John Books

This is an excellent book, with detailed maps covering history from the dawn of civilization all the way upto the date of the book's publishing (only real change between the most recent map in this book and the present is the independence of East Timor.) Keep in mind that this book focuses on breadth, not depth; that isn't really a flaw, it's by design. It's not meant to be and all-in-one historical text, but a reference companion to any more in-depth historical text for a given region or period.

The best part of the book in my opinion is the several world maps that let you see the entire world at a glance during certain years. There are 27 of those, if I counted right, showing the world at a glance during key moments in history from 2000 BC all the way up to 1999 AD. Another thing the makes this book unique among historical references is the fact it isn't so Eurocentric as most history books are; it covers the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia with the same detail as Europe.

If you're a map-freak like me, who likes to see maps to help you picture historical periods, this is a great book to have.

Recently I did a detailed comparison of the 5 or 6 major offerings in this area, which includes such traditional notables as the big Hammond atlas and the one from Oxford University Press, as well as the Dorling-Kindersley one, but this atlas is the best combination of features and price out there. It's only a fraction of the cost of the big Hammond one, for example, and is cheaper than the other two by at least 50%.

So I agree with several of the other reviewers here, that this atlas really rocks, and that in many ways it's better than any of the more famous other offerings in this field on the market, including the massive Hammond one and DK ones, which, as I mentioned, are a lot more expensive.

I've read my share of ancient history books, and this atlas is just the best way to get a good overview quickly of a particular time frame and period. I've used it to clarify many aspects of ancient history, for example, when I got lost in the details in reading more standard histories on the subject. In reading your typical ponderous history, it's so easy to lose the forest for the trees, and there is no better solution for the problem than this book.

Another nice feature of the book is that periodically throughout the text there will be essays at key years or junctures in history, such as "The World in 1914," or "The World in 800 BC," or whatever, in addition to the more topically oriented essays, such as "Old Kingdom Egypt," or "The Persian Empire," or "The Warring States (referring to 5th A.D. century China) which give you further historical perspectives on the events of the time.

The book is organized into two-page spreads with the essays and their corresponding maps and illustrations. According to the jacket text, the book was also prepared with the aid of graphics experts and geographers skilled at combining the written word with visual illustrations and graphics. I would say they and John Haywood succeeded admirably, making this a great book just to browse casually, or read more seriously. Haywood also writes very well and has a nice, deft touch with the material that avoids the dry, technical-sounding quality of some atlases.

Another nice feature of the book is the detailed, color-coded timelines that accompany each two-page spread, which some atlases don't always include or set aside in a separate section of the book. This makes it easier to use and more informative since it can be referred to along with the maps and the text.

My only fault with the book is that the coverage is typically Eurocentric, but this really only applies to the DK atlas, which is suprisingly strong in terms of its coverage of Asian, African, and non-European history in general. All the others are more Eurocentric, like this one.

Keep in mind that this book (like all atlases) aims at breadth rather than depth, since it covers the entire history of the world from man's earliest origins up to modern times. Overall a great altas and a fine book to keep you oriented in whatever period of history you are reading on.

This History Atlas is probably the best generally available. I find it to be very good as a general overview of history timelines with maps and charts. It doesn't really dig deep; it is the proverbial two miles and two inches deep view of history.

For a through understanding a reader should move on to other books. That being said any true student of history needs to have a good overview of things before they can dig into the details. And this good gives a great overview of the major topics. Which is why I would recommend it to people.

One group that could really benefit from a book like this, of course, are high school students studying history or social studies or whatever they are calling that class now a day. A provides a way to understand an outline at a glance which is very useful for a student. I know I wish I had something like this book in high school or even college.

Many people are interested in history, but find their own history to be much more transparent than other parts of the globe. This is reinforced by a school system that, in North America, concentrates on European and American history, ignoring two-thirds of the world.

I will soon be teaching history to a new generation of students, and I can tell you: it doesn't get much easier when you study more. History students often end up knowing a patchwork - vast amounts of information about Europe or China, but very little about other important areas such as India or Africa, and with very little idea of what was going on in China at the time of Rome, or vice versa.

John Haywood's 'Atlas of World History' is just the book you need to fix this problem.

