Stevens Books

My 2 year old loves this book!!! I get to read it at least twice a day. We both like that it can be sung or read.

I recently found this book at the library along with Iza Trapani's books. A-Hunting We Will Go! has a better flow than the other books and makes it easier to read in a hurry. My 2 yr old likes to turn pages fast, but this is easy to memorize, and easy for her to read along with me. I recomend it for anyone who has to put a child to bed (which would be most parents). Definitely 5 star quality!

This is my 4-year-old's favorite book. He's heard it so many times, he can repeat the entire story verbatim (in prose and in song form). The words are very large - useful for this beginning reading - and the rhyming form is easy for him to master. The illustrations are wonderful and the story is a lot of fun. Great book!

The moose character is a totally new addition for Mr. Kellogg's repertoire, and he is quite the funny looking fellow.

A sure tonic for any parent or grandparent that reads to their children or grandchildren. As entertaining for adults to read as for the young ones it is created for. His illustrations are charming & funny. A real treat! I highly recommend this author/illustrator. If you like this book, look for any of the Pinkerton series, a "sell out" at all the public libraries.

My three year old grandaughter loved this book. She refers to it all the time. "I'm the boss and I say floss!" The Llamas in their pajamas were so cute, and it is a real imagination pleaser. Great illustrations! Fun book!

The text is well written and packed with insightful commentary about EEG research. I think it is a great book for those of us trying to add EEG research to our toolbox of neuroimaging techniques. He is very forthright about his biases, so it seems clear about where folks may disagree with him. He provides a list of 12 items to keep in mind in order to design a good EEG study. This is a great introduction to EEG (though if you are focused on inverse solutions to obtain some spatial resolution of EEG data, this isn't the book for you; one of his well-described biases is against spatial localization). I highly recommend this book to folks curious about the underlying principles of EEG.

This is an excellent overview of EEG for the novice as well as the experienced EEG researcher. THe language is understandable and examples abundant.

This book is a tremendous resource and its requried reading in my lab. Each chapter introduces important concepts in ERP research and discusses the pros and cons of common ERP practices. Everyone who conducts ERP research, reviews ERP studies, or wants to understand the fundamentals of the technique should read this book.

Steven Luck has written an excellent introduction to the ERP technology. The book is informative, easily comprehensible, and full of wisdoms. One learns not only crucial issues involved in ERP, but also important experimental designs in cognitive neuroscience in general. This book is a must-read for cognitive psychologists and neuroscientists. It is a pity that something like this isn't available for fMRI, TMS, single-unit recording.

I'm a graduate student who is using ERPs in my research. I received this book from my supervisor after I've already become quite familiar with the technique. I would have saved myself alot of frustration if I'd read the book earlier. It's very easy to read and unlike a manual is actually a pleasure to read. I would recommend this book as a place to start for anyone using ERPs.

I was working at my daughter's school when her teacher read this book. (If you can find a copy with the book on tape it is great) This book is so funny and the kids loved it. It has some great humor in there for adults to enjoy as well as the kids. In the end it has a lesson to be learned. This is a must have book!

I had to laugh as a read this book to my daughters. It teaches a wonderful lesson to be happy with who you are, not who you think you want to be. I loved the ending... enjoy!

The pictures and story are great. I read it with my fourth grade class and they really enjoyed it. We discussed personification and onomonapeia while reading the story.

I bought this book because I liked these authors' style. I enjoyed the tongue in cheek humor that came through in this story. Often in reading children's books I can predict what will happen but not here- I looked forward to turning each page to see what would happen next- and was often surprised- chuckling with each new turn of events.

I purchased this book because it had such an intersting title: JACKALOPE. Simple, yet mysterious. A jackalope is an imaginary (well, maybe not totally imaginary) creature that has the body of a jack rabbit and the horns of an antelope. This book is "the absolute truth" about what happened to the jackalope. The story is narrated by a crudgy old armadillo who sits in a lawn chair.

