Burnett Reviews

Asphalt Jungle

Published in Unbound by Rosettabooks LLC (2001-08)

Author: W. R. Burnett

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Crime in The Dark City

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-06

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE is probably one of the earliest crime caper stories written in which the details of the planning, execution and aftermath of a crime are explained. It may not be the first book of its kind but it's certainly the earliest that I can remember reading and is a terrific study of the interactions of a diverse group of individuals who are all dependent on one another for the success of their operation.

We are softened up right at the opening of the book with a statement from the new Chief of Police acknowledging that the crime rate in their (unnamed) city was at disturbing levels. He follows this up by vowing that he was going to make a difference and clean up the city while he was running the police force.

We switch over to the criminals where a plan is being organised by a mastermind criminal known as Herr Doktor, a very unlikely looking little man who has just been released from prison. Doc is after three reliable men to help him carry out his plan and asks a small-time bookie named Cobby for help assembling them. Cobby's link to Doc is through Doc's cellmate from prison. The plan that Doc has cooking is of a jewellery heist that could be worth half a million dollars.

They recruit Gus, a small hunchbacked man with a bad temper as their driver, Louis "Schemer" Bellini as their lockman and the largely unknown quantity of a man named Dix as their muscle. They then turn to a crooked lawyer named Emmerich to stake the operation. Emmerich is well known in criminal circles for his wealth and tight lips, but little do the conspiring thieves know that his fortune has dwindled to the point where he is now just about broke. The prospect of such a huge take is almost too much for Emmerich to conceal his enthusiasm agreeing to finance the operation while secretly planning a double cross would solve his financial woes.

Even though the planning is impeccable, problems occur during the heist and the way in which the makeshift team works together is critical to their success. It's this aspect of the story that becomes the main focus once the robbery is over and the pressure of evading an ever tightening police dragnet is applied.

W.R. Burnett has written a wonderful story of desperation, deception and mistrust set in a gritty world of tough criminals and equally tough cops. He has given his caper the suitably dark setting of a brooding city rife with corruption as he dangles the promise of vast wealth just out of reach of his flawed characters.

Seminal caper novel

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-10-14

In Little Caesar ,W R Burnett wrote a classic and pivotal novel of the rise of gangsterism .Twenty years later ,in 1949 ,he wrote The Asphalt Jungle and in so doing introduced most of the elements of the caper novel -a complicated robbery for big stakes is planned and we the reader watch as events unfold from planning to execution.
The switch from the emphasis on individualism and the charismatic figure of the gangster to this novel where the emphasis is on teamwork ,planning and the meticulous application of specialist skills is in many ways refelective of societal change and the shift away from crime as an individual response ,to crime as a corporate entity .

The plotting ,as befits the subject,is mechanical and the caper is laid out before the reader ;it is precisely timed and requires absolute adherence to detail and schedule in order to work.

The contrast between this cold impersonal planning and the unpredictability of human emotions and behaviour is pivotal to the story and exposes the folly of any plans which fail to take the human element into account

Burnett is good at showing the clash between the criminals and the cops and succeeds in dividing reader loyalties -the two sides are opposed but share common characteristics.

Good pulp writing and a slick piece of gem bright plotting

a forgotten classic; the orginial Reservoir Dogs

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-11-03

The Asphalt Jungle is perhaps best known for its 1950s film adaptation (..supposedly a real good movie). However little do most folks realize the screenplay was co-authored by the man (Burnett) who wrote the original novel. The novel is generally available in paperback form in the UK but only as an "e-book" in the USA. This is a shame because I was surprised at how wonderful a story The Asphalt Jungle really is.

Okay, so what *is* the story? It is about a bunch of low-life criminals planning a jewelry store heist. The characters are an eclectic bunch (rednecks, blue collar immigrants, a German "doctor", a wealthy lawyer). Each person is greedy and distrustful of each other. Despite carefully planning the heist doesn't come off terribly well. Tragically, it is the individual weaknesses of the characters and the mutual distrust which ultimately leads to catastrophic consequences.

