Dance Books

I picked up this book to help me with my Jazz Studies classes. It is amazingly simple and clear, with just enough illustrations to make things easily understood, and a great dose of exercises for practical application. I found it clearly laid out and logically arranged. It's easy to find topics that I'm looking for just from the index, and there aren't pages of unnecessary information to go through before finding the needed resources.

You will need a clear understanding of music theory, but not necessarily of specific jazz, since vocabulary specific to jazz writing is defined and clarified.

The information is laid out as a reference, with information on each instrument, scale, chord, etc., carefully presented for quick reference.

O Autor dá um banho em matéria de pragmatismo. É um excelente material de ensino e um bom livro para pequenas consultas também. Traduz a didática americana da melhor maneira.
The author makes a goal on pragmatism. It is an excellent material for teaching and a good book for small queries as well. Translates the american-teaching way very best.

Well, I used old russian sources before, and had a lot of problems with understanding of voicings. I just can say - this book is amazing! Very clear, logical, exercises... if you need to know about how to change basic chords to more complex, this book is your helper.

The material presented is great, and will prove helpful in my study of arranging.

I did have one problem with the book however. In the introduction it states, "Because this book is intended for an expanded audience beyond students enrolled at Berklee, it includes substantial amounts of new text, many new musical examples, solutions to exercises and an accompanying CD."

Yes, it's all there except the solutions to the exercises and I am finding that frustrating. I contacted the publisher and got this reply:

Our Senior Editor clarified that the author meant the exercises begin with a measure of answers filled in for the student. They will clarify the "solutions to exercises" mention in the next printing of the book. My apologies for any confusion this may have caused you.

Anyways, I found this aspect frustrating and a hinderance to my getting the full benefit of this book.

This book is absolutely excellent. Like other Berklee Press books, it is easy-to-understand, and it offers exercises after each exercise to ensure that the lessons are etched in your brain through hands-on application. This book demystifies alot concerning voicings and chord scale theory, and I dare say that this and "Reharmonization Techniques" by Randy Felts should be the first books one reads before they read other fine arranging books by Sebesky, Riddle, Mancini and Grove. Many of those books focus more on style, with little if any explaination of jazz/chord theory. Once you get the essentials from this book, you'll gain way more from the other books.

This book starts with a lesson on chord theory, then simple 4 and 5 part voicings, as well as non-chord tone reharmonization. It then proceeds to tell you exactly how to write voicings in fourths, clusters, and upper-structure triads. In addition, it comes with a CD with recorded examples from each chapter of the book, so you can hear the subtle differences between the various voicings and effects.

This book is amazing!

One word of advice (speaking from my own initial misunderstanding): when reading the early chapter detailing "avoid notes", be sure to absorb and understand it as much as possible - it is the foundation upon which the later chapters on specialized voicings are built upon. This is the only part of the book where a decent grasp of jazz chord construction and tensions MAY be needed. In a nutshell, a note is avoided because: a.) It creates an nasty, dissonant interval with an essential chord tone, or b.) It creates an inteval with an essential chord tone that is uncharacteristic of that chord type (ie. a tritone in a Major 7th chord, etc.)

This is like the handbook version of the Being and Doing book by the same author. Something like a fist-aid kit in case of an "emergency" on stage or during a take. Break glass before storming off the set in disgust.

This is one the of the best approached to acting. It makes everything clear.
Also an easy read.

I'll admit that at first glance Eric Morris's System can seem scary and misaligned. But I believe it to be a very misunderstood system.

I too was skeptical in the beginning, but after studying this technique (with Eric, but mostly with Anthony Vincent Bova in NYC, Eric's protégé), and after seeing the difference from "acting" and what this Work creates, there's no way I'd ever go back to the "acting" form.

Eric Morris teaches the actor how to react honestly and in the moment, including everything that's going on inside and out-the other actor, the props, the imagined objects that one might be working for-that impels you to "do" whatever the character is required to "do", but out of a real reaction, not just because you're doing it.

