Guides Books

Rare it is to find a guide so well crafted by a writer successful in his own right. I found this the perfect abridged bible for anyone with a career or contemplating a career in the musical theater. David Spencer's frank tone tears down the dream and shows the true reality of the business. With diligent and witty writing, Spencer's guide is as fun as it is rigorous. The author includes bits of his own writing process mingled with very generous advice on what works and what does not. It's reading list alone would recommend it. This book will make many a musical theater writer conscious of the hidden pitfalls prevalent in the business and so will, with an increase of its readership, increase the quantity as well as quality of musical authorship on and off-Broadway, a deed most needed.

You get the feeling the author cares about the reader's survival through life as well as on the perilous if rewarding journey of musical theater writing. The book is surprisingly also a brilliant textbook for navigating professional and private relationships as Spencer is of the clever opinion that success in any field requires such skill. Theater-goers may benefit as well from its clear picture of the creative process behind the large shows. No one interested in musical theater should be without this book.

David Spencer's book is without question the most comprehensive, concise and informative book on writing contemporary musical theatre I've found on the market to date. An astonishingly quick (and entertaining) read, the book covers all of the bases of writing shows, from the creative process to dealing with the business end of getting an original musical produced. It is also jam-packed with useful information regarding the 'knit-picky' details of standard conventions (such as formatting scripts, creating and distributing demos, etc) that are worth the price of purchase alone.

The book is well-structured into concise, easy to read sections that are easy to refer to when necessary. Appropriately titled a "Survival Guide," Spencer makes no attempt to create an 'everything-you-need-to-know-to-write-a-musical' guide; instead, he provides brief (but considerably detailed) insight into each topic.

This is not a book for a beginner who is looking to learn how to write songs, but rather for ambitious young artists who are serious about creating new musical theatre. There are entire books that deal with the considerations posed by individual chapters (such as musical forms, rhyme, characterization, etc) that supplant the information in this book; his list of suggested readings is very helpful. Consider this book to be the 'study-guide' for the test; there is no other book on the market that covers so much terrain with such detail in such a small volume. It truly has become my survival guide - thank you David Spencer!

I have read some books on writing Broadway Musicals which were quite good but this one has a direct clarity that demystify's the process of creating a musical. Good advice is given in every important area from story to page layout and fonts to the politics involved in collaboration. An invaluable tool for a writer that's seasoned or just starting out.

I am an aspiring musical theatre writer with no real experience yet, but reading this makes me feel like I have twenty years of experience under my belt! It seems that Mr. Spencer has thoughtfully included, out of his own widespread experience in the biz, absolutely every thought, information, helpful tidbit or advice that I think EVERY new or seasoned musical theatre writer will find very, very helpful. He is very intentional about sharing stories and information to help young writers avoid pitfalls and mistakes he once made, or is familiar with. Every chapter flows well, is thorough, well-structured, & intriguing to read. I am sure I will continue looking back to this for frequent reference as I continue pursuing this career. Thank you, Mr. Spencer, for this invaluable resource!! It is worth more than every penny!

THE MUSICAL THEATRE WRITER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE is, one the whole, an excellent and much-needed resource. This is not so much a book about how to write a musical, but what to do with it once you have written it. The most valuable parts for me were the sections dealing with collaboration. Author David Spencer discusses not only how to deal with writing partners, but also with the other collaborators, like the director, the producer and the designer. He also gives practical advice about the most effective way of presenting the reading and making the demo recording. He goes into great detail about what any material that you send out should look like. These parts of the book alone make it worth owning.

I felt that Spencer jumped the track toward the end with a lengthy discussion of setting up one's own recording studio, which would have been much better as an appendix, rather than in the main body of the book. My other quibbles with the book are the rather gag-inducing Sondheim worship and the author's frequent tooting of this own horn. (I found the section dealing with awards and grants depressing because it only pointed up the unlikelihood that material by a maverick like me would ever be considered.) There are a couple of minor errors (such as when he says that William Redfield played Rosencrantz in Burton's HAMLET, when in reality he played Guildenstern) and there is a glaring use of "principle" as an adjective, rather than "principal." But in general, I found this an invaluable book that absolutely needed to be written. Every serious musical theatre writer should have his own copy. This one is simply essential.