While the story might sound somewhat formulaic (..Reservoir Dogs seems almost like a modern film adaptation of it) I found the book to be a most enjoyable read. The prose has a tight feel, and the characterizations are simply wonderful. I plan to seek out other works by Burnett such as Little Caesar.

Bottom line: a classic. Strongly recommended.

classic caper novel

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-30

Though numerous susbsequent imitations have taken some of the edge off this classic novel, it is still a powerful look into the seedy underworld of post-WWII America (Burnett knows the milieu-- he was one of the first on the scene of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, and once worked as a night clerk at a hotel frequented by lowlifes and criminals). While it is a caper novel (the first one, in fact), it has less to do with the mechanics of carrying out a major crime (in this case, a million-dollar jewelry store heist) than it does with the interplay of the gangsters. H. R. F. Keating ranks it as one of the 100 best crime and mystery books, yet it seems as if Burnett's work has been largely (and unjustly) forgotten today.

Celebrating Motherhood: A Comforting Companion for Every Expecting Mother

Published in Paperback by Conari Press (2002-05)

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Celebrating Motherhood Review

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-23

I bought this book for my friend's baby shower gift. I looked through it quite a bit before I gave it to her and really liked it. I have since heard from my friend and it sounds like she really likes it too. It's an ecclectic mix of quotes, stories, cultural traditions, and poems in celebration of motherhood.

A wonderful gift for the expectant mother

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-24

This book would make a fabulous gift for a woman who is expecting her first child. It is a book that can be enjoyed throughout pregnancy and the early months of motherhood. The book contains artwork and quotations from writings about what it means to be a mother and is designed to encourage a mother-to-be to reflect upon the amazing journey that she has embarked upon.

Like a comfy chair...

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-05-14

If you don't need information on the medical aspects of pregnancy or if you're like me and have a full shelf of expert opinions on motherhood and pregnancy, this might just be the book for you. It's short reading selections from a variety of sources and traditions, meant to keep you sane and centered during pregnancy and motherhood. I purchased it at about 7 months and feel like I will keep reading it after baby arrives. It's also a good gift idea for a pregnant friend who already has enough bouncy seats, pacifiers, diapers, baby doo-dads, and other "necessities."

Read this book and recharge your Mommy batteries.

Lovely gift for a mom-to-be

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2003-06-14

This book would make a lovely gift for a mom-to-be, a book to be savored during the nine months of pregnancy and beyond. It's kind of like a crash course in motherhood for new moms, overflowing with thought-provoking readings on what it means to be a mother, but putting it that way makes it sound boring, which it is not at all. It's an amazingly poetic and beautifully designed book.

The Marshal Takes A Wife: The Burnett Brides (Ballad Romances)

Published in Paperback by Zebra (2001-07-01)

Author: Sylvia McDaniel

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WONDERFUL TRILOGY - GREAT COVERS - FIESTY WOMEN

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-14

Covers on 2 + 3 were most excellent.
I got a great chuckle that Tucker Burnett, now the Marshal of Fort Worth had run scared from Dr. Sarah Kincaid [before she married]almost three years ago. Yup! the one and only time in her bed left her pregnant. Oh, was she ticked that he just up and left.

Now interfering mama, Eugenia Burnett was on a role and Tucker was, again, her next target for the marriage mart. She is so bullheadedly determined to get her sons married that she just ignores anything they say to her about staying free of obligations.

Travis and Tanner, his older brothers have decided that they are happy with their mother's choices they are grinning at Tucker's resistance.
With Rose, Travis's wife, expecting their child anytime now and with Doc laid up, Tucker decides that Sarah needs to stay in Fort Worth. Of course, she has always been his best friend through childhood and he wouldn't mind coaxing her into bed one more time to see if the s-- is still as great as he remembers.

Problem is he is remembering more and more of that night and it keeps tantalizing him and his hormones. He keeps forgeting that it was Kid Lansky that shot him up and Sarah had to save him.
The memory of his night with Sarah was more important and he had hopes for more of the same.

