Music Books

Not only was I an ignoramus, I was (and still am) a klutz, but Wayne Erbsen has taught me to play the banjo! I didn't think anyone could do it. This book is wonderful!

MY SON IS ENJOYING THIS BOOK/CD. HE SAYS IT IS EASY TO FOLLOW AND PLAYED SOME OF THE SONGS THE FIRST TIME HE LOOKED AT IT. ITS HUMOROUS STYLE OF TEACHING IS VERY RELAXED AND ENJOYABLE.

Fantastic Book! I've tried many others, but this is the only one that provided the easy building process for songs that allows a Banjo player to not get lost in all the fancy stuff and still hear the melody as you progress to adding more and more fluff.

THIS MUST BE YOUR FIRST BANJO BOOK. It's a short on technique but long on something priceless -- motivation. You see, Erbsen teaches banjo by teaching you how to fake familiar songs. Instead of playing "Cripple Creek" over and over, or practicing rolls 'til your fingers bleed, you learn very short versions of some folk standards while learing how you can play simple but recognizable versions of your favorite songs -- bluegrass or otherwise.

It works! I'd been playing for about a month when one day, just noodling around, I came up with a crude version of "Route 66." Now THAT was gratifying.

I've since played "Cripple Creek" a few thousand times and practiced rolls until my fingertips were (almost) bleeding. I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have bothered if it hadn't been for Erbsen.

I finally caved into my insane desire to learn how to play the banjo a couple months ago. With my banjo came a how-to DVD, and I bought three books in addition: "The How and Tao of the Old-Time Banjo," "Earl Scruggs and the 5-String Banjo" and of course "Bluegrass Banjo for the Complete Ignoramus."

I managed through the first 10 minutes of the DVD before it became too advanced for me. And the other two books I bought were pretty much immediately too advanced. But Wayne Erbsen's book is not only accessable for an absolute beginner with no previous experience with a musical instrument, it's quite a bit of fun too.

The writing is simple, light-hearted, and whole-heartedly enjoyable. It actually sometimes feels as if Wayne is right there with you teaching you how to play.

In addition, each song is displayed in "tablature," which tells you which strings to flick and which strings to fret at the same time. In the long run it's definitely a good idea to learn how to play through standard music sheets, but for a true beginner like me, tablature is the only way to go.

In addition to tablature, what really helped me is how Wayne describes the music. You begin with the "skeleton" of the song, which is always a short, basic melody. But each song has extra "licks" that you can play to "dress the skeleton." In other words, you begin with the basics of the song and after practicing until you're good, you can try the "warmer" licks by adding things like roll patterns to make the song sound more impressive and more distinctly bluegrass. And the best part is, the book comes with a CD so you can hear if you're playing correctly.

I learned much more, and had much more fun with Wayne Erbsen's "Bluegrass Banjo for the Complete Ignoramus" than anything else I've tried so far. It won't make you a bluegrass master, but it's a great place to start.

This book is certainly the greatest single published wealth of knowledge on Wailers recording I have ever seen. However, Steffens' choice of what is included in the book seems at times erratic. He has included a smattering of live shows (both historical & typical), but he has not fully documented all the shows currently in circulation. He has included some shows for which no tracks are issued, some which are partially issued, and some that are in for sale in thier entirety.

He also includes only a partial glimpse into the known unissued studio recordings of Marley. For instance, he lists tracks such as "Show Your Dreads" and "She Used to Call Me Dada," and intimate sessions, such as the one commonly known as Mother B Reel I. However, he includes no mention of known unissued studio tracks, such as "Wounded Lion" and "Real Good Time." For that reason, I must wonder how many songs & sessions are sitting in the vault that were purposefully omitted from this "definitive" discography.

This is a valiant effort and invaluable resource for sure. I'll be looking forward to the 2nd edition.

One.

With any discography, you expect to get details layered upon details about an artist's output. Here you get all of that, but there's much more. Roger Steffens is not only a huge reggae fan and supporter, but he's one of the premier collectors of reggae (and Marley in particular) recordings and memorabilia. He shares photos, anecdotes and insights into countless Marley recordings and sessions. As a long time Marley fan, I have spent hours just browsing and absorbing the information. Highly recommended if you want to know the minutiae and tidbits of the record releases from the Bob Marley.

