Peter Books

I shall add little to the other reviewers of this extraordinarily fine account of the history of Indian (particularly North Indian) music and how it was introduced to Western ears and influenced modern popular and classical musics. I will instead say that having myself lived that history--being exposed in 1955 to the first LP recording of Indian Music and watched Ali Akbar Khan on CBS Sunday's Omnibus, having been among the first to purchase the World Pacific and Prestige recordings of Indian musicians, having attended numerous concerts of Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, Bismillah Khan, Jasraj, Shivkumar Sharma and other Indian masters, and having become a Friend of the Ali Akbar College of Music, where I met John Handy, Terry Riley, and Ravi Shankar, as well as having followed the influences and explorations of Indian modes and rhythms in classical music and rock as a Bay Area academic hippie--I can attest that this book is amazingly well researched, comprehensive, and gets it right. Indeed, through the many insightful interviews, we go well beyond the mechanics and structures of musical infusion across cultures into the realm of spirit, humanistic motivation, and metaphysics. For instance, Mickey Hart's interview expands and details his own previous accounts of his and the Grateful Dead's musical transformation by interactions with Shankar Ghosh, Alla Rakha, and Zakir Hussain (a two-way street for the latter). Other useful interviews are with (from the classical world) Philip Glass, Zubin Mehta, Terry Riley; (from the Indian tradition) Ali Akbar Khan, Zakir Hussain, Anoushka Shankar, Tanmoy Bose, George Ruckert, Shubhenra Rao; (from jazz and rock) David Crosby, John McLaughlin, Cheb i Sabbah. But the interviews are only spice to the meat of the text, which explains the uniqueness and detail format of Indian music, supported by a glossary, and the origins and construction of the various instruments. When our world is plagued by fear and misunderstanding of other cultures, music arrives as a source for common ground. This book demonstrates its power and its promise.

Musician and author Peter Lavezzoli presents The Dawn Of Indian Music In The West: Bhairavi, a history of the recent yet amazing infusion of East Indian classical music into western culture. Though Indian music was largely unheard of until 1955, when Ali Akbar Khan issues an LP called "Music of India: Morning and Evening Ragas", its appeal steadily gained ground, to the extent that Indian and Western disciplines began to borrow concepts from one another to aid in composition and training. When "Music of India" was re-released as a compact disc in 1995, it won a Grammy. The Dawn of Indian Music in the West follows the influence and impact of Indian classical music in extensive detail, meticulously researched and presented especially for intermediate to advanced music scholars and theorists. Highly recommended especially for college library and music reference shelves.

Among the many thought-provoking quotes in Peter Lavezzoli's new book is this one from tabla player Tanmoy Bose. "If you talk to any music lover in the West, they know more about [Indian music] than Indians ... they have a thirst for it, and they are very critical in the West for that reason." At first, I was tempted to reply that these Western fans are so enthusiastic because they (we) are such a small minority. In India, interest in Indian classical music runs the gamut from devotion to mild interest. There is, for example, a sense of national pride that makes Indians feel they ought to like classical music even if they don't. In the West, you are either a devoted fan or completely ignorant on the subject, and it often seems to us that all the devoted fans are gathered in the Bay Area. However, Lavezzoli paints a significantly different picture, arguing quite convincingly that Indian music has deeply influenced both American and European music for over half a century.

Peter Lavezzoli's first book, "The King of All, Sir Duke," took a controversial approach to biography. He devoted relatively little space to Duke Ellington, the book's ostensible subject matter, and instead wrote about Ellington's influence on other prominent musicians (including Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder, and George Clinton). His newest book, "The Dawn of Indian Music in the West: Bhairavi," follows a similar format, but it is not a story of one musician's impact on other musicians. It is the story of the influences of one entire musical culture on another, and the tracing of those influences from connection to connection is the perfect format. Lavezzoli's goal is to document every aspect of that impact with interviews and historical summaries. The result is a long and engrossing read, full of remarkable anecdotes and thoughtful discussions with some of the most important creative people in many different Indian and Western musical domains.

About a fifth of this book will probably produce a sense of déjà vu for regular readers of this magazine. There are detailed interviews with many local artists, including Cheb i Sabbah, Ali Akbar Khan, Zakir Hussain, Terry Riley, George Ruckert, and Mickey Hart. If you know little or nothing about these people and their music, you get all the introduction you need. But no matter how much you may think you know, Lavezzoli has new information for you. Those of us who live in the Bay Area know that there are lots of Americans and Europeans who have carefully studied Indian music. But Lavezzoli shows us who was first, where they did it, and how things developed from there.