Great book! Great advice! For anyone who is healthy or sick. Miracles can happen and life can be great, examples like Naomi Judd prove it! Try it for yourself and see!

Naomi has such a casual and fluid writing style. She's intelligent, witty, and down-to-earth. She doesn't try to tell you what to do or how to think...she just shares her experiences and insights and invites you to take from her what you will. She's like a big sister telling you stories with all kinds of advice and morals tucked inside but you don't mind because you know she just wants what's best for you.

Keep a pad and pen nearby, because you will want to jot down some thoughts and ideas. Naomi has taken a series of interesting life experiences, and a life threatening illness, and distilled from it, a group of principles which she is now sharing. She has some interesting interesting insights, pointed suggestions, and principles which can bring healing to change lives. I read it a chapter a day, sort of like a devotion or study. Each day gives interesting point, and some suggestions to place into practice. More than worth the price charged.

Naomi Judd's book combines her life stories with wisdom and knowledge she has gained along the way. I found the book very inspiring.
For example, she tells a story of when she first moved to Los Angeles she was so bad off that she lived in a horrible motel. Then as she was on her way to an awards show, she drove passed this same motel while in her limo. She uses stories like these to inspire her readers to strive for a better life.
The book is filled with wisdom, wit and knowlege. It would be great reading material for someone who wants to better their life and move forward.

Naomi's Breakthrough Guide is one of the most engaging, inspirational --and useful -- personal development books I've read in twenty five years. I found it to be one of those rare books that truly is hard to put down. In fact, I ended up reading it in one day (and will be returning to do more of the exercises).

If you value the following, you'll love this book:

· Stories that are both entertaining and full of important lessons. You'll find poignant, inspirational, and amusing stories that make this "how to" book read more like a page turner novel.

·Practical suggestions for creating the life you want, from someone who has done just that.

· Scientific research citations that add credibility and substance to the author's ideas, and offer the reader resources for further exploration into topics that interest them.

· Exercises and questions that provide practical structure for those who want to apply Ms. Judd's ideas in their own lives.

· An encouraging, non-elitist "I'm just a regular person like you" style that doesn't sound like one of the many "experts" who writes from a position of superiority, but instead humbly shares the wisdom they've learned from the School of Hard Knocks.


Even if you've read many personal growth books, Naomi's take on principles and practices you're familiar with can bring you to a deeper recognition of their importance in your life and a more honest appraisal of whether you're applying them. She frames a wide range of issues, including mindfulness, meditation, forgiveness, and risk taking, in such an engaging and supportively challenging way, you'll find yourself thinking about them with a fresh, more personalized perspective. Naomi's thought provoking questions and exercises will challenge anyone serious about living a more fulfilling life to go beyond the "Oh, I know that" perspective to the more life changing stance of asking "Am I doing that?" and "How will I act on that?"

Finally, Naomi Judd's stories of her difficult early years prior to becoming a music superstar offer hope and inspiration to anyone wondering whether they can live the kind of life they dream about - or have long since given up on. They remind the reader that Ms. Judd's success didn't just happen. She wasn't "discovered." She overcame difficult life circumstances that many would have taken as proof their life could never be better. Reading about that part of her life can't help but make you think "If she can overcome those circumstances by doing what she is suggesting in this book, there's no reason why I can't create the kind of life I want." You just can't help being inspired by Naomi's example of courage, determination, and optimism. You'll also find her sense of humor, ability to turn a phrase, and story-telling skill makes this book a delightful reading experience.

Do yourself a favor and get Naomi's Breakthrough Guide. Do the special people in your life a favor and give them a copy. It's a simple way to bring more good into the world and into the lives of the people you love.