Even "experts" have long been confused about details of Marley's recorded works, but here is the long-awaited authoritative reference source. Anyone, no matter how knowledgeable, will learn from flipping through this book, and the many illustrations of record covers/labels/etc make it fun to do so. Imagine Bob himself looking at this one - even he no doubt would be reminded of many recordings he might have forgotten - and would be proud indeed.

-steve heilig, BEAT magazine

Many a fan has wondered about the provenance of a certain track by Bob, Peter or Bunny or the whole holy Wailers trinity; only to be stymied by the seeming impossibility of ever imposing rational order on the gush of Wailers releases over the years. Helped by other aficionadoes, including my fellow Marley biographer Tim White, reggae historian and archivist Steffens and multi-talented bluesman Pierson have kept the faith -- and the vinyl -- for a full fifteen years to produce this handsome, thorough volume, illustrated with previously unseen pix by lenspersons including Kate Simon & Steffens. Delightful essays round out a very valuable work that's a true labour of love.

This long gestating book on the wild and wonderfully wide-ranging releases from 'Jamaica's Beatles' is finally out and meets all expectations. Thanks in part to the extensive interviews authors Steffens and Pierson conducted with 'the living stone' Bunny Wailer over several years, BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS: The Definitive Discography plows through the mountains of facts and dis-information to provide a clear and thorough, yet still living and evolving, look at the tremendous output of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny in all forms, roots and branches. The days of frontin' Wailers discs as originals in online and other record auctions are over as this compendium provides detailed proof of all origins and matrix numbers. Here's a slam dunk that actually merits an Order of Freedom Medal. Go deh dready go deh. -Doug Wendt, www.midnightdread.com

informative and fun to read, this is a loving tribute to the music of Cuba and from whence it came. It's historical without being tedious and a real page turner. I love it and recommend it to anyone who digs this kind of music and culture.

It's a first for me to review a book I haven't finished reading. I've been reading Cuba and Its Music for about a year, off and on, as I've read other books and material. What's prompting me to review it now is that this is simply a terrific, wonderful book and the word needs to get out. Full disclosure: despite being a musician all my life, I discovered Cuban music only about twenty years ago. The more I learned about it the more it took me over. This is not the place to go into the reasons, but I will make an outrageous blanket statement and say that what Bach is to classical music, Cuban music is to popular music.

Ned Sublette explains why in his marvelous book. I find myself pouring over passages, rereading and underlining and making notes to myself in the back. I can't take a lot of this at one time. I'll put the book down to pick it up a week later and end up rereading what I'd already read. The prospect of getting all the way to the end of it fills me with joy and dread at the same time. It's not that it's densely written: on the contrary, it's some of the clearest, easiest to read scholarly writing I've ever run across (and that's a lot, by the way).

The book is not for everyone. You have to like music, for starters. Then, it would be good if you enjoy learning about how musical styles originate, travel, and influence other styles. Cuba has been a true melting pot for many of the world's musical traditions, and most have made their way to this country, through New Orleans, through New York, and by other means, to the point that its influence is discernible in almost every popular American genre today. Sublette has traced these influences in the most careful and understandable way, and the result is enlightenment on every single page.

Now I hear that Sublette has another book out on the musical cultures and history of New Orleans. This is wonderful news even if it means I'll spend the next five years finishing both volumes. Amazon won't let me review a book twice, so I won't be able to comment on the latter parts of Cuba and Its Music here. Maybe I'll be able to mention it when I finally report on The World that Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square.

Ned Sublette really knows his stuff. Although he quotes extensively from other authors, his own research and experience combine to make this a wonderfully solid piece of work, and one that is long overdue. Sublette takes us back to the very beginning, unravelling the potent mix of cultures and influences that have gone into what we call Cuban music today. His attention to detail will be appreciated by Cuban music afficionados, for whom many questions will be answered and mysteries revealed. Read this book, and look forward to the second volume!

There is nothing written in English that compares to the scope and depth of this book on Cuban music. (Leymarie's Cuban Fire comes close in volume of information, but it lacks the cogent overview and insight that Sublette masterfully weaves into the details.) This is a history of Cuban music written by a musician (!) who understands the importance of credible research when defining context and cultural antecedents. Furthermore, he uses his perspective as an outsider--he is a North American--to our advantage. Coupled with his examinations of the complexity of a Cuban identity and aesthetic, our North American culture also becomes more transparent.