The book is subtitled "Bhairavi" because the first significant musical contact between Indian and Western classical music was a recording of that raga in 1955 by Ali Akbar Khan. Bhairavi is also a morning raga traditionally played to close a concert that has gone on past midnight, so Lavezzoli also uses the word as an allusion to the "dawn" of Indian music. This recording was the first 33 rpm long-playing record of Indian classical music. Prior to this, the only recordings of Indian music were 78 rpm records, which had poor sound quality and lasted five minutes or less. This was also the first performance of Indian classical music in the West, except for an unrecorded concert at Columbia University by Inayat Khan. (It is a tribute to Lavezzoli's thoroughness that what little is known about that Columbia concert is in this book.) The Bhairavi recording included a verbal introduction by Yehudi Menuhin, who had discovered Indian music while touring India. Menuhin's endorsement helped to convince his colleagues that this music was a serious disciplined art form, not an exotic ethnic curiosity. Lavezzoli has some interesting parallels between the harsh pedagogic methods used by both Indian gurus and Western conservatories, which justified labeling both traditions as "classical."

There were, however, parallel influences occurring in rock and jazz, spearheaded by George Harrison and John Coltrane respectively, who were both great admirers of Ravi Shankar. Rock and jazz musicians were attracted not only by the complex use of rhythms and microtones, but also by the freedom to improvise, and by altered states of spiritual consciousness. These musicians usually associated altered states with drugs, creating a controversy that endures to this day. For most Westerners during the 1960s, Ravi Shankar's sitar was the soundtrack for drug experiences. This was a serious misunderstanding: Shankar did compose scores for psychedelic movies like Chappaqua, but he also insisted that his audiences not use drugs. Lavezzoli asks almost all of his interviewees about drugs, and discovers a spectrum of opinions that reveal another great contribution of Indian music to the West.

Western music had fragmented into two conflicting elements: the emotional drug-tinged intensity of improvised jazz and rock, and the tightly controlled intellectual discipline of European classical music. Because Indian music had never separated emotion and thought, it could show Westerners how to reunite them. It challenged rock musicians to acquire discipline, enabled jazz musicians to see their improvisation as a spiritual practice, and reminded European classical musicians that music is not just marks on paper, but is played by a musician, and heard with the ears. Sometimes Western musicians tried to capture the mood of Indian music with little awareness of technical details. Other times, they took Indian techniques and reworked them to create very different moods. But Lavezzoli shows us that all forms of Western music now have a healthier relationship to each other, and to the rest of the world because of the Indian influence. Perhaps in the new millennium, there may even be Westerners who will be great virtuosos of Indian music. Will this music then still be Indian, and will its players still be Westerners?

This historical study is full of detailed information about a disparate collection of the most inventive musicians of the 20th century, all drawn together by the thread of a fascination with India. The book gives equal attention to legends like John Coltrane, and more marginal avant-garde figures like Don Cherry, John Mayer (of Indo-Jazz Fusions), and John Handy. It also refers to rock stars like David Crosby, and contemporary classical composers like Philip Glass. Each musician's biography is woven into the text, so the entire book (nearly 500 pages) gives you an intense impression of the deep spirituality of this generation of musicians.

Peter Lavezzoli is a very astute critic of the key albums of this movement, and I learned a lot from his detailed discussion of Duke Ellington's "Far East Suite," Coltrane's "India," and Don Cherry's "Mu." When reading this book, you really feel you are being guided by someone with a highly developed intuitive feel for integrity and truth in music, as he himself is a musician who is concerned, as he admits, with "the connection between musical and spiritual expression."

In this book, historical narratives are interspersed with interviews with the leading musicians in Western and Indian music, such as Terry Riley and Shujaat Khan. These interviews are not your average magazine interviews, however, as the central concern of Lavezzoli is always wisdom, and his questions are always subtle and searching. If you glanced at this book, you might be put off by the way the text is crammed on the page, the lack of margins and smallness of type making it seem somehow a hurried book or not carefully thought out, but do not be deceived by bad design--this book is a true labour of love. It will inspire all musicians to take their work on to the next level, and it will inspire all record collectors to rush out and get hold of Alice Coltrane's "World Galaxy."

This is a fantastic book for many reasons; Peter Lavezzoli has done an amazing amount of research, delivering a lovingly written treasure trove of well-rounded details that will interest music enthusiasts from many different schools and tastes. Fascinating connections are drawn from the histories and influences of Indian music on rock, jazz, western classical and more. Included are vivid chapters on the pivotal history of Allauddin Khan, teacher of Ravi Shankar and the father and teacher of Ali Akbar Khan; Yehudi Menuhin's discovery and presentation of Indian music to western audiences (he is pictured with Ravi Shankar on the cover); the fabulous chapter on George Harrison; and a powerful section on John Coltrane, to name just a few personal favorites, with numerous connections to Ravi Shankar, who is widely referenced and featured (in too great a depth to summarize in a brief review).

A good portion of the book features the musicians and associates themselves having their say through remarkable interviews with Ali Akbar Khan, Mary Johnson Khan, Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Jim Keltner, Terry Riley, Cheb i Sabbah, Zubin Mehta, Anoushka Shankar, Ravi Shankar, Tanmoy Bose, John McLaughlin, Bill Laswell, Shujaat Khan, George Ruckert, Shubhendra Rao, Suskia Rao-de Haas, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, and Philip Glass. The author asks good questions and gets rich answers, making for a highly enjoyable reading experience.

