Rock Books

if it's Jews you be a wantin..In Punk nonetheless..This stuff's for you.First of all,Marky Ramone rocks.He met me or rather vice versa.Steve does research into the sacred and shows that Punk music in It's New York Beginnings incorporated a lot of the Jewish Upstarters who could be credited for being Punk Pioneers. You like the Paranormal? Well Jews die too..and so:Labyrinth13: True Tales of the Occult, Crime & ConspiracyBut:Other good books about Music and the Jewish experieNce:Spiritual Bathing: Healing Rituals and Traditions from Around the World,Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish,Jews Who Rock,Stars of David: Rock 'n' Roll's Jewish Storiesand one more Paranormal plug:Questions from Earth, Answers from Heaven.

Punk was an assault on traditional western culture and society. No surprise here, that jews would be at the core of the punk movement. It chipped at the moral fabric of nations, embraced communism, and made them a boatload of money from gentile dupes. What's a jew not to like? And in the end, was as hypocritical as the people themselves. Nothing astounding here.

Beeber's book is an interesting recount of the formation of the punk rock scene in New York City. However, his attempt to correalate punk rock to the experience of being jewish stretches thin pretty quickly.

First off, Beeber utilizes Lou Reed and especially the Velvet Underground as forebearers of punk. While certainly influential, the Velvets were more of an avante garde pop band than punks. They were as much a result of the overall New York art scene and streets, as well as John Cale's british ideology and muscianship as Reed being jewish.

Next Beeber cites Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. The Modern Lovers, despite the Sex Pistols covering Road Runner, were sort of pre-new wave folk band, they never really released an album when they were together and Richman was from Boston. How this qualifies them as a proto punk band representing the New York Jewish voice is too much for me to comprehend.

Beeber does make a good case that Tommy Ramone was the architect of Ramones. However, he only lasted a couple of albums, Dee Dee was the main songwriter and Johnny's buzzsaw guitar and militaristic leadership (he seemed like a real tool)were as essential as anything. Further, Joey might have been obviously jewish to the New York punk scene, but to most he was just the senstive outcast. Tommy's influence is obvious, but it seemed to me he was as influenced by being an immigrant and growing up in the wrong neighborhood as solely by virtue of being jewish.

While New York obviously was a huge influence on the punk scene, the industrial and menancing Detroit rockers like the MC5, Iggy and Alice Cooper had just as much influence as the New York bands. This is especially true prior to all the great New York bands getting started. Also, the true New York punk influence, The NY Dolls, who really blended the street, with artistic ambitions and the phoniness of Manhatten dont have the jewish connection and therefor dont really lend to the author's theory.

The somewhat later day punkers like Richard Hell, Lenny Kaye and Chris Stein make a good points of converstation, but all seem as influenced by academics as ethnithcity. Hell in fact wouldnt be interviewed and dismissed the premise completely. It also somewhat dismisses how much influence this groups partners in punk, Debbie Harry, Tom Verlaine and Patti Smith, had.

Some of the more interesting jewish punks, including the ladies, Genya Raven and Helen Wheels, and less well known acts like the Dictators (hilarious name) and Suicide just werent well known enough outside of the city to be all that influential.

I dont want to take anything away from the city or culture that reinvented music, but punk was about all that were alienated, suspected and unwanted. It was about anger, pointing out hypocrisy, doing it yourself and the desire to succeed. Didnt Bowie once say all the Brit punks "wanted to be stars."

So, Beeber's point is again lost when punk became so much the property of the anglo british (other than Malcom McClaren managing the Pistols)who apparantly lacking jewish guilt and the somewhat limiting factor of being the property of New Yawk, increased its exposure tremendously. (Hey lets face it Johnny Rotten cussing and spitting in a British accent is gonna play in Cleveland, whereas Joey Ramones obvious jewishness... well... its a joke, one I think Lenny Bruce might have gotten). Fact is, punk was never gonna play to the mainstream, the populus cant all be disnefranchised.

Overall and interesting read, with a thought provoking premise that is well explored, but ultimatly a bit overwritten to prove its point. Still worthwhile if you have any interest in those magical formative musical days in the Big Apple and some of its reaching influences.