Basically, there once was a jack rabbit named Jack who wasn't happy being who he was. He wanted to be a fierce and frightening creature. One day he wished upon a star and his fairy godrabbit appeared and gave him the horns of an antelope. But there was a catch, but Jack was so excited, he didn't listen to what the catch was.

This is a hilarious story that mixes everything together from American tall tales to classic fairy tales. There's a little bit of Cinderella, Pinocchio, the big bad wolf (coyote) from Little Red Riding Hood involved. There's also a touch of Aesop's fables and a magic mirror that is probably a cousin to the one in Snow White. All of this and vegetable jokes and witty wordplay. Plus, some really clever illustrations. Tack on a false ending and some scientific facts about jackrabbits, antelope, and horned toads and you've got yourself one mighty fine story. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a great story, age doesn't matter.

For a Confederate examination, Steven Woodworth's book is essential reading in understanding the complex relationships between President Davis and his western theater leaders. Peppered throughout the book are insightful examinations of such generals as Beauregard, Polk, Van Dorn, Albert Sydney Johnston, Joe Johnston, Bragg, and Hood. Woodworth delves into Davis' leadership weaknesses by showing that his health problems and his lack of humility and people-skills (he would have six different War Secretaries) increased his inability to cooperate with others. His unyielding loyalty to promote incompetent friends to high positions routinely injected failure and casualties in campaigns, but Davis refused to bow to the facts and remove them. Woodworth wraps up his analysis with a fair theory that interconnecting these problems was Davis' hesitancy and indecision. The president often submitted suggestions and not orders in correspondence and he falsely believed backbiting and arrogant generals would just cooperate towards the common cause. His inability to provide unifying command authority, especially over the Mississippi River region further fractured what little strategy existed. Woodworth's analysis is a rare addition in the often-neglected study of western command. It is insightful, extremely well-wrttien, and engrossing.

Seemingly endless Civil War books are written rehashing every minute move of Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. There are far fewer that cover the situation of the Confederacy's western armies and generals, despite, or perhaps because of the fact that it was in the west that the Confederacy lost the war. With Jefferson Davis and His Generals: The Failure of Confederate Command in the West, Steven E. Woodworth steps up to fill this gap with a first rate book that every serious student of the Civil War should read. He presents a clear and reasoned argument that the failure of the Confederacy in the west was not due to the quality or quantity of its armies or even of its supplies, but a direct result of a monumental failure in its high command.
Woodworth writes of Jefferson Davis as a man who seemed to be eminently and uniquely qualified to become commander in chief of the Confederacy. He was a West Point graduate, a Mexican War hero, had served as a particularly effective secretary of war under President Franklin Pierce, and had been a United States senator. He understood politics, and he clearly understood war. His resolve for his cause, like his loyalty to his friends, was unshakable. Contained within these impressive qualifications and traits, however, were flaws and blind spots that would severely hinder Davis' management of the war in the west, where he had no Lee to take charge. Foremost of these faults was a lack of judgement when appointing friends as generals, and unreasonable loyalty to them thereafter. Compounding these problems was a fierce pride in his own military judgement that left him unable to acknowledge and correct mistakes. Finally, his pride led him into bitter personal feuds with key generals that hindered his ability to utilize them to the fullest.
Woodworth follows Davis' moves in the west, from his initial organization of the Western theater, through the high stakes game played and eventually lost to gain Kentucky for the Confederacy, to the crisis at Shiloh, where with the death of General Albert Sidney Johnston, the Western Confederacy lost its best hope for competent command. The catastrophe of the loss of Vicksburg, the disastrous infighting among the generals under Bragg in the Army of Tennessee, the loss of Tennessee, the Atlanta Campaign, and Hood's final failed campaign are all covered. In each instance, Woodworth notes the command decisions that Davis made, or failed to make, in the crisis. At the end of each chapter, he summarizes and critiques Davis' performance, highlighting areas where Davis was at least partly responsible for the problems, as well as pointing out where he performed as well as could have been expected.
Woodworth clearly has a strongly opinionated point of view. He is nearly unique among the Civil War historians that I have read in his spirited defense of General Braxton Bragg as a competent commander, and lays all of the blame for the failure of Bragg's campaigns on incompetent and insubordinate generals under his command, chiefly Davis' personal friend General Leonidas Polk. He also repeatedly accused General Joseph Johnston of lacking a will to win, and of never believing that the Confederacy could win the war. While many will disagree with these positions, his boldness in stating them is characteristic of the bold approach that is evident throughout his book.
Jefferson Davis and His Generals is a bold, original work, that addresses a theme that is too often neglected in Civil War studies. It is consistently engaging, insightful, and controversial. It is clearly written, well researched, and a pleasure to read. I consider it to be among the very best books that I have read on the Civil War, and would recommend it highly, especially to those with a specific interest in the war in the west.