This is a book I can spend hours re-reading. I've learned enormous amounts about a wide variety of music forms within each chapter. Readers with virtually any level of music interest will find something of value here. A real stunner! Highly recommended.

I agree, this book needs to be re-issued. The copy I keep belonged to my mother, and it was my favorite growing up. I think its an excellent book, it discusses delicate social issues while stil staying child-appropriate.

I first recieved this book as a gift when I was 10 or 11. The cover was beautiful; green with a red caravan on the front. It was then called Diddakoi. I have just finished rereading it myself and reading it to my children. This book should be considered a children's classic. It is a must read for my friend's children.

Like the other reviewer, The Diddakoi has been my favorite book well into adulthood. And, like other great children's literature can, it truly did help form my ideas of right and wrong, of who I wanted (and didn't want) to be, and gave me insight into the realities and the joys of human nature. Reprint it, somebody!

I first read the diddakoi as an adult and reccommend it highly to any reader who insists on good writing. The message is important NOW, especially with current emphasis on teaching tolerance to young people and learning to control feelings of anger, hate, and prejudice. It is such a charming story.

It is with great sadness that I see my favorite book of all time out of print. I wanted to give it as a gift to all my nieces as they enter school. This is a wonderful story of overcoming being different and how cruel and loving human spirit can be. The people who love the little gypsy girl all come together and make a family proving that family is not just blood, but love. The most heartwarming story of my reading. Again, please someone reprint this moving story

Thanks for your product - it's too much good!
It's satisfy my better expectatives...


Have a good day...

What more can I say for this book than has already been said? The first book of it's kind (that I know of), The Dinosauria is the perfect introduction into SERIOUS paleontology. If you want to know more about dinosaurs than you learn from Jurassic Park, this is the place to start. Be warned though, a basic knowledge of the science of paleontology is needed as the book does go deeper into the realm of true science than in other popular books. The Dinosauria layed the foundation for works that would follow, and again this is the perfect introduction for someone who wants to get more serious about the real science of the Dinosauria.

This work was a bit tedious, as any book of this magnitude can be, especially to someone without a PHD, like me. If, however you are aspiring for that PHD, or are a very serious amateur paleontologist, this book is great. It is the most in-depth book I have ever found on the subject. Most books are significantly watered down, as their intended audience is often teenage or younger. This book supplies enormous quantities of information in a fairly usable format. I just wished that there had been more illustrations, perhaps some pictures of different excavation sites and more actual fossil examples, instead of mere drawings. Perhaps this was done for cost effectiveness, as this book is very expensive for someone on a budget. The bone anatomy is very well shown though, and can be studied with the help of this book. I would recommend it for anyone who is serious about paleontology, but please, if you are not, check out another book, as this one may be a dissapointment with a! big price tag.

"The Dinosauria" edited by David B. Weihampel, Peter Dodson, and Halszka Osmolska is for the serious dinophile and for those with some science and paleontology backgrounds. This book should NOT be tackled by the casual reader as it can be very serious when reading this volume on comparitive anatomy of dinosaur bones.

I found "The Dinosauria" to be very well-written and very informative and it gives the reader a clue to the nature of dinosaurs through their bone structure. The first section covers a broad area of interest, mainly the evolutionary relationships of dinosaurs within the wider context of archosaurian descent. The behaviorial attributes are next and what did they possess. Also, how does one analyze them from the paleontological and modern biological perspectives? In this first section, the question is posed, as to how the dinosaurs became extinct as a group.

In the second section each group of animals receives a detailed treatment, beginning with its anatomy. This is a comprehesive review of the taxonomy and systematic relationships at the level of genus and species. Here the dicussion focuses on the aspects of the fossil record, preservation, paleogeography, paleoecology, and life habits of that particular group.

I found "The Dinosauria" to be a solid five star book that is as close to being current as can be expected. Written by experts in their respected fields this book is well-edited and progresses in a very logical manor. "The Dinosauria" is a benchmark reference book. For those interested in vertebrate paleontology, students, serious amateurs, and those in need of serious authoritive information this is the book for you. "The Dinosauria" is NOT a childrens book nor is it intended to be.

"The Dinosauria" belongs on the bookshelves of all serious dinophiles and of those wanting a near complete reference book. The bibiography, alone, contains more than 2,500 enteries and is well appointed with references making your search for authoritive information an easier task.