You will be in stitches when you see who he asks [his friends?] to take Sarah out to dinner. Two eligible bachelors who want wives? Then Brad Riley enters the picture. Oh Boy!

Trouble sneaks in in the form of Wo Chan who runs an opiate house and bordello and he wants his 16 year old whore, Kira, back. She makes him a lot of money.

Well it seems that Wo Chan has hired Kid Lansky to find Kira for him. But Lansky has another agenda too, he wants to bring down Tucker and maintain the reputation that he is the fastest draw and take over Fort Worth and Sarah.

The ending to this trilogy is great - you will definitely enjoy it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - even though they all seem to hop into bed before marriage. [the twits!]

Loved it!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-02

Eugenia Burnett worried about her three boys. It took a lot of work, but she got Tanner and Travis married to the strong, unique mates that all Burnett men needed. Only Tucker, her youngest, remained unwed. But Eugenia knew the perfect medicine to cure Tucker's wandering spirit!

Dr. Sarah James practiced in Tombstone. Her father ran a hotel in Fort Worth. When she was notified by Eugenia that he had been sick, she grabbed her two-year-old son, Lucas, and hurried to her father. Turned out he was much better. She would have returned to Tombstone but Doc Wilson turned ill. She promised to stay a month and tend to his patients. Problem was Tucker was in town. She never told him about Lucas since he made it very clear he wanted no attachments. Besides, it was not as if she ever knew where he was. He never stayed anywhere for long.

Marshal Tucker Burnett had known Sarah since they were little. Yet a couple of years ago their desire for each other consumed them for one night. He left Sarah in the middle of the night, without warning. He never knew that one night had resulted in Lucas. Now she was in town for a short while. She had married, had a son, and widowed quickly. He knew his mother was trying to push them together, but he would not allow her to set him up with a wife as she had with his brothers!

*** Here is one to make readers sit up and take notice! This author has an incredible talent of latching onto the reader immediately and never letting them go. I loved every single minute! Recommended reading! ***

A witty, charming tale -- Highly recommended

Helpful Votes: 11 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2001-08-13

Eugenia Burnett's determination to see her three sons married with a family has resulted in the eldest two sons marriages in THE RANCHER TAKES A WIFE and THE OUTLAW TAKES A WIFE. Now her youngest son falls victim to her matchmaking schemes in THE MARSHAL TAKES A WIFE. But she may find her own matchmaking skills used against her as her sons conspire to ensure their mother takes a husband and has less time for meddling in their own lives.

Marshal Tucker Burnett would rather remain free to engage a gunfight than to give up the town to outlaws. He's the Burnett man with the fastest draw and associates raising a family with the loss of freedom and ties to responsibility. That's why he left in the night three years ago, rather than remaining in the arms of the only woman who could make him forget his vows of freedom. His hasty departure ensured he destroyed a long time friendship with Dr. Sarah James.

When Tucker goes to the stage to pick up his mother's package, he's shocked to find Sarah and her two-year-old son getting off the stage. Sarah is equally outraged to learn the telegram Eugenia sent regarding her grandfather's ill health was a ploy to bring Tucker and her together. She fears that Tucker will realize that he's her son's father. She also vows to thwart Eugenia's matchmaking schemes, eventually even allow Tucker to fix her up with other men. But dating other men simply backfires on them both.

The road to marriage is filled with bumps and challenges in this final edition of the Burnett Brides Trilogy. The simple matchmaking premise results in character driven conflict that keeps the pages turning. Sylvia McDaniel's delightful characters that refuse to acknowledge the truth of their hearts result in an utterly witty, charming tale. With a nice twist of plot that turns the table on the matchmaker, THE MARSHAL TAKES A WIFE comes highly recommended.

loved it!!

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2001-06-28

Mama Burnett has one more unwed son to coax into marriage!

Dr Sarah James arrives in Fort Worth worried about her elderly grandfather's health. It is not long before she realizes things are not as they seemed. And seeing Tucker Burnett again is an unexpected surprise. Even though they had been childhood friends, their one night of passion three years ago has changed everything, especially when Sarah knows the last thing he wants is a commitment.