The author has clearly done her homework. She covers a wide variety of alternative relationship styles (polyamory, swinging, etc.), and discusses benefits and difficulties with each. An excellent read.

This book is a good, comprehensive, frank and non-judgmental treatise on non-monogamy. What more can I say? Opening Up has sparked quite a few discussions amongst my friends and me, and has given me the confidence to sit down with my husband to discuss our own personal style of non monogamy. Of all books I have read on the subject, this is the one that my husband will be most able to stomach reading on his own (rather than getting the synopsis from me), cynical anti-self-help-git that he is. It will definitely be the book I will recommend to anyone else interested in reading up on the subject.

My partner and I have been considering adding a third person to our relationship, and this book gave me a pretty good idea of what to expect overall when transitioning from monogamy. I also found an e-book online that was helpful for this topic at Trinogamy.com.

Opening Up is a much-needed book which provides an overview of a number of different styles of ethical non-monogamy. Taormino touches on many different issues about which those curious about exploring non-monogamy should think: legal issues, sexually transmitted infections, and dealing with friends, family and children, for example. It is a collection of the personal advice--much of it excellent--of one very knowledgeable and experienced educator and writer, who has a good deal of experience with open relationships herself. Her personal advice is supplemented and supported by stories of other non-monogamous folks throughout the country, and it was these stories which, for me, were the highlight of the book.

I would suggest this book is especially appropriate for those just starting out exploring open relationships, and it is best used as a starting place. It can be very useful in provoking a reader's own questions and inspiring discussions with a reader's partner(s). Armed with their own questions, readers can then seek out further resources, such as those listed in the appendices, which will expose them to other perspectives, as well.

This is an invaluable resource for anyone personally interested in exploring non-monogamy, as well as for scholars, psychotherapists and others with a need to learn about alternative relationship models. Opening Up is far more than just a very readable guide filled with useful exercises. It's also a very thoroughly researched and scholarly effort to define various forms of non-monogamy. Taormino explains how open relationships function, while making a strong case that the healthiest approach to relating - whether one is monogamous or not - involves communicating and choosing consciously. The interviews are thought-provoking and engaging. A profound and important book.

I wanted to write and thank Mr. Walker for writing this book. I worked in Healthcare IT and have a master's degree so I've taken lots of tests in my life .... the series 6 is the most difficult I've taken. However with Mr. Walker's material I passed the first time studying only 3 weeks and taking weekends off. He makes very boring material interesting and you will catch yourself laughing out loud sometimes as his humor. If you want to pass the first or next time you take the series 6 this is a must read.

I consider myself kind of a smart guy, but the Kaplan materials made my brain hurt. I was really suffering through my studying. Then along comes this book with tidbits such as this:
"a variable annuity is really just a mutual fund investment that grows tax deferred."

Oh yeah. Now that makes sense. Why couldn't the competitor products state this so clearly? I read page after page of competitor materials and didn't REALLY understand what an annuity was until I read that one simple sentence I quoted above.

This book is full of this sort of thing. Everything explained so you can actually understand it.

Bottom line: I got a 92 on my Series 6. I'm happy I got this guide.

I'm very happy with the book I received. The information is written in clear, understandable terms. The author discusses what is on the series 6 test and uses examples and humor to help with understanding the concepts, as well as, practice tests. I know I will be able to pass the test after reading this book.

I recently decided it was time to pursue a new career in financial services and in order to do so I needed to pass the Series Six. This is not very easy, in fact, I didn't think I could pass. I failed on the first try and figured I needed something that would help someone like me who has never done this stuff and doesn't speak this languge. In the past, I usually tuned out financial talk.
I got a copy of Pass the 6 because it looked like it was in the language I speak..."human." It was, and it was even funny at times too. Guess what? I passed with flying colors today!!!
The book also covers things that will really be on the test. The other book I used on my first try helped me with about 60 percent of the questions that are actually on the test.
The author acutally answered a few of my questions through e-mail. That's a first!!! I've never been able to chat with the author while I'm reading his book. I really got the sense he genuinely wanted me to pass.
Bottom line, this is the one that will get you the 70 or above you need to pass. The others may, but this one will. I knew none of this before and now I feel like Warren Buffett Jr.!!!