This is particularly true when it comes to dissecting the story that most conventional Western Hemisphere histories neglect-the profound cultural influence of West Africa. As Sublette notes, "the drum...what an African would call a drum-is conspicuously missing from European music before the sixteenth century." Was it the creolized cultures of the New World that finally gave Europeans license to return to the dance floor after centuries of Church proscription? Sublette presents a convincing case for this, while simultaneously providing an explanation for those among us who are rhythmically challenged...

Readers also benefit from the full spectrum Sublette's perspective--that of a musician who migrates comfortably between the music of the concert hall and the dance hall. "Dancing," he writes, "is an intense listening state. Dancing can be complex and it can be spiritual. African music is almost always music for dancing; and so is Cuban music, which is African music's grown-up child." No armchair scholar talks like that.

Furthermore, his writing is not of that academic ilk that is afraid to offer opinions, or reveal passions. (For starters, he states that he likes Cuban music because he "has good taste.") Nor does he shy away from connecting the dots or hazarding wide-reaching theories. He is the first author I have come across to point out that the geographical origins of the African slaves-those coming to North America from the Senegambia, those to the Caribbean from the coastal areas-largely explains the differences in the musical styles (melismatic vs. polyrhythmic) between these two regions of the Western Hemisphere. Shouldn't this information be part of our cultural literacy?

The subject of this book is huge and Sublette is certainly up to the task. (Did I mention the extensive index?) I have also found, thanks to this text, that I am listening to Cuban musicians (eg. Chano Pozo, Miguelito Valdes, Arsenio Rodriguez) with new ears. That's quite a gift. Chevere que chevere!

This is the finest book on the sociological basis of music I have ever read. Many good books will provide a new fact on each page or two, but I seem to learn three new bits of history on every single page of this extensive analysis of the origins of musical styles in Cuba. But this is more than about Cuba; it is about Al-Andalus/Sefarad and Renaissance Spain and the eary history of the United States, and about northwest and central African peoples, and about Renaissance Europe, and about the early history of Islam and Arabia. It is about differing social policy and its effect on the slave trade. It is about what gave New Orleans jazz the Latin tinge and makes that city a treasure. It is about the distinct origins of the polyrhythmic, polytonal structures of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian music and the recitative, glissando-embellished, monorhythmic music of the blues and later jazz. We learn about Louis Gottchalk's first use of the African drum in classical music [performed in Europe] and why such instruments were banned in England's continental colonies and the early United States since 1739. We learn how Moorish, that is, black, line dance style was once the rage of western Europeans, and led to England's Morris dances. These are among the smallest of factoids that you will encounter reading this highly readable yet scholarly book.

Because I admire and particularly enjoy multidisciplinary cultural histories, Sublette's book is a feast. His explorations are ours. You will be fascinated, and you will be delighted. The book is an education. Buy it.

THERE'S ALOT OF GREAT PICTURES IN HERE!THIS BOOK TALKS ABOUT CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED MANSON,AND WHY.IT TALKS ABOUT CERTAIN " LABELS " GROUPS,AND PEOPLE GAVE HIM AND HIS BAND.IT TALKS ABOUT CHARLES MANSON,ALEISTER CROWLEY,AND ANTON LAVEY.THERE'S SO MUCH MORE INFORMATION IN HERE.THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS BEING TALKED ABOUT.THIS IS REALLY AN INTERESTING BOOK!YOU REALLY SHOULD BUY THIS AND THEN YOU'LL KNOW MANSON ALOT BETTER!

THIS BOOK COVERS ALOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.HE TALKS ABOUT ANTON LEVEY AND THE CHURCH OF SATAN.WHY HE HAS SO MANY " PERSONALITIES. " WHY HE DOES THE MUSIC HE DOES AND WHY HE CHOOSES THE SONG TITLES.HIS BELIEFS AND FEELINGS ON CERTAIN ISSUES.THERE'S SO MUCH MORE.THIS BOOK IS VERY INFORMATIVE.IT HAS ALOT OF EXCELLENT PICTURES!HE CERTAINLY IS A VERY INTERESTING PERSON!

This is one of the best Marilyn Manson books I've ever read, besides of course "The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell", without lies. which is mostly what you could find on a MM book.

I read it in 2 days. The way it is presented in organized is amazing. You learn about so much in so few pages. The only flaw is a few minor inaccuracies. Get this book!