I read this great story in less than a day! I enjoyed visiting the whole Burnett family again and the conclusion of this Texas saga was wonderful. By the end of the story I really felt bonded with all the Burnett family members especially the youngest and newest. I hate to see the saga end but it was fantastic!!

Sex, Secrets, and Lies: The Marriage Vows Revisited

Published in Paperback by iUniverse, Inc. (2005-02-14)

Author: Marie Miranti Burnett Ph.D.

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I'd Like Even More ...

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-10-31

As a former "knee-jerk" monagamist who has reconsidered his position after 15 years of marriage (for the reasons cited in Burnett's book), I found this work truly compelling. People just don't share honestly about this subject. This book provides a peek inside the tent, and I found the author's unblinking candor on the subject refreshing. The reaction to this book will vary wildly depending upon the reader's personal mindset. Do you see the world in black and white, or is your view more pluralistic? If it is the latter you may find this book highly thought provoking. If it is the former this book will aggrevate you.

Fidelity and Infidelity Over the Decades

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-02

This interesting book is written by a skilled clinical psychologist with broad literary competence. She ties together her long experience as a psychotherapist for mostly urban educated clients and her wide knowledge of the rapidly changing American culture. The suject is sexual behavior inside and outside marriage as affected by the cultural changes over the past half century that have challenged myths about gender differences. She shows how these have changed from the fifties, when women in double standard marriages were pressured by society, and by their therapists, to be contented housewives, to the current state of gender equality. She leads the reader, decade by decade, to an examination of marriage and the importance placed on sexual exclusivity, an ideal seldom adhered to. She draws on thirty years of listening to the secrets of married and gay men and women; and although her theories grow out of feminist convictions, she is highly sympathetic to the concerns of men. She also draws insights from a wide assortment of authors ranging from Milton, Gibbon, Boccaccio, and Jane Austen to Gay Talese and Philip Roth. To scientists who object to the potential unreliability of clinical observation as research, it must be noted that such evidence by a broadly educated clinician was the bedrock of psychoanalysis. The book is a stimulating and insightful read.

Seeking Honest Disclosure

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-09-06

This book could serve as literary courage for those seeking honest communication in their partnership. Looking at monogamy and infidelity in recent society, the author makes the important point that sexual needs and desires must be discussed without the fear of extreme recrimination so often present in modern relationships. This open discussion will help maintain a vibrant, dynamic marriage. An excellent read for the committed adult seeking a lifelong, ongoing conversation with their partner!

Leaving the Marriage Door Ajar...

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-21

This is an excellent book but not for the faint of heart. A certain sturdiness of soul is needed to embrace some of the ideas written about here. The author doesn't advocate the "open marriage" of the 70's, or the prison-like marriages of the 50's or 90's. Rather, she advocates an open dialogue on the question of sexual fidelity with the door not exactly open or closed but, as she puts it, "ajar". Since so many couples "stray" she asks couples to at least consider that it might happen to them, and she is definitely against making infidelity the "deal breaker" in marriage.

This is not a self-help book and there is no program to follow or exercises to do. It is a book of ideas drawing from years of experience as a therapist, wife and mother. The author gives an overview of how views on marriage and sex have changed in this country over the past several decades. (At times I felt she was over generalizing but this is probably inevitable in a sweeping book with a very broad scope. She also references pop culture in the form of movies and television abit much for my taste.) She then proposes a marriage based on an on-going conversation, with kindness, honesty and quality of intimacy being the barometer of success rather than strict sexual fidelity.

The book is well written and the author knows her subject very well. It's kind of amazing that this is a self-published title...but then, given the subject matter and how skittish most people are about discussing it, it's not that surprizing after all. I'm glad she went for it and published it herself. It definitely deserves to be read.

