Frank Books

This book is not easy...it starts off with moderately difficult exercises and increases steadily from there. There is a ton of great stuff in this book for drummers of all ages...i haven't explored half of it and i've now owned it for 6 months. One of the most comprehensive books i've seen. Highly recommended

Since 1996 I (as my students) continue to enjoy and benefit from the wealth of (pragmatic)studies and (intuitively challenging) methods Frank has developed. To see a more complete singular volume is unlikely. This guide is likely, however, to become a standard reference of the new millenia. An excellent choice of material to follow introductory drumset studies (Ultimate Realistic Rock, The Encyclopedia of Groove, etc.) Bravo Mr. Briggs Bravo!!

I have been playing the drums for 10 years and this book showed me things i didn't know i could do on a drumset every drummer should have one.

This book is one that should be in every drummers library! There isn't one thing that Frank left out of this book. The book starts out with Rudimental Studies and applies them to the kit. This is a great section because, all those rudiments that you learn over the years can finally be applies to the kit in many different ways. From there you get into Linear Patterns and then R&B, Funk & Rock, Blues & Shuffle, World Beats and Odd Meters. All those sections will keep you all busy for quite a while. Make sure you make these grooves your own... play them until they are part of your library. The section I found fun and challenging is Over The Bar. This section has playing 3/16 in 4/4 time, 5/16 in 4/4 time and many others. I found that you could play some of these things over an ostinato, then move them around the kit... you can come up with some real cool ideas. Then there is the Play-Along Tape & Drum Charts, Appendix and the ever important Glossary. Make sure you get your copy as soon as possible, cause' this will take you to places you have never been before! Don't forget to get the video. This companion tape shows Frank's versatility as a drummer. WOW .... what a great drummer & author!!

This book I used during my high school days in 95, now a college student, I still refer to this book. Probably my favorite drumming book of all time, it gives you a summary of exercises and patterns of different styles. If you are a intermediate drummer who doesn't know where to start next, get this book and it will open your eyes to new styles you would want to study later on in the future.

Frank has a way of putting words into your mind that somehow paint a weary picture of a fragmented scene that picques your interest and captures your intellect. You may find yourself questioning how it affects you, and I think that in and of itself is the essence of good words. Frank's got a few of them.

Without wasting a syllable, Frank Matagrano creates multi-leveled visions as pure and deep as the human imagination can go. The beauty is absolute, sharp and at times downright painful. A brilliant collection from someone who I hope to read much more from in future.

Buy it. Read it. Revel in the impression it leaves on your humanity.

It is rare to find a modern writer whose poetry is as inspirational as Mr. Matagrano's. His words force you to examine life while providing rhythms you can dance to. Genius.

Mr. Matagrano spins verbal webs that no psyche can escape. His work will leave you welcoming his literal cocoon like an L.L. Bean Vintage Stripe Yarn-Dyed Blanket on a rainy, mid-October afternoon. Pure essence!

I don't like much poetry, but I like Frank's. And I'm not just saying that because he works for me and I have to.

As a child, my very favorite movie was THE WIZARD of OZ. My favorite scene was when the tiny Muchkins "Came out ,came out, wherever they were".

I always wondered about the actors and actresses that played the parts of the delightful little Munchkins, & therefore I was thrilled to finally get this book (as a Christmas gift).

This book will not disappoint. Not only does it give a wonderful background as to where the Munchkin actors came from, but also this book goes into specifics, regarding the most famous of the Munchkins actors/actresses (eg: the Lollipop Boys, etc). Such endearing folks they were! (Sadly, most of them have passed away by now...sniff!)

After reading this book, you will forever love and appreciate the little people that were part of such a unique movie.

This is probably the most interesting Oz book in my collection. Finally someone reveals who these little people are, and in such an entertaining manner. I couldn't put this book down. I've read so many books about Prod. 1060, aka "The Wizard of Oz" (MGM) which are dry and stale. This book puts the whole experience into perspective and provides a human side to the Munchkin actors. I'm glad to hear some of them survive. The photographs in here are glorious. The color photography jumps out at you. Bravo to Steven Cox for doing such a handsome job and such a respectful job with "The Munchkins of Oz." If you want a book on Oz that is unique--this is the one.

