Blackmore Books

This book, the Cry of the Humble, is written with a purpose. It wants to be a compilation of different and short subjects. Who has time to read 600 page books and, besides the other daily rememberances, to be able to recall what you have read yesterday? This book treats most every situation one can meet in life in short recall. Put the book in your grip, read a couple pages while waiting for the bus or any other occasion.

This book, each short story sucked me in and had me rushing home to read more. I loved it. Even the Devil's Pool, which I found a bit awkward with the dialogue (something Sand herself addresses, and can be attributed to translation to a degree) was still a great story, I loved its follow up even more, "The Country Wedding." "The Unknown God" was a great story as well, very timely in my studies too as I am currently reading abt the time in history it is relevant to (the Christianization of the Roman Empire). I loved "Lavinia" it had a sort of Bronte feel to it as far as the setting goes but with a more Jane Austen like prose, more wit than melodrama. Her letters are my favorite, I would have to say, without charcters as her mouthpeices George Sand is amazing. She spits out one witty remark after another, filled with insight and passion. I am blown away. I highly reccomend this book as a great introduction to her works.

If you are a Deep Purple or Ritche Blackmore nut this CD is outstanding. Basically, you play guitar to the backing tracks of Purple and Rainbow classics. The backing tracks are nearly identical to the album. So it is about as close as you can get to jamming with Jon Lord, Ian Paice and Roger Glover. Truly outstanding job, sound, and selection. The only thing I regret is that their is not a volume two with more Purple classics. It features 8 tracks and is played minus the guitar and also with the guitar for 16 total tracks. Truly a home run!!

After reading this book, i feel much better in understanding on how to paint or decorate a plain shirt to give it a new and different look. The book have clear instructions to follow. Furthermore, there are also some beautiful designs given by the book. This book is like "Whoa"!!!!

There are a lot of graffiti art books on the market that don't capture the essence of street graphics. They either fixate on a certain style or get caught up in an outdated romanticism of the tagger figure. 'Scrawl Too' is an awesome, beautiful book featuring bombs from all over the world and scores of contemporary graffiti artists.

I got the sense that each of the featured artists has a self-awareness of the state of graffiti art in the market culture. Barry McGee has developed an iconography that captures pathos, suffering, indifference, and humor. Obey Giant emphasizes and parodies the ubiquitousness of corporate logos and has developed a brand more based on 'street cred' than market trends. (Or gives the appearance of doing so anyway). The book also focuses on smaller scale bombs and tags and in doing so a pattern emerges. Most of the pieces seem to be a reaction to the near-loss of urban spaces, both public and private to (mostly)gentrification and a dying connection between the people that inhabit them.

I suspect a microencephalic aardvark has more psychic ability than I do, but I looked at this book to see if there was any help for over-educated but psychically benighted Neanderthals like myself. Unfortunately, they don't tell you know to acquire these esoteric abilities, but for those lucky souls who already possess mental powers far beyond those of us mere mortals, this book is full of interesting tests if you want to test your psychic quotient, so to speak.

A most interesting book on two levels.

First, this is an excellent introduction to what the research laboratories working on new weapons technology are doing. Virtually every aspect of combat from the basic infantry grunt to high tech airborne or space based recon is being changed. The technology of the future, not totally clear just yet, will be as dramatically different from today's equipment as today's is from the wire and cloth airplanes of World War I.

Second though is the inescapable fact that these weapons are operated by men (or increasingly by women as well). And men haven't changed that much. We have just about the same mental and physical capabilities, limitations, and problems that men have had all along.

To some extent the society behind the men has changed. In the developed countries the idea that war should actually kill our sons and daughters has become anathema. Wars should be nice and clean with precision bombs wiping out our enemies without casualties, blood and body parts of our own soldiers being thrown about.

What's not mentioned is the fact that these kinds of weapons work only when the enemy has configured themselves in a convenient way that matches our weapons capabilities. These weapons advances will have little effect on an 8-year old walking along a street but carrying a hand grenade. If the battlefield becomes too deadly, then the war will move elsewhere. This is the current state of the war in Iraq.