If you are grappling with these issues in your marriage or are smart enough to know that you will sooner or later anyway, this is a book that may stir you to new levels of truth and understanding. If you're thinking that infidelity only happens to "other" couples, maybe you should just bookmark this title for future reference. If you're single and wondering if it's possible to preserve your autonomy, sexual or otherwise, and still get married, this book may give you hope that such a thing is possible. If you're in the process of dealing with sexual fidelity issues and have arrived at some sort of "door ajar" marriage yourself, this book will validate your work. If you're currently "cheating' or suspect your spouse is and would rather just continue lying or being lied to, stay away from this book!

The Shuttle

Published in Paperback by Plume (1989-06-01)

Author: Burnett

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The Shuttle

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-03

This was a fantastic book and a long one (I like that). I took it on a ski vacation and was tempted to take it to the slopes with me. I finally realized that was not a great idea but I could hardly wait to get back to my room, get comfortable, and begin reading again.

Rousingly Modern Topic

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-13

"The Shuttle* was written in the early 1900's, but it shows the brutality of spousal abuse--mental and physical--with no holds barred. Gentle Rosalie undergoes years of cruel emotional battering which is described with absolute psychological accuracy. It turns out that her sister Bettina is strong and determined enough to save both of them. Sir Nigel's end is satisfying, although it might have been even better if he'd fallen into the pigpen and been devoured by swine. This is a very early and powerful feminist novel as well as a skillfully written, entertaining page-turner.

A Wonderful ArtfullyTold Story!

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 13 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-08

I have a 1907 edition of this book that I love.. I've read it several times and each time I savour the language and the world that Frances Hodgeson Burnett described before the First World War: a world of English village streets with sound of carts clattering past hawthorn hedges and brash young American boys bicyling in buttonup boots and celluloid collars up the pleached alleys of country estates.
I think that the previous reviewer has unfortunetely missed much of the subtlety of the story, painting it in almost comicbook colours. It's "comfort reading" for adults who grew up making friends with Little Lord Fauntleroy and a Secret Garden. This is a novel that celebrates the goodness of people and cultures on both sides of the Atlantic in tender and funny ways that remind me of Lousia May Alcott's books and in the end, metes out justice in very satisfying ways. You might also want to see if you can find F H Burnett's "T. Tembarom" --which is, as her characters themselves might put it, a "bang-up" book as well.

An old-fashioned page turner

Helpful Votes: 15 out of 16 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-10

The book is set in the 19th century, but the heroine, Bettina Vanderpoel of the filthy rich New York Vanderpoels, is no shrinking violet. That role is left to her older sister, sweet and not overly bright Rosalie. The story starts out with Rosalie being courted by and married to Sir Nigel Anstruthers, an impoverished English aristocrat on the make for a rich wife. Although she is only eight at the time, Betty hates Sir Nigel. Her instincts are on the money. Sir Nigel is a rotter, a blackguard, a cad, and a bounder. He is utterly infuriated that he did not automatically gain control of Rosalie's money when he married her. He and his equally appalling mother start a loathsome campaign of emotional abuse that gentle Rosalie is not equal to. Luckily, by chapter five it is 12 years later and Bettina has grown into a fine, strong-minded woman who has all the business sense that made the Vanderpoel fortune. The rest of the book tells us how she rescues her sister, her nephew, and the Anstruthers estate from Sir Nigel. The hero of the book is another impoverished aristocrat, but cut from genuinely noble cloth, even if most of his ancestors were of the Sir Nigel type.
Before the book is over, Bettina will be trapped, injured, and at the mercy of Sir Nigel, who has Perfectly Awful plans for the lovely lady. Will Bettina wring her hands helplessly and beg?
Don't be silly. Read and see how love, virtue, and justice triumph and Sir Nigel gets his.

