Dance Books

It was really easy to read and get the main idea the first time around. The low price was cool too.

Having had Mr. McLean as a teacher, I was able to enjoy his book even more than if I had just read it. While his book is easy to read and has real life examples of everyday communication, it was great to actually talk to him about what he had written. College books are usually pretty expensive and he made sure his was reasonably priced so all college students will have a chance to take a communication class and learn about what we all do everyday - communicate!

This is the first textbook I've ever enjoyed reading. I didn't have to read it 100 times to understand it! I'm amazed at how communication is everywhere and the impact it has on my life. I learned a lot and look at things differently now.

I have already begun to apply the ideas I have learned in communication to solve problems. The ideas, discussions and diagrams found in The Basics of Speech Communication will remain with me forever. In the beginning I was intimidated by the people who I thought were smarter than me. Now I understand that with effective communication skills those barriers won't stand in my way.

THIS IS A SYNOPSIS ABOUT SEASON 2 OF B G. IT COVERS EACH EPISODE, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, COSTUMES, SPECIAL EFFECTS AND SO ON. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK WITH ALOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES INFO ALONG WITH WHY THE PRODUCERS AND WRITERS DID WHAT THEY DID. ALSO INCLUDED ARE INTERVIEWS WITH THE ACTORS WHO DISCUSS THE SHOW AND THEIR CHARACTERS AND WHERE THE SHOW MIGHT EVENTUALLY GO. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ALL B G FANS. I READ THE FIRST SEASON AND WILL READ THE 3RD AND 4TH (WHEN AVAILABLE). THIS IS A MUST READ. SO SAY WE ALL.

Compared to official guides for other shows, the companions to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA simply cannot be beat for enhancing the enjoyment of the episodes. Most official guides tend to do two things. First, they provide a critically neutral description of the episodes individually and the season as a whole. Second, they tend to repackage pretty much whatever one as a viewer can pick up on their own.

If you look at the official guides to BUFFY or FARSCAPE you'll see what I'm talking about. The best route with BUFFY is to get the unofficial guides. These unofficial guides are written without much contribution by the creators, producers, writers, or cast, but they at least have an independent point of view. The BSG official companions, however, while not critical from the author's viewpoint, are remarkably frank in providing critical assessments by the producers and directors and actors and writers as to what did and did not work in an episode. Any fan of BSG will recognize upon watching that "Black Market" and "Sacrifice" are not highlights of the show, but it is incredibly refreshing to read statements by Ron Moore and David Eick and Jamie Bamber that indicate that they, too, believe "Black Market" was not a successful episode. Take the official guide to BUFFY and read what it says about "Beer Bad" or "Some Assembly Required." You'll get no hint that these are considered among the worst BUFFY episodes ever. But in the BSG companions you'll not only see the creative team agreeing with you on the weaker episodes, but they will provide additional insight into why they don't work. So on the first of the two points mentioned above, the BSG guides are head and shoulders above other official guides.

On the second point, i.e., the regurgitation of stuff you can get yourself on an alert viewing, the BSG companions also shine. Probably 80% of the contents of the books are not directly accessible to a fan of the show. For instance, in reading about the casting of Admiral Cain, I was unaware that they first approached Sigourney Weaver, Jessica Lange, and Angelica Houston before asking Michelle Forbes if she was interested in the role (though I have to add that it is inconceivable to me that any of those fine actresses could have been more effective than Forbes, who was simply outstanding). As with the first companion, there are substantial interviews with all the concerned parties about how an episode came together.

My lone disappointment with this volume is that it possibly contained less information not directly concerned with specific episodes. The reason for this is obvious. Whereas the Season Two companion was restricted to the same length as the Season One companion, the second season featured 20 episodes as opposed to the first seasons 13, along with the miniseries. This volume thus had more episodes to discuss.

Still, I think many fans will find this as enjoyable as I have. I'm aware that there are some who prefer the kind of guide that I abhor, one that gives a glossily regurgitated summation of what happens in each episode. I generally find these kinds of guides worthless. Give me one like BSG any day! I want behind the scenes scoop, not a repetition of what I can easily see for myself.

Companion books on the shelf are a key indicator of "nerd-hood". I think BSG (nerd) is one of the best shows on TV. It's more than Sci-Fi, it's a drama that happens in space. This book is a useful reference tool should you develop an interest in what goes on beyond the screen.

my short and sweet opinion of this book is a great have for the Battlestar Galactica Fan. A lot of Sci-Fi and Tech information with great information and wonderful pictures. If You are thinking of a low-cost gift for a BSG Fan, this book along with the Season One Book is a great buy.
So Say We All

Great mirrored cover, a must for the completist.Very entertaining!

"Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you." That should help put you in the mood for reading this review. "You ain't nothin' but a hound dog!"

Although this book is about impersonating Elvis, I was intrigued about the many details about how Elvis achieved his effects on his audience.

The author is an Elvis impersonator who is president of the Elvis Impersonators International Association. You will learn almost everything you need to know to look, sound, and act like Elvis in a way that will stimulate those who meet you. After this book is widely read, Elvis sightings should definitely soar!

You get instructions for creating your own Elvis costume for around $170 (if you do your own sewing and can rent some blue suede shoes). If you are like me, you didn't know that Elvis used lots of make-up in his stage appearances. You will learn how to put that make-up on yourself, as well as dye your hair the right color (yes, Elvis dyed his hair, too).

If you are simply a loyal Elvis fan, you can be more like him by using only the products he did (Brut, Colgate toothpaste, Wella Balsam shampoo, Neutrogena soap, Scope and Listerine), so you can smell as nice as he always did.

The book contains instructions for making your entrance, putting together songs in the way Elvis would have done, and making a splashy exit. I never would have thought of hiring people to pretend to be your bodyguards.

You are cautioned to keep your act and costuming in sync.

If you do decide to become an impersonator, you get lots of marketing advice as well.

After Elvis died, many people resented impersonators. Since then, many people hunger for more Elvis and the impersonators have gotten better. Somewhere between 3,000 and 10,000 people now do Elvis impersonations. After this book, that number and quality will surely grow.

There is a lot of good humor in the book about what it is like to be an impersonator. Sometimes you can pick up tickets left for Elvis at the box office. Other times you may get a chance to advise on or appear in a movie, as the author did.

The many wonderful photographs of Elvis make this book fun to look at for Elvis fans.

There was only one let-down. The author says, "I firmly believe Elvis is dead." Maybe I'll have to go see an impersonator show after all.

You can enjoy this book as a serious look at Elvis, as a serious look at being an Elvis impersonator, or simply as good humored fun. In any dimension, you'll enjoy yourself!

After you have finished reading and enjoying your Elvis reveries, I suggest that you think about what else may be missing from your life that you once greatly enjoyed. How can you recapture that? This may mean revisiting old haunts, taking on new "old" experiences, or making new friends who share the old preferences. In any event, allow yourself to be real about what you once enjoyed. You can enjoy your youth at any age!

"Uh, thankya, thankya . . . very much!"

Being from Jacksonville, and a big fan of Rick's, I recommend this book for everyone whether you want to be Elvis, Priscilla or Lisa Marie!! Full of memorable pics of Elvis, Rick performing and pics of him with Celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker from "Honeymoon in Vegas". The book is colorful, entertaining and fun for any library! Rick is the "King" of showman himself, so slip into your blue suede shoes, lean back relax and enjoy "Be Elvis" - it rocks just like Rick and the forever King!

As a collector of the unusual , I found this highly entertaining. I have seen plenty of Elvis impersonators in my day, and this struck me as amazing that there is a how to book...

A great gift for an elvis fans everywhere

It is nice to see that along with Ludwig Van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Peter Tchaikovsky that author/illustrator Mike Venezia is also looking at 20th century types like Duke Ellington, George Gerswhin, Igor Stravinsky, and the Beatles for his Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers series. In case the young readers who come across this book do not know, Venezia points out that from 1964 to 1970 the Beatles were the most popular musical group in the world. Unlike most of the other great composers Venezia looks at the Beatles never had any real musical training and were pretty much self taught. Venezia talks about the origins of rock 'n' roll and the influence of particular artists on the Beatles. He then provides early biographies for John, Paul, George and Ringo, with each of the Fab Four getting their own cartoon, before providing a brief history of the band.

The actual compositions of the Beatles are dealt with in only general terms. The only songs that get mentioned are "She Loves You," because of the cheery "yeah, yeah, yeah" part, Hello Goodbye" because there is a photo of them performing it, and the 40-second final piano chord of "A Day in the Life" from the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. Venezia does provide some basic music appreciation lessons talking about the Beatles experimentation with different kinds of instruments, bringing in musicians from symphony orchestras, and such. However, this is no substitute for actually listening to the group's music. Of course, once you start talking about great Beatles songs, where do you stop? Just have your young reader put on a Beatles album while they read the book.

The biographical sections on the early years of the four Beatles and their early days trying to make a name for themselves will prove of most interest to young readers. My only real complains about this volume would be that it really does not talk about the impact the Beatles had on popular culture, which was immense, and that except for the difference in Ringo's nose you cannot tell the Fab Four apart in Venezia's cartoons. I was sort of looking forward to better caricatures than this, to be honest.