This is a technical book on dinosaurs, covering their systematics, anatomy, diversity, ecology, distribution, physiology, and many other topics, written by leading experts in the field of dinosaur research. It has been completely updated and largely rewritten from the first edition, and the editors did a great job in keeping a common structure especially to the first chapters despite the high number of authors involved.
In the first part of this book, each group of dinosaurs is introduced, with a detailed description of the anatomy, systematics, and ecology of the animals included. The second section starts with an extremely helpful overview of dinosaur localities known from around the globe and then illuminates topics such as dinosaur biogeography, physiology, and extinction. The book is complemented with an extensive list of technical references of dinosaurs, which will be invaluable for any student of these amazing creatures.
Though not necessarily aimed at the general reader, it is certainly a must have for anybody interested in natural history, dinosaurs, or palaeontology in general. This is, arguably, the best, but certainly the most informative book on dinosaurs yet published!

All in all just a fascinating book on a fascinating topic. In general, the introductory parts of each chapter are accessible to anyone with a standard 12 year education. The mathematics are best understood by people with a background in algebra and statistics at the American High School level, but not much more. If you buy this book, expect John Ashcroft to put your name on a list of people buying dangerous published works (and with the Patriot Act in place, I am neither paranoid nor joking). The best chapter is the one about encoding information in ordered lists. This book taught me how to include a one line hidden message in a 50 item list of my favorite Country and Western Songs of all time (and THAT is a cool thing to do).

This book is a great introduction to learning how to hide data in places most people wouldn't think about looking. Sample code and various URL's are provided for places to start, this not the easiest subject to grasp, but the book helps put it at a manageable level.

A great place to start!...

This is a deep, serious book about making information transmogrify, even if there are a few silly parts. I liked the funny parts and they reminded me of Goedel Escher and Bach

This is a very easy read that does not really assume much about the reader other than mathematical maturity at the precalculus level, knowledge of programming in a higher level language, and a curiosity about hiding information in such things as images. In fact, I bought this book to get a grasp on how to hide a watermark in an image. The early chapters are devoted to material that forms the basic toolkit for steganography - private key encryption, secret sharing, and error correcting codes. The later chapters describe how to apply these techniques in various ways to hide information.

Chapter 5 discusses common data compression algorithms, not to the point that you could write an encoder/decoder system, but so that you know which allow perfect reconstruction and which do not. Compression leads to the topic of mimicry, which is the subject of chapter 6. Basic mimicry produces text that looks statistically similar to the original text but is far from perfect. Chapter 7 shows methods of improving mimicry techniques so that the mimicked text not only passes statistical tests for similarity to the original, but passes rules for grammar. This leads to the concept of context free grammars and their role in mimicry. Thus, you can hide data in realistic sounding text.

Chapter 8 concentrates on a robust and complete model known as the Turing machine. Such a machine hides data as it "runs forward", while running the machine in reverse allows the hidden data to be recovered. Certain proofs show that this is a stronger data hiding model than those previously discussed.

Chapter nine discusses a more image-processing related data hiding topic - hiding in the noise. What appears as noise to the untrained eye can actually be a message. Of course, the flip side of this is "real" noise has the power to obscure the hidden message.

Chapter 10 discusses anonymous remailers, which is the deletion of the name of the originator of a message by an intermediate node. Such systems can range from very secure to very insecure depending on strategies involved. Chapter 11,"Secret Broadcasts", is a companion chapter on how to broadcast a message so that everyone can read it but nobody knows the source. The solution lies in the "Dining Cryptographers" algorithm, and this solution is discussed at length.

Chapter 12, "Keys", discusses message keys as extensions to the concept of keys in basic cryptography, which was discussed earlier in the book. Adding keys to any algorithm discussed up to this point makes that algorithm stronger. Chapter 13, "Ordering and Reordering", discusses how steganography strategies might be disrupted by reordering parts of a message, and discusses methods that might prevent this from being a problem.

Chapter 14, "Spreading", is a more mathematical chapter than the preceding ones and takes a different approach to the problem of information hiding. It takes ideas from spread spectrum radio and applies them to steganography. This is the one chapter where a knowledge of calculus, Fourier transforms, and even wavelets will be helpful.

The last three chapters, "Synthetic Worlds", "Watermarks", and "Steganalysis" are short and more subjective than previous ones, mainly giving the reader a broad overview of these topics.

The book has a wealth of algorithms, equations, and simple examples. There is even a very basic Java mimicry program in the appendix. However, this is not a programming book full of ready to implement solutions - you will have to do that yourself. There are numerous references to web addresses where you can find both executable and source code for implementing some of the algorithms mentioned in this book. I would say if you are interested in hiding information in data of any kind - text, sound, imagery, etc. - then this book is essential reading. I highly recommend it.

I read the entire book from first to last page and enjoyed the content absolutely. The book has theory and practice, clear examples and many references to free and open source software to make tests. The math part has razonable level (not too much, not to little). I have no found anything better in the area.
Good for Peter Wayner!

P.D. ...

The Daleks' MasterPlan is an exciting yet long 12 part adventure. Similar to the Keys of Marinus and the Chase, Terry Nation, who wrote most of the story, was able to create another great story where the Doctor and his companions must leave one dangerous place for another in each unfolding episode of the Daleks' MasterPlan.