In this brilliant exploration of outsider identity, Beeber uncovers the links between Jewishness and punk rock rebellion. The book includes in-depth interviews with such punk rock luminaries as Tommy Ramone, Chris Stein of Blondie, and former Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren. Beeber also explores the inherent contradictions within the punk movement, including the use of Nazi imagery by bands whose family members may have barely escaped the Holocaust. The book includes fascinating anecdotes about punk rock legends, including a chapter that describes Lou Reed's attempts to bring his dog to a seder, and Richard Hell's defensive responses to Beeber's simple question: Are you a Jew? Beeber is an insightful writer and cultural historian who makes heretofore unseen connections between origins of punk in the aggressive outsider comedy of Lenny Bruce and the work of graphic novel pioneer Will Eisner.

Like most music freaks, if you ask me where punk rock originated, I wouldn't hesitate to tell you that it happened in England. After all, the Brits lay claim to pogo dancing, safety pins as a fashion statement, and the Sex Pistols. The whole concept of punk rock is, essentially, very Clockwork Orange.

Steven Lee Beeber's The Heebie Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk challenges that notion by showing us that punk began in New York -- and was heavily influenced and shaped by a variety of Jews from a variety of backgrounds. Beginning with the cutting-edge comedy of Lenny Bruce and the musical innovations that were Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Beeber shows us how the music evolved. It is clear that without the involvement of Jews, there would have been no punk movement.

Chapter by chapter, Beeber traces the bands and the people, focusing on the Jewish players who coalesced around the Jewish-owned punk mecca, CBGB. This is dense reading, best taken slowly so that all of the facts and details -- not to mention the personalities -- can sink in.

One theme that Beeber refers to often is the link between the Holocaust and punk. His claims make perfect sense: the emotions invested in the children of survivors provided the fuel for punk's trademark anger. Yes, there is anger that so many people were eradicated, but one of the more surprising revelations is that some of the anger comes from and is fueled by the fact that the Jews allowed themselves to be victims. At the same time, though, there is an awareness that the word allowed is inaccurate. That anyone, faced with such a circumstance, would have done exactly the same thing. Ultimately, this isn't an emotion of victimization, but of helplessness and futility -- two strong emotions that run through the undercurrent of punk, both in its lyrics and its attitudes.

Beeber takes us across the ocean for a visit with the start of British punk -- the Sex Pistols -- but focuses on the Jews involved in creating that scene. From Sex Pistols creator Malcolm MacLaren to the ill-fated Nancy Spungeon, lover of Pistols frontman Sid Vicious, it is obvious that here, too, punk music and the Jewish tradition are linked so closely that removal of the Jew removes the music.

Many would argue that punk died out with the Sex Pistols, to be replaced by music from cities like LA and San Francisco, peopled with musicians and fans who shocked New York ex-pats with virulent anti-Semitic themes, attitudes, and lyrics.

Beeber returns to New York to show us what punk evolved into: John Zorn's dissonant art and even, perhaps unbelievably, the Beastie Boys, perhaps the most punk of all the bands in the book.

Even more than the Ramones, those poster boys for American punk?

You be the judge. For any music fan, this is essential reading. It's not just that this is a clear evolution of the music scene over the span of forty-some years, from the late 1960s to the present. This book traces the shifts in our culture during this time period, and the shifts in attitude that allowed punk to be as vibrant as it was.

Beeber's prose is smooth and charming, always focused on the topic at hand and never getting sidetracked like so many Jewish storytellers of old. He's also a master craftsman, showing his writer's roots in the construction of each chapter, bringing back points made in opening paragraphs, tying it all together with a neat black leather jacket and peppy beat.

For the music lover, the historian interested in Jewish history, or for anyone intrigued by how someone as tall, skinny, and scary as Joey Ramone could become a pop icon, The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk is one of those books you won't want to miss. Certainly, my copy now occupies a space between Deena Weinstein's seminal Heavy Metal and Joe Berlinger's Metallica: This Monster Lives.

To bring up one last point Beeber makes: Jews are people of the book. Heebie Jeebies is just one in a long line that proves this.

Kasey Pipes does a tremendous job of bringing Eisenhower's previously scarcely commented on struggles with the changing climate of America's Civil Rights to light in a very genuine manner. The book is incredibly readable and very informative.

Pipes is able to present facts with a human touch that brings the reader into Eisenhower's inner circle, as if they were a fly on the wall in some of Ike's most pivotal and telling situations.