I just took the Series 6 yesterday for the first time, and walked out with a piece of paper that said "pass." This would not have been possible without Mr. Walker's book. I got caught in a situation where I had to take the test much earlier than anticipated, and only had about a week of study time. Using nothing else but this book, I studied for and passed the test. I am absolutely convinced my success is due to this book, which not only gives you practice tests, but presents the information in a non-jargon format so you can actually understand and absorb the knowledge.

This book does exactly what it says on the cover. It sticks to its topic in a simple and easy-to-understand way. It makes it less scary for girls going into this phase of development. It can't replace a mom or other female adult's comfort, however.

I bought this for my daughter - it was perfect. I didn't want a book on growing up or how to date. Just this one subject. My daughter is small for her age and also a bit immature due to some hearing problems when she was younger. So all of her friends have already hit this milestone. This book was great and helped her tremendously. We talked and talked about her first period, but being able to look at the book over and over again really helped her. She has now hit this milestone and survived it just fine! A great book and highly recommended.

I thought the book was well written. My daughter is 8 1/2 and was very interested about the subject of Menstruation. We read it together and I felt it gave her all the information about growning up without the "sex" part.

I purchased this book for my 12 year old daughter. It is an informative book with some monochromatic illustrations. I also purchased "Ready, Set, Grow". My daughter's opinion is that "Ready, Set, Grow" was an easier reading style, more colorful and more fun to read. I have to agree with her. I also enjoyed reading the other book more than this one.

I would recommend this book, but if you're only going to buy ONE book, I'd recommend "Ready, Set, Grow".

This book is very simple and straightforward. I read it before I gave it to my ten-year-old daughter and it really touches on points that I didn't think to touch on with my daughter. My daughter read it and she loved it. She said it made her realize that she is normal and that everything she's thinking and feeling is NORMAL. It didn't give her so much information that she was overwhelmed and confused either. It simply goes through what is happening to her body now and nothing more. Thanks for a great guide!

If you're a beginning astronomer, the recipes in this book are well written out and you can port them easily to a calculator, computer or even a spreadsheet if you so wish. So it's a very good book indeed. But... You're left with a certain feeling that you want to know more. Where do all those fancy formulas come from? Conclusion : I will have to buy myself another introductory book on the subject!

If you're into astronomy and like to fly by the seat of your pants, this is your book. Combine it with a good reference, like Burnham's Celestial Handbook.

I read this book way back in 1989 in India at IIT library,
and implemented it in Turbo pascal on 8086/DOS.

It provides explanations of coordinate systems, time, date,
and calculations. Very well written, this is what Astronomy
was about, if you have read NEWTON's principia, or wondered
what Gauss did.

Check out Xephem (Free astronomy program for linux/X with source
code in C), Alw.exe (Astronomy lab almanac generator/DOS), if you want instant answers.

I also use Redshift 4, and starry nights on my pc to get
the star maps.

- Mosh http://www.cs.albany.edu/~mosh

Heavy on getting you the answer and light on the specifics of the theory behind getting you there, Practical Astronomy with your Calculator does exactly what the author purports -- gives you a simple set of equations that will tell you the wheres and whens of astronomical phenomena.

Amateur astronomers will be able to solve a multitude of practical problems with this book. If you are short on funds and have time to explore, this is the book for you. It is well organized and reasonably complete.

The extremely concise - bordering on laconic - style poses the danger that some readers may become discouraged and will give up. The low price makes it a tempting entry-level book, but the terse explanations means you'll have to do a lot of digging, which is a cookbook recipe to discourage newcomers to a field.

I have two critiques of this otherwise excellent work.

1.) The formulae presented in this book are a little too "cookbook" in for my tastes.