This book is a terrific, entertaining, concise history of the Beatles that is easy for children to read. Being a huge Beatles fan myself, I found the book covered all the bases without leaving too much out. I would recommend this book for any aspiring elementary music teacher.

This is a book I would have given ANYTHING (within bounds of reason) for as a child. I love it! This is a delightful read that will hopefully introduce this next generation to the Beatles and the social and musical impact they had on the world. It is an excellent teaching tool for parents and educators.

I have always believed, from the time I was a very little girl, that the Beatles have set new standards in music. I think this book does an excellent job of introducing the act you've known for all these years to the next generation. The Beatles are timeless.

A stunning revelation -- indeed, the time has come for our culture to embrace the meshing of education with fun! Thank you, Mike Venezia for engaging us in this clever strategem which challenges the mind by simultaneously making light on the fringe and exerting a powerful exactitude on the mainframe.

I have been bellydancing for over 2 years now and I own dozens upon dozens of bellydance DVDs and a few books. I absolutely love this book and the cd is just fantastic. I am constantly recommending this book and all of Rania DVDs to everyone I know who is interested in bellydance. Everything about this book is informative and encouraging! Because of her DVDs and book, I am so proud to say I bellydance!

I just bought this book yesterday. I am very happy with my purchase; more so with the purchase of her videos. What made me pick the book up off the shelf was the vivid color pictures on the front and back covers. That is was also made me buy it. Rania manages to overcome the hurdle of trying to teach dance moves from a book by having 3 or 4 serial shots of her performing some of the moves. She also demonstrates the importance of proper posture by showing several side views of herself performing.
What I also liked is the fact that she devotes a chapter to describing the aerobic benefits of Bellydance, then underneath the title of each move she demonstrates, she gives a brief description of what the benefits are for that particular move.
She also demonstrates the Khaleegy Head Toss and the Zar Head Roll, mentioning that that the head roll should only be done once or twice, lest you hurt your neck.
There is a short chapter on the history of Bellydance, her own introduction to the dance, layering movements for a routine, balancing and floor work, use of a veil, warm-ups, and a glossary of terms.
She lost one star because the included music CD was so-so (some of it was a repeat from the Bellydance Divas dvd), and the fact that she says in the book that she tells people all the time that Bellydance is her only workout; she does not lift weights. Then she mentions in another part of the book that she used to take gymnastics when she was younger. That gave me the impression that she was never overweight (like I am now). So I think that she has no knowledge of what it takes to "Shimmy away the fat"
However, I am happy that I bought this book.
CHALLENGE: I would like to challenge Rania or another certified fitness trainer/dancer to take an overweight person and slim them down and get them fit with bellydance and diet alone.

This is a great book, with tons of gorgeous pictures and info about starting bellydance. Rania is also gorgeous, but not in an intimidating way, so you feel like you could be just as sexy as she is by bellydancing. This book and the one by Tamalyn Dallal definitely have a place on my bookshelf now, and the CD that comes with this book, which is full of great songs to get you started, has an almost permanent home in my CD player.

The creator of the wildly popular "Bellydance Fitness for Weight-Loss" video series presents Bellydancing For Fitness: The Sexy Art That Tones Your Abs, Butt, And Thighs, a straightforward introduction to bellydance moves that can be incorporated into a solid and beautiful exercise workout. Full-color photographs clearly illustrate warm-up stretches, basic movements and poses, and offer suggestions for putting it all together into a dance routine. The texts describe what to do and how to do in detail, and an accompanying music CD offers 40 minuts of modern, enthusiastic bellydance music to get one started shaking the fat away! A delightful and effective guide to enhancing physical fitness and sex appeal alike.