Large, beautifully clear maps occupy every inch of this book, with timelines and summaries around them to give readers a brief overview of the period in question. Every chapter of world history is summarized with a world map that quite clearly shows states and tribes around the world, giving one a breathtaking hint to what was going on. Other maps - the majority - concentrate on a particular period of time in a particular part of the world. Europe still gets more attention than other regions, but this is almost unavoidable in history - there is just so much information available! However, other parts of the world can come to startling life in front of you, making the history of India, China or Africa into digestable, comfortable chunks easy to understand.

The only downside to this magnificent book is that it is only a summary. To understand history in depth, you need something that has focus, not breadth. But to understand history as a whole, this book is indispensable.

It is a rare treasure that I hope you enjoy as much as I do - although the book is slightly outdated now, it continues to outclass newer versions by other publishers, and will always occupy a special spot on my bookcase.

This is a terrific gem of a world history atlas. As a history undergraduate, I wanted an atlas that would give me an opprotunity to explore a multitude of historical periods with inpsiring maps and elegant prose. Do not be fooled by the price on this fantastic Atlas, it is worth its weight in gold.

The atlas starts with early human history and migration, moves into the prehistorical world, then the ancient world, then the medieval period (my personal specialty), the early modern period, and finally the modern period. The scholarly aptitude utilized in the writing of this atlas is beyond comparision. The maps are vibrant and extremely well-done.

Truely, I can not recommend a better book for anyone interested in gleaning an overall view of world (Western, Eastern, and everything in between) history.

I recently read John Passerella's first Buffy novel, Ghoul Trouble, and LOVED it. He captured the characters with such ease and approximately. And now, with Avatar, he does the same with the characters. Angel, Cordelia, Doyle, and even Kate are displayed respectfully and with the right characterization.

When a demon materializes in LA, needing to find 12 victims to complete a cycle in which the demon will be reunited with its true body, Angel and the crew are on top of it, along with the help of Detective Kate Lockley. The demon is using a man, who he promised the world to, to find his victims online in chatrooms. The demon appears to his victims as what they most desire. On a side note, Cordelia wants a website made for Angel Investigations, and that results in some humorous moments. Especially with the aide of a teenage computer geek.

Passarella really knows how to write a novel. It's absolutely expertise, and he knows exactly what he's writing about. He never makes the novel drag or become dull. There is one incident that makes the whole novel though. It plays out when Cordelia is chosen as bait to lure the demon in so Angel and Doyle can destroy it. We then see who each one of them desire. It's a very interesting and suspenseful moment in the novel.

John Passerella is now up there with Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder as one of the best Buffy and Angel novelists. I hope to see more coming from him in the future.

This was the fourth Angel book that I've read. So far, it's the first that really seemed to capture the characters and the spirit of the show. According to the blurb at the back, this is only Passarella's second novel (and his first solo attempt), but surprisingly it reads like it was written by a seasoned pro. The dialog is realistic (okay, Angel uses a few too many puns during the battle scenes for my taste, but a small flaw in an otherwise fantastic grasp of the character), the fight scenes intense and the plot well thought out. If you're an Angel fan who is unhappy with the quality of some of the tie-in books that you've read, here is one that is sure to please.

Loved it! Fans of the TV show will definitely enjoy this novel. At some points it kind of grossed me out, but I couldn't stop reading because I enjoyed at the same time. Highly recommend.

Elliot Grundy has made a deal with a demon. In return for everything he desires Elliot will help the demon to complete a ritual that will allow it to be reborn. Using Internet chatrooms, the pair are luring unsuspecting men and women into meeting with the demon, disguised as the victim’s ideal date. However, little does the demon know that an ancient cult seeks to posses and control it for their own purposes…

When Doyle’s visions lead Angel to the scene of a murder, he discovers that a man has been attacked by a demon that leaves behind nothing of the victim except for their skin. It soon emerges that this is not the first attack and that both men and women from all over L.A. are being targeted. The victims seem to have nothing in common, and the description of the attacker differs in every case. Angel has no idea who or what this demon may be.

“Avatar” was a fast-paced, enjoyable read. John Passarella manages to capture the characters exactly as they are in the TV show and ultimately produces an original, entertaining novel that maintains your interest throughout. There is no pause in the action and “Avatar” is one of the best of the Angel or Buffy books I have read so far. I recommend this book to all Angel fans.

There is a killer stalking the streets of Los Angeles, one sucks the essence from his victims leaving an empty husk. The only thing the victims have in common is the manner of their deaths and their link to the Internet. An Internet savvy demon is the last thing that Angel thought he would have to deal with - but you never say never in his line of work. As he tries to track the killer he is unaware that he is not the only one hunting the killer. A cult is on the trail too, but they plan to bind the demon. Now Angel is in the way - and they don't like that.

