned through it, and therefore I know it to be the "icing on the cake."

I was never a regular viewer of Peter Jennings' news broadcast or any of his documentaries, but now I wish I was.

This book pointed out all the great time, effort and blood, sweat and tears that Peter Jennings put into all segments of his broadcast and documentaries. He did not take his anchor position lightly and wanted all viewers to share his same passion and understanding of the subjects he was speaking.

It also went into great depth to speak of the man that none of us saw on his nightly newscasts. One who was such a humanitarian and lover off people from all different walks of life.

This book kept my attention and made me feel sad that I did not pay closer attention to his newscast while he was still with us.

If you loved Peter Jennings you will love this book. It was written in an innovative style by way of an amalgam interviews with his colleagues. If you are looking for dirt on Peter skip this book, but if you want to relive the hundreds of wonderful hours you spent with him on your TV, this book does the trick. Your memory might also be jogged when you read the many adjectives describing him in the book: charming, distinctive, exuberant, thoughtful, reflective, gracious, caring, sincere, whimsical, questioning, authentic, direct, gentle of spirit, warm, great sense of humor, intelligent.

I loved the insight many of the contributors gave, as well as the quotes from Peter: "He connected with every person he met. He didn't use them." "He had this life force that seemed to surround him--his enthusiasms, his boundless energy and curiosity. He was one of those people that was just a great sense of nirvana to be around." "And when he was faced with the actual test, he instantly did the right thing." Peter: "Be spare, be precise, take your time, and don't say too much. Let each work carry the weight of the story....communicate in a concise way."

Peter would ask, "What are we going to do today what will distinguish us?" He despised predictability, mediocrity of any kind, laziness." "Listening to Peter was...riveting." Peter WAS riveting, and so is this book!

Bill Kizorek, CEO, Two Parrot Productions

When ABC newsman Peter Jennings died from lung cancer in 2005, he left a void in the industry that has yet to be filled. Along with the likes of Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, Jennings helped revolutionize television news, sitting on both sides of the desk, transforming the genre from a 15-minute afterthought to a major component of network broadcasting.

The editors of PETER JENNINGS: A REPORTER'S LIFE, including his wife, have collected the thoughts and memories of scores of family, friends and colleagues who are universal in their praise and turned these stories into an oral biography. It seems as if Jennings was almost predisposed to the profession. As the son of one of Canada's most respected radio broadcasters, he got an early start, hosting his own children's show as a nine-year-old. Formal education held little interest for Jennings; these days he might have been diagnosed with ADD. His success, despite dropping out of high school, was truly remarkable.

Jennings was just 26 when he was handed the anchor assignment for ABC News in 1965, a job to which he admitted he was not suited at the time. He earned his stripes by going out into the field --- far, far afield to Europe and the Middle East where he thrived on the exotic surroundings and the action.

The entries in A REPORTER'S LIFE reveal a man in a hurry, ever curious and always willing to do whatever it took to get the job done, even when that meant putting himself in harm's way. Jennings was no "Scud-stud," a term used to describe reporters who made a name for themselves during the first war in Iraq; he didn't even like to fly. But he impressed everyone, from his sound men to heads of state, with his ability to soak up information and present it to his audience.

When he stepped down as an active reporter to once again take over the anchor desk for ABC News, he brought that same restlessness with him. He was a demanding boss, always expecting the reporters to do the same thorough job he did. But his humanity was always evident. During the coverage on 9/11, he wanted the audience to see the devastation of the World Trade Center rather than in-studio shots of him. And he was never afraid to defer to experts or admit he did not know every issue involved.

Many of those interviewed said that Jennings never wanted to be the center of attention, which made his on-air revelation of his illness all the more conflicting. For him, it served as an abject lesson, another chance to educate his viewers.

The format of A REPORTER'S LIFE both works and doesn't work. Since it's not a straightforward biography, it appears choppy at times, a series of mini-monologues interspersed with Jennings's own words. It is also understandably biased; you won't find too many speaking ill of him. On the other hand, these are the people who knew Jennings best, and the book serves as their final chance to pay him tribute.

