Arthur Books

The book is medium-it isn't an easy book you only play once and then you're bored, but it isn't very difficult. Some of the arrangements are needlessly crazy, but some are well done. A piano player of about 3-5 years is about the right level.

The piano and vocals are clearly printed which makes for a good quality score. Chords for each harmony are printed in the vocal sections but not in the introductary measures. Difficulty of music depends on the particular song for example, "Somewhere" and "One Hand, One Heart" are easier. I've enjoyed playing this music and would recommend it.

If you want to play/arrange/orchestrate or simply see the genius of Berstein, this is the way to go. As an arranger, I needed reference to orchestrate a West Side Story Medley for a show, and I'm not talking your regular "standard" tunes. This vocal score is also a piano reduction of the orchestrations and was aboslutely what I needed. You can see nearly every instrument line, counter melody, even instrument indications. This was the best $50.00 I may have every spent. Saved me hours and hours of trying to "lift" off the lines. They were all there, even for the dance sections from Cool & The Rumble, which is what I really needed. Don't hestitate if you're looking for the real Berstein stuff!

The music from West Side Story is captivating, and I love being able to relive it again and again. Hearing the music from the show takes you back to the story of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.

If you're looking for a faithful translation from the full score, this is the one. This score is based on Bernstein latest revision as reflected in the Carreras Te Kanawa recording (1985).

But be warned, this score is only for upper-intermediate/advanced pianist, classically trained. It's not a fakebook, it's not a simplified/reduced piano score for casual use. The arrangement gives two alternatives for playing some part of the song, and you can choose to play it the hard way or the easier way (which is still rather difficult). The hard way is of course the most faithful to the orchestral score.

For example, the dance part in "America" can be played by using single notes of the left hands rather than using full chord, which is great if you're trying to cope with the tempo. The arrangement for the slow pieces such as "one hand one heart", "maria", "tonight", and "somewhere" is really beautiful.

Tip: Listen to the "west side story" conducted by Bernstein himself to get a grasp of the tempo, dynamics and phrasing.

an excellent adventure, spiced with hints of symbolism. I loved the dialog between the characters. Well worth reading.

A candid look into the future as this conflict grows. Religon and science are the two giants of civilized mankinds mental and social discourse. The continuing conflict is something which involves all of us. Well done.

The use of people to personify the forces of religon and science was well done. I especially liked the charecter of Thomas. He adds a magical quality to the book.

The use of people to personify the forces of religon and science was well done. I especially liked the charecter of Thomas. He adds a magical quality to the book.

An excellent novel, of the growing dispute between church and state, the scientific state. Setting the novel in Pennsylvania with it's rich religous history was ideal. The development of juvenile law principles, and the rising use of behavior modifying drugs in this system is timely. Cudos to this author for being brave enough to say so.

"Wisdom's Children" is a landmark work in the history of Christian esotericism. Thought mainly to be the domain of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, Protestant mysticism has been marginalized for too long. Arthur Versluis takes us back 300 years and shows us that beneath its stern veneer, there has been, and still is, a vital current of the imagination and mystical understanding in and around mainstream Protestantism. Jane Leade, Johann Gichtel, Boehme, Freher, are all brought to life. The chapters on German theosophy, folk magic, and qabala in colonial Pennsylvania alone are worth the cover price. Highly recommended.

Well written and well thought out. For me personally, it filled in an enormous gap in my knowledge and greatly improved my understanding and opinion of Jacob Boehme. I would recommend Jacob Boehme's Way to Christ (Paulist Press) as a good "next book." Have fun with this; the vision is quite beautiful.

This book gives a great overview of the movement of christian mysticism which was essentially founded by Jacob Boehme. The only complaint that I have with it is that it does not have a section on Louis Claude de Saint-Martin.

Well written and well thought out. For me personally, it filled in an enormous gap in my knowledge and greatly improved my understanding and opinion of Jacob Boehme. I would recommend Jacob Boehme's Way to Christ (Paulist Press) as a good "next book." Have fun with this; the vision is quite beautiful.