I've studied Adler, Strasberg, Meisner, and with Robert Lewis. I've hashed through the process of verbs, actions, objectives, obstacles, and onward; and they're all good and dandy for figuring out what's going on in a script, what the characters are doing and why; but other than that, these techniques never helped me figure out HOW to make it real to ME... How to get to a place where I'm actually functioning from a real, organic, truthful state ... How to get to the point where I am "doing" all the script tells me to do, fulfilling the "actions," out of an honest REACTION to what's going on.... Not just "playing" as if I am; how, in essence, creating the realities of the character....

No matter where you go, all the great teachers (and actors) say the same thing, "Acting is reacting." Even the most used and cherished word in the actor's language, LISTENING, is about focusing outside of yourself and REACTING to what is there. This Work trains the actor to create the stimuli that will fulfill the demands of the piece, specifically, wholly, and with Truth.

For the most part, plays and movies are imagined circumstances, and we as actors, have to create stimuli to react from, so we're not just faking, or indicating our performance. I'd rather watch two people have a relationship on film or on stage, than two actors reciting words, no matter how well they "act" it. If they don't believe it, I won't. This System trains you to create those stimuli and REACT to them honestly, fully and truthfully.

A crucial part of Eric's System is based on Instrumental Work, which is the process of identifying blocks and fears and tensions to expression and, one-by-one, through the use of hundreds of exercises, eliminating them. It's really about self-awareness-learning about yourself and how you function, so you can "get out of your way" and function truthfully on stage or film and get to where you need to get to in a scene. I think this is the aim of every method, but I feel that this System is the only one to address the issues of the actor on a personal level. If I'm tense and depressed (in real life; me the actor), I'm not going to be able to REACT truthfully in a scene where the character has just won the lottery and is jumping with joy. If I push for the emotion, I'll be faking and will "act" that I'm joyful. If this is enough for you, then Eric's work is definitely not your thing. But if you're looking for creating reality and REACTING with truth, nothing surpasses this Work.

I know that Meryl Streep, Brando, Ed Norton, Johnny Depp, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, and a handful of other amazing actors don't fake it, don't just indicate the realities of the character and the circumstances. They create them. Be it imagined stimuli they are creating, or through the available stimulus around them, they open themselves up and REACT truthfully to everything -the other actors, the set, the space, the props, the object or person via Sense Memory, etc. I KNOW they do this for a fact! They've talked about it for years.

Eric helps you get to the place that they do-where you can function truthfully, where your instrument is accessible and available, where you are open and are willing to go where the character needs to go, emotionally, psychologically, and physically.

My advice is read Eric's books. If they pique any interest in you, if they strike a cord, study with Eric or Anthony, or at least contact them for further information about the system. I think you'll be quite surprised and utterly amazed at the tools this Work can provide you as an actor.

I give this book a fairly high rating because all acting technique is personal. An actor's job in receiving training is to simply find the approach that works best for the individual. Method acting simply means to find one's own method. While responses to acting texts, approaches and classes are always subjective, one should always remain open for new ideas.

That said I reject Eric Morris' approach to acting on a personal and professional level.

As every actor knows (or at least should know), his/her job is "to do nothing more than to be believable while telling the best possible story that serves the script" (Bruce Morris). Or as Stanislavski defines acting: "Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances". The root of an actor's technique must always be action. Again with Stanislavski: "while on stage, an actor must always be enacting something". Action verbs are the basis of all acting/storytelling craft. An audience does not pay precious money to watch an actor have an emotional moment, but rather to have the moment themselves.

All the great acting teachers, building upon the work of Stanislavski, have stressed the importance of finding and playing an action as opposed to an emotion. Robert Lewis, Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Michael Checkov and even Lee Strassberg (although he ventured too far into the emotional realm) all taught students to find the appropriate action and embrace that reality as the basis for their storytelling craft. Emotions are the by product of a person engaging in an action and either failing or succeeding in the quest to fulfill that action.

Eric Morris' approach, centers on "Being" exercises. He asks his students to simply get up in front of a group of people and simply "Be". As related in this book, he proceeds to grill them about their day and call them on the carpet for any false emotion as he dredges for some emotional moment. Morris' approach, at least to this reader, comes off as simply another example of acting teacher "power tripping" as well as pseudo-therapy hidden in the guise of acting. This approach simply leads to the teacher holding such power over his/her students as they become obsessed with pleasing the teacher as opposed to truly pleasing the audience.

