Dance Books

I have loved each if Louise Erdrich's books that I have read. Her warmth and heart come through perfectly in this journal of birth. She has been blessed by the same goddess who has nurtured every woman during her birthing times from time immemorial. Highly recommended to all women who love life. And all men who love them.

It seems that a week doesn't go by when I see a woman on the subway or in a coffee shop reading a book from the What to Expect When You're Expecting series. Those detailed tombs of writing seem to be sent to people planning or in the process of rearing children as if by storks. (I've even heard of some workplaces keeping the book What to Expect... in the human resources supply closet, to be given as a gift when a woman announces she's pregnant.) However, upon reading some chapters from those books and informal discussions with mothers, a theme that reoccurs is that some women will explicitly instruct others not to read those books. Why? Not because they don't contain a plethora of knowledge but precisely because they do. That is, these can wind up really scaring a parent-to-be because they contain all the zillions of possible physical and emotional things that can go wrong during pregnancy and the first years. I think everyone can agree that raising the anxiety level, especially of a woman during pregnancy, is quite a less than desirable outcome.

What if there was a book that spoke honestly about the experiences of pregnancy and childbirth and, more importantly, treated these experiences as natural events rather than listing all the possible things to be feared? Better yet, what if there was a book that did all those things and spoke of the spiritual aspects of pregnancy and children, in a gentle and non-denominational way? Well, a book with all those features and more is available in this book.

Erdrich is of Native American ancestry and a writer by profession. Her background is rich with symbolism and spiritualism and is wonderful at weaving her story into the passage of seasons. At times I felt I was really looking through her eyes in the room where she wrote, looking out at a large picture window in her remote rural home. She saw the lives of various wildlife, from all types of birds to deer to wild dogs, intertwine with the passage of time from the beginnings of her pregnancy through the first year of her daughter's life. This book seems to be very realistic primarily because it does not compartmentalize pregnancy or infancy; Erdrich does not shy away from concurrent events in her life including changes in relationship with her husband, observations of nature, memories from her own childhood and recipes she craves during pregnancy or for their nurturing powers.

In more popular baby manual-type books, the subjects of actual labor, sleep deprivation, nurturing "instincts," and patience are sometimes glossed-over or described in such a way to possibly make a parent feel guilty for not automatically possessing certain qualities. This is yet another way that Erdrich's book masterfully succeeds as she lovingly and with understanding tackles these and other important subjects. She describes with humor and passion of a "no-sleep week" by stating how she wanted to call 911 Emergency because her baby wouldn't sleep. She describes the situation: "It happens to be a long crying bout, nothing wrong physically, just growth, maybe teeth. Why knows? Sometimes babies just cry and cry... in my office, with her in the crib next to the desk, I break through a level of sleep-deprived frustration so intense I think I'll burst, into a dimension of surprising calm," (71).

Erdrich speaks of the "tender and grueling task of rearing a newborn," (6) with such a fullness and richness of spirit that I cannot help but be moved by her descriptions. I highly recommend this book not only to anyone personally considering parenting but also to educators and anyone interested in the mutual development of a parent and an infant. I think it could also serve as an excellent supplement for all students in any Infancy and Child Development course. The best summary for her book is by Erdrich herself. In the introduction she states: "These pages are a personal search and an extended wondering at life's complexity. This is a book of conflict, a book of babyhood, a book about luck, cats, a writing life, wild places in the world, and my husband's cooking. It is a book about he vitality between mothers and infants, that passionate bond into which we pour the direct expression of our being," (5).

Fine book, can be read again and again. Would be a great book to give an expecting mother or new mother.

A beauftifully written book about birth, motherhood, and nature. I read this book when I was 9 months pregnant, in preperation of my own upcomng birth year and I was not diasappointed. It is lyrical, profound, and prolific. You will especially enjoy this book if you are at all in awe of nature. The way she weaves it into the life cycle and observes and commments on the surroundings of her rural New Hampshire home painted a beautiful backdrop for her experiences of birthing and rearing an infant through the four seasons. I highly recommend this book to anyone, regardless of family circumstances. It can be enjoyed by all as simply an incredibly well written, woman focused book.

I loved this book when I first read it before my daughter was born. Re-reading it now, as a new mother, I find it even more remarkable. Louise Erdrich has perfectly captured both the frustration and surpassing joy of life with a new baby. The book is also a beautiful nature narrative, with observations on the changing of the seasons interwoven with the story of a child's first year. Highly recommended!

Excellent! We bought this book to take a tour of the blues through Missippi. We followed many of the suggested spots and even met some of the people mentioned in the book. Use it as the definitive tour guide to the blues.

Some of the directions could have been better, like Robert Johnson's grave site. It wasn't really clear how to get to downtown Greenwood, MS, but we eventually got there!
Lots of good information. Stumbled upon MS John Hurt's grave while trying to find Robert Johnsons, so that was a plus.
All blues lovers and enthusiasts should get this book before your journey. Lots of good information about the area, and details about the musicians you want to know more about!

This book is all you need to plan a trip to the true Delta blues spots. book is set up perfectly for a road trip and very honest and detailed. Top Notch!