Christian mysticism is generally associated with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, but professor Arthur Versluis here casts needed light on the obscure Anglo/Germanic theosophical mysticism deriving from Jacob Boehme.

Writing in a style that is scholarly yet accessible, Versluis follows the influence of Boehme down through disciples such as Johann Gichtel, John Pordage, and Jane Leade, figures who remain little-known even in esoteric circles.

The "theosophy" of Boehme and his followers differs markedly from the later theosophy of Madame Blavatsky and the Theosophical Society, a syncretistic theosophy which owes much to Buddhism and Hinduism. By contrast, the Christian theosophy of Boehme is thoroughly Christian and Christ-centered, deriving from his personal mystical visions rather than from readings in Eastern religion.

A main emphasis of Boehme and his followers is that religion be experiential rather than simply an intellectual acceptance of dogma or an assent to verbal expressions of faith. Boehme often described verbal religion as "Babel," signifying that it lacked the truly transformative quality of real religion.

Christian theosophy typically invokes the idea of "sophia," seen as a feminine personification of divine wisdom. Although present in the Old testament "Song of Songs," and occasionally referenced elsewhere in both the Old and New Testaments, sophia/wisdom largely went underground in the Christian tradition, and is more often associated with heretical groups such as the various gnostic sects of the first Christian centuries.

Indeed, Versluis takes up the question of whether there is a link between the Boehmian tradition and the earlier gnostics, and his conclusion is generally in the negative. First of all, there is no evidence of a direct line of transmission between the two traditions; secondly, the theosophers eschewed the elaborate mythical constructs of the earlier gnostics, relying instead on their own direct visionary experiences.

Versluis has tapped into a mystical thread in Christianity which bears further study, and I recommend his "Theosophia" as another laudable effort to elaborate the sophian tradition in Christianity - not merely as a historical curiosity, but as a living tradition that might have something to teach Christians to this day.

"The World before This One" was a motivating book for me. I wouldn't recommend this book for younger people, because the vocabulary and names are very challenging, even for me. It was also hard for me to follow what was going on in the book, so if you have a short attention span, this book isn't for you. This book is a good book for scholars in the literary area. It is a very good legend, but if you aren't interested in a novel told in legend, I would definitely not recommend this book.
The main characters in this book are a young man named Crow, and his grandmother. The setting is at a lodge, and in the forest. The climax is when grandmother asks Raccoon, Crow's old friend, to spy on him and see why he doesn't bring home hardly any books from hunting a full day in the forest. The plot is how grandfather stone tells Crow the legends of the world before this one, and it is up to him to see if his fellow villagers are ready to hear the legends.

I enjoyed this book very much. It touched my heart and mind by teaching lessons that mean something today as much as they must have in "The World Before This One." Certainly a worthwhile read - and then some.

In THE WORLD BEFORE THIS ONE a stone speaks, transporting the listening Seneca boy, Crow, and ourselves, to an older time; a world of myth and legend where integrity and nobility of action bring rewards. The stories Grandfather Stone tells Crow transform the listening boy, his people, and ultimately ourselves.

Rafe Martin, a gifted storyteller, posesses a rare ability to bring to life for adults and children alike the world of magic inherent in nature. THE WORLD BEFORE THIS ONE is partly a coming of age story, as Crow finds his true path as a tale teller and guardian of his people's wisdom. Martin's retelling of these Seneca legends reaches all of us to touch a deeper consciousness within, and imbues our present world with meaning.

If you are looking for a book to read aloud to your children, you'll love this one. The imagery and folk lore are as interesting for the parent as for the children. Because many of the Native American legends and customs are the same as my children are learning in school, this book was a great way to have fun while reinforcing learning.

This book is about a boy and his grandmother who have to move away from the village. He finds a rock that can tell stories. I like this book because it has different stories in it. I think it is part fantasy and part realistic fiction. I would recommend that other people should read it because it is good if you like realistic fiction or fantasy.