This book reads like a "works cited" page for Marilyn Manson's life. It's basically a list of all the influences on his music, fashion, philosophy, religious views, and general tastes in things like movies and books. It also gives an explanation for why all of these are relative to Manson, although I'm sure this is in the author's perception and not his own. This book is a must for those that want to understand why Marilyn Manson is the way he is. It does a much better job than his own autobiography, which I consider to be more entertainment than knowledge. I highly recommend reading both books, they serve as excellent companions to one another since neither give the complete story.

This was an excellent story. I can hardly wait to get the next one in the series. She is a wonderful story teller.

Reviewed by Kim Peterson for Reader Views (9/06)

In Skingle Creek, Kentucky, hope feels nonexistent for residents of this typical 1892 coal mining town. Gifted teacher, Jonathan Stuart, brings unexpected beauty to their coal-dust covered lives with his storytelling and music. Then, someone steals Jonathan's flute and with it the ailing teacher's will to keep going. Most of his students come from mining families who barely eke out a living, yet, surely none of them would take his music from him. The possibility of someone he knows being involved in the theft adds to his grief.

Twelve-year-old Maggie MacAuley notices the frailness and sadness of her teacher and wonders how she can help. She collaborates with her best friend, Summer, and enlists the aid of her fellow students to raise the money to replace Mr. Stuart's flute. But in a town where survival has become the main focus, the girls experience difficulty motivating the town's people to pull together. Kindness and concern for others matter to them, but those emotions lie buried under their struggle just to survive.

Maggie hates to see her neighbors suffer and she wrestles with her own troubles. The hardships Maggie faces--Summer's illness, the teacher's weakness, two malicious bullies, and a needy family--drain her hope and her faith. Maggie puzzles on how God can know the needs of these people and seem to do nothing about healing or providing for His children. She tries to comfort Summer, but her friend often encourages Maggie instead. Then God uses Maggie, Summer, and the other children of Skingle Creek to impart a miracle. He touches the hearts of a few good men, including Maggie's father. Through the children's efforts, God reminds these men that loving and caring for others is part of His greatest commandment.

Hoff's touching story in "The Mountain Song Legacy" series will appeal to teens and adults. Although the tale in "A Distant Music" takes place more than a hundred years ago, readers will relate to the power of friendship and goodness when life beats you down. Reading about Maggie and her family reminded me that God often works in unexpected ways. Faith, hope and love really do overcome difficulties and even tragedy.

In the winter of 1892, someone stole the teacher's
silver flute. That was the day the music stopped in
Skingle Creek. Mr. Johnathan Stuart, the teacher
changed that day. Maggie MacAuley, and her friend
Summer Rankin want to give Mr. Stuart back his music.
They encourage others in the poverty-stricken
community to give to their music fund. But how can
they ever collect enough to buy a flute? Maggie and
her friend Kenny Tallman face two bullies. They need
to tell someone what is happening, but fear holds them
back.

B.J. Hoff, the writer of A DISTANT MUSIC is the
author of twenty novels. She wrote the American Anthem
trilogy and the Emerald Ballad series. She writes of
early America and the people who helped built the
country. She and her husband James live in Ohio. You
can find more information about Hoff and her books by
visiting her website www.bjhoff.com.

B. J. Hoff took the characters from a novella she
wrote called THE PENNY WHISTLE and expanded the story
to write A DISTANT MUSIC. Every chapter begins with a
quote. The quote at the top of chapter one sets the
tone for this novel. It is taken from the teacher's
diary, "Even the children are old in such a place."
The poverty and suffering of the children and their
parents is almost overwhelming.

Reviewed by Dell Klein Smith for AT HOME WITH CHRISTIAN FICTION
http://www.athomewithchristianfiction.com

This is one of the most touching -and tragical -books I have ever read. It will, I think, linger with me always, like a sweet dream from which one never wants to awaken.

A Distant Music is another captivating book by author B.J. Hoff. Mrs. Hoff has the ability to create such believable characters that you feel like you know them as friends when you close the book's final page. It's been over a year since I finished reading the third book in Mrs. Hoff's American Anthem trilogy, and yet I can still see the blind conductor Michael in my mind's eye. That same character realism is true for the teacher Jonathan Stuart and students Maggie MacAuley and Kenny Tallman in Mrs. Hoff's newest book, A Distant Music. This story is a touching reminder of how hard life was in another era for a struggling mining town. A tale where hardship breeds a desperation that nearly steals all beauty and hope from those caught in its grip, but where miracles still happen, spurred on by the undying faith of children. A Distant Music holds such wonderful prose and such realistic descriptions that I felt I was there. A page-turning, enjoyable read. I am definitely looking forward to the next book in The Mountain Song Legacy series.