If you are going south on a blues trip, you need this book. It is full of great info and directions to many, many graet sites of the blues. Highly recommended.

I highly recommend this book for anybody considering a Blues trip into the Delta. It is the best available resource on the market. Looking at its competitors, they all miss the mark due to either outdated, incomplete, or just plain incorrect information.

I have just completed a Delta blues trip and read the book after I returned. Having actually done such a trip provides a very authoritative vantage point from which to judge any such work.

Our trip was preceded by 6 months of online research into every aspect of the Delta and surrounding areas. Over 100 pages of information were accumulated prior to departure. The trip itself covered nearly a 1400 mile loop by car that began and ended in New Orleans. So many of the stops we made along the way ~ Jackson, Ms.; Greenwood, Ms.; Clarksdale, Ms.; Helena, Ark.; Memphis, Tenn.; all the historic gravesites; the prisons and the plantations were all covered in Steve's book. He certainly did his homework. (For goodness sake, he moved there as part of the overall immersion process, LOL!)

We met Steve in Helena while he was lecturing and playing at the `Blues on Main Street' exhibit opening at the Delta Cultural Center on Cherry St. He is proficient at both. It was there we bought the book that got carried home and subsequently read after the fact.

If you don't have 6 months to do your own research, just buy his book and read it in a week. He covers everything. Then take it with you and use it as a guide on the road.

(p.s. Plan your trip so it somehow involves the WC Handy awards in Memphis in late April, as well as the Beale Street Music Festival that follows that weekend).

You could fill a book with all the information I _don't_ know about Brazilian music... In fact, these guys already have! Concise, conversational, informative and very well laid out, this is an exceptionally readable book. Chapters on samba, bossa nova, tropicalia, forro and jazz include focused biographical sketches of dozens of key artists, as well as succinct historical information about the progress of Brazilian music from its European and African folk roots into its bewildering and often beautiful modern offshoots. The book's focus is nonpartisan: although there is plenty of room for aesthetic criticism within the various styles, the authors generally hold their preferences and dislikes to themselves. They do, however, give readers a good sense of which recordings might be best to check out -- an invaluable service considering how little of Brazil's vast musical output makes it to the United States. Highly recommended! Certainly the best English-language guide to Brazilian pop that you will find in print (online is a different matter), this is great for casual listeners and hardcore fans alike.

The Brazilian Sound is good as far as it goes - a who's who list and discography of 20th century Brazilian music. Although, the book has the feel of a junior college textbook, it's written in plain language. It would be a relatively easy read if it were not that a parenthetical list of Brazilian names breaks up every third or fourth paragraph. There are some very informative passages - notably the chapter on Bossa Nova and the "Escolas de Samba" section of Chapter 2. At their best, the authors provide clear and comphrensive explanations of the geneology and sociological context of the music.

Unfortunately, unless a person is willing to spend countless shopping hours and a couple of thousand dollars building up collection of Brazilian records, he or she will gain almost no insight from this book into what the music feels like. The authors describe individual works and artists in only vague terms - terms often identical to those previously used to describe others. They beat the term "syncopation" into irrelevance - it's clear only that all Brazilian music is syncopated. The authors habitually refer to folk music genres and song forms ala "Composer X's work is all based on the Y song form..." But they provide no practical examples or definitions of those genres or forms.

The authors stridently dumb-down their text, accepting as axiom that one has to "hear it to believe it" and that it is meaningless to describe Brazilian music in technical terms. They generally refrain from even using common musical terms - bar, measure, pulse, key, etc. - to give the reader a clearer understanding of Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic structures. They use few effective musical comparisons or verbal metaphors. It is understandably difficult to describe music in writing. But it is possible. Judicious use of metaphor, comparisions, and technical descriptions would have greatly fleshed out what in the end comes off as a skeletal text.

This 1998 edition serves as the update to the first, apparently published in 1990 or 1991. However, the amendments appear to have been quite minor - embodied by an isolated paragraph here and there, and four meager pages in the final "More Brazilian Sounds" chapter. It's as if nothing has really happened in the evolution of Brazilian music since 1990 - an impression that must be wrong.

The Brazilian Sound catalogs decent research, but is neither good writing nor effective music history.

The best book about Brazilian music in English, "The Brazilian Sound" is a beautifully written, in-depth guide to samba, bossa and other Brazilian genres. Many of the reviews below are on the mark, but BGB from WA seems not to have read the book (or to have read a different book!). The 1998 edition substantially upgrades the original 1991 version. There is much added in terms of early history, capoeira, racial issues, choro, and the blocos and afoxes in Bahia. There is more on important artists from the 1990s, like Marisa Monte, Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, Chico Cesar, Chico Science and Karnak, though these additions are in various chapters, not just the final one ("More Brazilian Sounds"). One needs to have actually read the book to know that, of course...The music is nicely described, in both musical and cultural terms. One gets a strong sense of how it sounds, and a clear understanding of its rhythmic, harmonic and melodic ingredients. Some of the writing is rather encyclopedic, dispensing a rather staggering amount of information, while many sections vividly convey a sense of the music. I often felt I was at a bossa nova club in '59, at an escola de samba rehearsal, watching one of the 1960s song festivals, or attending a forro party. "The Brazilian Life" brings to life both the current and past greats of Brazilian music. As a result, I added quite a few CDs to my collection, especially of artists like Milton Nascimento, Pixinguinha, Jobim and Marisa Monte. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

An excellent book for anyone who wants to explore Brazilian music beyond the well-known classics. Helps place current and past musicians in their historical contexts; helps you understand who influenced whom, etc. The book will pay for itself just by helping you guide your ever-growing collection of Brazilian CD's (hard to stop once you get started)!