There are some authors for series like Angel and Buffy that make you feel like they are sitting inside their world. You get that feeling from John Passarella - it really feels like he has spent time with Buffy and Angel and really gotten inside their heads. The storyline of this novel is both gripping and seamless. It could have just as easily been an episode off the series. I agree with other reviewers here that Passarella compares really well to Christopher Golden and Nancy Holder and I can only hope that he writes more in the series.

After describing the German Kaiser's reconquest of Alsace-Loraine from France in the Franco-Prussian War and his persecution of the region's Catholics, which occurred while the forces of the Kingdom of Italy kept the Pope a prisoner in the Vatican, and which was followed by the Paris Commune's murder of dozens of French clergy and religious, author John Zmirnak writes, "All in all, the 1870s may have been even worse for the Church than the 1970s ... hard as that might be to believe." (From the entry "Gewurztraminer: The Alsacians Need Better Neighbors.") If the idea of combining libations, cuisine, history, orthodoxy, humor, and political incorrectness appeals to you, then this is your book. Highly recommended.

I am amazed by this book. The book is organized, alphabetically, by the alcoholic beverage being discussed. In the course of discussing a wine or other potent potable, one learns European and US History, the history of the Church. One learns about Saints, about economics, about conspiracies, about theology. All done in a delightful way.

There is nothing a good Catholic need wince at here.

Each article is just about the right length for a short reading, perhaps after dinner, or perhaps by yourself while waiting for a ride to the ABC store.

Having marinated in a WASP stew for a few hundred years, too many English-speaking Catholics, especially Catholics who really believe in their wild and wonderful Church, have adopted many of the Puritan excesses and general love-of-drudgery that manna-lovers since at least Webber have credited with economic efficiency and well-being.

To that, these authors provide a well-deserved razzberry, accompanied by two-handed ear-wagging. A celebration of culture, history, and faith, all delivered with good humor and all of which involve spirited feasting, drinking, and dancing - some of which (as the Baptists often warn) could lead to slow dancing!!

John Zmirak and Denise Matychowiak's "The Bad Catholic's Guide to Wine, Whiskey & Song" is a hoot. If you look up "snarky" in the Catholic dictionary, you'll find a picture of this book. You'll find the answers to questions like:

* Why do Kentucky whiskeys bear the name of the famous French royal house of Bourbon?

* How did pisco become the national drink of Peru? (See answer below)

* Is vodka Russian or Polish in origin?

It's a random walk through the history of Christendom, viewed from an epicure/enophile perspective. Thoroughly Catholic in its attitude and orthodoxy, chock full of recipes (Matychowiak is a chef), The Bad Catholic's Guide to Wine, Whiskey & Song takes the givenness and goodness of creation and physicality seriously. They explain historical events like the Quietist heresy in France using references to things like Bobby McFerrin's hit, "Don't Worry, Be Happy." It's a funny celebration and will leave you chuckling and gabbing with friends. Highly recommended.

Oh, and about that pisco:
"[Catholic clergy] march[ed] through the country on foot[,] learning a dozen languages to preach the Gospel without the benefit of gunpowder. . . . When the priests saw the conquistadors robbing the country of everything not nailed down, and enslaving the natives to work in silver mines, they started defending the Indians' rights and organizing them on farms. Jesuits taught the Indians to grow grapes and ferment them. . . . Enraged Iberian vintners -- don't cross these people, trust us -- rioted for their right to soak the colonials, and in 1614, the ever-meddling Spanish Crown outlawed the sale of Peruvian wine.

The ever-crafty Jesuits applied their scientific training to invent a new drink which fit neatly through a loophole in the law -- a brandy that was soon named for the earthenware containers which held it, piskos. . . . '[P]isco' soon caught on throughout New Spain, and gave the long-suffering Indians an industry they could count on . . . ."

My perfect book finally sees print. This has it all: booze making monks, good food, good music, excellent history, harmless fun, politically incorrect ideologue smashing humour, and (mostly) orthodox Catholicism.

One of the most underrated books of all time, and the exact gift to give to joyless Puritans or the frozen-chosen.

And presents the best case ever I've seen for FEAST DAYS being FEAST DAYS!