This story of a wriggly, wriggly baby is one that any mother of a wiggly, busy baby can identify with. In this cute and fast-paced picture book, the author, Jessica Clerk, leads us on a day-long adventure with a baby who just won't sit still; not for kisses, not for cuddles and certainly not for grandma! Throughout the hilarious rhyme, baby checks out the zoo, stops for lunch, and even waltzes with the wales! But when the stars come out and baby finds himself all alone, he wants to go back to that wonderful safe place. . . home. A must have for every family with a baby. Whether it is a wiggly one or not.

Children between two and five years old will love the get-up-and-go of the wriggly baby character, particularly if they have a younger cousin or sibling. Kids get a kick out of imagining a squirming baby wriggling right out of dad's arms, ducking out of grandma's way, staying just out of mom's reach and toddling along to all the local hotspots (the firehouse, zoo, diner, fairground and beach). They also love the action words used in the text (skedaddle, bobble, slither and shimmy). Though the wriggly baby tires out in the end, my son and daughter rarely tire of hearing this lively and sweet story around bedtime.

This "wriggly" baby crawls, flips and laughs his way on a cleverly crafted journey. With vibrant colors and beautiful, rhythmic prose, children and adults alike will want to 'clap their hands and tap their feet'! The energy alone makes this book a pleasure to read and a must buy for the home library or a fun gift.

It's a good thing the writing in this book is so exceptional, because kids will ask that it be read to them over and over and over yet again. All of you parents out there know how that can be. Wriggly Wriggly Baby is a pleasure EVERY time. There's lots to look at in the pictures, too.

It's the drawings that make this book. There's one scene of the wriggly wriggly baby yodeling with a yak on a mountain top. I think I'll remember that image always. The book is for kids but these drawings are little works of art.

I teach 5th grade and used this book when teaching about archetypal characters. My students and I both loved this book! This Cinderella story was creative and kept the students interested. The illustrations were fantastic. I am taking the book home to read to my three and a half year old who I know will just love this book, too!

Adelita is a Mexican Cinderella at the mercy of her cruel stepmothers and stepsisters. You know the story. The difference is that Mr. de Paola uses Mexican culture to breathe new life into a often tired old story. The result is a beautifully witten and illustrated adaptation rich with language and culture that makes it a true joy to read to my little ones.

My four year old daughter loves this story and has me check it out from the library over and over again. (I think it's time to buy her her own copy.) I especially love reading the Spanish phrases which not only educates, but makes the story even more authentic. You will enjoy this tremendously.

Poor Adelita. Her mother died in childbirth, her adoring father soon remarried a mean and jealous woman with two awful daughters, and then he unfortunately die, too. Adelita was now all alone in the world, living with an unloving, cruel family. Soon, she was relegated to the position of servant and sent to live in the kitchen, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of her stepmother's and stepsisters' every want, wish, and need. One day an invitation arrived for a fiesta at Senor Gordillo's hacienda to celebrate the homecoming of his son, Javier..... Tomie dePaola takes the old and familiar Cinderella story, and gives it a clever and humorous, south of the border twist. This is a much more realistic retelling. There's no pumpkin coach, fairy godmother, or glass slipper, but the magic of the Cinderella theme shines through with charm and wit. Mr dePaola's lively text is heartwarming and engaging, and sprinkled with Spanish words and phrases. But it's his vibrant and expressive artwork that really make this picture book stand out and sparkle. Each page is a feast for the eyes, filled with warm colors, dazzling Mexican folk art designs, and marvelous eye-catching detail. Young and old alike, will want to linger and explore each illustration before turning the page. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Adelita is a wonderful addition to the collection of Cinderella stories. This is Tomie dePaola at his very best, and a must-have for all home libraries.

This is a wonderful book for teaching the familiar unit of "Cinderella Around the World." I read it to my class and they loved it. This book also provides wondeful cultural references about Latin American culture, especially Mexican culture. I am Mexican and I felt that it was authentic. Additionally it has some Spanish phrases you can teach children or at least introduce the concept. The illustrations are also beautiful.