A lively and well-written book, The Brazilian Sound provides a broad overview of the remarkable spectrum of musica popular brasileira, from samba, bossa nova and forro to tropicalia, choro and Brazilian rock. It takes us on a journey both through the evolution of Brazilian music and the history of Brazil, and places artists like Jobim within a cultural context that helps us appreciate their music all the more. One comes away with a solid grasp of the major artists and genres of Brazilian music, as well as their impact on the "North American Sound." There is an extensive glossary at the end that is worth the price of the book alone, and an exhaustive discography.

The authors succeed in bringing the music to life, whether they are conveying the playfulness of the choro musical style, placing the reader at an Olodum concert in Salvador, or describing a samba-school rehearsal on a "hot and humid night in Rio de Janeiro." For the latter, they write, "Surdos (bass drums) pound out a booming beat, and their incessant drive provides the foundation for the rest of the bateria, the drum-and-percussion section that will later parade triumphantly during Carnaval. Snare drums called caixas rattle away in a hypnotic frenzy, and above them tamborins (small cymbal-less tambourines that are hit with sticks) carry a high-pitched rhythmic phrase like popcorn in an overheated pot. Enter the sad cries and humorous moans of the cuica (friction drum), the crisp rhythmic accents of the reco-reco (scraper), and the hollow metallic tones of the agogo (double bell). Other percussion instruments add more colors, the ukelele-like cavaquinho adds its high-register plaintive harmonies, and the puxador (lead singer) belts out the melody...." Such vivid and elaborate descriptions helped me make sense of the wall of sound that is samba, and made me want to book the next flight to Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval.

The second edition adds more historical information and brings the book up to date with musical developments in the `90s. There is extensive additional information about the origins of capoeira (the Brazilian martial art which is accompanied by music in training and which is gaining increasing popularity all over the world), and about racial issues in Brazil as reflected in popular music. There are new profiles of contemporary artists such as Marisa Monte, Nacao Zumbi, Karnak, Daude, Chico Cesar, Daniela Mercury, Timbalada, and Carlinhos Brown. The descriptions of Bahian percussionist-songwriter Carlinhos Brown's collaboration with Sergio Mendes (on the 1992 album Brasileiro) and his groundbreaking 1996 solo album Alfagamabetizado are especially memorable. This is a classic study of Brazilian music, a must for any world-music aficionado.

Fellow play readers say that this is one of the best plays they ever read. It made them weep, it changed their lives, it is the only the play they've ever loved. You can't argue with that. I have read this play several times myself, but for me it is a play that works but it does not work wonders. I am a great admirer of the Mel Brooks, Wood Allen, Neil Simon school of comedy. There should be a plaque on the Cross Bronx Highway alerting people that they are approaching the stomping grounds of America's greatest comedic generation. Of course, we know that it was the depression that incubated this batch of comedic geniuses. Simon, more so than the others, has mined this era, tapping his memories of love without any trace of irony or insight. His is one big sloppy family kiss on the forehead. Still his memories clearly are those of millions, and what seems corny and undramatic to one reader clearly has the power to bring others to tears. All the power to you, Mr. Simon.

I remember watching the movie version of Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" years back and thought it was fantastic. Now, years later, I decided to pick up the play and read it.

As usual with the written version, there is quite a bit more detail in the play. Eugene is the story's main character, and while his family struggles with all sorts of family issues. His brother Stanley comes to him with his dilemma about possibly being fired from his job. His cousin Nora, her sister and her aunt Blanche all live with the Jerome family in their Brooklyn home. Eugene's main concern is dealing with the rigors of growing up--and winning the World Series for the Yankees. His character really comes out in the play; there is the sense of witty spirit that he has in dealing with his family and his own problems. Another great aspect of the play is the sense of family spirit it evokes, especially in troubled times, and you see that in the final act when Eugene's dad is able to talk some sense into his wife and her sister, but Stanley as well.

Neil Simon's ability to create funny and memorable characters and a story that is both insightful and humorous makes this a fantastic read. It is easy to see how this play got adapted into a full length film. This play is the first in a series of three plays covering the life of Eugene Jerome.

If you enjoyed this book, another great movie or book to check out is Biloxi Blues, which is the second installment of this series. If you watch the film, it stars Matthew Broderick as Eugene, and narrates his exploits as he goes into the military.

Easy reading, but also very meaningful for the family.