I listened to this just yesterday. I spent 3 days listening to it. I listened to the Mission to the Unknown on Friday, The first half of the Daleks Master Plan on Saturday and then the other half on Sunday.

I've been skeptical for a long time of audio dramas and how they'd match-up compared with the original TV serials -- this one matches up pretty well! Peter Purves does a fine job of narrating this 12 episode epic and makes it really enjoyable.

We are taken from planet to planet and to different time zones on earth. When listening to this story, the companions get lifted to a more major role and are very critical in their fight against the daleks. In fact in the prequel, Mission to the Unknown, there is no Doctor or companion in it!

As the basic plot goes they travel through time and all over the galaxy to stop Mavic Chen (and the others on the supreme council from other planets) as well as the daleks from using the time destructor, as part of their plan, to take over the universe!

It's nice to experience the pre-Brigadier role of Nicholas Courtney (Bret Vyon.) William Hartnell at his best! He shouts so much his voice gets rather "croaky" after a while! I was terrified all the way through and in the midst of listening to it, you feel apart of the action and it seems like it's the end of everything Doctor Who! A lot of shouting in fear is heard from Steve, disagreeing with the doctor on many occasions on how to defeat the daleks and his role as a companion, who saves Tensions are stretched out you wonder if Steven is kicked out as a companion -- does he?

Things I miss from the TV Footage:

*The firey, volcanic planet the monk (from 1066) follows the doctor to; and see them shout from one side of the mountain to the other!

*It would have been brought about a good end of year, Christmas feeling to have the doctor tell his viewers at home "and incidentally a very merry Christmas to all of you at home."

*Going from scene-to-scene in the early days of cinema! This is hard to get a picture in your mind -- Maybe because it felt like I was caught up in the mayhem myself!

*The extremely dramatic ending of the epic! I won't go into details but you have a great sense of satisfaction that it's all over and of course by the fact that it's a great epic!

In retrospect, whatever film footage is lost, is kept in the magnificent cast and crew who kept the acting so real you think you were there yourself and you put aside the negatives of the missing TV episodes.

I was surprised of how difficult it is to listen to something rather than having the privilege of watching it. I took regular breaks inbetween the episodes and kept coming back for more epic style terror. I am glad there is a narrator, unlike episode 2 and 4 with the video release of The Crusade. You need a narrator to guide you through the story. Peter Purves does a wonderful part and because he was a major part of this story, it's like as if he is telling a story of his own experiences!

There are many destinations involved from planets (including a prison planet,) earth and many enemies and spaceships involved also! See Episode 10: Escape Switch in the Lost In Time DVD, which shows ancient Egypt! How remarkable is that! Now I am happy to learn that the first doctor (with his many historical stories) went to Egypt as well! Bravo!

As having the MP3 version released in 2003, I didn't get the accompanying scripts, but was happy receiving it on 1 CD; and discovering web sites which has the scripts.

Even if you are not keen on audio, to make your Doctor Who collection complete, do what I did and at least purchase 1 adventure on CD -- The Daleks' Master Plan!

The Daleks` Master Plan is a true classic. The story is absorbing and is a great addition to any Doctor Who collection. The strong narration by Peter Purves helps to bridge the gap between audio and video. Viewing any of the (now) three episodes on video would also be worthwhile for anyone who did not see the original airing back in 1966.

Master Plan borrows some ideas from the previous Dalek story "The Chase", these being the Dalek time machine, the ensuing pursuit through time and the alternative episode ("Journey into Terror" and the comic relief "Feast of Steven" respectively, for the Chase and Master Plan stories). Master Plan also sees the return of the time travelling monk. All of these ingredients work well.

Master Plan has many varied and interesting situations. Clearly, a lot of effort was put into this story. I like the idea of the lead-in episode "Mission to the Unknown", although this idea loses something without having the "Myth Makers" story that followed it. It is a pity also that the identity of the main protagonists was revealed so early on. Keeping us guessing until the end of this first episode would have made it more exciting and still served its purpose.

The Master Plan story progresses through a series of separate situations, each with their respective characters. This works well and adds interest, but the demise of so many companions along the way is a negative. As with The Chase, there is also an improbable sequence of short stays on Earth.

The worst part of the story for me is the ending. Although the climax is exciting enough all we know at the end is that the patrol of four Daleks was destroyed. It may well have been that the main Dalek force deep in the mountains survived. The story ending would have definitely benefited from a final scene depicting the fate of the Daleks in their underground control center.