This approach leads to emotionally crippling an actor. Actor's become obsessed with evaluating their acting on the basis of whether or not they "felt" the scene. If an actor finds they cannot reach the emotion, they immediately fill themselves with a great sense of guilt and personal disgust at their inability to produce an emotion. Acting should ultimately be a freeing experience as well as a fun and celebratory bit of life. Many acting teachers and actors, bowing under the weight of thousands of years of social stigma feel that they must deny the "fun" factor of acting and make it a painful and serious affair.

As any director or acting teacher can attest, when one simply asks an actor to "be" on stage, one will watch an actor squirm, blink and fold inside him/her self. Put an actor on stage and ask him/her to push a giant stone up a mountain, one will watch a fantastic story filled with all the emotional truth an audience could ever hope to find.

The key to acting is not "being" it is in fact "doing". Apparently Morris has a workbook that combines the two concepts. I will certainly read that as well- again the justification for the high rating. I am still learning my craft and I pray I will always continue to do so.

NO ACTING PLEASE is certainly worth reading and worth trying though so that one can form their own opinion. After trying Morris' approach, this review is simply my opinion. Proceed with caution.

I am personally an Eric Morris actor. I live in Los Angeles and I attend his workshop weekly. Having actually experienced his Craft personally and by watching hundreds of others come and go, and succeed and fail: it has become strikingly obvious to me that his Work works. One of the elements of this uniquely personal Craft is that it can be very overwhelming and emotionally draining. Through my two plus years of experience in the Work, I have found that very few Eric Morris actors actually uses the Craft exactly as it is intended. I believe as do many of my contemporaries that the Craft provides the actor with a limitless supply of "acting" tools, which encourage the actor to experience truthfully. It is painfully obvious that "truth" or an organic expression of impulses and emotions is severely lacking in theatre, television and on screen. There is not one person who has come to class and gone on stage who has not gone through a substantial growth. Being a student of acting my entire life, on a constant pursuit of truth in my work, and having over 25 teachers since first grade: I have found the one teacher on the planet who can answer all of the difficult questions actors ask about the mysterious art of acting. If you have a thirst for truth in your acting and in how you live your life, you foolish to remain ignorant of Eric Morris.

A very interesting book that will rattle the chains of any self respecting "Baby Boomer" with rock n roll memories from the 50's and 60's! Being in the middle of this target group: (Class of "67"/BEHS), I enjoyed this book immensely! Warning: do not give these quizes to anyone born after : 1960! They will give you a blank stare! :-)

This is a "fun" book to read. filled with lots of information that even a casual rock & roll fan might be expected to know . It's a book of quiz's and i have to admit i was REALLY surprised at how much i just didn't know or remember. But, a word of warning,don't write your answers in the book if you intend to let a friend (or 2) take the quiz's after you, use a scratch pad instead. The Oldies Music Aptitude Test is very reasonably price and certainly fun to read.....dale

My Boomer friends and I had a ball with this book - and then the kids wanted to 'play', too. Now my kids (30-somethings) grew up with my music for their lullabies and their lives in general. Imagine my chagrin to discover that these former 'Sesame Street residents' actually did better than we Boomers, in some cases! It was no consolation that they had learned it from me. As my son put it, "A test is a test, so stop crying and lose like an adult". It could have been worse - he COULD have called me a 'grown-up'. Sigh. Bring the generations together with these questions about the greatest era in music. Just check your ego at the door. Thanks, Barb, for a wonderful trip down memory lane. And next time we 'adults' play, we'll be sure to keep the kids locked out of the house!

There had to be something to all the praise over at Oldiesmusic.com about this book. So I bought it and now I understand. This is one truly different and fun trivia book. You know all those "multiple-guess" (yawn!) trivia books? Thankfully, this isn't like those at all! This one has funny categories and it's actually humorous! There are clever cartoons too that oldies lovers will really appreciate. Just take a look at the cover art, hahaha!

Spread the word, this is a super fun book and why it's not available in "real" bookstores is beyond comprehension. My college reunion is coming up and I'll bring this along with my lava lamp and Desiderata poster to set the mood. ;->

Best $... I ever spent on a trivia book, I must say!