Deserves to be AMAZON's No. 1 Best Seller.

This book was one of my sons favorites. It had a surprise ending.

I read a book called The Bald Bandit by Ron Roy. It's about a bandit who robs the Green Lawn Savings Bank. The three detectives (Dink, Josh, Ruth Rose) solved the mystery. When a private detective named Reddy came to look for the videotape the three detectives decided to help him. Reddy said if they found the videotape they would earn a hundred bucks.

My favorite part of the book was when Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose got the videotape and they watched the tape and they noticed it was Reddy who robbed the bank. When Reddy was at Dink's house ready to get the video, Dink hid it and gave him a tape of soccer. Ruth Rose sneaks into her house and calls the police. I think the thief was pretty smart.

I think the book was a perfect fit for me because I love reading mystery books. When I read this book at home I can't stop reading it until I finish.

This is one of the best books in the series. I think this is the best book. I liked this book because I like mysteries. I like the whole series but this one was the best so far.
If you like mysteries you should read the series.
Michael grade 4

I THINK THAT THIS BOOK IS AWSOME! WHEN I FINISHED THIS BOOK I WAS SO SAD THAT THE BOOK HAD ENDED. I LOVE THESE KIND OF BOOKS. MYSTERYS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE KIND OF BOOKS. AND THE THING THAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK IS THAT ALL THE CLUES COME TOGETHER!

The book takes about 45 minutes for an adult to read.
It has a surprise ending.
Sheri Myers' 6-year-old must be smarter than I am.

I love this book!! I am a middle school dance teacher and I just started to use this book in my class. The discriptions are great for all ages of beginning to intermediate ballet students.

This book is a nice version of the pictorial book we found and loved in our local library. I was thrilled to find a version my daughter could color any way she wanted. I felt like it was pretty accurate with how we have experienced starting ballet lessons, including being excited and nervous. The drawings are pretty but simple enough for my preK colorist to handle.

Like all the Dover coloring books, this one is an excellent educational tool as well as a fun coloring book. One thing that other reviewers have not noted is that many of the illustrations feature young male dancers. In fact, the dancers illustrated are of different ages and ethnicities as well which is nice to see.

I am a dance teacher and I bought this coloring book so that my students could learn while coloring. It is a nice book, with actual steps and definitions - quite thorough. It is not babyish, it is useable for students even a little older.

As a ballet instructor, I cannot recommend this coloring book enough for children who are serious about learning about ballet. I use this in my beginning ballet class (ages 5-8), giving them a "memory term" each week. The kids are excited to learn the terms in this book, and they get to color too!

This isn't an Idiot's guide to photography. It is a well written book on the physical and chemical phenomena around picture tacking, an eye opener on quirky peculiarities of the media for photographers (more scientifically minded people may feel it just brushes the surface of many subjects). It is a good read, but as with text books, if you're not well awake, you'll have to go through a topic several times!

Most of the emphasis is on film, with a last chapter added on to cover digital. I reckon even strictly digital shooters may profit from reading it.

OK nearly fully understands photography. This book goes far beyond the "for dummies" overview of the medium. It even goes far beyond the "Beyond Basic Photgraphy" books I've read. This book, along with Ansel Adams' The Negative are the best instruction you can receive on the technical aspects of photography, digital or film. It does include chapters on film and chemicals which are becoming less and less popular though still useful for some. But it also describes light, light measurement, focal plane vs. leaf shutter operation- you'll understand why an SLR has a high flash sync speed limit of 1/250" while point and shoots as well as Hasselblads can sync flash with any shutter speed. You'll understand lens optical performance terms. You'll fully understand film characteristic curves (now dynamic range characteristics of digital sensors). Worth the money. (Note this review is based on the first edition which was hardcover.)

All the technical details of photography have been covered. The review questions at the end of the each chapter are helpful too. I feel one can surely save a lot of film after reading this book. And there are quite a few b&w photogrpahs which are quite interesting.

This is a rather comprehensive introduction to the theory of photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Rochester (NY) is of course where the headquarters of the Eastman Kodak Company is located...

Note the word "theory" above. That the volume contains an appendix on the calculation of basic logarithms should give you a clue to the nature of this book.

This is a book about the physical properties of light, the chemical properties of photographic papers and film, and so on. It is not a book about composition and "beauty".

Photography is an art and also a craft. You would buy this book to become a better craftsman.