The Daleks, possibly one of the most evil, vile, and dangerous creatures to ever emerge in the world of science fiction. In their first appearance one might almost laugh at their appearance, until soon realizing just how deadly they truly are. In this incredible 13 part epic story (I include Mission to the Unknown as part of the whole story) the good Doctor (William Hartnell) once more does battle against his arch-enemies the Daleks, as he is chased once more through time and space, attempting to prevent the Daleks from completing activation of the Time Destructor, a terrible device which harnesses the very forces of time itself into a weapon. Although the visuals are currently missing, with the exception of two episodes, it is still very effective as an audio drama, with linking narration by Peter Purves. the performances are top notch, including William Hartnell as the Doctor, Peter Purves as Steven Taylor, Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon (the future Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart) and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen. in addition the wonderfully joyful Christmas episode 'Feast of Steven' is definitely a nice break from the dark and impending doom of the main story plot. this is definitely a must have for any Doctor Who fan.

As you probably are already aware, this is one of the most sought after stories in Doctor Who's long history. The fact that both the teaser episode "Mission to the Unknown" and the further 12 episodes for the most part are now missing (with the exception of some wonderful clips from Eps 1-4 and Eps 5 & 10 in their entirety). Further appeal may be the added bonus that the Doctor's greatest enemies, the Daleks are on hand to again chase our hero through time and space.

I won't bore you with story details, as I'm sure you know it well. And if not, you can certainly hear all about it in other reviews. I will however instead, tell you that the real appeal of the story is not in its length, nor in it's covetted return of the Daleks yet again. But, is in the regular cast, and the guest cast. William Hartnell is superb as always as the First Doctor. And with him at the beginning of the story is Steven and Katarina.

The latter dies early on in Ep 4 to basically move the plot. I think the producers and writers really did not know what to do with the simple minded Katarina, thus her quick departure from the series here. In comes Sara Kingdom, played to perfection by the lovely Jean Marsh. This story also boasts the first appearance of Nicholas Courtney (of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart fame) as Sara's brother Bret Vyon.

Most of the performances are good, if not spot on. But, the story is greatly weighed down by being so very long. And thus, much padding can be found within, slowing the plot way, way down at times. The best bits are early on, and then later it all picks back up when the wonderful Meddling Monk reappears to dog the Doctor's path. The Monk is again as superb as he was in "The Time Meddler" the previous year, played here again by the great, late Peter Butterworth, who, for me, absolutely steals the show!

I won't spoil any endings for anyone who hasn't yet seen, read or heard this adventure. But, unlike most Doctor Who stories, things don't necessarily turn out all rosey in the end. All and all this is a terrific story, if perhaps about 4 episodes too long. Enjoy!

As the mother to four strong-willed kids ages 19 down to 5, and I have read many discipline books and tried various methods over the years. This one is the best, hands down. I have been using behavior charts based on Ruth Peters' book for a few years (of course, I don't use the charts with my 19yo, but I do with my others - ages 11, 8, and 5 right now). My children get compliments from even from complete strangers on how well-behaved and polite they are, and how nicely they get along with each other. Dr. Peters has another very good book written for parents of preschoolers called Never Too Early to Discipline. Also highly recommended. My house is calm and peaceful, my kids are happy. The wonderful thing is, this can be accomplished without yelling, nagging, threatening, or spanking! Read the book!

My husband and I have been married for five years. He has 3 children from his first marriage and his ex-wife is the classic "emotionally needy parent" plus she is having problems with alcohol abuse. When we had visitations with the kids we would have an adjustment period of 2 or 3 days. After that their behavior would usually mellow out and the rest of the stay was okay. Recently DCFS stepped in and ruled that the children were no longer safe in her care and turned them over to my husband and I. The children are 14, 12, and 9, plus they have a 3 year old half sister that was given into our custody. Our house has been a combination zoo and war zone since they arrived. My husband and I were at the end of our ropes when I found this book. She has been the answer to my prayers.

Got this for my 9 yr. old granddaughter. We were spending 4 hrs a nite on homework, her room was a disaster area and she was on a continuous restriction for her mouthing back and attitude. Knew something had to change. Wrote up the behavior plan based on this book; She actually liked the plan. Daily rewards and punishments, no more restrictions lasting days or a week, and privelege and money chips for good behavior, homework done in 1 1/2hrs and room straightened,dog fed,table set,coat hung up, etc every day. Amazingly within a few days, everything done as above! Her room is straightened with bed made and everything off floor in about 4 minutes(allowed 10 min). Homework always done without any hassle as soon as she comes in! Guess what she bought with her first savings? An ORGANIZER! Cannot praise this book enough! If you follow her steps and stick to the program yourself, you too can have amazing changes in your child. Her parents and I were so pleased and amazed with the change. I just wish I had had this book when my daughter was little. Would have made life so much easier! Every month or so, we reevaluate her program and make small changes on problem areas and that's about all the extra time needed. On the weekends, instead of homework, she straightens her closet or drawers or bookshelves. I showed her teacher the behavior plan and this book and she made copies of it for herself and other mothers when they are having problems. It will save your sanity and family and give house control back to you!