We would certainly highly recommend this book! Meeting several little people throughout our years, our family found this book to be a Top 10 book! It is full of stories of the Munchkins, and what it was really like to be a part of OZ. We found out things we never knew, even after hearing so many personal stories of those who shared their experiences with us personally. We believe Meinhardt Raabe is the last of the Munchkins still alive, and would also highly recommend his book, Memories of a Munchkin: An Illustrated Walk Down the Yellow Brick Road.

I loved this book so much that this is the 3rd edition that I've bought. I bought the first edition back in 1989 and the revised edition many years later. When this one came out, I knew I had to have it too. With each revised edition, Stephen Cox really outdoes himself. I've found that any revised edition of this author's books are always even better than the original, as he adds more info and photographs!

This book is a must-have for all Oz-fans, young and old. It's filled with rare photographs, little-known trivia and fascinating tid-bits. There is also a section about bloopers (find out about a scene where Judy Garland can clearly be seen wearing brown bedroom slippers instead of the Ruby Slippers!) and "urban legends" (no, the Munchkins did not get drunk & disorderly every night as portrayed in the Chevy Chase/Carrie Fisher movie "Under the Rainbow"!! Nor did a Munchkin commit suicide on set during filming; F.Y.I.: it's a large, exotic bird moving its head & wings that people think is the hanging Munchkin).

Reading this book will increase your Oz-IQ several points! What are you waiting for? Buy this book now!

I first read this book when the first edition came out, and was really impressed with the depth in which the author went to gather the information for this book -- hours spent locating and contacting the surviving Munchkins, all the interviews that took place, etc. This is NOT one of my favorite movies, by any means, but I always liked the first seen in Oz, where Dorothy meets the Munchkins, and this book really showed you who these people were and how they managed to get into the movie. Alot of great pictures help make the book really stand out. With each reissue (this is the third edition of the book), the author is able to provide a little bit more information on the Munchkin actors and actresses, and provides additional pictures to keep the experience of the book fresh. I would highly recommend not just this edition, but the two previous editions if you are able to find them. A great read!

Frank Bosworth does a superb job of incorporating a sense of humor in his writing to create an entertaining story. Many times I laughed out loud because I could relate to the writer's point of view. My Li'l Black Dad is a wonderful piece.

This Chapter reminded me of how I sat and stared at my parents and wondered what I did wrong and what planet were they from ?,. A touching,funny but true look at a young sons love for his father, WOW.
If this Chapter is this good the other 15, it will put this book over the top. A must read, for all the kid left in us and all for all the adults that can still find love, give love and just be loved.

I totally enjoyed this chapter. This tale of a young boy basically losing his father to a tragic, crippling accident is touching; yet the boy copes by remembering the humorous phrases of his dad and a connection/bonding to Red Sox baseball.

His descriptions of his New England, dilapidated, year-round summer house and family life in which he was raised has my curiosity.

I can't stop now. I want more!

This story dramatized what the precise pen of a true observer can do when it proses clearly into every angle of a subject, without unrealistically exaggerating either light or shadow.

Bosworth skillfully applied an artistry of what could have become angry bitters in a lesser author, but which was instead blessedly filled with exquisite humor. But effective humor wasn't enough, for this author; he continued with a flowing vigil of observation primed in literary luxury. Under the humor, under the sadness of some of the situations, I began sensing in this author a subtle pride and quiet peace about the passage of his childhood. I didn't realize the last part until I had finished reading this Amazon Short and allowed the intense flavors (of perfectly balanced hardship and humor) to settle. I was relieved myself to feel the cathartic residuals in the author himself (if that makes any sense).

This is the first chapter to the book, "Never Play Leapfrog With A Unicorn." Prior to reading this Short, I checked blurbs and reviews (an excellent collection) on the Amazon buying pages for the book as well as this Amazon Short, wanting some background. With time precious, even more than lack-less $$, the reviews gave what I wanted to know before I clicked "View Now" and began reading "My Li'l Black Dad."

These lines in the middle of the bio stayed with me as I began reading: >>Only those quick enough, creative enough, witty enough to react, are allowed to move on to the next experience, the next round.<< The concluding lines were particularly inviting: >>So sit back, put your feet up, pull the box of Junior Mints ® a bit closer. The show is about to begin.<<

Skimming catchy titles set within hot-popped graphics on the covers of Bosworth's Amazon Shorts collection showed that this guy has honed enough artistic pizzazz and effective speed for outrunning heartbreak, hardship, and a heavy early life, overrunning it with humor. What I wished most for him, prior to reading this Short, was that he would one day be able to feel safe enough to allow a contrasting ability to develop, an intrepid ability to ...