Ike's Final Battle
by Kasey Pipes

Mr. Pipes has written a thoroughly enjoyable and well written record of Dwight Eisenhower's approach to civil rights legislation and his exegesis of perspective in the civil rights arena. Pipes chronicles Eisenhower's internal struggles with desegregation of the military and government agencies and his fear that a revolutionary, rather than evolutionary, approach to liberty for all Americans could cause more harm than good. This is a positive revisionist history to some degree; clearly evidencing Ike's intent on aiding the plight of minorities in the US while battling the prejudices that he came of age accepting and being immersed in for the whole of his military career. Ike's slow methodical approach to all matters of civil rights is clearly on display, as was his approach to all difficult decision making. However, his unflinching adherence to the laws of our land clearly stand out. Desegregation is ordered in Little Rock, AR and local politicians refuse to accept the Supreme Court decision, Ike does not hesitate in the least. After exhausting all diplomatic efforts he clearly takes charge of the situation and sends in the 101st Airborne to aide with the enforcement of recently enacted laws. No regrets on Ike's part, no compromising his beliefs - the law is being broken and he immediately, without hesitation asserts control - in the process paving the way for desegregation enforcement to take hold throughout the land.

This is an extremely brisk read that you'll find difficult to get away from. No fluff, solid documentation and previously uncovered oral histories make this a treasure trove of new insight into Ike's personality and genuine concern over civil rights matters. Eisenhower was often derided for his lack of leadership on civil rights, an argument which merits legitimacy, however we're shown a different side in 'Final Battle' which show he was more progressive than many thought - in fact on some occasions, more progressive than the NAACP - then a truly dedicated organization and true standard bearer of civil rights advancement.

Definitely check this book out - it's worth the time and money!

Written by former Bush White House worker Kasey S. Pipes, Ike's Final Battle: the Road to Little Rock and the Challenge of Equality is the amazing and unlikely true story of how Dwight D. Eisenhower became a civil rights president. Chronicling the landmark desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, which forced a historical confrontation between state and federal authorities and set an engraved precedent that the federal government would intervene for the sake of racial justice if necessary, Ike's Final Battle meticulously recounts events in unfolding detail, with an inset section of black-and-white photographic plates. An extensive bibliography, notes, and an index round out this welcome addition to American history shelves.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! It tells President Eisenhower's story very well, and it kept my interest throughout the narrative.

Pipes' thesis, that Eisenhower went through a significant "struggle within himself" about his belief in civil rights (requiring significant social change) and majority rule (which did not support significant social change at that time), is also well argued. I especially appreciate the honesty in which the author tells Ike's story, including his strengths and weaknesses.

Also, Pipes does an excellent job of noting the number of significant Republican policy makers who were strong advocates of civil rights legislation during the 1950s and 1960s.

While I think everyone will benefit from reading this book, it especially should be read by all Republican office holders and candidates, today.

This book is a fast 300 pg. narrative on Eisenhower's nuanced positions regarding civil rights. The nuance is not whether equal rights for African Americans were right vs. wrong, but instead Eisenhower's struggle on how best to protect the rights of these Americans against the prejudice of southern conservatives who controlled the southern states and the relevant committees of the Senate.

Pipes begins with Eisenhower's experiences and contributions to the cause of equal rights in the military and ends in his retirement, with the climax happening 2/3 of the way through the book when Ike sends federal troops to Little Rock, AK to defend the right of African American students to attend a whites-only public school in spite of a bigoted governor who sends the national guard to keep them out. The book finishes with reflections on his contributions looking back from the time of Kennedy and LBJ moving the ball forward even further.

Pipes provides an incredibly fair report on President Eisenhower's policy positions and actions given the frequent opaqueness of his position depending on the situation and the company he was keeping. Many have attempted to paint Ike as a racist political opportunist or a courageous leader of the civil rights movement, with both positions given to hyperbole. Instead, Pipes portrays a man who respects majoritarian positions while realizing in his heart the wrongness of institutionalized bigotry even though Eisenhower, a man of his time, shares some prejudicial beliefs. The struggle for Eisenhower is often how to move the majority to his position without his having to depend on fiery rhetoric to change hearts and minds.

While Eisenhower was never a die-hard politico, he left the GOP with a wonderful legacy inherent in republicanism as a form of government instituted in 1787. Reading this book in 2007 shows how far the current majority of Republicans have mutated away from the principles of republicanism and Eisenhower, mostly due to the Southern Conservative Democrats who emigrated to the GOP after LBJ led the Democratic party into passing the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts.