Spectrum 2: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art

Published in Hardcover by Underwood Books (1995-11)

Author: Cathy Burnett

List price: $50.00

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Appreciating The Full Spectrum

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-11-18

This book is a must have for anyone who is a fan of refreshing and exciting contemporary fantastic art.
Underwood publishing has made many outstanding tomes pertaining to the subjects of artist of substantial merit. But in my opinion The Spectrum editions are superior examples of just how diverse and penetrating artist of this kind really are. Cathy and Arnie Fenner are two of the most knowledgeable and humble, editor fan collectors in the world. They have a deep understanding of what makes a good presentation of this genre and roots that go extremely deep into Science Fiction and Fantasy. I bought this book with idea of trying to step closer to completion, but what I found was another assault on my senses, and a interesting realization that most of the work inside was pre-digital. My how times have changed, I thought. There are some very profound differences in this the 2nd volume, that I think anyone who has read drooled and loved over the years will enjoy. Go get it!! And if you want to here some incredible insight into what it take s to put it all together, check this interview out they did with us on SiDEBAR.
http://www.sidebarnation.com/my_weblog/2008/10/ep-69-labor-of.html

Great to see a reprint now

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-23

The only one I missed (because of moving to the Netherlands). Happy to see a reprint finally of this book. The series is complete now (until next issue arrives of course). Every annual has been worth it and this one's no exception, even after 12 years!

Reprinted Issue from 1995 which is long out of print

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-04

This book with it's supurb collection of fantastic art comes to us reprinted from the 1995 edition of the same name. Here are 200 plus color illustrations from that era and cover the range from magazine covers, book dust jackets, or in many cases the book itself. Here are art works to illustrate stories or advertisements.

Spectrum 2 has been long out of print, after all, Spectrum 13 should be in your book store soon, and Spectrum 14's entry forms are now available. Each issue of the annual tends to go out of print fairly quickly, and I suspect this reprint will also. If interested, I suggest ordering your copy fairly quickly.

The mission of the organization is 'To promote the fantastic arts and provide an annual showcase for contemporary artists.' They have done a supurb job, not only with the annuals, but with museum exhibits and exhibits at shows around the country.

Spectrum 2 review

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-02-06

I have collected all but 1 of this great series and would have to say that this was probably my least favourite. My main issue is the lay out, with the size of a lot of the pictures being too small with lots of white space around them. I suppose it was only the second one in the series and they rectified this in later versions.

That said, it still have some great art in it and I would recommend it to anyone interested in sci-fi art

in general

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2005-10-16

Over 134 pages of full color glossy fantasy and sci fi artwork. The same high quality selection as the other spectrum series books. Has a digital work of "death" (Neil Gaiman's story character) and many popular book cover artists throughout.

Spirit Matters: Down-to-Earth Tools for a Spirited Life

Published in Paperback by Tree of Life Press (2008-01-01)

Author: Jim Self and Roxane Burnett

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Energy Tools Work at Work!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-27

I am a public school teacher and until I discovered these Energy Tools, my days ended with stress headaches and an upset stomach. I've also had the privledge of taking the beginning seminar. I practice the tools everyday, at home and in the classroom. I am now able make the classroom environment more condusive to learning. The students seldom argue and the days have returned to being fun. I've even introduced some of the Energy Tools to the students and they enjoy the sense of power and certainty they now experience. Thank you, Roxane! No more stress and nausea for me.

Learn to Manage Your Own Energy Field

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-28

I am so thankful that Roxane Burnett has written this book. It is simply written so that anyone who has the desire to learn how to work with their own energy can use this book. It is a beneficial step-by-step instruction that teaches you to identify and manage your own energy field along with other tools. Through using the tools in the book she shows how to gain more certainty and command in your life. I love reading her stories and appreciate her talent to easily illustrate through words the valuable teachings. I recommend this book highly to many clients in my personal consulting business.

Practical, effective and fun!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-08

The energy tools in Spirit Matters are very useful in my massage practice. This book presents these tools as exercises which are clearly and concisely laid out. They are simple to do, yet I have found them to be very effective. I am finding the grounding tool as well as the use of the rose to keep personal energy between me and my massage clients to be especially useful. I've read many books on energy for personal and spiritual growth and find Spirit Matters to be excellent. The stories illustrating the tools are fun too.