--- Reviewed by Ron Kaplan

Rita Hayworth is one of the most beautiful and glamourous women ever to have lived. Though her life was marked by tragedy, particularly her Alzheimer's affliction and death at a relatively young age. This book, however, is mainly devoted to celebrating Rita's happier times. Her life is viewed chronologically in both popular and rare photographs. There are so many beautiful photos that it is difficult to take in all at once! My favorite pictures (and just a sampling of the pictures you will find in this book) are: Rita (when she was still Margarita) with her dark hair dancing in a beautiful ruffled dress (p.28), glamourous Rita smiling brightly while reclining on a couch (p.87), Rita clowning with Orson Welles (pg. 114), Rita getting her hair touched up (p. 119), Rita tickling her daughter Rebecca (p. 126), Rita walking solitarily on the beach (p. 140), Rita being welcomed home (p. 165), and Rita in 1981, in declining mental health, but still looking every inch a movie star. If you love Rita and her movies, do not hesitate to buy this book!!!

"Rita Hayworth: A Photographic Retrospective" features a zillion photographs, many never before published, of one of Hollywood's most enduring sexual icons.

The book was a labor of love for author, historian and collector Caren Roberts-Frenzel of Minneapolis, who reportedly kept pestering publishers for years to get their attention.

"But you're wrong, Rita has not been forgotten," was her mantra, as skeptical publishers elsewhere wondered aloud if a market remained for a book about one of the great beauties of the 1940s.

Caren's persistence finally paid off, resulting in one of the most luxurious "picture on every page" books ever produced, supplemented by breezy, well-written and information-packed text.

Unlike "been there, done that" books about Hayworth, this one specializes in numerous "candids," that is, unposed photos taken outside of the studio, at work, at play, on the set, whatever.

For once, here's a volume that doesn't feature the same darn publicity photos you've seen a million times for sale on the Internet or at flea markets.

The deal about Rita is man oh man, unlike sexy sirens named Grable or even Monroe, Hayworth's beauty is timeless and undated. Unless someone told you, you'd never know, for example, that her world famous pinup shot -- taken on the bed by Life Magazine photographer Bob Landry -- was shot more than 60 years ago!

The same holds true for the nearly 300 other photos that grace this book, some recaptured in all of their Technicolor glory.

Get "Rita Hayworth: A Photographic Retrospective," before it disappears! I understand only a few thousand were printed and yet the reviews in the papers and in places like People Magazine have been terrific.

When I picked up this book, I excpected it to have a good amount of photos, many of which I had already seen. But, I was hoping for a few I hadn't and a decent narrations. However, this book blew me away. I have purchased photograph-focused books on celebritites before and been disappointed by their flimsy commentary. This book does an excellent job of conecting the photos to Ms. Hayworth's life. It's not just a collection of pictures, it's a pictorial biography. Admittedly, a traditional bio would get into greater detail, but this book is a great intro to her life. Not everyone wants a tell-all book filled with intimate details. This book delivers impeccably reproduced photos and a satisfactory bio. At first I was a little put-off by the price, but I feel it was well worth it, after reading it. A great read for anyone interested in this arrestingly beautiful and glamourous woman.

Caren Roberts-Frenzel is the president of the Rita Hayworth Fan Club and this book is her dream project come to life. Caren's appreciation of every facet of The Love Goddess is evident on every page. It was so good to see someone who knows and cares about Rita create such a labor of love. Caren doesn't whitewash the blemishes in Rita's often tragic life but rather allows them to complete an honest and ultimately loving portrait of this gentle woman.

Like its subject, this book is breathtaking in its beauty. It contains scores of genuinely rare photos and they are a treasure. I own many books on Rita but "A Photographic Retrospective" is easily my favorite.

I have collected all the books ever written about Rita Hayworth. I have to say that this is the BEST photobook I have seen to date. Who else but a Rita Hayworth fan can put their heart in such a big project and create such a lovely photo tribute to Hollywood's most glamourous movie star of the classic era. Not only is there a collection of rare photographs, but there is lots of interesting information on Rita's life, trivia and more. If you're a fan of Rita Hayworth, then this is the book you must buy! Simply beautifully done!