Pipes' only flaw in the book, so minor it's not worth knocking down a star, is a weak-hearted attempt to define Eisenhower as a conservative even though all empirical evidence in the book and other studies on Eisenhower provide ample evidence that he was a moderate who "got it" regarding our founding ideal of republicanism that holds that government is obligated to defend our individual liberty rights. The examples of Eisenhower's actions in the book are a case study in republicanism, not conservatism, where Ike closely follows the examples of previous Republican presidents who used federal power to protect individual and minority rights (e.g., Madison, Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt). Conservatives by definition abhor using federal power to protect individual rights, they instead promote the ideal of "state rights" in hopes the process of "democratic conservatism" at the state level will "protect the will of the people", i.e., conservatives want to employ simple majorities leveraging state power to deny individuals and minority groups equal rights and protections.

A wonderfully crafted autobiography. Honest and personal, Geldof puts the first half of his life under the microscope and you grow to love him for his warts and scars.
A riveting book especially for those who recall the music of his era. You will laugh and you may cry even if it is only because the book ends years short of the present day.

This book is one of those books that will renew your faith in the ability of normal people to change the world for the better. It is also hilarious and a great read!

I don't usually read biographies books but this one is a very good one

It's severly dated by today's standards, but what an excellent read, all the same. I look at it as the music industry version of Julia Phillips "You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again". Biting with sardonic wit, lots of muck-raking (most of it spot-on), and just a wee bit 'o' honesty.

How much of it is true, we'll never know. But the essential bits (the inception of the Boomtown Rats, their immersion into the music scene, other bands, Live Aid, etc.) are required reading for anybody who gives a damn about the music industry. There's loads of comedy as well as pathos, as well as some of the greatest quotes I've ever read in an autobiography.

If you can still find a copy, it's well worth owning.

Bob Geldof's book is a stunning odyssey into the mind of a rock star. he also happens to be a philanthropist who can teach a thing or two to the best of them. the man behind `live aid' not only collected hundreds of millions out of a telethon for africa's famine victims, but made sure they reached the right hands. his forthright language and no-holds-barred style are refreshing. if you must read an autobiography of a rock star, read this one.

A fun read for most Elvis fans. The story is delightful
and fast paced with alot of twists to keep a mystery
reader happy. As a fan, I found myself wishing for a
few more details to be like the personal Elvis.
eg: language used was ok, but certain phrases
could have just as easy been used that Elvis was
known to say often. Ok..Ok... I'm picking but
all in all it was a fun book and worth a read and
a must for E collectors.

I'm not a big Elvis fan and when my husband brought this book home, I was reluctant to read it. Alas, with nothing left in the house to read, I had no choice (I am a serious book junkie!). I thought the book would be silly and rather tongue-in-cheek, but boy, was I wrong. This book is magnificent. It is a real page turner! I could hardly put the book down. Elvis plays a detective trying to figure out who is killing the young, female presidents of his fan clubs. He turns out to be an upstanding citizen and his character is portrayed as being very un-Hollywood. Elvis fights both crime and moral issues is this novel. The book is quite witty and, although I would like to say I did not know who the killer was until the end, it managed to keep my attention with the interplay between the characters. For those who like a suspense-ful novel with light-hearted brevity and a good, twisty plot, this book is a must read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Elvis comes off as a real live breathing human being, and Daniel Klein did a great job with the various characters. I especially liked the relationship of Elvis and Selma - very sweet and tender. Elvis in the book did a lot of the things that the Elvis in real life would love to have done. The mystery itself was intriguing - strange lethal drug killing fan club presidents - various characters appearing to be the likely suspect. I liked Selma so much that I was sad at the end - and the final phone call from overseas was a great ending. My only complaint was the overuse at times of crude language which did not always seem necessary. However, I enjoyed the book enough that I would definitely buy the next in the series. Jean Donovan

Kill Me Tender by Daniel Klein

"Kill Me Tender" is a pure fiction "murder mystery" featuring Elvis Presley. Well, why not? There are many "fact"-books written about Elvis that are playing more or less fast and loose with those facts. At least the cover of this book states that this time it is fiction.

Elvis playing detective is not a strange idea at all, because it is a well-known fact Elvis had the hang of the police enforcement. Overall it is clear that the writer studied his main character pretty well. He does not only recommend Peter Guralnick's works, but it looks like he actually read them.