After a boring introduction to one of the most exciting topics I can think of (Light and Photometry) the volume covers exposure both at the picture taking (camera) stage and post-exposure (printing). These are extremely useful chapters for any photographer.

There then follows five chapters and 160 large pages whit what is essentially an introduction to science for photographers. You wouldn't guess it from the chapter headings, but you are given a brief introduction to statistics, sensiometry (excellent chapter!), optics, chemistry, and physical chemistry. Only what is relevant for photography is presented, and it is done at a fairly high-level. The level may suit you or frustrate you. The style is unlikely to excite you...

Finally, on page 213 we get practical and hands-on again with a chapter on black-and-while development followed, after a section on archival, by one of the gems of this book: tonal reproduction. Starting from the foundation it has developed over the five "boring" chapters it shows how to achieve the tonal reproduction that you want, and shows the Zone System as a practical approximation. Understanding the Zone System in this light (pun intended) will give you a great background on when and how to use it, and when not to use it: it is only an approximation.

The remaining chapters are classics and include excellent sections on visual perception, colors and color reporductions.

This book is a must read! I considered deducting a single star in the rating because the book is very focused on black-and-white photography. It does cover color, but not in the level of detail that I would have liked. In the end I decided that it would be unfair to give this book anything less than 5 stars: you should read it.

The book "Basic Photographic Materials and Processes" is separated on 16 chapters. Very useful chapters for everybody, both for beginners and professionals are chapters: 1) Light and Photometry, 4) Photographic Sensitometry, 5) Photography Optics (there is an instruction how to build the pinhole camera with exact calculation a diameter for different pinhole cameras and how make the lens testing), 8) Black and white Photographic Developments (with a paragraph about anti-foggants, special black-and-white process), 10) Tone Reproduction (Objective tone-reproduction curves for motion pictures, transparency etc., Luminance values of an outdoor scene, Flare factor, The making of negative, The making of Positive, the equations for average gradient for different quadrants of tone-reproduction diagram, ......), 11) Micro Image Evaluation (with much examples og graininess of films of different producers), 13) Filters with their influencies on different sort of films, 14) Color, 15) Color Reproduction and 16) Digital photography. This book is very useful and its content is very comprehensive one. I photograph since 1960 and I admire Mr. Anselm Adams, that is to say I very, very recommend this book for one, who has serious interest about photography and different cameras with their optics. The book has many pictures, useful tables and diagrams. (Rene Novak, studio ER67, ...)

I am finishing up by degree in Graphic Communications in December. I checked this book out of our school library and didn't want to give it back...so I bought my own! What I love about this book is that it breaks it down by industry and specialty area. I also like the way it breaks down what you should include in your portfolio for those areas. It is nice knowing that there is more to Graphic Design than just being a Graphic Artist in a print shop or a newspaper. This book gives you an idea and an overview on what's out there. Awesome!

This book is a good overview of what it means to be a graphic designer. It goes through the different areas of design, and different job positions.
Everything you need to know about the design world is in this book.

This book rocks! Once you read it you'll know WAAAAAZZZZZUP!

This book is a good overview of what it means to be a graphic designer. It goes through the different areas of design, and different job positions.
Everything you need to know about the design world is in this book.

There is a lot of good to be said for this book. But the thing that jumps out and slaps me in the face, right off, maybe because I have dealt with new design students and new professionals for the past several years, is a few dumb comments such as "If you are going to be a good designer, fine. If you aren't don't bother. The field is full of mediocre talents as it is."

And how, pray tell, does one know whether one is going to "be good" during the first year of ones study? --Or even during the first few years of ones professional practice, when sweeping out the place may be included in your job description, and hands-on real world work may come your way slowly and in small discreet bits? And doesn't every creative person at one point or another question the worth and validity of what he or she is doing, EVEN after recognition has started rolling in and they understand that their work is generally perceived by their peers as good? Further, I would ask whether everyone HAS to be a Saul Bass or a Neville Brody. Isn't design a broad enough field to encompass the work of those with less Olympian ambition? Comments such as the one above are relatively few and far between, to be certain. But where on earth was the editor when pompous uninsightful stuff like this flew in under the radar? Although the sheer snideness of the comment may make many jaded pros cheer, I have to wonder what useable information this kind of comment contains for the neophyte at whom the book is supposedly aimed? --To show that a lot of jaded pros have a really bad attitude?