Michael Blackmore is a literary genius. A wordsmith who has brought the Apostles words to life with stunning effect. Wonderful Acts will enlighten many people with its joyful and enjoyable prose.

While I certainly couldn't say I was disappointed with this book, I don't think it quite lived up to the expectation based on the 2 reviews I read on [...] which both gave it five stars. The first half of the book deals with Blackmore up to the end of Deep Purple MKII which was interesting and certainly factual as to where Blackmore was and what he was doing but somewhat dull. What it lacked was the input from people who were in close contact with Blackmore, notably Gillan, Glover, Lord & Paice in what I, and many others, consider to be Blackmore's finest musical moments. Relying on quotes taken from the BBC "Rock Family Trees" and "Classic Albums" just doesn't cut it.
The second half of the book got somewhat juicer, with input from many people who were relatively close to Blackmore, including Dougie White, Cozy Powell and some interesting additions from David Coverdale amongst others. What becomes apparent in the second half of the book is the single-mindedness, selfishness and downright childishness of Ritchie Blackmore.
Somewhat bizarrely, the book finishes with a monologue - or quote - from of all people Ian Gillan, who likely in reality is Blackmore's nemesis.
Overall, a decent read, but with key testimony missing - where were Dio, Gillan, Lord, Paice, Glover? Interviews from Blackmore's roadies only go so far. The author is obviously a huge Blackmore fan but I feel this somewhat clouds his objectiveness - he portrays Blackmore as a mis-understood guitar legend whereas the accounts of Blackmore's behavior illustrate him to be a spoilt brat with an unbelievable musical talent.
Footnote : One person that for me merited further investigation after reading this book was Joe Meek: someone who had a vision whilst at the same time retaining a sharp business acumen - ultimately and unfortunately undone by his sexual preference. See "The Legendary Joe Meek: The Telstar Man" by John Repsch

Black Knight is the best book of Ritchie Blackmore, Rainbow or Deep Purple by far, and I've read them all! It is a thoroughly comprehensive, well-written book, full of a plethora of great information. Jerry Bloom is a fantastic writer, keeping you reading until the very end. It is hard to put this book down. And it is quite long but never boring. Over 400 pages and numerous photos. Maybe it's because I live in the USA but a lot of the information was quite shocking as I've never heard of that side of Ritchie. For instance, I didn't know that Blackmore was such a groupie favorite. Literally hundreds of them. But I don't want to ruin all the surprises. If you're looking for a good read about one of the legends of rock music, buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

This is an absolute must-have book for any/ all Blackmore fans. Very well written and put together; very hard to put down. In addition, great pictures, as well. Bloom's book may be "unauthorized" but, do you realy think The Man In Black will ever participate in an AUTHORIZED book? That said, Bloom does a brilliant job in locating and interviewing many of Blackmore's musical cohorts...and he DID interview Blackmore, formally and informally, several times; this is NO generic volume...far from it (alot of great information that I, a confirmed Blackmore afficianado for over quarter of a century, did not know of. Bloom never takes the easy way out and goes into great detail many times). I cannot see how this superb volume could be better. I can't say it enough---outstanding job!!!! This book is soooooo readable and enjoyable...get this asap!