Rest.

I wished for Bosworth to be able to let go, let down, and rest once in a while, from the ongoing push to perform every second within every breath. (However, we can be thankful that this author didn't slow down before he had produced at least this much in his repertoire, enough to expose his intense value as an artist. I wish him well, on both ends of life's continuum.)

Here's a sample of the crisp, quick images brought forth in this story: >>Of the forty-seven sites, thirty-three were definitive summer cottages; all of them no better or worse than can be found in any low-to-mid-cost cabin campground. Thirty-three drab, lifeless, forgotten shells, that sprang to life three months a year, when their owners fled the sizzling city heat for the cool, sultry breezes of lakeside Shangri-La; a veritable utopia in suburbia.<<

A sample of the brisk humor: >>"Makes no sense throwing good money after bad. Don't much matter, we don't have either one," my dad would say. Then he'd grin, chuckle, cough, huck a louie, fart, and walk away. All at the same time. I tried it once when I was seven and sprained my ankle.<< Picks for characterization tricks: >>...all you would see was his wicked grin, and all you would hear was his fractured logic.<<

In the middle of the read of this Short, I flashed to memoir passages in the opening sequence of Stephen King's ON WRITING. After reading through the end of "My Li'l Black Dad," I saw the nightmare base of my compassion-driven-comment here about "rest."

Veeger (Voyager) has found one of its places of dissemination, Amazon Shorts.

With Admiration and Best Wishes,
Linda Shelnutt

Greatly enjoyed this mult-layered, richly nuanced, family tale of a foundry-worker's life in the infamous fifties. The author's comedic skills are not to be taken lightly, but all through his rollicking ride through blue-collar glory, there runs a deep and powerfully moving Father/son love that speaks much louder than any of the truly excellent jest-and-joust. Another treat from Frank Bosworth that shouldn't be missed!

Michael Firewalker

A wonderful and eye-opening experience. I found the story to be remarkably told, very honest and accurate in terms of the information spoken by William Barnes in his regression. The details and facts will astound you. The emotional scenes will grip you. You will be glad to be a part of this amazing journey.

This audio CD edition is very well put together with narration, regressions and various interviews. I truly believe William Barnes was Tommie Andrews in a past life. And this audio edition does a wonderful job in sharing this reincarnation experience with us.

Overall, this audio edition is highly recommended. It will open your mind and give you an understanding of the story of Titanic seen through Tommie's eyes. Believe me, once you start listening to the story of Tommie Andrews, its hard to put down.

I am so moved by this story, even after having been exposed to it before. I feel that it is more powerful than some of the best movies I've seen. I also feel great compassion for Bill, due to the pain that he has carried. I truly hope that he has found himself healed through the process of "clearing his name." I hope too that the CDs, tapes and books meet with great success. The story definitely commands it.

This was eye-opening. A friend recommended I listen to this and I am extremely impressed with the lurid detail and strong emotions the interviewee shared. There is no doubt in my mind that William Barnes once lived as Thomas Andrews. This interview helps one understand that who we are and the emotions we feel in this life are driven from a source much deeper than our early childhood experiences.

A wonderful audio tape. You feel his pain,and finally the truth comes out! No cover ups! If you love the Titanic as much as I do, this tape if for you!

In this great audio book, which is the companion to "I built the Titanic," Willam Barne's publisher has done an excellent job in editing the actual past-life regression sessions into chronological order. The result is like hearing Thomas Andrews tell the story, step by step, in his own words and his own voice.

So real, it sent chills up my spine.

This is not just a re-hash of the material on the first book. In There is new regression material here, plus an excellent interview with William Barnes, telling how bringing forth the past-life sotry has brought healing and peace of mind in this life. You can also hear a very clear difference between the voice of Tommie and the voice of Bill Barnes. So much more convincxing that a printed book!

I recommend buying both of these "Titanic" audio books -- they really should be considered a two-part set!

Being a native Las Vegas, I knew Frank Wright very well.
We worked together on many historic preservation projects.
He has done a fine job in telling many classic stories and also some little known facts and stories.
A "keeper" for those who are interested the real stories of Las Vegas.