I do not favor the Pollyanna view whether we are talking art or careers. But I believe it is impossible to know how you will fare at something before you have been doing it a while. Thinking otherwise --for example, that a teacher in a design 101 class can tell you whether you are "any good" (and I have seen or heard about many students asking this very question)-- just intimidates and discourages people from being brave enough to give the life that they would see for themselves a try. To me, that is way too limiting.

This book is very well written and beautiful to flip through. I recommend this book for yourself or a gift as well as Tanner Colby's more recent CHRIS FARLEY biography!

For writing this beautiful book. I've been a fan of Johns work pretty much as far back as i can remember. i was only 9 when John passed on so i never got to see him perform live or really enjoy his work when he was here on this earth. I found this book to be a true showing of what John was like and what a good man he really was and not always this train wreck like the press (and another certain author who shall remain nameless) perceived him to be. you can tell that he was loved by many and that his death had a profound affect on many and that his work will be loved for many more years. If you are a fan of John you need to read this book!

John Belushi, a man of laughs, a man who lived for an audience's
approval and cheers, John Belushi was an entirely respectable man and deserved to be remembered as a man of great worth among friends and colleagues, this book harrowingly displayed him as both, they did not write from a biased point of view, but rather from many perspectives, of friends and family. Every comedian should allow the utmost respect for such a spectacular man, John, may you rest in peace, knowing that all of your fans will remember you forever, we love you.

I was in the library a week before surgery looking for light fiction to tide me over a week of recuperation, when I saw "Belushi" sitting on a new non-fiction shelf and picked it up on a whim. I never got to the fiction.

Well-collected and organized first-person interview quotes, personal photographs, behind-the-scenes stories...this is a wonderful, yet cautionary, tale of the 1970's in America. I laughed out loud; tears came to my eyes. Thank you, authors.

Disclaimer: John Belushi was born in the same hospital (a few years later) as I was; one of his father's restaurants was two blocks from where I did some of my growing up; I was in Second City audiences while John was there; I've watched SNL faithfully since its first year; I saw even John's bad movies. Prejudiced I am-this is still an admirable, accurate, caring biography.

Most if not all of the facts of this book will not be new to John's fans. Especially those who have read the eight-or-so books already written about or by him and his friends and family.

And, title aside, it is not really a biography; it is an oral and pictorial history. But that is its strength. The voices of those friends & family come through, showing their love for the man.

But the interesting thing is, as awesome as some of the stories may be (especially to those who haven't read them before); the pictures do an even more excellent job.

Some of the photos were previously seen in SAMURAI WIDOW and WIRED, but most are never before published. And in them, you can see the buildup from Belushi's boyhood through the first three years of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Then the explosion when that show, ANIMAL HOUSE, and the Blues Brothers record all hit at the same time.

And then the fallout. Visually, I think you can mark the moment when the road turned hard for John; it's in a full-page picture, on page 172, of him in costume for 1941.

It's in his eyes. Look at most of the photos that precede this one, and there is a light in them, something that's growing, some kind of spark.

And though it's probably too simple to say that Hollywood stunted that growth and killed that spark, it's also, probably, accurate.

Because in most of the post-1941 photos, that spark is gone, with only a brief resurgence in the pictures taken during the filming of CONTINENTAL DIVIDE.

This was apparently a happy (if not always fun) time for John, and the pictures reflect that. Unfortunately, more so than the movie, which is enjoyable but instantly forgettable.

The key picture here for me is on page 222. It shows Belushi wrapped in a blanket, sitting on some cabin steps in his stocking feet. He's just sitting, and staring, and thinking of god knows what, but the image has an apparent vulnerability that the photogenic John rarely showed in pictures. He was a man who always seems to have known where the camera was and how to keep its eye on him. Not here.

But CONTINENTAL DIVIDE flopped, and in the photos that follow, he mostly looks wasted. I don't mean that with the drug connotation, I mean that spark was being denied again.

A note at the end proclaims, "This book is not objective," and it isn't, so bully for them for admitting it. It's an attempt to bring a loved one back to life by talking about him.

Very usefull in order to improve jazz style after be-bop.

I already had the last book by John Riley but this one is much better, every drummer should have and practice " Beyong Bop Drumming ", I am very happy and proud to get this book. This method is really made for the be-bop fans with many examples and songs you can practice, very interesting and complete, excellent !!!