Daniel Klein took some liberties with stipulations as to time that catch the eye of the reader immediately, at least when the reader is an Elvis-fan. To the less fanatics those stipulations are just "Elvis-facts" that may seem in place. We can safely place the story in 1960, because most "facts" point to that. Elvis is home for just a couple of months after returning from Germany and "Elvis Is Back" is his latest album. Being a couple of weeks from the filming of "Take Me to The Fair" is in contradiction with this, because this movie (which became "It Happened At The World's Fair") was not filmed before the last quarter of 1962. Also a statue of Elvis in a jumpsuit and a TCB-belt do not really fit in the 1960-picture, because it took another decade before those things showed up. On first sight it looks strange that some of the Elvis-related people are mentioned by name, like Priscilla, Vernon, The Colonel and The Jordanaires, while Elvis' close friends are fictional.

Here we'll stop the hair-splitting. Assuming you like murder-mysteries at all this book is a nice read. It is fast, but demanding: it forces you to read on, even when you know you should go to sleep, because you have to go to work again the next day. The mystery starts when two young girls, both presidents of local fanclubs find an untimely death. Elvis gets involved and before you know it you are reading about P.I. Presley instead of G.I. Presley. There are some tender, touching moments, of course there is tension too and even humour can be spotted on several pages. In other words we enjoyed the book very much and therefore we won't say anything more about it, especially not regarding the story line. Not to give away the clue and to be sure we won't spoil your pleasure reading it!

What a great mystery. I loved having Elvis Presley sleuthing to unravel the mysterious deaths of the fan club presidents. He was very likeable but he also resembled the real King.

Elvis is made aware of two young girls who have apparently died in their sleep. They were both presidents of his fan club in different Tennessee cities. No one believes them to be anything but sad. No foul play is suspected. Elvis feels differently and enlists the aid of Billy Jackson, a self-taught doctor to a small black community. His nurse Selma also assists and Elvis is smitten with her.

He also has to deal with a Elvis impersonator that thinks he really is Elvis. Elvis consults with a forensic psychiatrist to try to understand the killer's mind.

Then there is another death of a fan club president. Still no one will listen to him and look into these deaths as murders. Plus Elvis keeps receiving recordings of his songs but with twisted lyrics. Who can be sending these? Could they be related to the deaths?

In the meantime, Elvis goes to his class reunion and runs into Penny Woodruff, a classmate and former girlfriend.

Things are getting complicated and Elvis is constantly missing recording sessions in his quest to find a killer no one else is even looking for. His is constantly have to deal with his manager and childhood pals at Graceland. His interest in Selma is constantly growing, but what about Priscilla.

Elvis ends up putting himself and others in danger to discover the identity of the killer before there are any more deaths.

I found this to be a delightful mystery. The Elvis character was so well constructed, I often found myself wondering if these things really happened!

This is a terrific new series and I can't wait to read them all. You will not be disappointed! You won't want to put it down until the last page! I highly recommend it!

Its nice to have these graphic novels so as not to ruin the orig1nal comicbook versions. Of course these are nice collectibles too! for those insatiable KISS fans!

This book contains issues 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Kiss Psycho Circus comic book. Three stories are told: 'The Witching of Adam Moon', 'Nature of the Beast', and 'Smoke & Mirrors'. All of the stories are very compelling to read, especially if you are into dark fantasy or horror. Issue # 3 is my favorite in this book. (Although the entrance of the character Kismet in issues # 4-6 is a welcome addition, not to mention Madame Raven's backstory.)

You do not need to be a fan of the band in order to fully enjoy this book, but fans of the band will enjoy all of the hidden Kiss references. Brian Holguin is one of the best comic book writers in the business and he works very well with Angel Medina/Kevin Conrad. Their visual storytelling style is excellent. Go visit the circus, you won't regret it.

I thought they did an excellent job on this book. I can't wait for book 2. The artwork is spectacular. The storytelling was good, but the overall story was slightly lacking. My biggest complaint was that it was too short. I need more. So raise your glasses to the crew that put all the hard work into this one... Buy it.

You wanted the best you got the best! It's a f***ing great comicbook. See ya at the Psycho Circus tour '99

This book includes issues # 7, 8, 9 and 18 of the awesome comic book Kiss Psycho Circus. Each issue is a one shot story that can be read by anyone- fan of the band or not. (Issue # 9 contains the great origin story!)

Brian Holguin really knows how to write compelling tales, and Angel Medina and Kevin Conrad work really well together as far as the art goes. The art in the last issue is by Clayton Crain, the current penciller. Great art + Great Stories = Must have book!