If cars, rock-n-roll,and the birth of those two cultures even slightly interests you, this is the book for you! The author, who also put out another great book, art of modern rock, really shows just how much rock-n-roll and the car culture have been intertwined since the birth of rock-n-roll to the present time.

I'm not a huge fan of coffeetable books. They always seem to have an air of pretension about them (or I do ha ha), but "Rockin Down The Highway" does NOT come across that way. It's packed full of cool photos and info that draws you in and doesn't leave you feeling like an outsider. Even you're not a fan of rock music and hot rod cars, this is a great book to while away the time with...and maybe have a cup of coffee while you're at it.

Awesome book. It's about time that someone wrote about the marriage between music and cars and the people that drove them. This author really did his homework. I've done my share of reading about cars but there are photos in there that I've never seen.
Worth every dime.

Rock `n' roll is cool music, of that we can have no doubt. From Chuck Berry and Elvis, to the newest stars of 2006, rock n roll does, in fact, appear to be "here to stay." And cars have been a big part of rock since the early days. Whether you were revving up your Little Deuce Coupe, if you were Born to Run, or Born to Be Wild, or just roaring down the road in your Little Red Corvette, the cars have been there all along.

Paul Grushkin's book, Rockin Down the Highway celebrates this marriage of cool with photos, stories, cartoons, art and much more, bringing cars and rock together in a big, very attractive package. The book is as fun to read as it is to look at, with all varieties of entertaining anecdotes and tidbits from Mr. Grushkin and other contributors, ranging from well-known rockers and rock writers to ordinary rock fans recounting the pleasure of the open road, stereo blasting out their favorite tunes.

This is a big, lovely style book, lavishly illustrated and beautifully composed. It would go beautifully on the coffee table of any rock fan!

There are plenty of books on automobile history and culture and plenty on music history, but what makes Rockin' Down the Highway: The Cars and People That Made Rock Roll an impressive study is not just an oversized format which packs in color photos on every page - some 1,000 of them - but an attention to surveying the connections between cars and rock music. It's the first illustrated, book-length history of the topic and includes many photos not previously seen in print, coming from a notable rock historian who uses posters, photos, ads, album covers and more in the process of analyzing the attraction of fast cars and fast music to a teen audience. An outstanding, sweeping presentation which will prove a 'must' for any comprehensive rock library collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Kurosawa illuminates for us his whole life, warts and all. Upon reading this I never knew what a sensitve person this man was, from the time he was an early member of the Japanese Communist Party to his older brother's tragic suicide, Kurosawa leaves no stone unturned in this revealing autobiography. Although it does not cover his whole life (I believe in stops in 1980) he spends a great deal discussing each of his film projects all the way from his early days at the Toho Studios. I am reminded of my favorite quote from Kagemusha, "The shadow of a man can never desert that man. I was my brother's shadow. Now that I have lost him, it is as though I am nothing."

The book got into Kurosawa's mind and laid down the roots of his philosophy in filmmaking. It showed his genesis as a filmmaker. It gave insight into how his films happen. A beautiful work -- I loved it.

Kurosawa's insistence on the need for a good script in his films is inspiring to future script writers. I have not written any of these yet his book makes me want to write scripts when I am more of a travel writer. If you want insight into why this man made the beautiful and provocative films that he did, this is the book for you.

One of the greatest pleasures imaginable is to investigate a body of cinematic work, and then, to learn about its creator from his own persepective on his life and art.

There is tremendous satisfaction in seeing the personality of the director reveal itself in the work and to re-view the films with new knowledge of the creator. This may not be a false track, although auteur theory has a bad rap right now. Kurosawa, in the conclusion of his autobiography said, "look for me in my films".

Kurosawa was a genius, his films full of life and compassion, and strength. He did not look away from ugly truths in his life or art. (Read the autobiography and understand the significance of this approach!)

I recommend this book as the touchstone for a deeper appreciation of the art of Kurosawa, for an understanding of his complex personality, and for the human warmth that comes across in his reminiscences. By the end of the book, you will want more, of course. It will seem to end abruptly and too soon. You will have many questions that you will wish to have answered. But then, we'll take Kuroswa's advice. We'll look for the man in his films.