The first of his three semi-autobiographical plays about the "Jerome" family, Neil Simon's BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS takes place in Brooklyn, New York toward the end of the Great Depression. Fourteen-year-old Eugene Morris Jerome (Simon's alter ego) is the protagonist and narrator of the play. Struggling to find his niche among his large, extended family, Eugene writes his own witty observations about them in his journal, sharing them with us as he does so. Yet the focus of the conflict is on the older family members (including Eugene's parents, Kate and Jack; his brother, Stanley; his cousin Nora; and his widowed Aunt Blanche), all of whom struggle daily to make ends meet. Though a comedy, BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS asks a serious question, one posed in earlier eras by playwrights like Clifford Odets and Arthur Miller: that is, how can one preserve one's morals and integrity in difficult economic times, when it is all one can do just to put food on the table? BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS is an affectionate though often painful family comedy; in it, Simon establishes characters for his two later "Jerome" plays, BILOXI BLUES and BROADWAY BOUND, while anticipating the impending WWII era, the setting for the former title.

"Brighton Beach Memoirs" by Neil Simon is just superb! I saw the movie before reading this play, and I love it, so I knew I would at least like the play. I *love* the play; it's become one of my favorites. I fell in love with all of the characters and just adore the feeling of family that comes through while reading it. With witty dialogue (that can truly be appreciated my by people of the Jewish faith), I couldn't stop laughing, smiling, and just enjoying myself. I recommend.

Brighton Beach Memoirs is a play about a fourteen-year-old boy growing up in 1937. The boy's name is Eugene Jerome. The play is divided into two acts. The first act is one night in Eugene's house. The second act is a week later in his house. Eugene is growing up in a hectic and eventful household of seven family members. He writes memoirs in his journal about his family and different events occurring in his life. During the play, Eugene share's his own personal thoughts with the audience. This really gives the audience an inside look on Eugene's life. I reall liked having this inside view. It really kept me into the book. Brighton Beach Memoirs was a real page turner. I highly recommend it!

No one has been able to capture so humorously the true madness of the Clinton years as well as Steve Gallagher has done with "Citizen Clinton: And Other Political Parodies."

This book works on several levels but is perhaps the most enjoyable for the student of contemporary politics - the more you know the funnier it is. While each parody is best read as a whole (and repeatedly to 'catch' it all) each page is so chock full of hilarity that a second copy to use as a bathroom reader would not be unreasonable.

If this book doesn't become a cultural icon from the waning years of Clintonism - it should.

No one has been able to capture so humorously the true madness of the Clinton years as well as Steve Gallagher has done with "Citizen Clinton: And Other Political Parodies."

This book works on several levels but is perhaps the most enjoyable for the student of contemporary American politics - the more you know the funnier it is. While each parody is best read as a whole (and repeatedly, to 'catch' it all) each page is so chock full of hilarity that a second copy to use as a bathroom reader would not be unreasonable.

If this book doesn't become a cultural icon from the waning years of Clintonism - it should.

Steve Gallagher has hit the Clinton-Administration on the head with his biting satire.

The players are portrayed with uncanny accuracy throughout each book section, and the obvious humour, seldom seen on the television networks, leaps out at the reader, and the memories flood back!

Steve has captured the essence of each character, and they become themselves in his parodies of "Hannity & Colmes", "Howard Stern", "The Odd Couple", and the insanely accurate "Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World of Politics"

This one will make you laugh-out-loud!

Steve Gallagher has given us, in "Citizen Clinton & Other Political Parodies", a literary box of chocolates. A delicious variety of stories which you'll have to resist finishing all too quickly. The names of the characters are familiar, and the dialogue is devilishly refreshing. You'll be simultaneously shocked and tickled. Whether or not you're a reader of Clinton books, this one is unique and a must-have.

With scathing humor and a rapier wit, the author reaches down to puncture the pompous arrogance of the Clinton regime, and shame the current class of toadies that surround them.

Parodying old movies and current TV shows, Steve Gallagher re-imagines the scenes with the all-too-familiar cast of today's scandal makers. While most of the scenes are hilarious, laugh-out-loud funny, like any great artist the author has included textures and backgrounds that you only notice out of the corner of your mind. It is a great pleasure to discover these subtleties as you re-read the parodies (which you will).

We may have "Clinton fatigue", but you'll never have "Citizen Clinton" fatigue. This book proves that all of the really good political humor comes from the conservative side of the aisle. Get it for yourselves, and your friends of all political stripes; it's never too early to shop for Christmas presents :-)

I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. Take a look at ..... site regarding the first chapter of Crackpot. It is as wild as the book. Many of the links are gone, but many are still there. Loved this book.

This collection of essays is one of the most compulsively readable, and re-readable, books I have ever owned. I was drawn to it, as you might expect, by my enjoyment of Waters' camp classics. But to be honest, I enjoy Waters the essayist at least as much, if not more, than Waters the filmmaker. Waters' films, and particularly Pecker, Serial Mom, and Hairspray, set the scene for the miscellany of obsessions which animate this book. Crackpot offers a comforting way to understand Waters' recent turn to a more conventional cinematic venue: these films are *also* celebrations of his passionate likes (and dislikes).