Theo Logos

I re-read Woodworth's excellent treatise on Jefferson Davis and his involvement in the Western Theater. The chapters are succinct and focus more on strategy than in specific battle details. My favorite parts are the reviews at the end of each chapter. I have always believed that Lee's strategy to invade the North rather than deploying his forces in the West was a major blunder. If there is one salient point that screams from this book it is that Jeff Davis' personal relationships with his generals (Polk??) definitely was a detriment to his decision making. This book should be required reading for high school and undergraduate students. Indeed any leader could profit from the analysis and history rendered here.

This book is a must read to understand the generals, campaigns, strategy, and the thinking of Jefferson Davis in the Western Theater. The book is well-written, informative, and features good analysis of the differing generals, Davis' actions, and some very good mini-biographies of the major players. Although the book does not go into major detail about specific battles, Woodworth does give a good overview of the major campaigns and battles of the West. The book also has some interesting theories on why Davis failed in the West. Although I disagreed with some of Woodworth's conclusions, especially regarding Braxton Bragg's capabilities as a commander, I found his arguments well-reasoned, although I thought he went out of his way to bash James Longstreeet. The major sticking point I had with the book was Woodworth's analysis on Bragg and his theory that J.E. Johnston thought the CSA's cause was doomed so he didn't really try to win. I thought that was utter nonsense, but that was really my only quarrel with the book. Well-written, informative, just an excellent book.

Insightful and thought provoking analysis of what Davis did and did not do to save the West. I feel this is a very important book and one that a serious student of the war should read. Additionally, I feel that this book should be read after Connelly and Horn to preserve a balanced picture. Woodworth presents a more favorable view of Bragg than I have seen from other authors. Some of this is fair and some maybe the author's perceptions of Bragg. It takes getting used to and the more you know about Bragg and his failings the better off you are. He scores many good points and made me modify my view of Bragg and the problems he had with Polk and Hardee.

His treatment of Jefferson Davis is very fair. His points are valid and well supported, showing where Davis did well and where he did poorly. The reasons for the decisions are supported and logical, given Davis' personality. This is the best part of the book and balances the blame the "Eastern Block" that is found in other books.

I am less happy with his treatment of Longstreet, feeling that he has accepted the "Lost Cause Myth" and not explored the situation. Rather than dismiss Longstreet, I would have liked to see an explanation of his relationship with Davis and Lee's influence in this area.

This is a well written, easy to read informative book. Not without faults but a valuable addition to my ACW library.

This is a classic. It is the first book of its kind, and probably the first book about Star Trek at all. But The Making of Star Trek is much more than any of the later books with similar names. This book doesn't idealize or simplify the making of the series. It doesn't enthusiastically praise everything and everyone involved in its production. It is an authentic and meticulous report on how TOS in particular and a TV series in general comes to life. It shows that it is a process of try and error, that aspects have to be taken into account the viewers wouldn't think of, and that the responsible persons don't always know exactly what they want ("I need some device that does something...").

The story how Stephen E. Whitfield (aka Stephen E. Poe) asked Gene Roddenberry if he could write a book about the series sounds like a fairy tale, but is true. The Great Bird was very forthcoming, and Whitfield was granted access to everything behind the scenes of the still running show, seemingly without any restriction. The book shows production schedules, budgets, private notes, script drafts, production sketches, all things that are usually kept secret or simplified for a larger public. I don't think that something like this would be still possible today. Compared to The Making of Star Trek, Whitfield's last book (he passed away in 2000) on Voyager seems rather superficial.