2.) Further they are only weakly validated, so it is difficult to know how accurate the results are.

The cookbook nature provides little insight into the physical problem being solved. It did motivate me to buy and study Smart's "Spherical Astronomy". If you want more than superficial answers, you'll need to dig deeper.

Validation is rarely a problem for amateurs. Most people who buy this book will program the recipes on their home computers. (Most are readily amenable to treatment in spreadsheets.) So far, no problem. But how do you know whether or not your calculation of the position of Mars 60,000 ago is any good?

I think that Meeus and Montenbruck largely avoid these problems, but at a much higher selling price.

Anyone who is seriously on the spiritual path must read this book. If you are readers of E. Tolle and follow his principles you will appreciate reading this and all of Joel Goldsmith's books.

This is my first review on Amazon, or anywhere else for that matter. I have been interested in spiritual growth for quite some time, beginning with my undergraduate major in Philosophy in the late 60's/early 70's. As I later discovered, I was not so much interested in the subject as in finding my OWN philosophy. Through the years I have spent much time investigating and learning about different belief systems and practices. The most useful to me were those originating in the East, primarily meditation (which I now teach) and yoga. The beauty of those systems is that they provide you with a systematic path towards what some call 'enlightenment,' or Christ consciousness, depending on your orientation. I am NOT talking about having intellectual 'knowledge' about spirituality, I am talking about the DIRECT EXPERIENCE of yourself as an aspect of God and as ONE with the universe.

But this is not to say that knowledge is unimportant, because that is certainly not the case. Knowledge supports and can hasten the spiritual growth that some of us are aiming towards. What Joel Goldsmith does is to present spiritual truth from a VERY high level of consciousness that, IMO, accurately reflects the 'letter of truth' of metaphysics. His interpretations of, among other things, the Bible and Jesus's sayings, can be challenging and a stretch but are spot on. I have found that the contemplation (which is different from meditation) of his writings has done quite a bit to speed up my spiritual growth, and I would HIGHLY recommend this book to any seeker (altho 'seeking' is unnecessary - we already know where the "Kingdom of Heaven" is - it's "within us" - we just need to clear out all that is keeping us from living there full-time). To follow-up on what another reviewer said, if I had to spend some time on a desert island and could only pick one book, THIS would be the one.

This is the simplest, most direct book I've ever read on how to apply spiritual principles in a functional, working, demonstrable manner. Within 3 days of seeing god as my supply, I was bumped into a promotion for more pay and easier work. When I noticed it was difficult to forgive as a cashier I was sent to do standing-work, where I just had to say hi all day and see people as infinite beings to further my yogic studies. When I was grateful that my real home and supply is already with me and I'm just unable to see it, I received a large sum of money the next morning. And finally, when I followed a feeling of freedom when deciding to give away my possessions I was given good health and no longer had to maintain my stuff costing me more than I had. I now have more than I need, and give without a thought.

This book helped me put into practice these ideas, and gave me working principles I could see in my life. He was the first step, but his teacher was the next. Ernest Holmes.

The heritage of my exploration of Goldsmith stems from Walter Starcke's book, "It's All God" and/or Tolle's book, "The Power of Now". Seeking contact with God is what all people are attempting to do. This book is one more in a series that places you in the emphasis of God's Realm spread out before us, touching the water and touching the wave, spiritually, metaphysically and within the context of psychic transformation.

To live in the Presence of God one must create a practice. This small book is a wonderful guide. It matters not your religious tradition for this Presence is universal and a constant vibration of Goodness. To live in the Presence of Goodness is to live in comfort and Joy. Everyone deserves this opportunity. Allow yourSelf to move from belief to experience. Come and join all who have had this experience. As a poet and conscious traveler, I consider this small book a gem. Blessings upon your pathway.

This is a very useful book for will be speaker.
The book is very easy to read.
I'll recommend the book.