Waters writes a witty and acerbic prose, which conveys genuine passion for his obsessions, obsessions which include trials, the National Enquirer, Woody Allen's Interiors, dangerous candy, menthol cigarettes, and Christmas. His preferred methods seem to be the catalogue and the reminiscence: Waters' list of 101 things he hates, and 101 things he loves, are obsessive ruminations on the everyday, and Waters' methodical survey of his everyday touches gives new meaning to the sublime *and* the ridiculous. Most memorable to me, perhaps, is his LA Tour, a pre-OJ intinerary of murder, mayhem, and showbiz, and his loving tribute to the Enquirer. But his celebration of William Castle, or shame-faced coming out as a fan of avant garde, his ritualistic account of Christmas and his loving descriptions of his interests, home, and personal history all make for a case study of obsession that feels both candid and arch, in Waters' inimitable, and paradoxical way. If you read it once, you're going to read it again.

First, let me say that this book should have more universal appeal than do his movies. We all know that his movies are just too gross for some people to stomach, but there's nothing here that any adult reader should find offensive. If you enjoy homorous writing, a la Woody Allen, Steve Martin, Joe Queenan, David Sedaris, etc., you should find this little volume right up your alley.

Waters displays an acerbic, eccentric, but highly insightful comic sensibility. There are fifteen short pieces here, which first appeared in various magazines during the mid '80s, primarily NATIONAL LAMPOON (When it was still funny) and AMERICAN FILM.

The book opens with a bang, in one of the funniest pieces, "John Waters tour of L.A." Needless to say, this is not the L.A Chamber of Commerce "official guide." He takes us to some of the seamier sights, including the spot on Hollywood Boulevard where you can catch "the legless, one-armed white guy who break-dances on the street for horrified families as they stroll up the Walk of Fame." He also offers some timely,timeless advice for when you're driving around L.A: "Never look at pedestrians; they're the sad faces of L.A., the ones who had their licenses revoked for driving while impaired."

There really aren't too many weak entries in the collection. He does go a bit over the top in his rhapsodizing of Pia Zadora, perhaps, in an article devoted to that queen of glitz, but one comes to expect "over the top" from Waters. Who would want it any other way? He's also very much the exaggerator when it comes to his likes, "Puff Piece (100 Things I Love)and his dislikes: "Hatchet Piece (100 Things I Hate)." Amongst the things he most admires are Supermarket Tabloids: "Then I gazed at the great LAS VEGAS SUN wire-photo of a giant ostrich, escaped from a zoo chasing a totally bewildered middle-aged woman down the street. Every time I see her horrified expression, the creative juices start to flow." Not content with this passing mention, he writes an entire article entitled WHY I LOVE THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER as a paean to that fine bastion of journalistic integrity.

Some of Waters' images do convey a bit more of the "so banal it's hysterical" quality of his movies, as when he conjures up "a fancy Santa," in a piece called WHY I LOVE CHRISTMAS.
"Why hasn't Bloomingdales or Tiffany's tried a fancy Santa? Deathly pale, this never-too-thin-or-too-rich Kris Kringle, dressed in head-to-toe unstructured, oversize Armani, could pose on a throne, bored and elegant, and every so often deign to let a rich little brat sit NEAR his lap before dismissing his wishes with a condescending 'Oh darling, you dont REALLY want that, do you?" I mean, really, wouldn't you just love to have John Waters' private phone number and be able to shoot the breeze with him about popular culture? No!! you say? Well then this book's not for you. However, if you enjoy mordant, biting wit, and a breezy, conversational style of writing, this book is definitely for you. It was sent me by a friend. I'm going to be sending a few copies out to other friends now. Who knows, maybe we could start a John Waters cult?

BEK

This is absolutely the funniest book that ,Baltimore Bad Boy, John Waters has ever wrote! This book made me laugh out loud several times to the point that I'm sure my significant other may have harbored thoughts about having me committed.

This is the book that piqued my intrest in John Waters over ten years ago before I could even be called a teenager.

For a man with such a reputation for being "filthy, perverse, trashy, etc., etc., etc.", this book ggives the reader a delightful gllimpse into his bouyant and often child like mind. Whether raving over meeting with Pia Zadora, listing the events of a truly hellish day, or giving a guided tour of Los Angeles as only he can, he guides the reader along in a cheerful skip, full of bounce and frolick.

Even for one who's unfamiliar with his films, this book is a light, quick read sure to entertain and provide laughs, crating a vivid and lovable image of the man known to so many as "The Prince Of Puke"

Every hobby has one or two definative books. This is it for clowning. Everything I wanted to find out and more. Like any good reference book it started me down the path and I have read several books recommended.

If you are going to get into clowning you need this book.

Having read four customer reviews of this book, I might have had high expectations. Maybe I didn't realize it's true value at first, but after learning various skills, you may want to try others, which didn't catch your interest at first. Then you realize how powerful a tool this book is.