The Making of Star Trek may be over 30 years old, but it is of more than only historical value. It demonstrates that TV is a business that sometimes doesn't allow technical or artistic perfection. It also shows how many things we may take for granted and that are essential parts of the Star Trek Universe today have taken a rather surprising course change. Who would like Vulcans with names like "Spook, Spork, Splak, ..." as frequently suggested in the early days, or who would think that one race was originally described with the words, "Honor is a despicable trait.", namely the Klingons?

There are probably loads of 'Making of Star Trek' books out there, but this is particularly interesting as it was written in 1968, between the second and third series, before the show had become a phenomenon. Which is odd at first - everything is in the present tense, and there's nothing about the cultural impact of the show because that was all in the future. Doubly odd is the fact that all of the many quotes from Gene Roddenberry are reported IN BLOCK CAPITALS, giving the bizarre impression that he is not a television producer, but God Himself.

It's extremely detailed, and is as much about the making of any TV late-60s series as it is 'Star Trek'. There are bits from shooting scripts, set plans, photographs of noted theatre actor William Shatner in old-age makeup (looking nothing like he looks in genuine old age), profiles of production staff, and programme budgets which, translated dollar-for-dollar, would just about cover the catering bill on 'Star Trek : The Next Generation'. It's worth it for the stream of memos about Vulcan names alone.

Back when there was little else written about Star Trek, before David Gerrold's great "World of Star Trek" analysis or Franz Joseph's blueprints, "The Making of Star Trek" was the ultimate. I devoured it as a boy in the early '70s. To this day I don't think anyone can consider themselves a true original series die-hard without having read this book. It really does take you inside the making of the show, but keeps it on a professional level, without salaciousness. That's because the book wasn't written as something for the few Star Trek fans that were known of then, but as a book about how to write for TV, as older printings stated on the cover. That does leave some things out, but those details have been covered since by other books and memoirs.

Since this was written while the series was in production, it's a good view into how people felt then, even refreshing because Trek had yet to become a pop culture colossus, so the book doesn't have any of that built-in reverence. They were making a good TV show that aspired to be something better than most everything else on then, but in the end it was considered just another TV job, certainly not anything that would become legendary.

For instance, "The Defenders," one of the highest praised, most thoughtful and well-written dramas of the '60s, is scarecely remembered by anyone not old enough to have seen it. Part of the issue with that series had to do with rerun-rights issues, but another part had to do with the times then, when TV was still rather young, and shows were thought of as rather disposable, coming and going without much of an afterlife except for "Lucy" and "Honeymooners" reruns. When you think of it in that context, it's easy to see why Gene Roddenberry bailed on Star Trek after it became clear NBC was out to kill it, even though the letter campaign forced them to bring it back for a third year.

The pics and blueprints within the book are cool but may not be as impressive today. At least the blueprints, while not "accurate" by today's standards, were drawn by Matt Jefferies himself. Remember, though, for a long time this was all the reference stuff available. However, if you want what is still a good insider's look into the making of the show, plus Gene Roddenberry's take before even he got sucked into the myth, this is a must-read.

hey Spouk

the capitalization of quotes from Roddenberry (aka the Great Bird of the Galazy) give one "the bizarre impression that he is a god" because for the series, he was :-)

i have a copy of the original publication, read it then and howled, still think it is a great read.

BTW Terry Pratchett uses the same literary device of all caps for Death, in the Discworld series.

Harlan Ellison's memories of the show are fascinating reading as well. As are David Gerrold's.

I read this in the Seventies and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I've bought it again and enjoyed it all over again. Fascinating behind-the-scenes look at TOS. You have to read this book to understand what a groundbreaking series Star Trek was. You also learn how grueling a TV series is to work on. This book is fascinating, and sometimes hilarious!