This is an informative and creative handbook aimed at the occasional to frequent presenter who may be nervous, unpolished, or just looking to improve. Kevin and Cyndi write colorfully, keeping your attention by using stories and short chapters devoted only to a narrow topic, intentionally making it easy to flip to what you need to know right now. The simple fact that they make the best of what could be dry material is enough to convince me that their suggestions have merit.

If your job includes speaking to audiences for the purpose of departing meaningful information, then you must add this book to your list. Every once in a while it is a great idea to polish your skills with the latest and greatest information. "Present like a Pro" is a well structured book that departs from clichés and goes into detail around the art of public speaking - from conquering the butterflies, to really impacting messages that stick!

I had the pleasure to meet Kevin a corporate training day a few week sbefore purchasing the book. I found him to be one of the most relevant, grounded and effective speakers I had ever attended. Once I found he had co-authored this book, I bought it within days.

This book is one of the finer books on public speaking I've ever reviewed. The beauty of it is in it's ability to be used in many ways. For instance, if you just want to hit key chapters relevent to your particular engagement it even offers which ones to read. It also offers a end-to-end approach which I think flows well for those who need a complete point of view in their speaking.

I would take issue with a previous review noting the lack of A\V embesshiments to speaking such as powerpoint... This is a book on building successfull tactics to speaking. It offers key strategies to prepare, connect and flow with your audience.

I have always dreaded speaking myself, not out of phobia, but out of a lack of confidance to think on my feet. This book really identifies why a good presenter has made themselves good and how we can use those same techniques.

I have attended a few "be a better speaker" workshops which focus on a few of the ideas presented here. The difference in this book is in it's completeness and relevence. I will bring it with me to every speach I make from now on.

I bought this book last year based on the reputation of one of the authors. I present about 25 times a year and I found the book very useful. I used a number of tips and techniques immediately with good results. The authors practice what they preach in their writing structure and style, proving the effectiveness of some of their techniques/points.

This is by far the best edition of the Beatle record price guide to date. The collaboration of Perry Cox, Frank Daniels, and Bruce Spizer is a home run. It's very well organized with many photos. If you're a collector or a seller you need this book!

This is an excellent book for any serious Beatles collector. Perry Cox really knows what we, as Beatles fans, want in a book. A lot of nice photos and useful and interesting info. Definitely a must have!

Now, let's face it; you won't be carrying this price guide with you to garage sales. No, this will be the reference book that stays at home. And what a book it is! Similar in size to Bruce Spizer's record books on the American Beatles' releases, this baby is published in a hard-cover format on nice glossy paper. The color photos are wonderful for fans to view the items, and the whole book is entertaining as well as informative in terms of accurate prices. Some of the color on some pages seemed to have a purplish haze to them, but hopefully that is remedied on new issues. Overall, a top-notch job by Perry. Now, Perry, what I would like to see from you is a price guide on international pressings. Maybe concentrating on the UK and Japanese pressings since many of these are collectible. Also, tell Bruce he's not done yet. He may have called his last book "Swan Song" as a way of saying goodbye, but I'm sure many fans, including myself, would like to see him tackle all of the British pressings.

for many many years,perry cox and bruce spizer have done thier best to uphold great quality items on beatles reference subjects.
they have finally started to do it in a very good way by showing COLORFULL scans of every capitol or apple product you can think of is the united states.
perry worked his butt off on this book.
why am i giving it 4 stars instead of five?
one reason.
nothing is included from canada(he gives credit to another book on that subject)which would have really been helpfull on the capitol issues..but spizers books covers canadian lps and 45s.
also bootlegs are missing..and many times there were infamouse ones that would make a good fan laugh ..like "how do you do it" on the swan label which was never released but would have been a hoot to see here.
knowing this book was never intended to show boots it is forgivable but two or three pics wouldnt have hurt.
other than that,there are guides to show you what lps were issuerd on what label variations and finally some good pricing.perry has been a seller of beatles records for many years and in this book he shows you just how incredible the beatles were to not only groove to,but to collect.a MUST for any beatles fan or collector!
also other formats are finally addressed and treated with respect(reel to reels and 4 tracks especially!)