Finally a Las Vegas history book for everyone! Frank Wright's "Nevada Yesterday's" is the history of Las Vegas publication, that reads as if "U.S.A. Today" newspaper had commissioned the book.

Educational and entertaining reporting of the big stories from Las Vegas's past, the book reads well with great photography and graphics.

I really enjoyed the world timeline segments, that put Las Vegas history into a larger perspective.

One of the greatest services "Nevada Yesreday's" provides the reader is the contrast between the myth-Las Vegas and the REAL history that is often better than the Hollywood version.

"Nevada Yesterdays" provides a new look at Las Vegas history, from debunking the myth of Bugsy Siegel as the town's founder, to uncovering the colorful characters such as Sheriff Sam Gay, who was fired for the first time in 1910 for taking prisoners from the sweltering tin jail and tying them to a shady tree by the creek. Other gems include stories about the marriage of "Whataman" Hudson and Ma Kennedy; Tony Cornero, who built several casino and died at the craps table; the coming of Howard Hughes and what it did for Las Vegas; and much more. The pieces are filled with humor, unexpected details and above all, solid historical facts. A must read!

For many years the late Frank Wright entertained the people of Las Vegas with his stories of early Nevada. For the first time his stories have been put together in Nevada Yesterdays, from the story of Whiskey Pete to the fairy tale character of the elusive nude Eve of Paradise Valley. A wonderful compilation of his beloved radio shows, Nevada Yesterdays brings the history of America's most original town to life.

frank wright's 'nevada yesterdays' is a wonderful book, full of short historical essays on our much misunderstood state. wright was a good man, a good historian, and a good writer--his book reflects all these qualities. i wish i'd written it. i wish i could have!

My 9 year old daughter received this book as a gift and after the first time she read it, it became her favorite! Now she wants me to get her a dog "just like Pancho!"

This is a wonderful story and very beautifully illustrated with rich images of the Southwest. Thought provoking and full of wonder, it will move your children, and you too!

This simple story is founded in Native American lore and the pictures are lovely. Any fan of the southwest will enjoy this book, and children will find the story (and the pictures) to be an intriguing "doggy story" with an interesting blend of Native American fable.

My 9 year old daughter received this book as a gift and after the first time she read it, it became her favorite! Now she wants me to get her a dog "just like Pancho!"

This is a wonderful story and very beautifully illustrated with rich images of the Southwest. Thought provoking and full of wonder, it will move your children, and you too!

Fun way for kids to learn about wildlife!
Beautiful, colorful pictures and a great story
to keep any young audience captivated!

Comes highly recommended from a 3rd grade teacher!

'Pancho' made my top 10 Listmania!
Both of our kids have read and enjoyed this
book. The illustrations are wonderful, the
glossary is a plus and the story is awesome!

Don't let your kids miss out!

Plantation....I could not put this book down. I found myself waking up on the weekend early just to get to this book.
I have just finished it and wish I could read it again as I read it the first time.
GREAT SUMMER READING!
D. Bell

An EXCELLENT book. My first book by Dorothea Benton Frank, I was sad when this book came to an end....

Having read most of Dorothea Benton's newest books, I was surprised to find "Plantation" on a list. I ordered it immediately. What a thrill. This is just good old Southern reading! You will fall in love with the characters.

Great book,as all her books are. I love reading about the low country,something so captivating about the South. This story is great,and keeps you interested all the way through.I never regret reading any of her books.

You won't be able to stop at just one! This book gets you involved from page one and at the end, you're just plain sorry it's over! I want to write to Ms. Frank and say "more, more, please! I'm not done with these folks yet!" I enjoy Anne Rivers Siddons books ... if you like that style you'll love Plantation. And like me, will be looking for more of Ms. Frank's work!

I would like to say that this book is excellent for students with hard courses in high school. It's a pretty good size to fit in your backpack although I wouldn't call it pocket size, I would call it backpack size :). They also have a special reference section where they give you basic information such as country/capital, states, metric conversion, etc... All in all a very excellent purchase that would benifit your education.