Change Your Life

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-08-08

By using the principals as outlined in this powerful book, you will be able to change your life for the better. Each tool that is explained, if followed consistantly, will give you a new insight into your life and the changes will be noticable. I am now reviewing the tools and find that what used to be a concern or aggrivation is now viewed from a detached view point and no concern or aggrivation occurs. If you are willing to follow the book's teaching, you will become a person that you like.

101 Razor-Sharp Blues Guitar Turnarounds book and CD (Red Dog Music Books Razor-Sharp Blues Guitar Series)

Published in Spiral-bound by Red Dog Music Books (2007-04-15)

Author: Larry McCabe

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Great book of turnaround licks!

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-09-17

About a year ago a teacher/performer friend asked me who my first guitar teacher was. Larry McCabe, quite a few years ago. My friend looked surprised, and told me he uses Larry's books in his own teaching, and that Larry had written something like 80 books to date. I had no idea, as Larry was in the process of writing his first book when I had lessons with him. So when it came time to brush up on some basic blues licks for a band I'm in I ended up obtaining some of Larry's books.

This book of blues turnarounds is where I started. What a great book - full of excellent turnaround licks. At this point I've only played through about half of them note for note, but have used those as a basis for coming up with my own licks. And to me, that is the mark of a great book - lots of useful information if read note-for-note, but can also be used as a springboard for creating new ideas.

The licks I've learned from the book thus far are all in the key of C, but can be easily used in other keys if one has a basic knowledge of the notes on the fretboard. I'd highly recommend this book for a beginner wanting to learn stock blues licks, or intermediate players who need to expand their blues vocabulary.

excellent resource

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-30

An Excellent Choice for the Early Intermediate Blues Guitarist

A turnaround is a lick played at the end of a section of music. A blues turnaround would be played in measures 11-12 of a 12-bar blues, or measures 7-8 of an eight-bar blues.

Electric urban blues turnarounds are fairly easy to play, and the difference from one to another is subtle. Having the ability to play a variety of turnarounds is an important skill in blues guitar playing. This is the best book I know of that addresses exclusively the subject of electric blues guitar turnarounds.

This a book for a VERY ambitious beginner, or an early intermediate guitarist who has an interest in Chicago blues in the classic style of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, etc.

The licks are all arranged in the key of C. This is for ease of analysis and comparison. The user is encouraged to transpose the licks to other keys - a worthwhile project for exploring and learning the fingerboard. Very, very good practice for learning the art of blues phrasing.

Great book from one of our leading authors. My students (and myself) have consistently benefited from the interesting instruction contained here.

Exceptional, Authentic Blues Guitar Instruction

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-30

My students and I work from several of Larry McCabe's guitar books and find that the books produce consistently high results.

This book, like the others, is exceptionally well crafted, specific in intent, and the guitar lines are accurately written exactly as they are heard on the CD. Larry McCabe books are the work of a dedicated teacher who has achieved a high level of respect nationally in the field of music education.

Larry asked me to write a review for this book, and I am happy to do so. The object of this book is to teach the art of playing blues guitar turnarounds to a guitarist who has some prior experience but is just beginning to explore electric blues.

If a student knows how to bend the strings and perhaps play slurs, slides, and hammers, blues turnarounds are not difficult to play. What is important is to play them authentically and with conviction. This book does a very good job in advancing those objectives.

A component of this book that is quite effective is that every phrase is written in the Key of C. The student should then transpose each lick to other keys, a desirable skill that encourages individual incentive and ability to solve arranging problems.

The turnarounds sound exactly like the ones played on classic blues recordings by the great artists from Chicago and other urban areas.

I know other teachers who swear by Larry's books, and I am one of them. Great book- effective in its aims, ambitious content, fun to work through, and a great value.

25 Razor-Sharp Blues and Boogie Guitar Solos (Book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Razor-Sharp Blues Guitar Series)

Published in Spiral-bound by Red Dog Music Books (2007-05-10)

Author: Larry McCabe

List price:

Used price: $34.00

Average review score:

Perhaps the Best Urban Blues Lead Guitar Book Available

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-30

This very fine book has been in print in one form or another since the early-to-mid 1980s. Not many music books remain in print that long, but this is an exceptional collection of model solos in the urban blues style.