I am just about finished with Riley's other book, "The Art of Bop Drumming." I wasn't sure whether to move on into this book, or continue working on mastering the material in the first book. I decided to order "Beyond Bop Drumming" and I'm glad that I did. It addresses a number of things in more detail such as uptempo playing, and begins to get you into comping with your hi-hat foot.

This is a great follow up to his "bop drumming" book. It helps expand your versatility on the drums by adding more comping that utilizes the hi hat as part of your comping figures. The section on "implied time" is amazing. A must have for drummers who want to become a truley "musical" drummer.

this book is a great learning tool from semi-pro to professional drummers that want to refine and improve their jazz and drumming skills. The audio cd that comes with the book offers great examples of the charts and exercises listed. It also lists other recommended listening and reading material. In my opinion, this is even better than the first book from John Riley. Anyone who buys this book will not be disappointed.

I've always been a big fan of basketball coach John Wooden . . . not
only because of the winning record he amassed at UCLA, but also
because of the way he both coached and taught.

So over the years, I've tried to read as much as much about him
as I could find . . . yet somehow I had missed Brian D. Biro's book,
BEYOND SUCCESS; i.e., until
just recently when I had the pleasure of personally meeting with
the author and he most graciously gave me a copy.

What a gift!

Biro, one of the nation's foremost speakers on leadership and
team-building, actually had access to Wooden . . . he got to
interview him and then based what he wrote on Wooden's Pyramid
of Success.

Yet what made this such a winner for me was the fact that
Biro also brought his own examples and activities, including
this one that really caught my attention:

* The Personal Victory Exercise

1. Write a brief description of five to ten of your greatest personal
victories.

2. Create your own personal victory anchor.

3. Visualize the event as if it were actually happening right now.

4. Meet with a friend and share your personal victories with
this person.

5. Try firing your personal victory anchor when you're in a neutral
frame of mind and notice the emotional impact.

6. Add at least one personal victory to your list each day for
thirty days and repeat steps 1 through 5.

I also like how he constantly incorporated Wooden's own
philosophies and words; e.g.:

* It's amazing how much can be accomplished when no one
cares who gets the credit.

In addition, Biro introduced me to individuals and stories I had
never read about in the many other motivational books I've read
in my life . . . you'll be inspired by the tales about Elzea
Bufier and Yves LaForest and, also, the thrilling account of how
an underdog US. swimming relay team beat West Germany
in the Olympics.

Lastly, I learned an important key to visualization that I had
never seen before:

* The fifth and final fundamental of effective visualization is not one
I have read in books or heard in seminars. Instead, it is something
I have observed in others and felt within myself. We give our visualizations
their greatest strength when we fill them with people we love and care
about. This is the single most powerful way to enliven your visualizations
with emotional clout.

Don't negate BEYOND SUCCESS because you think it is only about
basketball . . . though the sport is often mentioned, this fine book
has applications to business, education and just about any other
field you can name . . . I look forward to sharing it with my students,
as well as with my daughter and future son-in-law.

This is the best book on Wooden I have read.

I have always respected the tremendous success of John Wooden and his Pyramid of Success. The UCLA basketball coach who won 10 NCAA Championships in twelve years demonstrated his successful system not by winning basketball games, but by inspiring and directing his players to perform at their highest level and achieve greatness by doing their best.

Brian Biro's book is based on Wooden's Pyramid of Success. In his book, Biro effectively describes and identifies each building block, starting with the key foundations of industriousness and enthusiasm. Biro then illustrates these qualities with entertaining anecdotes of his work as a swimming coach, businessperson, and "life coach."

While Biro's name does not have the prestige of Wooden, he is able to write an entertaining and informative description of Wooden's principles. Moreover, Biro provides the reader with a few useful tips and exercises to help us realize our potential.
In addition to quoting from Wooden, Biro also seems to rely on the work of Tony Robbins as well.

Most readers will appreciate this book. While nothing in here is groundbreaking or revolutionary, it encapsulates the keys to success in any endeavor. You will enjoy it.

What a great book! Brian has PASSION for helping and motivating people to success. His style is both warm and uplifting. I love the stories in this book. Brian teaches you how to find meaningful motivation. A must read!

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

I've always admired John Wooden's work as a leader of men. I have his Pyramid of Success on my office wall. Mr. Biro's work has brought the building bricks of the pyramid into focus for me. This a well written work that reaches far beyond the "self help" genre. It was very well organized, inspirational and motivating.