The Eensy-Weensy Spider One of my granddaughter's all-time favorite books. Decided to get copies for two of my great-nephews, too.

Fantastic book for kids of all ages! I love it as much as my three-year-old grandchildren do, and every time we get this book out, they want me to read it several times. The fabulous colorful pictures are fun for the kids and for me, and are detailed enough to give us lots to talk about on each page, but not so detailed as to overwhelm young eyes. The only problem I have with Eensy-Weensy Spider is that I find it running through my mind at odd times, including when I wake in the middle of the night!

I love this book! The "expanded" version of the song is so much fun to sing! The kids in my class love it.

We LOVE this book. I used a few of the verses in this book to reinforce some sign language word we were teaching our daughter, and it helped her learn how to use "please" and "bed/sleepy". I totally don't know any toddler/children's rhymes, so this book has even helped me learn! We can sing along in the car now, even if I don't have the book!

This book is one of my sons favorites. (17 months) The illustrations are great and the authors make a cute little day-long adventure for the eensy weensy spider. The book is actually pretty long so it works well for a bedtime story. I would also suggest "The Lady with the Alligator Purse" and "Miss Mary Mack" by the same two authors. All three of these books are illustrated from a unique point of view that I think children like because they get to see things from a semi-birds view rather than their usual worms eye view.

We got this for my Uncle for Christmas, him being a deadhead. He said he will enjoy it over and over for years. He said it was like being there all over again. Based on his enjoyment of it, if it made someone half as happy, it would still be a big hit.

Not being a deadhead myself, I can say the person who received this as a gift absolutely loved it. I looked at many other books about the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, but settled on this one, and was glad I did. Great pictures and historical information about the dead ( from a non-dead head ).

What do we all think of when the Grateful Dead comes into our minds? Perhaps the obvious, Jerry, is the first thing that pops in. We may think o

This is a Large, Thick and Heavy Book.
Based on a Timeline that begins in 1940 and ends in 2003, this is Quite a Feast for the eyes. If you are New to the Music of The Grateful Dead and have never seen one of the other Hundreds of Books about The Band, this will fill you in on THOUSANDS of Details. If this Book was used as a Guide to bring you into the World that is The Grateful Dead, well... just be prepared to be Busy for a While.

For the Seasoned Head, lot's of this Information has been Covered elsewhere in the Past. But at the Same Time, here is just about everything there is all in One Place. The Visuals herein are Quite a Trip for your Head, and they are as much the Stars of this Massive Volume as the Twenty Tons of Dead Story contained within 480 Pages.

To sum it up...When they begin teaching: "Grateful Dead 101" at UC Berkeley, this will be the Textbook!
FIVE STARS !!!

Being an old timer when it comes to these guys, I have to give this book 6 out of 5 stars. It starts way back and takes nearly every day since (and in some cases before) the birth of each of their members, and just keeps moving on in pictures (some never seen before) and words (some never printed before!) Although I am not a Deadhead in the classical sense, I still love to skim through this book from cover to cover every now and then, and enjoy the details it provides and the memories are still there! Look up a date of a show you went to - or never went to - and see it there! A must for anyone who had the fortune to see the Dead play live - anytime and anywhere, and a must for those who never have!

The Dead live on through this book - the latest addition to the tomes that are out there on these fellows - go and get it!

Keep on Truckin'!

Recieved item on time, right when we were told it would arrive. Book in very good condition.

This Book seems to be a great tool; I have not had the opportunity to really get into it yet!I am sure I will enjoy!

This product has proven to be an outstanding reference for a teacher of any subject. If you're looking to elaborate on a concept studied in class, music is an outstanding way to relate to students. With the ease of downloading music, lesson plans may be materialized in a matter of minutes with authentic discussion to follow. It works beautifully with any unit. Additionally, the book is categorized for easy reference.

As the Video Hound's Guide is for movies, this book is for songs. It categorizes the songs logically so you can always find a song that relates to what you are teaching to help engage kids, help them connect the content to their world, and sometimes even teach content. (Maybe ask your school librarian to buy a copy if you do not wish to spend the money on it.)