Even adults will love this book, which is geared toward 9-12 year-olds. You won't look at man's best friend the same again!

With "Larry: The King of Rock and Roll," Iris Rainer Dart and Joyce Brotman have created a moral tale that is at once wildly fun, totally absorbing, and quite touching. As we follow the sky-rocketing career (and ego) of Larry, a talented and talkative Maltese, we learn that even the most famous fido has his day and ultimately needs his friends. In Larry's case, these are Tom and Cathy, the father and daughter who are, respectively, Larry's musical partner and his best friend. Rainer Dart and Brotman give extra zip to the story of Larry's rise, fall, and return to grace by alternating the chapters between Cathy's narration of events and Larry's, creating a conflict of perspective that will keep children and adults eagerly flipping the pages. A great story--even for cat people!

My six-year old son and I read this book together and loved it. The story is original (rare for a children's book) and engaging. I would recommend Larry the King of Rock and Roll without reservation.

Yes, you CAN tell a book by its cover. Though I am a mature adult, I was attracted to this book, recommended for 9-12 year olds, by its delightful cover. So I bought it, read it, and loved it. It's breezy, funny and feel-good. And it has a story that keeps you guessing till the very satisfying ending. My wife also loved it and we have already sent it to cousins with two kids. Can't wait to see the movie!

This is an excellent book. Full of talent and originality, you will never look at your dog--or treat him/her for that matter--the same way again! A must read for early tweens.

Maybe it's the setting, my alma mater--the University of Louisville campus--but I felt right at home with these characters. A hunk trying to live a responsible life and a responsible bookworm trying to break free of her image. It's an academic experiment that quickly runs out of control. I'll never look at a car wash again without thinking of this book! Joanne Rock is one fine writer, one to watch.

Cal and Maddie's story snagged my attention from page one and held it all the way through a one-sitting read. What an awesome story with great characters! Cal's sister Allison is esepcially fun with her mall addiction. Joanne Rock stories are now definitely on my auto-buy list!

Graduate student Madeline Watson feels outraged to learn that her desertion topic has been rejected. She had elected to study the mating practices of humans from a sociological point of view. The committee's denial of the topic implies that she lives a pristine life that lacks practical experience with dating rituals; therefore, her innocence disqualifies her from making an adequate study of such a racy topic. Consequently, Madeline approaches long time friend Cal Turner, the bad boy of the teacher's lounge. Her goal: to practice dating rituals publicly enough to convince her professors to reconsider her topic.

Cal has tried to flirt with Madeline for years, but she just never seems to "get it." He resolved long ago to maintain their platonic friendship. Now he is shocked at Maddy's invitation to come to her place to burn up the sheets. Shocked that she offers and flattered that she wants him, Cal still has to decline. He has been cleaning up his reputation for the sake of a custody hearing for his little sister. A flagrant and public affair could cost him the case. Still, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to Madeline, especially when his Lady Scholar becomes a siren in a red dress.

Author Joanne Rock brings a marvelous sense of adventure and a touch of the unexpected to LEARNING CURVES. In the Ivory Towers of higher academia, this marvelous heroine discovers that higher learning and falling in love can be both challenging and rewarding. Rock carefully sidesteps current policy of prohibiting a graduate student and an instructor from dating. Her ingenious resolution: they were friends before he started teaching, she has more teaching experience, and they are in different departments. And in a world where a graduate student's reputation makes all the difference, in this case because she is a little too pristine, Rock exploits the possibilities to the fullest. A delightful romp scertain to entertain, LEARNING CURVES comes very highly recommended.

Madeline Watson wants to study human-mating rituals...and who better to study with than her good pal Cal Turner. But Cal can't have a scandal, and a scandal is just what he'll have if word gets out he's dating a grad student. There's too much at stake to risk. But maybe there's too much at stake not to?

Joanne Rock writes a steamy story with "real" people who will not only delight you, but move you!

I figured a Harlequin Temptation novel would have plenty of sizzle, especially one whose cover featured a scarlet sheath-clad siren in the back seat of a classic convertible getting very friendly with a gorgeous guy. LEARNING CURVES, the Harlequin Temptation debut of Golden Heart winner Joanne Rock, does have sizzle to spare. But it isn't a case of all sizzle, no steak. Ms. Rock delivers a juicy, full-flavored steak with the love story of Madeline Watson, a socially inexperienced academic and Cal Turner, the campus bad boy she chooses to tutor her in the subject of passion. Cal and Maddy set off sparks that can't be quenched by either the complications in their lives or the pink soap bubble car wash that's the scene of one memorable tryst. Like a roller coaster that ends with a lingering ride through the tunnel of love, LEARNING CURVES, provides the perfect mixture of sensual thrills and sweet satisfaction.