Until now I've focused on juggling and unicycling. The book not only teaches you how to ride a unicycle, -it also provides a lot of amusing variations. Though I knew how to ride before buying this book, it taught me how to ride in a very ridiculous way, seemingly out of control. I've experienced a tremendous effect when acting upon these hints in front of an audience. ...

Just recently I grew interested in the stiltwalking sections and made a pair of wooden tie-on stilts. I'm not exactly an engineer, but following the instructions, all I needed was a saw, some wood, a drill, some glue, some bolts and screws.

Reading the ingenious instructions given sometimes make me laugh out loud, thinking of how it would work in real life. The illustrations are really amusing, and I do enjoy all the hints on starting a clowning business. Lots of detailed information.

Also, the book is packed with numerous jokes and material that can be used for shows. The next stage for me will be learning how to twist balloons into different animal shapes.

I was actually looking for a book on how to put on clowns' make-up for my unicycling. This book is all you need to know about various types of make-up for various clown types, plus so much more. If you're thinking about clowning, either for fun or for money, I highly recommend this book!

My absolute favorite clowning book! If you can only get one clowning book get this one! Covers everything!!! Whenever I am writing clown shows I always go to this book. There are so many skit, gag and prop ideas in this book to build off of. It is truly GOLD!!! In addition to all the skit, gag and prop ideas it also covers make up techiniques as well as costuming. This book stays not on my book shelf or even out on a table but in my truck, so I always have access to it even when I am at work. I think one of the things that really makes this book so special to clowning is the fact that it is not just one author, there are around 10!! Each one writing on their speciality or passion.

I really wish they would come out with a second eddition of this book that would include websites and email address of clown scripts, ideas, gags, etc.

I'm considering setting up as a childrens entertainer, so I purchased a good few books. This is without doubt the best of the bunch.

The book covers lots of aspects of clowning, gives great ideas, and is an easy read.

The only downside is that it does not have space to go as in depth in some areas as I would of liked - but there are plenty of speciality books to do so.

I thought this book was informative, extremely informative for new clowns. You get a history of clowning, pictures of famous clowns, and jokes on most of the pages to use when performing. There is a chapter on how to develop your own clown character which also explains the different types of clowns (Whiteface, Auguste, Tramp and Character), their makeup and their character. Mimes are not excluded either! Topics covered are: clown outfits, props, routines, expression, timing, and working with partners. There are even chapters on balloon art, puppets, juggling, stilt walking, unicycling, and balancing objects. I found the last few chapters very helpful. They gave tips on designing your own business cards so people won't throw them away and how to get bookings and also how much to charge. There is a great Publications and Organization section full of books and suppliers. I would certainly recommend this book to any one who is interested in clowning around! This book has it all!

Staci Layne Wilson brings her knowledge of horses to her first contemporary romance, THE DANCE. With the engaging animals, charming plot, and warm spirituality, readers will find this novel difficult to put down.

A horse whisperer, Tamara Woods lives a simple philosophy of life by taking one day at a time and remaining ever mindful of her faith. Then Blake Jefferson brings his cantankerous horse Raven Rocket for help. A widower, Blake's bitterness has caused him to turn against his God. He works himself and his horse too hard which causes the burnout that lands Raven Rocket in Tam's care. He asks for her phone number and love takes care of the rest.

Demonstrating that her ability to write inspirational romance easily matches her ability to write the macabre, Staci Layne Wilson creates a warm romantic read with her debut romance novel, THE DANCE. Spirituality subtly overlays this delightful romance, while not overwhelming the plot. Indeed, Wilson's love of animals and remarkable characterizations provide a profoundly satisfying reading experience that comes Very Highly Recommended.

I am a horselover, so that why I bought this book (I got mine as an e-book, tho). I really loved this book because it was well written with a good story. I noticed some of the other reveiws say that you really care about these characters and that is so true. The horses were also "characters" - this book was really super, and I'm glad I found it (thru a news group).

I'm an long time fan of Miss Layne-Wilson and was very anxious and curious to read her attempt at romance. I have greatly enjoyed her horror, also being a horse person myself I checked out her training books and was thrilled at her insite. They helped me and my horses better understand each other. So when I heard a combo of horse and romance was in the making I impatiently waited. It was everything I hoped for. The horsey parts put me in heaven. What could be better than horses and romance? She wove a wonderful story of love and triumph. It was inspirational. I think it is a romance for everyone. Heartfelt and moving. I would recommend this book to anyone and have bought it as the perfect christmas gift for the romance lover in the family. I'm sure you'll love the latest book in the multi-talented authors collection. Thank you Miss Layne-Wilson! Keep up the great work and I look forward to your next book. Which is??? and when!

If I am to give a one-word summary of The Dance, Staci Layne Wilson's debut inspirational contemporary romance (I know, what a mouthful), I'll say Charming. Of course, it doesn't sway from the Christian heroine teaching the strayed hero to believe and love again plot, but it is... well, charming.