Now in an updated and expanded fifth edition with over 14,000 songs added (and featuring over 35,000 songs overall), The Green Book Of Songs By Subject is a comprehensive and very strongly recommended, "user friendly" reference for looking up popular songs by subject. Basic topics such as Freedom, Rivers, specific states and cities, etc. are listed in alphabetical order; each listing is followed by appropriate song entries arranged by title. An especially excellent book for tracking down the title, composer, or publisher of popular as well as obscure songs, The Green Book Of Songs By Subject is a core addition to the reference shelves of academic music history reference collections, and would prove invaluable in the personal reference libraries of professional musicians, DJ's or music-writers who can't afford to waste time struggling to remember (or needing to track down) who composed, performed, or produced a given tune.

I have played for a few years now but I consider myself a noob and never thought in a million years I would be able to play Pantera. Thanks to this book I am able to play Revolution is my name, walk, and a few others. Not the solos of course. Pantera is my favorite band and I shed a tear the day Dime was taken from us. This book helped me play the music I love and I am very grateful to those who made this possible. Anyone who is a fan should buy this book.

Though it may not provide much in the way of theory, scales, or fundamentals, this book is a great insight into the style of one of rock music's greatest guitarists. Not only did it offer written and recorded examples of great riffs, intriguing solos, and useful exercises, it offered great practical tips for any serious guitarist. I poured through the book in under a week and it made me totally re-think several aspects of my playing. Riffer Madness reminds us of the importance of forgetting the rules and just playing great music.

This is a must buy for a Dimebag Darrell fan. This guy knew what he was talking about when it came to guitars.

Everything is transcribed perfectly.

My only beef with this book is that Darrell doesn't play on the CD.

I found the content to be pretty good. I am a big Dime fan so to just have his entire column in one book was great. I did notice that there is some bad tab but it's enough to get you going in the right places. Additionally I expected Dime to be playing on the CD instead of the author.

I first met "Diamond" Darrell in 1984 when he was only 17, and giving guitar lessons at Mansfield Music. I'd finally decided I really wanted to PLAY guitar, and not just bang on it. They tried several teachers, classical, and a country teacher. It just didn't work out, so the owner told me he had one more teacher, a kid with his own band. In walked a skinny kid with the biggest electric frizz hairdo I'd ever seen, Darrell. Each week, he'd take my list of 10 songs I wanted to learn, and if he knew them, would show me how to play them. If he didn't know them, he'd take the list home, and next week, he'd have all of them down pat. I learned more in that 18 months than in the previous 35 yrs! Ten yrs later, I went to a guitar show in Dallas, and was waiting outside the Dean showcase when I heard a voice call, "Hey, Everett! How're you doin'!". It was Darrell, there to put on a demo for Dean. Needless to say, there were some wide eyes around me after that! Darrell dropped everything to talk to me for about 10 minutes. That's the kind of guy he was. We lost a goodern, that's for sure. R.I.P. Darrell...

This book was a little wordy, even for someone who has incorporated a for-profit before. But the information is very consistent, and the forms provided and website references make this a very handy book to start with. Just make sure you want the right kind of 501(c)(3) that this book is written for first (public benefit), or he continually reinforces that this book is not right for you!

I find this really helpful and well written and organized as a book. The CD ROM with the forms are really helpful too (though I found an editing error in one of the forms..but nothing too major...just a spelling mistake (a typing error), that's all). I'm quite ready and less confused now that I have read this book. It also helps me to stop and think more about my organizational plan and such, so that it'll fit with the regulations about incorporation of non profit and the tax exempt status.

I was looking through the books on non-profit formation in a local bookstore, in downtown Palo Alto and ran into this title: my jaw dropped at the fact that there was such a perfect title for my needs. Not only was the book appropriately titled but the content helped me and my wife through the unfamiliar steps we had to take in order to incorporate our non-profit, Diabetes Hands Foundation, in California.

I recommend, along with it, The Budget-Building Book for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Managers and Boards and Managing a Nonprofit Organization in the Twenty-First Century. These three titles have been at the heart of the non-profit-related instruction we have picked up on in the past couple of months.

This is an excellent manual which answers all of the procedural and operating questions anyone could have about this topic. I heartily recommend it.

I am in the process of forming a nonprofit organization to benefit people with brain injury. An attorney friend suggested that I purchase this book which gives guidelines for setting up a nonprofit organization in California. Being a novice in the field of start up companies I have found this book to be without exception easy to understand and follow and gives you samples of forms and detailed explanations on how to file them with your local, state, and federal government. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in the process of beginning a nonprofit even if you have previous experience. It gave me the assurance that forms would be filed properly and the advise on writing the bylaws to the company.