Some people have criticized this book, saying Kurosawa does not go deep enough into his films, particularly his later ones, and why he did what he did. In all honesty, maybe the popularity over this book is poorly done - all the reviews on the front and back cover talk about it like Kurosawa will explain his movies in detail, and most often advertisements will talk about how if you like his movies you should read the book. But as Kurosawa himself says in the preface, he did it really out of encouragement from friends and in an effort perhaps to do what Jean Renoir did do and John Ford did not. As the title suggests, it is really a more personal, casual, reflection upon his life from his birth to the filming of "Rashomon," his first international success, in 1950. In a way, the personal route may be a humbling experience to the film guru or the Kurosawa fanatic. Too often directors or filmmakers are treated - as many artists are, in fact - more like a synopsis of their latest work. We constantly hear about how masterful Stanley Kubrick was and what his methods were, but who was he really? What school did he go to? Who were his friends? His teachers? What was his family like? What were his boyhood passions? Who is this man behind the camera?

Kurosawa tells us that in his story from his first memories as a child ("I was in a washtub naked," page 3) through his school years and through a tough young adulthood. It is all very well written, and actually quite interesting, particularly the segments on Mr. Tachikawa, who we can probably thank for Kurosawa's love of painting, his brother forcing him to face his fears, (not only of water, but of death as well) and two daring but stupid moments in a mountain village where he almost killed himself to impress the local children.

Kurosawa's growth is nearly coincidental with Japanese history. Just as Japan was constantly changing through out the 20th century, so to was Kurosawa. Forced to participate in a military program at his school, he takes every opportunity to belittle or make a fool of his army captain. His venture into art is like an odd adventure, going from joining a socialist art movement (nearly being captured by the Japanese secret police!) to living on his own to writing scripts and eventually joining Photo Chemical Laboratory. (later Toho Studios) He discusses marrying an actress because he was afraid of never being married before the "Honorable Death of the Hundred Million" many Japanese believed they would commit if invasion seemed immenant. This eventually goes on to his work as an Assistant Director, and later making his very own films through Toho and later Daiei after the Toho Studio strikes. These parts will be more to the liking of the film guru, as Kurosawa does give backstory to the inspirations behind his early work.

During this time period he speaks a lot of his family and the friends he got to know. His brother is such a remarkable and likeable character that when he commits suicide you really do feel sad. I took a particular love for Kurosawa's father: although some may see him as a bit harsh when he berates his wife for placing fish wrong or getting upset with his son for failing courses, one shouldn't dismiss him with the simple western stereotype of the tough father for he does have a heart. When Kurosawa's wife becomes pregnant and he pays a visit to his family, his father gives him a large bag of rice and says it is for his pregnant wife, not wanting her to go hungry in a time when food was scarce in Japan.

Perhaps, in the end, it is really fitting that Kurosawa focus so much on his personal feelings rather than his film. If you have watched his films and studied them, you will see the influences from his past life in those very films. "Something Like an Autobiography" was written long before Kurosawa made "Dreams," yet I found myself recalling the film reading this book. Besides his references to mountain climbing, he also talks about how in his father's village children would place flowers over a rock, and he learned that long ago a warrior had been killed and the villagers buried him there out of pity and placed the rock over his grave, so now children place flowers on it whenever they pass out of respect. Sound familiar? I also smiled at the section near the end when he discusses a Daiei studio executive - one who had been so steadfastly against making "Rashomon" - coming on TV and speaking for the film as if he was the mastermind behind it. I was thinking of the Deputy Mayor in "Ikiru," who is against the park project from the beginning yet after Watanabe's death takes all the credit. Maybe Kurosawa alludes to this kind of art reflecting life on page 163 when he mentions the oddly impeccable timing of "The Cuckoo Waltz" while dubbing "Drunken Angel."

This is a recommended read for any one interested in film or Akira Kurosawa's life - it is easy to read, full of wisdom, and is very frank and personal. As I said, it's not a 198 page thesis on his films, but as Kurosawa says in the book he does not enjoy explaining his films - he puts into his films what he has to say and leaves it at that. As the last line of the book says, "There is nothing that says more about its creator than the work itself."