Tamara Woods is a nice lady who could be the next The Horse Whisperer, being very good with horses that she is, but her philosophy of life is simple - take one day at a time and live according to her faith. Blake Jefferson is the bitter, jaded one. He lost his wife, blames God, and becomes the modern Ebenezer Scrooge. He works his horses into a frenzy to make more money for himself, and one day, when his horse experiences job burnout, he brings the horse to Tammy for therapy. He asks for her phone number, and from there onwards, love is in the air.

No, there's no high-flying horse-fixing crime ring to bust or murdered bookies to solve in The Dance. It's a simple, utterly - er, charming tale of people falling in love and overcoming the obstacles in the way of the happy ever after. Best of all, Tammy doesn't grate - she's not exactly one of those chirpy, irritatingly perky and guileless Pollyannas. Instead, she is a wonderfully kind and generous soul who clearly deserves her happy ending. Blake starts out a little bit wooden, but hey, he gets into the act soon enough.

And it's romantic. Right down to the simple but apt last sentence, The Dance manages to capture the mood of a courtship between two people made for each other just right. This book is charming. And even that horse is charming.

I am really thrilled with the way inspirational romances are being written these days and this one is no exception. It gets the message across subtly without turning the reader off that it is an inspirational.

Tamara Leigh Woods, or Tam to her friends, is a horse trainer and a Christian. She believes in getting into the horse's head in order to feel what they are feeling while she trains them. It works for her.

Blake Jefferson brings his dead wife's horse Raven Rocket to Tam to see what she can do with him. Rock misses his mistress and is showing out. Blake is so bitter about his wife being killed that he just can't get past it and Rock can sense his emotions to the point where he just doesn't want Blake around him.

As Tam and Blake work together with Rock, they develop a rapport with each other and with Rock. Blake pulls back when he feels that they are getting too close because he just isn't quite ready for a serious relationship. Tam understands this but it still hurts because she feels as if she's finally falling in love for the first time. She decides that she will bide her time but doesn't want to wait too long because she's ready for a serious relationship and to settle down and have a family. Will Blake come around or will Tam be disappointed and have to start all over with a relationship again?

This was a sweet inspirational story about how love conquers all. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more stories from Staci Layne Wilson.

Dance Into Destiny is a wonderfully "edgy" yet not "preachy" novel that tackles real issues people deal with in their daily lives. Through the lives of Keeva and Shara, the reader experiences what it's like to live a life abundant with material wealth, yet be miserable; to know your purpose and destiny, yet not be able to enjoy the freedoms God provides.
Ultimately, through special relationships, both women gain balance in their personal and professional lives. This is a coming of age story that is worth reading.

Sherri Lewis did another fantastic job with this book. The story was written in a way in which I could feel the emotions from the characters as if they were right here next to me. I love the Christian message that the books gives to its readers. I can't wait to read Sherri's next book.

Once again Sherri Lewis has pulled it off. Just as she did in "My Soul Cries Out", Sherri creates a believable story of friendship and love.

What I liked most about this book is how important having a personal relationship with God is shown and how without that relationship, one can't be truly happy.

And just like I told Sherri after reading "My Soul Cries Out", I need a sequel.

In the book Dance Into Destiny by Sherri L. Lewis, Keeva Banks had been kicked out of one prestigious school and was now on the brink of flunking out of another and being cut
off financially by her parents. Keeva was used to getting everything that she wanted from
her parents as long as she lived the life they wanted for her to live. Keeva's dreams
of becoming a dancer as a little girl died when her father pretty much planned her profession and pushed his ideas of success on her. Keeva was in a relationship that long ago lost its luster and had a group of girlfriends that she could care less about hanging out with. It was now the end of the semester and grades were soon to come. She needed to study and get a good grade on her finals. Keeva did not think that things could get any worse until she was assigned to work with a homely looking girl on a school project. The stress was unbearable and her only release was going back to her first love, but little did she know that she would find a greater love during this journey.

Shara Anderson worked hard in school and for the youth in her community. She
wasn't into fashion, dating, and all of the frills and thrills that many sought after in
college. Shara, the daughter, of a strict pastor had always been in the church and was now saved. Shara's passion was the youth and helping to motivate them to achieve good grades and instill faith that they could be more than what their environment dictated. From the outside it seemed as if everything in Shara's life was in order, and things perfect. Shara was more concerned about helping people than having a personal life. Shara focused on helping the kids and her new project partner, Keeva but did not feel
that she could do enough for either. She met the potential youth pastor, Quinton and fights the growing attraction to him Shara could not deny the similarities between him and her. Shara had a hard time breaking free from the strict teachings of her father concerning men and allowing herself to get a complete makeover to be the woman of God that He created her to be.


Quinton Mercer was in a new town, ready to work with the youth of Kingdom Builders Christian Church, which was located in the inner city, to build up the kingdom of God. Quinton's motives were pure although not well thought, thinking that money could buy
the kids and was only temporary. Quinton and Shara had to work together since he was
seeking the position of youth pastor and she was one of the youth leaders. Quinton felt
something in his spirit stir as she began talking about her vision for the youth. He did not worry too much about her disheveled look. Quinton fell for Shara at first sight and was glad that she did not recognize him from the basketball court. He was trying to outrun his own demons. God can only heal what is revealed!