Hohoho

I consider myself to be a bit of a trivia buff, from history to TV to music. At least I did before I got this book. Barb Jastrab has assembled a set of "tests" within the book to help you determine whether you are a "player" or a "pretender" in the world of trivia. Once you begin, you can't stop! It's funny, it's enlightening, it's humbling, and it's full of "DUH I should have known that" moments. Challenging and fun, well balanced.

I do have one complaint, Ms. Jastrab. You are responsible for eight hangovers this past weekend.

Your book and an eggtimer became the fodder for a drinking game of sorts after an otherwise civilized dinner party. Yes, I know better, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Anyway, at my age, I suffer a bit more than I did in my youth after such foolishness.

We have all agreed that next time we do this, we'll play for orange juice. But play again we must! Thanks for a great book and a fun challenge.

This is one of the best drum books for drum set available today, hands down. It basically has a list of patters to be played over ostanado patterns (that is, ones that do not change). It starts simple, with quarter notes, and by the end of the book, its highly syncopated 16ths and whatnot. Very challenging, but it' the type of book that will really, really help anyone develop their creative mind with the kit. Most importantly, this is NOT one of those 'play through and then throw into the closet' kind of books. NO!! This book can be used for entire careers endlessly. It's like Stick Control. It's a bible of a book, it's to be interpreted not just read and played! This book will separate the men from the boys!! Buy it now!!

gary's approach to the drums uses exercises which are both musically and technically challenging. begin by singing the click track while playing the first system...right from the start you'll realize how much room there is for improvement. if practiced carefully with a click while singing all of the parts, the improvement in your playing will be tremendous. i had the good fortune to have experienced this process first hand while studying with Gary back in the 80's. it is a sure way to ramp up your focus and independence. guys like kenny aronoff, danny gottlieb, and dave weckl used this method as a launch pad for their own creativity...

I'd recommend this book for any intermediate to advanced drummers. It's too involved for beginners. It does get a little to academic at times, but those areas still build skill even if you'll never use the pattern. The ideas in this book are also good for exercises that are not mentioned. Really, Chester has only scratched the surface of what is possible with his concepts. With a little imagination, one could work out of this book for years.

This book does indeed assist drummers to building their own creativity. Take heed, this book can be difficult and one will need patience, persistence, and passion in order to get through it. The use of "Book with CD" can be misinterpretted as a CD with sampled grooves; the CD is an interview with Gary Chester, the author of the book. It is a raw cut, so the volumes aren't equalized.

If you're serious about drums, or seriously need to grow as a drummer, this book is for you.

This book is loaded with excercises that will dramatically improve limb independence - it's not easy stuff! Also, it's not really a play-along kind of book where you'll immediately apply the patterns to your playing - so if you're just looking to pick up some cool beats and fills, you should look elsewhere. Now, if you're into buckling down and honing your chops, then this is definitely a book you should consider!

This is still a new item in our house, but since day 1, it has made a repeat appearance everyday. My daughter begs to have the Professor Parrot movie played on the dvd. Tonight, my husband heard her singing herself to sleep in spanish. She was repeating the songs from the dvd. I just downloaded the 4 page workbook which will enhance my pronunciation of a few words.

The only downside - - no other DVDs. What's Next!!?span

My 2 year old son loves Professor Parrot. The songs are short enough to keep his attention and he is learning to repeat many of the spanish words. I would recommend this for any toddler/young child who likes to sing.

I bought this DVD for my daughter who just turned two, and am so happy with it. We've owned it for only two weeks and she is already starting to count and sing in Spanish. It is her favorite thing to watch. What's great about this DVD is that not only will you and your children have a fun time learning Spanish from it (the tunes are very catchy) but it will also get your child moving and dancing along with the children in the DVD. I wish there were more DVDs out there like this one.

We have tried several spanish learning tools. By far this is the best one. If you want to teach small children some spanish then this is the perfect video. Professor Parrot speaks clearly so my children can copy exactly how he pronounces the words. There are enough english words so that my kids know what the spanish words mean. The music, dancing and story telling keep my childrens attention through out the entire video. I can watch it with them to help them practice or I can let them watch it by themselves and I know that they are getting a great learning experience. I have a 4 year old boy and a 4 year old girl and they both love it.