I am the mother of a nine year old boy and a six year old girl that were beginning to take control of the house. I tried everything, but nothing stuck. Don't Be Afraid to Discipline really works! It is easy to implement and can be tailored to any family's special needs. Friends and teachers have been so impressed by the change in my children that they have all requested the title of the book. All that have begun the program are ecstatic! Privilege chips seem to be the key with my kids. They are even doing extra chores in order to earn extra chips. My son recently turned in 20 chips for a new computer game. He was proud of his accomplishment. So was I. Life in my household is calm now. The house is neater, the kids are happier, the parents are happier. We have more time to enjoy each other because the daily expectations/chores are taken care of without a fuss. My kids are self-sufficient in many respects. God bless Dr. Peters. Her program has been the answer to my prayers.

This book is absolutely readable! You learn real-life approaches to dealing with your kids! This is not a book of psycho-babble.

Wow! My husband and I bought this to keep us entertained on our long beach trip drives. We had so much fun with it last summer and look forward to doing it again this summer. We are both 80's children and thought we knew everything 80's music....we were wrong. We didn't do it as a game but more as a filler to keep us entertained....it did the job!

Dude. Get this book. But be careful because you'll get addicted to it and then you'll have to buy Things That Make You Go Hmmm: The '90s Music Party Game too.

My friends and I had a great time quizzing each other with this book. It's the perfect mix of challenging questions and nostalgic fun. This would be a great gift for any child of the 80's.

My favorite new party game! I got this book and played the game with some friends and was fully entertained for hours. "Don't Dream It's Over" is full of 80s questions that you'll know, drive yourself crazy trying to remember, or will be just plain baffled by. Invite over a couple of 80s neophytes, turn it into a drinking game, and watch the less 80s savvy get wasted. Well worth the price.

My husband and I attended both high school and college in the 80s, and we're still such huge fans of 80s music that our 2003 wedding had an all-80s music theme! So, you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover this book, which contains 10 "Quiz Sets" of 100 questions each--that's right, 100 questions all about 80s music. I have to admit, I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to the crazy, corny music of that great decade, but I didn't get past the back cover before I was stumped ("name the three Prince hits where the letter "u" is substituted for the word "you" in the title"--I could only think of one!).

Author Martin Quinn provides several different ways in which you can use the book for a party game, from the "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" version (no teams) to the "Don't Worry Be Happy" version (a drinking game). Also, each of the questions is given a point value, from "1" being the easiest to "5" being the hardest. This is the only part of the book that didn't quite work for me, as some of the 1-point items are pretty tough, whereas "what starts with Q, ends with T, and commanded you to 'Bang Your Head' in 1984?" appears on the first page as a 3-point question (c'mon, you've got to know this one!). Overall, however, I know this book will provide me, my husband, and our friends with hours of entertainment, and I highly recommend it for any 80s music fans.

Couldn't put this book down! I started it and read straight through without a breath. Marino gets inside his main character and creates a fast-paced, funny story that is both moving and entertaining. Will appeal to both teen and adult readers. Not to be missed!

I have a son who is struggling with his weight. I saw this book and thought I'd give it to him to read. While flipping through the pages I got hooked and decided to read it first. I was really touched. The writing is funny and sensitive. There are no cliche answers to the lead character's problems. It's quite moving the way he learns to find his own way and refreshing to see that losing weight is not the only key to his happiness. My son is currently reading it and tells me he enjoys it too. This is a very unique book and I strongly recommend it.

Tristan reminds me of a dear friend who went through many of the same trials...I would love to read the sequel about what happens to Tristan later in life.

Tristan is fifteen years old from a family of divorce. He also happens to be overweight. So start this hilarious funny and sad story. Tristan mom and dad eventually becomes divorce in the beginning of the book. Not too long afterwards his mother moves in with a man name Frank. Tristan gets along with him until the story takes a nosedive when Frank highstrung daughter pays a visit and eventually moves in. Kelly is the daughter from hell. She abuses her father emotionally by obsessing about his weight. She is a spitfire who is very argumentative and never backs down. She eventually starts obsessing about Tristan weight and starts watching what he and her father eats. This book has many comedy relief and sad turns like Tristan falling through the roof and has to be resuced by Kelly and her boyfriend (who happens to be Tristan ex-friend Marcos): Tristan going skiing with Kelly and Marcos and hearing them making love and feeling left out and alone, having to deal with his friend abandoned him and taking up with kelly.I enjoy this book thoroughly it had its highs, lows and saddness. It was many things wrapped up in one. I highly recomend.

If you are a teenager or were one, you'll identify with some of the dilemmas facing the Tristan character. A fragile era of everyone's life, this particular teen's predicaments are acutely narrated. Phrases such as, "My face glowed like an embarrassment thermometer," remind adults of a vulnerable time and relate to those still in the throes of growing pains. Teen insensibility and insensitivity are cleverly crafted into an entertaining story. Tristan's tale may be unique but his feelings are universal.

Book was in good condition and is very usefull for completing all tasks in the game.