I remember reading this book over and over and over when i was nine or ten. It was such a good book!! Although it wasn't as spooky as Stacey And The Haunted Masquerade(or whatever it was called)...

While helping Stacey move back into her house, Mallory finds an old diary about a girl namd Sophie, she used to lived here when it was the year of 1970 i think. So when the BSC goes up to the attic, they found a painting of Sophie!

This is a great book! My mother just bought it for me and I'm really caught up in it. It's sort of like a Babysitters club book(which it is, of course) and a ghost story. I don't usually read ghost stories (ocasionally I read Goosebump books) but the the Babysitter's club and a ghost story goes really well together. The first chapter is a bit boring but all in all it's one of the better Babysitter's Club books.

In Mallory and the Mystery Diary, Stacey and Mallory find a trunk. Stacey wants to throw away the trunk, but Mallory refuses. She takes it home and can't find the key to open the trunk. Finally, her younger brothers undo it. She reaches far in the trunk and finds a diary belonging to Sophie, a girl from 1894. I found this book interesting because I like mysteries and history. It was a fast read and had a good ending.

This book was great! It is about a diary Mallory finds in Stacey's attic. The diary was a girl called Sophie's in the 1800's. She told of how her mother had died at the birth of her baby brother. Her rich grandfather then hated her father and blamed him for stealing a painting he had of his daughter. The diary didn't say anything about who was the culprit, only that Sophie was sure it wasn't her father. Mallory then found the old man's confession about covering up the portrait and then went on to find the atchual painting. An exelent read.

In "The Masculine Marine: Homoeroticism in the U.S. Marine Corps," author Steven Zeeland offers a compelling alternate view of one of the United States' most revered and recognizable institutions. An "About the Author" note identifies Zeeland as a Research Associate at the Center for Research and Education in Sexuality at San Francisco State University. The heart of the book is a series of revealing interviews that Zeeland conducted with several Marines. His interviewees include both gay and straight men, and one woman Marine; he also includes both officers and enlisted men. Particularly interesting is an interview with a gay Black Navy officer who previously had been an enlisted Marine and who, at the time of the interview, was involved in an interracial relationship with a Marine corporal.

Among the many themes covered in the book are Marine tattoos, the "gays-in-the-shower" issue, Marine attitudes about physical fitness and body image, the role of women Marines in the Corps, boot camp experiences, the "selling" of the Corps through advertising, gay relationships, the "coming out" experience, defining masculinity, and the parallel between Marine self-presentation and that of drag queens. A particularly important theme is the unique reputation and mystique of the Corps; in his introduction, Zeeland notes that "Marineness is like a religion." Specific male-on-male sex practices engaged in by Marines are frankly discussed and provocatively analyzed. The book also looks at homoerotic rituals and language of the Corps. The historical backdrop for the book includes the Gulf War, U.S. intervention in Somalia, and the beginning of the Clinton presidency.

The consistently compelling text is complemented by a sixteen-page visual section which explores Marine tattoos, haircuts, physiques, and dress. There are photographs from the Athletic Model Guild and other sources. A particularly interesting part of the visual supplement is a 12-panel comic by Jerry Mills entitled "Poppers"; this ironic, richly detailed piece is essentially a complete short story in comic form.

The book is full of fascinating anecdotes and observations, both from Zeeland and his interviewees. Although Zeeland is doing a serious scholarly project, complete with end notes, he makes no pretense at scholarly detachment. He notes in his prologue that his research technique involves befriending servicemen--"sometimes in an intimate way." He is sort of like an extreme Jane Goodall, passionately connected to the objects of his study. At times his writing and interview questions struck me as too self-indulgent, but in the end he has produced a human document that is both informative and profoundly moving. The book interrogates iconography, challenges stereotypes, and gives gay Marines a space to tell their first-person stories. For a companion text, I recommend "Generation Kill," an account of Marines in the Iraq War written by embedded reporter Evan Wright. Wright documents some startling examples of Marine homoeroticism; he even quotes one Marine as saying, "Man, the Marines are so homoerotic. That's all we talk about." Like Wright, Zeeland has produced a truly remarkable contribution to Marine Corps literature.