I picked up Mama Rock's Rules by Rose Rock and Valerie Graham for my daughter who is faced with the challenge of raising two kids; my first response was I wish I'd had this thoughtful and entertaining guide to help me through some of those tough times when I was raising my daughters. Down to earth, with an emphasis on the importance of rules and respect, always balanced with a large dollop of love, the book provides a unique and meaningful approach to handling sex, love, and self respect in the chapter, "Don't Lie Down with Anything you Don't Want to Live With Forever." Another of my favorite chapters is "Feed Them and They'll Tell you Everything." Filled with warmth, Rose gives us great ideas about making the family dinner a special time for sharing and learning more about what's going on with our kids. Every chapter gives an original take on important issues that affect how we raise our children to be respectful, confident, successful people. I highly recommend this book for parents and grandparents alike.

As a long time fan of comedian Chris Rock, I was excited to get the chance to review a new book by his mother, Rose, Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Household of Successful Children.

Assuming that the apple didn't fall far from the tree, I figured there would be some straight, no-nonsense talk from this woman who not only raised her own children, but opened her home to the neighborhood kids, as well as a host of foster children through her life. She's got way more patience than I do, that's for sure!

And I was right! The title of Chapter 1 will give you a sense of where Mama Rock is coming from -- I Am Your Mama, Not Your Friend. A lot of us moms struggle with striking the right tone and balance in our mothering lives, but Mama Rock is here to tell us to let go of our worries about whether our kids will like us, and focus more on instilling the respect they should have for parents.

She's not saying we can't have fun and enjoy our children, but Mama Rock takes a 'trust, but verify' approach to child-raising which made a lot of sense to me. I do know one thing -- I'm glad I never had to find out about her mystery can of whup-a$$!

But Mama has a soft side, too -- she's got lots of advice on creating memories for our children and the gratification we can all get from make more time to gather around the dinner table, something that we struggle with here at Chez PunditMom because of overlapping work and activity schedules.

I'm going to try to heed some of Mama Rock's advice which is the kind we need more of these days -- non-nonsense talk from a mama who's raised a group of amazingly successful kids.

Personally, I think there are some Hollywood celebrity families who could use this book right now!

This is probably the only CD you'll need for child rearing. It is marvelous.

As the parent of a 5-year old I was looking for a sensible, straight-shooting book on discipline, teaching sound values and preparing a child for life as an adult. Several parents/teachers suggested 'Love and Logic'. After several unsuccessful tries to read it, I gave up. Then the local newspaper had a favorable article on Mama Rock's Rules. It was easy to read, made a LOT of sense, reinforced the lessons my parents had taught me and was fun to read. As another reviewer mentioned, this is a book to return to over and over again. I usually borrow books from the library. The classics I buy. This is a classic.

This lady has it right!! Loved the book and appreciate Rose Rock for sharing her 'Mojo's" with others. I have bought several copies to give as gifts to young mothers I know. How I wish I had such a guide when my children were young. Recommend this book with it's great sensible advice and wonderful humor to all.

The Definitive Guide - I agree absolutely!!! Useful and practical book - over 400 pages and about 300 bands covered. The essential bands are there due to their talent and influence, and not sales. There are definitions and introductions of genres and sub-genres (from HMR and NWOBHM to goth, power, doom etc) discographies, geography - from UK and Finland to Central America. This book is an honest, knowledgeable and decent job of true professional and real connoisseur. Not only I finally found what I've been looking for (and couldn't find in "Great Metal Discography" - avoid it), I used it as a guide to buy many decent albums, and to read "Nuclear Blast". Few suggestions only - to find some place in the next edition for "Grand Funk", "Blue Cheer" and "Iron Butterfly". As for doom - honestly, "Swans" and - especially - "Laibach" should be there. And a real must is "Mezarkabul" ("Pentagram") from Turkey. But just buy this book, it's a give away price.

Got this gift for my husband who is a metal fanatic. He loved it. He said it was the best gift he ever got. I would recommend this for any metal enthusiast!