I've using the Oblivion guide for the main game and it had helped me wonders. The information is accurate and bast. It includes details of all the missions including main and side missions plus a lot of additional information on maps and points of interest as well as books, spells and other goodies.

If you are completist, buy the guide.

The Prima Guide is so complete. Has a sence of humor in scripting and is very detailed in what you should know and what you need to find out on your own... I got one for Dungeon seige, Elder Scrolls Oblivion and now Shivering Isles. It is a must have side kick!

The book is written very well and is in full color. If you have the Prima guide for the full Elder Scrolls IV it is written in the same fashion. I find it a must to have a guide for this game if you want to truely explore every inch! Buy it when you buy the expansion, you won't be sorry!

This is very helpful and lets one expore more and find ways to beat difficult areas of the game.

The End of Baseball is a wonderful baseball novel, one that combines a rich history of the game with an intriguing look at one of the more controversial periods in our nation's favorite past-time. The author does a great job of bringing to life these characters and their very intriguing circumstances.

I am not a baseball fan or what you would call a sports fan by any stretch of the imagination, but Peter Schilling's "The End of Baseball" is one of the most enjoyable pieces of fiction I have read in many years.

Mr. Schilling knows how to engage his reader with detailed characterizations that enable his characters to escape their paper home and emerge from the pages as human beings that make you both laugh and cry -- and that's just what I found myself doing.

Mr. Schilling does not talk down to his audience and his plot advances with subtlety and suspense. The story unfolds with many surprises, heartbreaks, and hurrahs.

There are no gimmicks or mechanical gods to save the day in "The End of Baseball". Only genuine people trying to live through extraordinary circumstances.

I give it my highest recommendation.

Peter Schilling brings back the game of baseball complete with the personalities, the idiosyncrasies, the after hours stories and all of the fun that this sport once had. This is an amazing novel that just sucks you in and doesn't let go. I couldn't wait to find time every day to continue my reading. It is somewhat unique in its use of historic information and mixing of baseball story fiction. In it, Schilling has captured an era in the sport just as African Americans are beginning to be "allowed" into the game. But in this story, not just one Black ballplayer is in the Majors, an entire team is being moved up.

Schilling has written an enjoyable and moving story that shows many of the great Negro League players coming together and playing in the Major Leagues on the same team: Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige among them. The antics of Bill Veech Jr. contribute to the main storyline and how the difficulties from the all White league and their overbearing Commissioner continually throw up barriers to the entry of this special team on the hallowed Fields.

In addition to the game of baseball, the societal ills of the general population and the mind games of J Edgar Hoover, himself, are all part of the plot. This is a slice of Americana; America going through the pain of WWII with their boys of summer as their only distraction. Only this summer has the potential of bringing out real change for the sport. Bill Veech, Jr., is the man trying against all odds, fictitious and historic, to keep the team together against the powers of baseball and others desperately trying to keep the status quo. This is a baseball story for the ages. A terrifically different novel for anyone tired of the same old stuff.

I was amazed at how perfectly interwoven truth and fiction were done by Schilling. The character studies are on target and made a part of the story blurring the lines of fact and fiction like nothing I'd ever read in the world of baseball writing. The ending is beautiful and fulfilling. I am giving it my hearty recommendation of 5 stars. There just isn't much not to like.

This book has it all: the high drama of a "what if?" season of baseball, historical cameos, and real social commentary. If you're looking for an always-entertaining page turner, look no further. The End of Baseball simulates what it's like to be swept up in a particularly thrilling baseball season in 1943, and reading it is like having a spot in the bleachers to watch the team that almost was. It has subtle character studies, and closely observed details that summon up that time and place: America as a country in the midst of WWII, the African American baseball community prior to Civil Rights. It will keep you up nights reading!

Peter Schilling, Jr.'s inventive novel "The End of Baseball" describes a mesmerizing 1944 baseball season that might have been - if Bill Veeck had been able to purchase a major league team and recruit an entire team of Negro Leaguer stars.

Veeck loses a leg at Guadalcanal. Before enlisting in the Marines, he had been a successful minor league baseball team owner whose innovative promotions lured fans to the ballpark and whose competitive teams kept them coming back for more.

In "The End of Baseball," Veeck returns to civilian life and purchases the Philadelphia Athletics. He turns the ball club into an instant contender by secretly signing Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston, Buck Leonard, Cool Papa Bell, Willie Wells, Roy Campanella, and other Negro League stars.

The book contains many poignant moments on and off the field. To his credit - and to our good fortune! -- Schilling provides the historical and social perspective the story demands. He captures the essence of the men and the game they play for life and, perhaps, death.

In real life, Veeck owned the Cleveland Indians and signed the American League's first black player, Larry Doby, and also Satchel Paige. He had less talent to work with on his St. Louis Browns ball club, so he grabbed the spotlight by sending a midget to the plate. When he owned the Chicago White Sox, Veeck put player names on the backs of uniforms and introduced the exploding scoreboard. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.