The book is quite popular with music teachers (as evidenced by the other reviews) and it is enjoyable and productive for students as well. The book is aimed at the ambitious early intermediate student, and a few of the solos will challenge an intermediate guitarist.

There are 25 full-length solos in the book, each written in notation and tablature, and each recorded note-for-note on the accompanying CD. The band on the CD is excellent. There are five solos in C, five in G, five in D, five in A, and five in E. The solos are played to standard blues progressions, meaning that they may be "plugged in" to similar blues progressions that are found in many, many songs.

The solos sound exactly like the solos heard on real blues records. They are varied and performed with taste, authenticity, and feeling. You can hear why the author was a columnist for Living Blues Magazine and why his work has received consistently high reviews in a number of guitar magazines.

Great book, highly recommended.

very good book

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-19

I wish all music instruction books were written in this format. The song tabs just go from one page to the next without a bunch of talking/writing in between, and the song numbers in the book actually match the song numbers on the cd...what a rare and unique idea! Of course, none of that would matter if the material were bad, but that's not the case, the solos are great - quite diverse too. There is a lot of helpful information in this book: theory, writing your own solos, a guide to blues styles and artists,etc. - but it's all in it's own section of the book, not sprinkled throughout the book here and there making it impossible to find. As a full time guitar instructor I would just like to say "great job", "great blues solos" and "great, easy to use format". Thanks.

Back in print

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-15

The author of this book, Larry McCabe, is re-releasing books that have gone out of print for one reason or another. This particular book is an old friend. After I received it, I went into my library and found a copy. It has been in print in one form or another for 25 years. Most instruction books don't last anywhere near that long. First, this book (as the author warns) is not for beginners. You need to be familiar with the movable blues scales we all use. If you are playing out, and feel comfortable with the whole neck, get this book. The style of lead is closer to Gatemouth Brown and Freddie King than anyone else. If you don't know who these men are, buy their CDs. You are in for a treat. Please read the author's introduction. There is a lot of good info there. The Tab system is the older style. It should take about 30 seconds to adjust. It's actually easier to read than the current form. If you consider yourself a Rock guitarist instead of Blues, you really could use this book. If you use these solos as a "how to", instead of just memorizing them, they will give you some new weapons. You know, for scaring the heck out of other guitarists.

Aztec Plays for the Classroom

Published in Paperback by Weekly Reader Teacher's Press (2003-04-09)

Author: Eric Burnett

List price: $9.95

New price: $5.99
Used price: $6.10

Average review score:

In two words: Fun

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-16

I don't have kids. I am not a teacher. I enjoy acting out this book alone, while I'm at home. It's just a fun fun book! Well thought out, and fun.

A Must Have for Teachers

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-24

Written to integrate social studies and language arts, Aztec Plays for the Classroom will take your students back to the world of the Aztecs and provide them an outlet for their enthusiasm. The four plays - "Cinderhoatl", "Jackotl and the Cornstalk", "Rumpelcatchacoldal", and "The Three Little Aztecs" - have been adapted from classic fairy tales and include numerous historical facts from the Aztec era. The thirty character parts vary in length and difficulty, and will motivate even the most passive learner. Not only will your class and your audience stay entertained and focused, they will also be learning a ton about Aztec society. The level of information and kid-friendly word choice make these plays suitable for grades three through eight and a fifty question comprehension assessment is included.

Funny and Informative

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-12

I just saw these plays performed in a classroom for third graders last week and I loved them. The kids laughed a lot and were able to follow the whole storyline. The author took familiar fairy tales and translated them into Aztec themes packed with teaching material. The quiz questions make for a perfect follow up.

In my own teaching experience, I have found very little creative material for Aztec study. So if you are an elementary school teacher studying the Aztecs and want to do something beyond the typical dry stuff, you definately want these plays

Burnett Books