It was a great book ; I could barely put it down and I was done with it too quickly. I could visualize the storyline and connected with each character. It is an excellent read! It is heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time, but truly is exemplary of our God and how he uses what the devil means for the bad and turns it into something good.

Reviewed by: Lacha' Mitchell
AAMBC -Book Reviewer

Shara Anderson and Keeva Banks are the two main characters in this book about friendship, love and letting go of the past.
Keeva Banks parents have money to send her to the school that THEY want her to go to, so she can graduate to become who THEY want her to be.
Keeva's boyfriend Mark is wrapped up in his own self and what Keeva can give him. He couldn't careless about what she wants. Now Keeva has reached a time in her life where she has begun to questions herself as to why she isn't doing things to make herself happy. Her unhappiness has started to affect her grades, and grad school has become a place where instead of listening to the professor, she day dreams on how to let go of her current "purposeless" life. But the big question is how and then what?

Shara Anderson is doing exactly what makes her happy. Her relationship with God is a healthy one and she is also in grad school pursuing a Masters in Education. The main highlight in Shara's world is her track and tutoring programs for the less fortunate children in the area. But Shara's life is robotic
and one sided...Shara often speaks of her intimate relationship with God and her satisfaction when helping others; but never speaks of her past and how that may have been the catalyst to her current situation.
Yes, Shara walks the Christian walk but why is she lacking balance?

Pick up this excellent book and learn how two very different young women are thrown together and how they deal with their past issues and current friendships.

I liked how the author gave us a glimpse of all the characters personalities while still keeping the focus on the two main characters.
Ms Lewis embraced the sub plots while she kept on point, never losing sight of the main storyline, producing a well rounded novel that had my full attention.
The epilogue answered the one question I had and I finished this read with a smile.


Locksie
ARC Book Club Inc.

'Fly fishing is solitary, contemplative, misanthropic, scientific in some hands, poetic in others, and laced with conflicting aesthetic considerations. It's not even clear if catching fish is actually the point' is what the author shares and what I 100% agree with!

Loving Scotland and fly fishing (as well as New Zealand) I love his Chapter 8 titled Scotland and where he writes on page 89 of how the river was held in private hands and 'rented' out which was a subtle reminder to me of how fortunate I am to be able to drive a mere six miles to the Mokelumne here in the Sierras of California and with my California fishing license and my rod and a few flies, fish to my hearts content for native trout no less.

The book is well written and part diary, part educational how to and in an odd way but a positive way, a lesson in the mysteries of fly fishing and the people who are drawn and hooked for life.

You don't have to be a fly fisherman to enjoy Gierach, though it does help. When he waxes ecstatic over bamboo rods, or explains how the Green Drake mayfly (Ephemerella grandis) is differentiated from its cousins, E. doddsi and E. flavilinea, perhaps only a fisherman can understand exactly why this is so important.

But reading Gierach isn't something you do to learn about the technique or the science of fishing, or how to select a rod, or how to cast. He's more about the philosophy of fishing, about why we are willing to stand in the middle of a cold stream wearing silly clothes and waving a stick over our heads. He's the ultimate Trout Bum, to quote an earlier book, a man for whom there really is no other life, and who has made a modest living for years just celebrating this life. And of course he does this in a wonderfully witty way; no jokes, just a lot of observations that will still make you smile the umpteenth time you read them.

"Dances with Trout" is not just about trout fishing, or about fishing, for that matter. The "Scotland" chapter doesn't have much to say about how to fish for salmon; "Fool Hen" is about grouse hunting, and "In the Woods" is about still hunting for deer.

What ties all these stories together is Gierach's feeling of comradery with his hunting and fishing pals, and even more so, a real connection with the outdoors. In a time when for many, "outdoor sports" means something like racing through the woods in a snowmobile, tearing up the peace and quiet of a lake in a jetski or "four wheeling", Gierach writes about the simple pleasures of being outdoors and absorbing the world around you.

Gierach has a way of lulling the reader into a world of strange illusion. I keep forgetting I'm reading and start thinking I'm eaves-dropping at a campfire. The rhythm of a writer is important and can fan the flame of imagination or dowse it like cold beer on your last match. Dances fans, man...it fans! The stories within the covers are told like stories should be told...easy with lot's of real words. There's too many writers,today,who write like evil spawn of New Age English classes! John bucks 'em all and writes like a story teller...taunting us with worlds filled exotic adventures...like killing porcupines with rocks. Good stuff!

I'm an avid bass angler who has never done much flyfishing, but after reading a good Gierach,(they're all great,) I'm ready to head out to that little creek in Montana, or that bass pond in Texas, or even Scotland with a fly rod and join him. This was the first book of his I read and now I'm on my fourth. I love how relaxed and fun his writing is, and I, personally, can relate to a lot of his views and feelings about things. Even for the non-angler, John Gierach is alot of fun, even if you have no idea what the heck a #14 Royal Wulff is. If you're looking for some great reading, go with Gierach.

Eyes getting tired from tying those #18 cahills? Too Cold to fish? Sit back and go fishing with Geirach. Great Book, great stories!