I bought this dictionary/thesaurus a few years ago for college, and have used it well. While it won't fit in your pocket, it will fit in your book bag, and I was more than happy to sacrifice the extra weight for a few more definitions and synonyms. And, while this is much more detailed dictionary than any other "pocket" dictionary I have come across (which typically fit in your pocket), it is certainly not THE definitive dictionary you'll want to own. I have come across a few words in my studies that have not been listed in this dictionary, and that I had to find at home (in a behemoth edition that fits on a CD-ROM). All in all, a great buy--best portable dictionary you will find. (Weight: 970 grams; 2 lbs, 2 1/2 oz. For those of you planning on taking it hiking.)

I initially purchased this volume to use as a pocket dictionary, but it was obvious once it arrived that it would not fit in any pocket I possess in my apparel collection, yet this is not a strike against it! I find myself consulting this useful tome more than regular sized dictionaries or my computer which has a handy dictionary/thesaurus feature. So comprehensive are the definitions in this pocket dictionary that I have hardly ever had to consult this little guy's big brother, the full sized Oxford dictionary, now gathering dust on my bookshelf.

I highly recommend this volume for anyone from high school to graduate school. The dictionary and thesaurus are well thought out and very accessible. The paperback binding is also quite durable and I do not anticipate any problems such as pages falling out or the spine breaking. My copy is over a year old, consulted almost daily, and it is still happy to oblige with a definition!

This is a very helpful tool for every designer in all kinds of brain storming sessions, where both the dictionary and thesaurus are used at the same time...
Ideas simply flow and develop as both meaning, and synonym are revealed.
Not to mention that it's compact, however, very rich in content.
Simply, wish there were more such books.

Bought as a gift for my son. He said this is the most helpful book, for his class work, that I have sent him in last two years.

This book was recommended to me by my rabbi when I started studying Talmud and I don't see how you can study Talmud without it. It's certainly a must-have. I also recommend the companion volume Grammar for Gemara and Targum Onkelos by the same author.

I found this dictionary much easier to use than Jastrow, and still it has enough depth to be extremely useful. It has helped improve my understanding and comprehension of the talmud by 1000%! (Okay, I might be slightly facetious, but it really has helped immensly). I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to study talmud.

If you're looking for an informative, useful and above all, user friendly Dictionary that specifically deals with East Babylonian (Talmud haBavli), Aramaic, then this is the dictionary for you. It does more than simply provide a word and its related meaning, but also provides English words, and a quotation in the Talmud itself. It lists verbs according to their usage in the Talmud, rather than according to their roots... This is a dictionary I keep by my side when studying the Talmud.

But all is not perfect...Not every word in the Talmud is translated however, this is a minor point, of which the author is well aware, and does not diminish this work at all. It derives from Melamed's Aramaic-Hebrew Dictionary and Jastrow, as well as a comprehensive Talmudic Concordance.

If students and scholars are serious about the Talmud then this companion is certainly a must-buy. Be sure to also get "Grammar for Gemara" by the same author - the second edition aids as much as the Dictionary does, and includes a brief section on Mishnaic Hebrew, and is interspersed with examples from the Aramaic Targums as well as the Aramaic of the Talmud haBavli.

If you're studying the Talmud, get both these books, they clarify meaning far more than Jastrow's Dictionary of the Talmud, Targums and Midrashim (which is a literal dictionary of all words).

The book - jacket points to the following features:
This dictionary has not only individual Aramaic and Hebrew words, but also Talmudic expressions.It explains how terms and expressions function in their Talmudic context. There is a comprehensive list of acronyms of the Talmud. Most entries are illustrated with examples. Verbs are alphabetized by basic forms that appear in the Talmud and not by grammatical roots. Talmudic expressions are alphabetized according to the first word and cross- referenced at other key words.
I enjoyed reading the dictionary , going from entry to entry as the eye and association led me. This is of course not the primary use of the work, but it indicates just how user- friendly this valuable work is.

This is a dictionary of the key terms that mark the structure of the talmudic argument. It does not cover every word in the talmud (for that, consult Marcus Jastrow's dictionary); but it does define the structurally important words that define the shape of the talmudic argument. The definitions cover everything a beginner needs: the literal meaning of the Aramaic, the Hebrew equivalent of the Aramaic, the structural meaning of the word or phrase, at least one example printed in Hebrew with an English translation. In the many cases where a phrase or sequence of phrases has a special meaning, these larger rhetorical units are discussed under separate entries.

There is a useful dictionary of common talmudic abbreviations at the end of the volume.

I have required all of my students at the University of Chicago and Hebrew Union College to buy this book. It's great. Buy it. You'll love it!