My first encounter with this book was back in high school, I was still struggling with my sexuality and desperately trying to find anyone and anything to identify with. On my many trips to the local library I would secretly browse the Gay and Lesbian section and scan the books in hopes of being able to find something to tell me I wasnt alone. I many times ended up with this novel in my hands and religiously studied it untill the library closed. With not much in my future but mediocre jobs and a lifetime of 9-5 ratraces. I decided to join the Marine Corps despite the fact that I knew I was gay and the military's strict guidance on homosexuality.Against the wishes of my mother and father I enlisted and was shipped off to MCRD San Diego. Flash forward 2 1/2 yrs as I write this review. From personal experience I can assure you that the experiences in this book are very commonplace and widespread.Durning my time in 2 duty stations in the states and abroad, I've infiltrated not only the dominate male-ruled secular society of the Marine Corps. but the other subculture of gay marines ( and sailors )that many would like to think does not exist. From privates to the higest ranks Ive had the pleasure of meeting some of the most model Marines who in any other case would be idolized as the picture perfect war hero. Little do most civilains and of course straight Marines know of the underground network that connects the gay service members. Yes, male bonding is very much encouraged durning and after bootcamp, more so that any outsider would be shocked to learn of the excact extent we go to in order to create this bond. Any readers who truly is intersted in learning of this subculture without a voice should pick up this book for a glimpse in the lives of many Marines. This book isnt excatly for those who wish to learn of the " Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy or it's ongoing legislation. It's also very ironic to note that nearly a year after reading the novel and far after my seemingly past life as a scared and confused high schooler I had the chance encounter of meeting one of the subjects of Mr.Zeeland studies. Over the course of a few days I was able to conversate with this gentleman, who still is an active duty Marine twice my senior, and compare notes on our time and views and what we think our rolls as gay men and what society thinks they should be within the military. Ive found that not much has changed form the books publication nearly a decade ago. The US has alot to learn before it knows the truth about who is really fighting for their right to even impose this policy in us.Whew!!!....ok I'm off my soap box...So in a nutshell...buy this book.

I'm a Marine myself and I found this book a real description of the life of a gay man in the U.S. Marine Corps.I liked the stories and the way that Zeeland leads the conversations.The only thing I didn't like was that he didn't get the best of each interview and it lacks some intimacy at some point.Nevertheless it's a great book and after read it you will want to read it again and again.

Military homophobia has always been somewhat of a paradox. Sex between soldiers is officially strictly forbidden, unofficially tolerated (as long as it does not become public knowledge and the 'offenders' retain their official heterosexual identity), and unconsciously encouraged, by forcing men to live together in close quarters without any substantial privacy, by limiting their access to female partners and by promoting close friendships.

That is the reason why military life is a favourite subject of gay pornography, and the military subconscious is keenly aware of it. But consciously, the policy remains "dont' ask, don't tell." Sex, love and relationships between service members remain taboo, and are officially grounds for dismissal.

Yet behind the veil of denial and secrecy, there is a small but thriving gay culture within the military. Zeeland has made it his life's work to study this culture, both in theory and in practice - which is to say he has sex with servicemen and then asks them for their life's story. The stories he has so elicited are candid, but do not go into too much sexual detail.

The present volume is devoted to the Marine Corps, and it explores the interaction between gay male sexualty and the psychological setup of the marines: hyper-masculinity, elite consciousness and unconditional obedience. It shows how gay marines manage to live under the threat of discovery and dismissal, and hold up to the double pressure of having to hide the secret of being gay in the high-pressure environment of the Marine Corps.

This book is a serious psychological study and affords greater insight into military homophobia than well-considered outside accounts. It is erotic at times, but not pornographic. If that's what you are looking for, look elsewhere.

The most interesting part of this book for me was the idea that Marines in many ways are in reverse drag - the uniforms, the meticulous attention to detail about image and appearance, the exaggeration of the gender-specific attributes. It all makes sense.