This 6th edition from Mr. Perry Cox & Frank Daniels continues the long tradition and reputation of Perry's top price guides with the highest degree of research, knowledge, sources and listings available anywhere!

First, I give my strongest praise and congratulations to the co-authors (Perry and Frank), along with additional kudos to Mr. Bruce Spizer who contributed the Foreword, layouts, editing and publishing in this beautiful edition (and yes, I own most of his incredible "labor of love" books surrounding The Beatles records). These gentlemen are what we collectors consider "The Source" when it comes to being specific, detailed, precise and answering the tough questions that come with collecting what I consider "the greatest music memorabilia of all time".

Secondly, I would like to take a moment and get personal about Perry Cox and what he means to me in this business. I have done business with Perry since the early 1980's (when, at that time, I was just a young sailor in the U.S. Navy and spending as much of my extra money on my #1 passion - Beatles records and memorabilia). Perry immediately befriended me and has been more of a "mentor" and a "personal confidant" during these 25 years of our friendship. He has yet to steer me wrong or not provide the tough answers throughout all these years and I greatly admire his passion, dedication and genuine love for the hobby more than anyone else that I have had the pleasure of sharing this excitement with in this hobby. I remember back in the 80's and most of the 90's when I would receive Perry's "mailer lists" that he religiously mailed out to those of us on his distro list. Receiving those lists in the mail has long been replaced with the technology and real-time convenience of the internet (specifically Ebay), but I will never forget what those first 15 years were like when we couldn't see the items and relied on Perry's specific details on each item for sale in his mailer list! Times they were a-changin'. Regardless of the resources, Perry has always been top-notch and quickly became my favorite source (which he remains to this day). I have since retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years service and now live in the Tampa area - but I still email Perry whenever those technical questions need to be answered (or merely for his advice on items I am considering for my personal collection). Bottom line is that I give my full and unconditional recommendation (without hesitation) to any source that Perry endorses in this hobby - and his price guides are legendary among the amateur and professional collectors alike - across the board! Thank you Perry for your deep friendship over the past 25 years my friend.

Next, I would like to humbly thank both Perry and Frank for recognizing me under the "Acknowledgements" section in this price guide. It is a labor of love for all of us and all I can say (after all these years collecting and sharing knowledge, experiences, etc.) is "How cool is it to have your name inside the actual book of your favorite lifelong hobby?" It is a dream come true and I am touched for that recognition! I have had the unbelievable fortune of meeting all four Beatles in person throughout my life, along with being stationed in London for two years with the U.S. Navy, and having my name mentioned in this book completes a long journey for me (for a little boy from Flint, Michigan who originally watched those "four lads from Liverpool" tear it up on that black & white television while dancing with my mother and older sister)! Little did we "Flintoids" know that we would also be treated to our own hometown heroes just six years later from "Grand Funk Railroad". Imagine that...

As for the 6th edition of "The price guide for The Beatles American records", I would like to echo some of the wonderful comments from Mr. Robert York of Tacoma, WA (scroll through the reviews and you will find his detailed analogy of this new guide). I agree that it is very fitting that this book is the same size and lines up beautifully on the bookshelf with Bruce Spizer's books (not a coincidence I assure you - these gentlemen do all the extra work to ensure high quality products from start to finish). This new guide also has more colored photographs and layouts than I've seen to date and it is absolutely gorgeous. It starts out in the inner cover with many of the single (45's) in their respective picture sleeves in bright colors - and ends on the back inner cover with all 24 American Beatles' albums (in order of release) all in color as well. Everything in between these covers is simply magic and very nicely laid out! I am a stickler for detail and for making things "make sense" and this book does exactly that. One of my favorite things is the color-coding throughout the book. The authors got it right and made this very easy to use for all hobbyist - and the outer edges of the pages are actually color-coded so that the user can go right to the appropriate section he/she is seeking (without having to thumb around and find things aimlessly). The guide is broken down into sections, starting with Beatles singles and EP's, then Beatles albums, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best and George Martin, Apple, Dark Horse Records, Compilations, and ends with Vendors (and those who paid to be sponsored in this publication).