I recently bought this book back in August and am stillreading it, its thatgood. First of all, this book only deals with "True Metal" bands only. There are no NuMetal, Grunge, hair,etc.What you get is different genres of Metal. American Thrash, British Thrash, Death, Black, Doom/Gothic, Power, American Heavy Metal, Swedish Heavy Metal, Japanese Metal, NWOBHM, NWOAHM, Brazilian Metal, etc. Band histories and discography are very well done. No longer will you have to buy individual Metal books. Its allhere. In fact, flipping through theAmerican Thrash section, I discovered several Canadian Thrash bands that totally shred. Ended up buying several of their cd's. Garry Sharpe Young has put together the best book on Metal out there for the True Metal fan. If you're a Metal Maniac, buy this now, trust me.

My favorite still is the Encyclopedia of Metal as a generic guide, but when I saw this one come out this year, I picked up a copy, and it was well worth it. Not only is it also a complete guide, it divides the bands into Genres of metal, that way you can pick up the book, look at the contents and get organized alphabetical answers in each Genre. And all the big bands are included. Again, a great book to have for the Metal head. Check this one out.

This book is basically a big thick encyclopedia of different metal bands. The author did a really good job of writing about bands that are purely metal, as opposed to other metal books that just get all ridiculous and have entries on Pearl Jam and Insane Clown Posse, but leave out a lot of important bands. Pretty much every band that should be in here is in here. The only band that I was really surprised was missing was Melvins (it was also kind of surprising that the Japanese band Boris wasn't in here either). Anyway, the focus on metal means that many hard rock bands that are either considered to be metal or proto-metal are not in here. So that means no Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Deep Purple, or AC/DC. There's also no hair metal and no nu-metal.

The book is broken up into sections for different genres/categories of metal. Because there are so many genres of metal and so many different metal bands, this sounds like a bad idea, but the categories are split up pretty well. Every band entry is pretty informative and includes a discography. Most entries for bands span multiple pages. Entries for more popular bands like Black Sabbath, Metallica, and Anthrax span several pages and had all kinds of information I had never read before. So while reading this I've never really gotten the feeling that I'm just reading a bunch of stuff that I've read before, which is a huge plus with this kind of book. Also, the band entries are often accompanied by a band photo, which is nice.

Anyway, I guess I would sum up my thoughts on this book as thus: If there were a college course on heavy metal, this would probably be the textbook you'd have to buy.

I purchased this book for my sister for her birthday because is is a Die-Hard MJ fan and she just loves everything about this book!!, The pictures, The Interviews she says that it even has MJ opinion about how he felt about the his earlier hits. So I say this is a very excellent book to purchase for yourself if you too are a die-hard fan of MJ'S or even if you know someonre who is they won't be disappointed.

P.S. It even has his lyrics to certain songs. So how can you go wrong? this book was worth every cent I sent to it knowing how happy it made my sister.

this book is basicaly a bunch of facts on the star with itntrevew tranacriptions and some nice pictures thown in although the way the book is set up is a little odd and the typing errors in the first few chapters lead me to belive that it was rushed to prir This book iss not a bio it was a book put togther by a big fan that becaily said michael jackson is cool and heres why after quickly going over his personal life (and not in much detail) it basicaly breaks down what hes done with somerarelly seen at least in some areas of the word intervieews printed

This is a beautiful book from the front cover to the back. It's a down-to-earth, no-non sense read on the entertainer. It's a keepsake for the bookself.

This 300 page book is not just another book on Michael Jackson! This book is unique and a mile from the rest! It's packed with detailed information on the life and career of the entertainer. It's a well-written book that can be housed in any public library or on any high school bookshelf. Yet, I have noticed that this clean book on Michael Jackson doesn't appear to be selling as well as all the other books that are on the market about him. What a pity! This book is more of a literary work on the Superstar life and career than any of the others that I have read. But it's missing one main ingredient - Trash! It doesn't really get into throwing stones and pulling what-ifs opinions out of the wind.
But that's the world we're living in. Give the people what they want, and what they want is dirty laundry over good writing! Decent works like this one get left behind!

this Book is very Detailed&the world Owes Michael Jackson as does the Media a Big saying they are Sorry.He is One o fthe Greatest Musicians Ever. He has Broken down many barriers.Michael Jackson is a Civil Rights leader&Strogn Pressence that will never be denied.almost 40 year career.He is the King of Pop&this Book goes into many areas acknowledging His Genius&timeless Musical Qualitys.