Zeeland does his reporting in this book both through stories he has gotten from others as well as from his own experiences. Many gay men fantasize about marines, maybe more than members of any other military branch, and probably because they are presented as the most "butch" and masculine of the military branches.

Zeeland explores the theme in this book in various ways, not only through the stories of his own interactions - he has a hands-on approach to things, so to speak - but also through psychology, sociology, and politics that are part of the subculture in the military. Underneath the don't ask - don't tell facade, there is a very busy time going on.

This is a fascinating book.

If you are looking to brush up on your theory, expand your musical vocabulary, or just get some great ideas, this is the book for you. Steve obviously not only knows his stuff but also knows how to communicate his "wisdom" effectively and efficiently.

Bravo!

Easy to read, easy to understand, easy to put into practice. That's what Steve Goomas has accomplished in his new guide to theory and technique. Never again will you have to muddle through pedantic exercises or mind-numbing exposition. The book is broken down into two to three page sections by chord types and scales, i.e., major/minor, sevenths, 6/9, thirteenths, modes, augmented and so on. Frequently used scales are clearly set forth with short and easy examples as to how to apply them over a few chords progression-enough to where you get the gist of things and want to head right to the keyboard to try them out. In all the right places, Goomas interjects short, practical tips on how to improvise. You'll learn all the ways to voice a chord and then substitute other chords for it and then improvise over everything. Go out and buy this book and see for yourself.

Goomas' manual is an excellent source that is easy to read, with practical insights to improvisation and solid keyboard theory. I highly recommend it.

This book by Steve Goomas is presented in a straight-ahead, logical, concise manner. I like books that are fun as well as educational and Steve's book really hits the mark for me with this effort. I also really liked the addition of the CD examples. His comments on pg. 10 "...Do in all 12 keys with both hands'" can't be emphasized enough! I'm glad that he hits the reader with that on the 2nd page of exercises. If you are an intermediate player with a need to expand your horizons - this is the book for you!

Steve has given us an exciting window on contemporary piano and keyboard playing. Concise and easy to read materials are presented directly so you can get your hands on a wide vocabulary of cool sounds right away enabling both
beginners and more advanced to excel and make that vocabulary their very own.
I know Steve to be a great player with a razor sharp mind and he has put his insights into this beautiful book that aims to lift hearts and minds into the worlds
of Jazz/ pop/ rock/latin and country. I have chosen to use "Keybaord Wisdom"
in my own classes at the university level. I highly recommend Steve's tome of wisdom. It's what you need to begin your practice for real.
Don Cardoza
Pianist and instructor

Just a few quick words to let you know how much I enjoyed the Estrine's book:

I found this book to be full of common sense suggestions; an excellent aid for me while I start my midlife!

Even more importantly, it has given me support while I adapt to the addition of my mother-in-law into our home.

I enjoyed the humor included in this book - if you can't laugh about life, then you haven't got a chance!

I found this to be an easy read and extremely insightful. I would definitely recommend it to everyone!

I enjoyed reading Midlife, A Manual. It covered many of the topics I am facing in my life as a 47 year old mother of four, with adult children leaving the nest, aging parents, retirement in the near future and investment planning. I enjoyed the humor and wit that softens the blows of life's harsh edges. The accounts of personal experience's were wonderful to read, it made me feel less isolated, knowing there are many of us facing these issues. The authors gave terrific useful information and step by step guidlines to take regarding the facing issues. It was a good read and gave helpful ideas.

Midlife, A Manual is a very thought-provoking book. I particularly related to the information on caring for my aging parents. They are at an age when an advocate is most necessary. The book alerted me to aspects I had not considered. For that I am most grateful. Well done!

I enjoyed reading this book and think it would make a great birthday gift for baby boomers who have reached that awkward age. The authors tackle their subject with humor and "been there-done that" wisdom.