The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a captivating set of over 20 stories of the 56 Sherlock Holmes stories ever written, described from the point of view of Watson, Sherlock Holmes's assistant, living up, if not surpassing, the expectations set by the age-old classic. Each story has a captivating plot, yet all different enough that it leaves you reading and re-reading key parts, trying to figure it out before Sherlock Holmes reveals the answer. I admit, I am yet to reliably put the clues together. As I have found, a large age group enjoys this book, making it a pleasure to share with family. Inside the story, there are plots filled with gentlemen, businesspeople, servants, witnesses, beggars, masked trespassers, and more, that unusually for a mystery book, all have the same likelihood of possibly having a hand in the crime. With stories that show weakness in character, like my personal favorite, (in which it turns out that the people who bring Sherlock there happen to be the murderers themselves!) brings a realistic image of the people involved, calling out to the reader, as if to say, "yes, you are here. This is what has been happening," and, from the moment you begin reading, put you in their shoes.
Occasionally, the plot is not truly revealed, such as in A Scandal in Bohemia, when the suspect escapes before questioning can occur, and the story ends in a question, as to whether or not the villainess escaped permanently, or if her story has just begun. Best set for the advanced reader, I would not classify it as a "light read", and is best read in small pieces, thanks to not only the magnitude of the book, but by the nature of a late 1800's mystery novel. Thanks to wikipedia, I have heard that in 1964, the Sherlock Holmes books were, selling second best in the world, second only to the bible. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most influential mysteries of the 1900's, and is, over-all, a true pleasure, and something I feel everyone should read at some point in their lives.

The Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is a captivating set of over 20 stories of the 56 Sherlock Holmes stories ever written, described from the point of view of Watson, Sherlock Holmes's assistant, living up, if not surpassing, the expectations set by the age-old classic. Each story has a captivating plot, yet all different enough that it leaves you reading and re-reading key parts, trying to figure it out before Sherlock Holmes reveals the answer. I admit, I am yet to reliably put the clues together. As I have found, a large age group enjoys this book, making it a pleasure to share with family. Inside the story, there are plots filled with gentlemen, businesspeople, servants, witnesses, beggars, masked trespassers, and more, that unusually for a mystery book, all have the same likelihood of possibly having a hand in the crime. With stories that show weakness in character, like my personal favorite, (in which it turns out that the people who bring Sherlock there happen to be the murderers themselves!) brings a realistic image of the people involved, calling out to the reader, as if to say, "yes, you are here. This is what has been happening," and, from the moment you begin reading, put you in their shoes.
Occasionally, the plot is not truly revealed, such as in A Scandal in Bohemia, when the suspect escapes before questioning can occur, and the story ends in a question, as to whether or not the villainess escaped permanently, or if her story has just begun. Best set for the advanced reader, I would not classify it as a "light read", and is best read in small pieces, thanks to not only the magnitude of the book, but by the nature of a late 1800's mystery novel. Thanks to wikipedia, I have heard that in 1964, the Sherlock Holmes books were, selling second best in the world, second only to the bible. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most influential mysteries of the 1900's, and is, over-all, a true pleasure, and something I feel everyone should read at some point in their lives.

I like most of the stories in this book (a merger of 2 seperate anthologies) but some are quite bad. Still tho, I like Holmes and he gets plenty of room here to show off his skills.

These stories are presented in chrological order of their publication in 'Strand' magazine and follow immediatly after 'A Study in Scarlet' and 'The Sign of Four'. Tho their timelines bounce around all over the place and it's hard to keep track.

My fave stories would be 'The Speckled Band' or 'The Engineer's Thumb'. Both of which are from 'Adventures'. The only story I really enjoyed from 'Memoirs' is 'The Silver Blaze'. Many of them seem to be rehashes of his older plots.

Tho highly regarded in the literary community I find Conan-Doyles writing style to be confusing and inappropriate. As most of you know the stories are told from the point of view of Watson, Holmes' sidekick. But his narration of the events takes a backseat to very, very lengthy dialogues (which are mostly overwritten monologues). The narrative shifts back and forth and all over the place. It's not uncommon to see '''" before a typical line of speech. If you get lost, don't worry...I did too. The story 'The Musgrave Ritual' especially is badly told, plain and simple.