Bought this for a 5 year old who has surprised us all with her yen to learn to languages. Spanish seems to be the one that intrigues her the most, so I thought we would work on it. After the first viewing of the film, she picked up on how to greet someone and her numbers. She would rather watch this DVD than Nemo, any of the Princesses or Curious George. Well worth the money!

A great book to learn about PRS guitars and their history.
Excellent pictures and a well put together book.

THE PRS GUITAR BOOK is a great, serious book about the great guitar builder Paul Reed Smith, the company he founded, the wonderful guitars he and his company have built over the years, and the many artists who have played them. It's great that it's now in paperback, and was expanded after its first issue in 2000 to include newer models such as the Modern Eagle and the 513, the latter of which has five actual pickups and thirteen sounds. There is also a section on the Singlecut models and the lawsuit that Gibson filed against PRS concerning them. Finally, the book discusses where Paul Reed Smith is headed for as the first decade of the 21st Century draws to a close. Overall, this book is very nicely done and is a must-own for anyone even remotely interested in guitars.

I bought this book just to check the finishings and constructional details.I build istruments.. so the details, are important for a luthier.Pictures are exellent and entire book is a treasure of informations.The history, of Paul Reed Smith as a person and his guitars, it is described with details. I don't like solid body guitars but if i had to buy one, this certenly would be a PRS.

In The PRS Guitar Book, Dave Burrluck describes in detail the evolution of PRS Guitars, the renowned company founded by expert guitar maker Paul Reed Smith in 1985. The PRS Guitar Book showcases every artistic and technical facet of these exquisite instruments that sold to an enthusiasts clientele for $2000 and up. The PRS Guitar Book is enhanced with lavish color photography, anecdotes and reminiscences from Smith, famous guitarists, and PRS employees, collectors and fans. The PRS Guitar Book is highly recommended, wonderful reading for all serious guitar enthusiasts, professional or amateur.

This numbered limited edition may not reach all audiences but it provides an excellent survey of the PRS guitar built by Smith for a range of famous players. Gorgeous full-page color photos abound as do engrossing technical explanations of the guitar's development and history. Chapters covering construction techniques are particularly involving. Highly recommended: any avid guitar player who appreciates books on guitar making should have this keepsake edition, enclosed in a handsome slipcase.

"Queen - Complete Works" is a remarkable book. So accurate, so through, so in-depth, very well researched and written in an easy to use and informative style. This is, quite simply, *the* best book on the subject of Queen's musical catalogue and that of its members. This is "the bible" of Queen discographies and it will be an indispensible resource for all serious fans of this endlessly entertaining band - in all its past and present permutations. You will not be disappointed - guaranteed.

I found this book both informative and interesting. Sure there is information that most Queen fans are quite familiar with, but that's more of a "pro" than a "con". The author keeps his opinions fairly impartial, but he is spot on with most of his viewpoints. I tended to agree with most of his observations. He covers just about everything Queen did in their career. A good reference book for any Queen fan.

I must admit, I was a little skeptical about buying this book, thinking that it wouldn't be much more than a long boring story about what the author thought about Queen. But, I was surprised. Have you ever wondered over the meaning of a Queen-song? Just look it up! Want to know about their bands before they became Queen? IBEX, 1984, Deacon and so on? Well... It's all here.
You won't regret buying this book : ) The only thing I have to comment is the lack of pictures. Not a BIG deal, but still. It would give the book a nice touch.

I bought this book a few months ago, and I think it is excellent.

One thing to keep in mind however, is that this is definitely a 'reference book' more than a biography-type book. As such, it is not quite so much of a book that can be read from cover to cover, as a book that you look up interesting little bits and pieces in.

It is divided into several sections, from pre-queen, then gives a detailed account of the process behind the production of each album. Next it gives an extremely thorough description and write-up of EVERY SINGLE song performed by Queen (or any of its members by themselves). It then describes each gig played by Queen( set list, where played etc.), and gives a run-down of all 'non-album' items released (e.g. VHS, DVD etc.)

I most enjoyed the section about the production of the albums as this is the part of the book that reads the most like a biography, however I definitely enjoyed being able to read the descriptions of the individual songs. It also gives an excellent run down of DVDs etc, and helped me to choose which ones I wanted to buy (although it is now slightly out of date, and does not feature the most recent DVD).