I enjoyed reading Midlife -A Manual very much. The Estrine's have written a thoughtful, insightful work, covering all the major concerns that people have at mid-life - from the empty nest syndrome,establishing new relationships with grown children, dealing with elderly parents, financial planning, and sex. All of this is done in a clear concise and readable manner. The Estrines use anecdotes from their own lives, as well as personal interviews. This technique affords the reader the opportunity to personally identify with the concerns. Additionally, the Estrines offer practical exercises and points to ponder. I have read other books on this topic and found the Estrine's work by far the most well written and useful - a must for anyone going through the tr5auma of midlife!

As a life-long military chaser, I was struck by the "how-to" quality of this fascinating collection of interviews. Contained in these pages is the collected wisdom of men (and one woman) who have dedicated much of their lives to the successful pursuit of our brave young men in uniform. Adapting their various styles of hunting to the reader's needs will supply all one needs to find love, or at least lust, from many Marines and sailors.

Zeeland's Military Trade is the Damron guide for gays who seek authentic straight men. My greatest fear is that this book will continue to be a best seller; and that the streets of my Marine Corps desert oasis in Southern California will become crowded with new competitors for jarhead attention.

This is part of a series by Zeeland of books on related topics, basically having sex with military men. Zeeland has a book on each of the Navy, the Army, and the Marines, and this one draws things together as a more general treatment of the same topic.

Like his other books, Zeeland does his reporting in this book both through stories he has gotten from others as well as from his own experiences. Many gay men fantasize about marines, maybe more than members of any other military branch, and probably because they are presented as the most "butch" and masculine of the military branches; this comes through here. However, there are those for whom the army and the navy are more appropos, or perhaps because this is where their own military experience lay.

Zeeland explores the theme in this book in various ways, not only through the stories of his own interactions - he has a hands-on approach to things, so to speak - but also through psychology, sociology, and politics that are part of the subculture in the military. Underneath the don't ask - don't tell facade, there is a very busy time going on.

This is a fascinating book, like the others.

OK, I admit it, I bought it for the cover. And the pictures. But this book is a real page turner. Like it says on the back cover, it keeps you up all night "trying to put it down".

After producing three very insightful books on their quarry, Zeeland provides his readers with an equally intriguing, ocassionally disturbing, and often very funny look at the hunters - the "chasers' of military men. Zeeland examines what motivates these men (and, at last, one woman), but unlike his previous books, in which many of his interviews were fascinatingly intimate portraits of friends, lovers, and acquaintances, Zeeland for the most part steps back and lets these chasers tell their own tales without deeply challenging their motivations and assumptions about the military and military men.

For example, most of the chasers profess to being drawn to the military ideal of loyalty, fidelity, and patriotism, despite the fact that their actual experiences with military men as they tell them often prove otherwise, and few show any insight into the very real working class limitations that lead much of their quarry to join in the first place. This is particularly interesting when one considers the fact that for the most part these chasers are drawn to enlisted men, yet they frequently differ from them significantly in politics, education, and class background, and often show little genuine understanding of them. Then there are those chasers beset by a sort of sexual "Stockholm Syndrome," who find their own lifestyles and political beliefs changed by their exposures to the subjects of their desire. All of these are issues worthy of exploration, but for the most part Zeeland lets these accounts raise more questions than they answer. This reader would love to see more in-depth study by Zeeland of all these issues. Perhaps in a second study of such chasers?

As a woman who was herself a mild military chaser who ended up married to one of her USMC quarry, if there is a second study I would enjoy reading about more women like myself. Indeed, "Military Trade" would have benefited not only from interviews with more women military chasers but also with perhaps an examination of the very gender-bending in which we women indulge in much of our chasing.

At the heart of all of Steven Zeeland's books is a challenge to our assumptions about sexual identity, and this reader, who has done much of just that, would love to see an even more extensive exploration of how both men and women cross the boundaries, as it were, whether chasing military or not.

However, for all the book does offer us, and all the questions it raises, "Military Trade" is a valuable addition to Zeeland's growing canon of studies of the fluidity of sexuality and the cult of the military. Well done!

I'm one of the chapters in Zeeland's book. He told the truth, and did so in a clear informative manner. In telling my story, and those of men with similar tastes, Steven earned my respect.