Plus Watson's function in most of this hardly ever reaches out of 'The Casual Observer'. All he does is witness Holmes' crime-solving techniques. Which usually only last a couple of pages as most of each story (typical length 21 pages) devotes about 13 pages to set-up. Hardly well balanced is it?

The last story 'The Final Problem' isn't even a mystery at all and just seems like a badly thought-out excuse for Conan-Doyle to kill of a character he felt totally indifferent about. Even tho the public loved Holmes. Why Moriarty is seen as a massive villain is beyond me because he hardly does anything at all.

The overall quality of the short stories is average. The full novels is where Holmes and Watson REALLY have something to other than fool around in low-level stories. You'll definitely be interested in some of the stories in this certain edition, but they lack meaning or purpose.

This particular edition comes with extensive notes at the back with numbers for each story to help clear up any confusion. Some of them are helpful for when you are reading and the rest give away plot points and ruin some of the developements.

As I am a Holmes completist I stuck it out and finished every one of these stories. If you are too then I'd recommend this Penguin edition over the others. They seem to always print the best copies of Holmes.

THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES are here collected into a single volume in this Penguin edition. Two compediums of short stories published after the detective's introduction in the novels A STUDY IN SCARLET and THE SIGN OF FOUR, these are concise bits that are just as good a first exposure to Holmes as the novels.

Because the cases of Sherlock Holmes, dutifully chronicled by his companion Dr. Watson, may not appeal to everyone, I won't focus here on reviewing the stories themselves, as it is the features of this particular edition that are of note.

Iain Pears' introduction is quite enlightening, showing the tendency of Arthur Conan Doyle to make the troubles in Holmes' stories come from England's colonies, which is strange considering Conan Doyle's support of equality and respect for all peoples. Pears' also discusses the change in the style of the Holmes stories, from the rational youth of Conan Doyle to the latter days of his life when he was interested in spiritualism and mysticism.

There are footnotes to each story, compiled by Ed Glinert. An expert on literature set in London, Glinert explains the geographical settings of the Holmes stories, and defines anachronistic terms that are no longer use. He also points out the mistakes Arthur Conan Doyle frequently made in his stories, which are often quite amusing (Watson's wife calling him by the wrong name, contradicting timelines, etc).

Because of the illuminating introduction and the helpful footnotes, I'd recommend over any others this edition of THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and THE MEMOIRS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.

This collection contains twenty-four of the Sherlock Holmes short stories, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

"The Complete Sherlock Holmes" lets you tag along as the great detective is called upon, again and again, by Scotland Yard, to solve seemingly-unsolvable mysteries. Holmes uses his brilliantly logical mind, his attention to detail, and his vast knowledge of trivia, to do what all the current-day television crime-scene investigation shows are doing.

This book is very readable and highly enjoyable. The only admonition I would give, is to read this book in spurts, which is easily done, with its many short stories. Why do I suggest this? If you try to read it, cover-to-cover, you will see that many of the Holmes stories do follow somewhat of a pattern or formula. That does not come through if you read the book in pieces. It makes a great traveling book, or a book to read before sleep, unless you are highly prone to nightmares (i.e., some people do get killed).

You can't go wrong here. The book is light, the type is large and the original illustrations and reproduced in their original sizes. Plus you have the charm of seeing the actual type laid out when these now classics stories were first read.

My 9 year old carried this edition of Sherlock around with him for a week. The replica images are cool; the type is a bit difficult to read. A great gift.

I'll admit it. Although I am a voracious reader, I have been remiss in my enjoyment of the adventures of Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson. I have spent the last few weeks rectifying that lamentable omission in my literary background.

Frankly, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are an absolute joy. Each story is a delight to read. To my mind Conan Doyle's short stories represent the best of mystery writing. They plumb the depth of the human heart and run the gamut of emotion.

No one can truly say that he or she is truly educated in English Literature without reading Sherlock Holmes. (It's interesting -- even persons who tend to dislike mysteries -- tend to like Holmes and Watson!)

Highest of all possible recommendations!