I would also like to add that just before the color-coding starts in this publication, the authors have compiled some of the most important pages that will benefit collectors ten-fold (these pages are priceless, trust me). They have added sections on introduction, Market Analysis, Beatles records worth $1,000 or more, Grading records (very important especially for newcomers in the hobby), Acetates and Test Pressings, Promotional Records and Markings, Sealed Albums (which I have been involved in with Perry over many years), Capitol Inner Sleeves (nice explanations on what sleeves go with which albums, etc.), Records from other countries, Capitol-Apple Labelography (these are truly valuable pages here because it is so detailed and collectors need to become aware of all the differences on these labels), Capitol-Apple Tapeography, Pressings of "A Hard Day's Night" on UA (this is not testable, because 99% of us would fail the exam), Beatles U.S. Discography (you'll love this section and is perfect for "quick reference" or when creating your own personal spreadsheets, discography, or collections), and the last item in these white pages before the color-coding starts (and perhaps among the most important of all) is the "How to read the guide listings" section. This section specifically educates the reader on the Spizer Identification Number (which Beatles author/historian Bruce Spizer developed this numbering system for identifying items pictured and described in his books on The Beatles American records). This numbering system is quickly becoming popular among collectors and I would not be surprised if Mr. Spizer's system will one day be the universal standard for identifying all Beatles' American records (I have almost finished numbering my own personal collection with his numbering system and it just makes good sense)! Again, those white pages (pages 1-43) are some of the most valuable and educational sources that you will ever find on collecting Beatles American records (the price guide is worth its price for this information alone, not to mention pages 45-316 "the meat and potatoes" of the entire price guide).

Lastly, I highly recommend this price guide to everyone interested in gaining knowledge on Beatles American records, their history, how to identify exactly what you have, and it is simply the top-notch book available anywhere on this subject. A superior book cover-to-cover and I am so impressed with various elements throughout this guide. It takes the reader on a journey itself and you will experience the roots, growth and unbelievable spectrum that The Beatles records went through from the start to present day. After traveling through these pages several times I found myself in many different stages of my life, in retrospect, thinking about where I lived when a certain album was released or what girl I was sharing those moments with, etc. An incredible 5-star book which should be owned by all Beatles hobbyist (I own three myself and had to ensure I got the low serial #'d edition in the slipcase signed by all three gentlemen mentioned above). Purchase the guide, you'll be amazed at the weatlth of knowledge, perspiration, inspiration, dedication, and how cleverly laid out it really is! "I read the book today, oh boy..." and Perry, Frank & Bruce "made the grade". Cheers!

I can't believe I that I am just now finding out about Myles Munroe. This book was a true blessing in helping me to realize the value of the visions that I have been blessed with. This book truly answered many questions that I had about where to go from where I am now. What should my next step be? I thank God for this book and the anointing placed on Myles Munroe.

Yes, this book is a blessing. It is a godly means of tranforming your mind. Be blessed.

Myles Munroe is an excellent author and this book will give help you with what God has given you to do. My goal is read all of his books, all of his books are great, he's one of my favorites.

If you want to really, fully understand how and why one is given a Christian spiritual gift like purpose and vision you will truly enjoy reading this book....it's hard for me to put it down...and I'm only into the 3rd chapter. Myles Monroe has been given a rare gift of explaining the actual "mechanics" of various spiritual gifts in terms that are so plain and understandable....I've read his book on prayer as well "Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer" it was TERRIFIC!! I can't wait to order another one of his books when I get through with this one.

I can't get enough of this book, every page is an "aha" moment. It's taking me to the next level. I think the book was written just for me, answering/addressing the questions I've had & couldn't seem to figure out the answers.