Also, keep in mind, that there are no pictures to speak of in this book, which does not really detract - but just be aware.

All up though, a great book for any Queen fan, very interesting, although perhaps a little too in-depth for casual fans due to its 'reference book' nature.

Another year and another Fantasic Queen book hits the shelves full of Fantastic pictures,well written text and a must for any Queen or Music fan...10/10

I didn't know what to expect when I ordered this. All I knew what that I knew nothing about radio. This little comic has changed that however. With its easy to read format and great illustrations I was able to understand the fundamentals of radio production in about an hour. I'm not going to be producing any award winning series anytime soon but I will be able to mumble an 'affirmative' grunt here and there should the topic ever arise in a conversation. Overall, it was worth the money. I gave it a 4 star rating rather than a 5 only because I wish there was more of it. If you want to know the absolute basics of production then buy it.

Jessica Abel and Ira Glass have done an admirable job of explaining the basics of what it takes to do radio reportage and story telling in a novel format, mainly that of a comic. Inexpensive, easy to read and even easier to understand, the book gave me a clearer idea of what it talks to engage in this field and how to do it properly. While it is by no means a substitute for hands-on or field experience, I was able to glean enough from this to know that I would like to do this full time!

The team at "This American Life" tell stories as well as anyone in the media. This book was recommended to me during a seminar on multimedia storytelling for photographers, so its value is not limited to those who only want to do radio. It's a comic book, but not shallow. Anything but. Ira Glass and his team at Chicago Public Radio go through how a particular week's show, Do-Gooders, was produced as well as basic tip for anyone wanting to do documentary audio work. This is a little gem.

Having read "Radio", I can say it is packed with information not only on the production, but on how to tell a story. My son is a natural conversationalist, I asked him how does he put together his stories. He said he didn't know and I suggested wouldn't it be cool to understand how the dynamics/mechanics of storytelling work. He simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "I dunno". He works for me in the summer and I told him I would pay him to read this book in lieu of working. He liked that idea. He read the story in about an hour. Now he has the rhyme to the reason. This comic is a great read and should be required for any collegiate types.

To anyone who has ever listened to This American Life and thought "I have a good story to tell", this is the book to read. "Thank you!" to Ira Glass for sharing his knowledge on how to write for radio. This book is easy to read and fun. So if you have a dream of hearing your story on NPR, get this book!

This book is full of great information on how to make it in the industry. It is by no means extensive on any one subject, but it gives you a wonderfully helpful overview of what steps you need to take to make it in Hollywood. If anyone asked me what they needed to know about the business, I would tell them they needed to read this book. This is one of the aspiring actors most helpful tools. This and "The Camera Smart Actor" are the two most useful books I've read so far about acting (this being all you need to know about the industry, the "Camera Smart Actor" being all you need to know about a set and the technical aspect of shooting). Acting technique is one thing, but knowing the practical stuff is a horse of a different color, and equally valuable if you hope to become a working actor. I am planning to move to LA next year and I feel like this book has given me an invaluable inside scoop. Not only does Rif Haffar lay it all out for you in a step by step process, but the plan he bases it all on his own experience of trying to make it as an actor.

Anyone who thinks they can go to Hollywood and based on looks or talent alone start making big bucks will have their illusions shattered. Haffar shows that with perseverance after a year he was a SAG member and making enough to live on - but barely (a little under 10,000 - and much of that went to SAG membership, an agent, and headshots). He also shatters the image that many have of Hollywood being a glamorous, mean place. He illustrates that most people in the business are down to earth and how much of a team effort this work is. Overall this is a fabulous book, written simply and with a sense of humor. I would recommend it to anyone!

Roadmap To Stardom: How To Break Into Acting In Hollywood by Rif K. Haffer is an informative introduction to the professional world of Hollywood filmmaking and how to secure work as an actor. Deftly compiling a comprehensive and "user-friendly" body of practical advice and "insider information" on becoming an actor for any project from small independent productions to big budget studio projects, Roadmap To Stardom offers aspiring actors sound and essential information on such aspects of the industry as TV, film, features, shorts, commercials, industrial films, union, and non-union productions following. Based upon the authors personal experience and seasoned expertise, Roadmap To Stardom is very highly recommended reading for anyone aspiring to a career as a screen actor and searching for practical and "user friendly" guide to getting started in their chosen career.