A MUST BOOK FOR ANYONE WHO WONDERS WHY BOOKS BECAME A FUNCTION OF CORPORATE INTEGRATION.Klebanoff lays it all out there- the branding of names , integrated ties ins with every corporaste entity from the vatican to golf gear makers,the integration of book reviewing with book publishing and corporate promotion .Just as the meat business was transformed by total integration ( from the beast to McDonalds)Klebanoff describes why every book is part of the corporate process of integrated
content .

This idiosynchratic and highly personnal memoir by Arthur Klebanoff, one of the nation's premier literary agents, is chock full of fascinating tidbits about the worlds of publishing and politics, and how they came to intersect in Mr. Klebanoff's high-power career. Not nearly as polished, perhaps, as Michael Korda's volume on his years in publishing, and Mr.Klebanoff's name-dropping is excessive. But overall, the book has a quirky charm that makes it hard to put down.

Arthur Klebanoff takes you on a journey through the world of publishing that will open your eyes to the intricate maze of possibilities. His stories, all based on personal experience, confirm that there are several positive solutions to every problem or obstacle. And moreover, his words and wisdom resonate with honesty and integrity. I loved this book. It has given me a glimpse into a world (publishing) that is frequently criticized as cold, commercial, and impersonal, and shown me that there are literary agents that know there way around and retain their integrity, honesty, and creativity to make it work for both the author and the publisher. And the stories of clients, complications, and subsequent solutions are both mesmerizing and encouraging. Steven Gurgevich

Arthur Klebanoff is one of today's most formidable and well known literary agents and a key figure in a front-page, technology-centric legal battle with publishing giant Random House in a case focusing on the question of who owns the electronic rights to the great books of the 20th Century. In The Agent: Personalities, Politics, And Publishing, Klebanoff vividly recounts all the lessons he's learned as a professional, ranging from his early days in politics to his current position at the center of the book rights corporate and judicial maelstrom. Klebanoff asserts that these days every author is an agent of their own future and shows how to create multiple opportunities for success in a constantly-changing literary marketplace. The Agent is much more than just another publishing tell-all autobiography. It is an insider's report on publishing industry transitions and challenges. Here also is a compelling and informative account of Random House's initial charges of copyright violation and reactions by major publishing players and the first legal case to directly focus on the vital question of who owns electronic rights in book publishing. If you are an author, literary agent, publisher, marketing director, or publicist, then you need to read Arthur Klebanoff's The Agent.

This is a FANTASTIC children's book (easily the most creative ABC book I've ever run across)! The rhymes are funny and well thought out, and the illustrations have an amazing retro spy feel. This book is dark and funny at the same time, and the illustrations are worth a long second look. I can't wait to read this book to a storytime group!!

I am *not* Andy Rash's cousin or any relation at all, but I *still* think his latest book is an absolute delight! I have a professional review posted at www.planetesme.com/dontmiss.html, but I wanted to say from a personal perspective, when I read this book aloud in the classroom, every turned page was met with laughter, groans of "cooool!" and plenty of "Wow!" The artwork is so hip and the rhymes are really creative. Even though the theme is action-packed, the level of violence stays PG. The spy dance party at the end complete with fedora-wearing record-scratching DJ was a HOOT! When I was done sharing the book with classes, boys dove after my copy like tigers on a t-bone. This book taps into what kids want to read here and now, with a finger on the pulse of the reluctant reader. It is my own son's new favorite book. If your family enjoys The Spy Kids movies, Rocky and Bullwinkle or any of the Pink Panther stuff, you've got to add this title to your shelves! I also love Andy Rash's collection of subversive verse _The Robots are Coming_, which has become one of our standard gifts for boys turning eight. Can't to see what this offbeat talent will offer up next!

Okay, I'll 'fess up -- I might be slightly biased because Andy's my cousin. Nepotism aside, this is just a great book. It's funny in the same way Andy is and engages the reader in the story. The illustrations are amazing and perfectly suited to the text. Although now he's all grown up, as they say, Andy still has the ability to see life through the eyes of a child, and his work always connects with children and adults alike. Great job, "cuz".

The images are fantastic and the agent rhymes are the perfect mix of humor and wit so both kids and adults will love this book. I loved turning each page to see what the next agent was up to! I'm buying this book for all my little cousins.