I am a guitarist, with Ritchie Blackmore probably being the earliest significant influence I can remember from my teen years as I was learning to play, and I have just finished reading "Black Night". On the one hand, I found it a fascinating look inside the mind and actions of a guitarist whom I consider "One of the Gods" of rock, and whose influence, in terms of approach, technique and style, was fundamental to my taking up the guitar as boy, and having it be part of my life to this day. That being said, I walked away from the book a little - for lack of a better word - sad. If one is to beleive the numerous accounts and quotes that make up much of the book, the portrait that is painted is that of a misanthropic, selfish, childish, and ultimately lonely man, who happens to have been granted an unbelievable talent for music in general, and for the guitar in particular. Much of the book is based on quotes by people who have lived and worked with Blackmore over the years, but unfortunately few quotes are from Ritchie himself (there is the odd one here and there). These recollections from people throughout Blackmore's career are so in keeping with each other, and so clearly paint the same general picture of the man, that it's impossible to believe that the reality is substantially different from the portrait they collectively paint. And having accepted this, my view of Ritchie, which was once that of a legendary Guitar Hero in every sense of the word, is now unalterably overshadowed by a portrait of a very difficult, callous, and selfish man. That he can play like he does is wondrous and phenomenal -- but the underlying petulance, even if the book is only half-accurate, is now - for me - impossible to overlook. I'll still listen - and be amazed and mesmerized by - my Purple and Rainbow catalog. But now, seeing the man behind the curtain at last revealed, has taken a big bite out of the wonder of it all.

I started reading this book because it came with greater collection of used books we had picked up and I figured since we owned it I might as well read it. It was slow going at first. The English the book is written in is not modern and can be somewhat difficult to get the flow of. It is next to impossible to read sections where the author gives us the dialog for some of the lesser educated characters exactly as they sound (think Eliza Doolittle with a speech impediment). But despite these drawbacks once you got started reading you get a hang of how the older English works and it did not seem to be such a hindrance (though anytime John Fry or anyone like him spoke I continued to struggle understanding it). The story itself is a slower paced love story, so if you are looking for a page turner this book is not for you (at least not until the last five chapters or so). The main character, John Ridd, is fascinating to watch as he develops mentally and physically from boy to man. I loved seeing how the convictions he holds play out in his interactions with those he encounters, including the dreaded Doone's. His entire nature is layed out for you to see and inspect. Even though he is a fictional character I admire him greatly. I have deep respect for his restraint and level head when it is called for as well his passion and anger when things come to a climax towards the end of the book. Even his deep inner conflict that comes when he does let his passion rise up is fascinating to watch. I found the book very rewarding, and while it is not one of my all time favorites, it is worth the read.

Lorna Doone is a forgotten classic, typically known and read by everyone of a certain age in the UK, but pretty much ignored in school here in the US.
It's not an easy read, as Blackmore's English is not the modern English we are used to, but it's not all that difficult and well worth the time and effort.
If you read and enjoyed Bronte's Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre, you will enjoy this romance. At it's core is a wonderful love story of a boy John Ridd) who never forgets his first love, and ultimately fights for the chance to win her heart against his lower social standing, and a band of robbers that have kept her captive -- unbenownst to her, since she was a little girl.
The BBC have made this into a mini-series many times over, and of course Nabisco has named a cookie for dear Lorna. I am sure Disney will catch up at some point. Enjoy the book before that happens and John Ridd's horse talks and sings!

What an awesome tale. Written in the 19th century, but telling a tale about the late 1600's during the times of Charles II and James II. Our hero, John Ridd is a simple, albeit wise and honorable farmer who as a young lad meets Lorna Doone of the dreaded, evil outlaw family of higher born Doones, and it's love at first sight.

There are lots of ups and downs and surprises, along with the author's gorgeous prose describing the english countryside and farmlife. You have to pay attention though, as none of the characters are wasted. What might seem as inconsequential events and characters earlier in the story are brought back in full circle to the tale, along with a great mystery about Lorna's past as the author slowly peels out the many layers of his story.

Highly highly recommended. If you enjoy Thomas Hardy, Charlotte Bronte or Dickens this will probably be right up your alley.

lorna doone is one of the best books i have ever read. it truly is a forgotten classic. it is full of little tidbits of wisdom and humor. it is also just a great story line. true, the author sometimes strays from the story, but his depictions of farm life are not trite. they show a love of land and nature that is a trait of the romantic period.
it's an astounding novel, and i would suggest it to anyone and everyone. It does take place during a tumulous time in england's history (roughly 1675-1686) so read up on that time, and you'll understand a lot more. happy reading!