If you want to arm yourself before plunging into the works here in Los Angeles, you should read this book. No, actually you must. The author details the Hollywood system and gives a touching account of his experience getting gigs in commercials, TV, and film. I had the pleasure of reading the writer's first book and went to this one to see how his humor could entertain me more. It delivers. My friends trying to make it in the business are getting a literary stocking stuffer.

Rif Haffar dives into the acting world with gusto and reveal secrets that every Hollywood hopeful should know. His humorous and unpretentious writing style makes the reader feel at ease as he takes you on a tour of the strange land of auditions, managers, unions and 'La-La-Land' in general. He not only succeeds in his acting goals, but he proves that as a writer, he's a star!

This book is a must for anyone looking to "make it" in the Hollywood industry as a performer.It gives a very thorough inside look at what goes on behind the scenes and helpful information for what is needed when starting out. The fact that the author is writing this as he is trying to start out himself allows you to feel as if you are experiencing it along side him. "Roadmap to Stardom" helps to give a real perspective on what can be expected and I highly recommend it for anyone that is serious about coming to Hollywood.

I knew what I was getting before I purchased this online. Easy and fun book to read. Item was shipped quickly, too.

It's big, it's heavy, full-colored, with a good quality paper, great pictures and complete informaton. It couldn't be better.

I just got this book and let me just say that the words inside are some of the finest ever put between two covers. It's all so informative. So much so that one may think that it is perhaps, too informative, but I doubt it. It's perfect. You'll find some of the most obscure and some of the most well-known facts, on the same page. Incredible.

The main thing I like about this book, is that it's much different from these types of timeline books. Rather than saying "this happened, then this happened", it does that and provides much more information by giving background stories of many of the artists, and also providing a lot about the impact the person or band had. Also, it's great how the devotes entire pages to show the significance of some important events in rock history. This does a lot to show why some of the greatest bands of all time are considered some of the greatest band of all time. So after reading this, you'll never wonder why again. The bold type really helps out too, if you're looking for someone imparticular. Also if you're a Beatles fan, the only thing you're not likely to find out is how many times they went to the bathroom each week. So, in short this is the rock n' roll book I've seen and I highly recommend it. Anything not in here probably isn't worth knowing.

This is probably the best book of its type to date. But it is not without it's problems. The first is that both of its authors are British. Hence it skews to the right of the Atlantic. Not that I don't feel myself, that British Rock has produced some of the best acts of all time, but for instance there are more entries on and photos of Gary Glitter than Alice Cooper. Gary Glitter? This is just one example. Some one in a review here mentioned the happy inclusion of Yes. If you look through the entries for that band you'll find at least Two mistakes saying that Fragile was their third album, (it was the fourth) and that Owner of a Lonely Heart is from Big Generator (it wasn't). This may seem like nitpicking but these are just the equivalent of what might be found on one page. It makes one wonder how many more of the presented "facts" are not trustworthy? You expect more from music critics on the voting board of the Rock & roll Hall of Fame. In the end though it's a valiant effort they undertook, and I'm glad I bought the book. It could/should have been a five star book though.

I fell in love with this book from the very first time that i put my eyes on this page of amazon, but, on that time it had a limited edition and it was sould out. I`ve waited more than 3 months for him to arrive but then it was impossible... One day, by hazard i found it on Fnac in Portugal, it was the only one of it`s kind so i bought it imediately and must tell you that it is really music to your ears to read this amazing book. It is the best book i`ve ever seen about music and i have more than five encyclopedias about the subject so believe it when i say that this book really entertains you with the good and consistent information, the beautiful pictures about the artists, the design, the uk and us charts and much more... From Elvis to Abba, from Eminen to Norah Jones, from Sinead O`Connor to Alanis, from Celine to Mariah, from The Who to Nirvana, from Notorious BIG to Massive Attack, from The Ronnettes to Take That, from Brenda Lee and Janis Joplin to Britney Spears and Christina it really has it all !!!