I can still remember the first time I watched Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. "At last" I said, "we finally have an actor who plays Holmes as Conan Doyle wrote him!"
I had been a fan of the Great Detective since I was a boy, reading and re-reading the adventures as much for the details of Victorian London as for the thrill of the chase, which, after the third or fourth reading, fails to create any real suspense. No, it was Holmes, Holmes all Holmes! What man does not aspire to be a "reasoning machine" free of distracting emotional entanglements? This is the Holmes I loved, and this is the Holmes that finally found its true expression on the little screen, the Granada series staring Jeremy Brett. Here, I thought, they had got it right.
My affection for the program is what let me to purchase this marvelous little book, "Bending the Willow" by David Stuart Davies. Unfortunately, it's now out of print; I hope they print it again soon.
As stated in its first chapter, this is not a biography of Jeremy Brett, but rather a portrait of an actor at work, pushing against the boundaries of a fictional character without its losing its shape, or, as Brett said, "Bending the willow without breaking it." There is much of Brett in his Holmes, but I never knew until I read this book just how much of a convergence there was between the actor and the character. It was Brett's struggle with Bi-Polar Disorder (then known as Manic-Depression) that illuminated much of the character of Holmes, for although Brett bristled at the notion, Holmes also was probably a Manic-Depressive. That, of course, is open for debate. What is obvious, though, is the energy that it gave to Brett's interpretation of the role.
This is not just a story about an actor in a television program; it is also a peek behind the scenes at a major television production studio in the process of bringing to the screen, and eventually diminishing, a series based on a major literary canon. What it took to produce these remarkable films in the face of conflicting schedules, a diminishing budget and unreasonable studio demands is incredible. It makes me appreciate the series all the more, even at those times when, as in "The Mazarin Stone" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles" it failed to live up to its great promise, and in the case of the final series, the Memoirs, the results were unremarkable. In these cases, it is mostly our admiration for Brett that keeps us watching.
Ultimately, this is Brett's story filled with personal memories and bits of interviews with Brett, who gave the author unprecedented access to him. What emerges is a sensitive portrait of a charming, brilliant and troubled man who comes to realize and accept that his Holmes is probably going to be his greatest legacy. This is a must read book for any fan of the Granada series.

For many of us, the late Jeremy Brett supplanted Basil Rathbone as the definitive Sherlock Holmes. Whereas Rathbone faithfully represented - in a somewhat Jack Webb/Joe Friday manner - Holmes as the master detective, Brett added nuances to the character that were both faithful to the original yet bold and contemporary. That he did this while struggling with manic-depression and degenerative heart disease is a tribute both to his skill as an actor and to his courage as a human being.

Is love possible from a distance, without ever having actually known or met the object of one's love? The worlds of literature and film answer "yes" to this question, and many of us do indeed love both Sherlock Holmes and Jeremy Brett, along with Dr. Watson and his eminent portrayers, David Burke and Edward Hardwicke. David Stuart Davies' tribute to Brett, Burke, Hardwicke and all those associated with the Granada TV series is truly a labor of love.

Based on personal interviews with Brett and many others associated with the series, this book gives insight into Jeremy Brett the actor and the man, as well as his co-stars and supporting actors. There is much substance here, as well as the delightful "trivia" of how and why things were done or not done, and of the contributions of the actors to various nuances of the stories. This book is thus - for me - the Bible of the Granada Holmes series.

But it is not an uncritical, fawning tribute. Errors are acknowledged and lamented, as in the less-than-sterling version of "The Hound of the Baskervilles," or the questionable decision to film the later episodes when Brett's health was in serious decline.

But if you are a fan of Brett's Sherlock Holmes, this book is a must, even if somewhat pricey and hard to find. It is rapidly becoming a collector's item, and get it while you can.

For anyone who appreciates Jeremy Brett, free from sensationalism and determined by fact and friendship, this book is for you. The pages document what life was like during production of the Granada series, and first hand situations are recounted by those who worked side by side with Mr. Jeremy Brett to help create a masterpiece for television.

Especially satisfying to read are the accounts of Edward Hardwicke, who provides anecdotes and thoughts for every chapter. A real cameraderie existed off camera between these two men, enhancing their performance for the world to see.

Mr. David Stuart Davies presents us with a simplified version of the fluctuating madness of Jeremy Brett's affliction, and the reader cannot help but hold up their hands and applaud the strength and courage of this dearly missed actor.

If you're a fan of both Jeremy Brett and Granada's Sherlock Holmes series, then this book is a must-read.

As the author stresses, this book is not a biography. Only about a page is spared to very briefly give on overview of Jeremy Brett's life before he became the definitive Holmes.

The book is a WONDERFUL behind-the-scenes look at the Granada Holmes production. It talks about each of the 40+ productions and gives interesting tidbits about what went on during the filming of certain episodes. If you like learning about those type of things, this book will certainly hold your interest.

One of the best things about the book is that the author himself had met and interviewed Jeremy Brett several times. This allows for many long direct quotes from Brett himself.

Thankfully, Jeremy Brett turned out to be a nice person in real life, seems to have gotten along well with co-stars, and cared greatly about his role of Holmes. Unfortunately, as Jeremy Brett became more ill with heart failure and manic depression, things with the Granada productions began to sour. This book does a good job of discussing those years in Brett's life.

Overall, it is a caring tribute to a genius of an actor, the Granada series, and provides a lot of interesting tidbits.

It may sound weird to compare a book about a Jewish playwright's memoir about his career and working with famous director Joe Chaikin to Erica Jong - however, that's what came to mind. I remember when I first read "Fear of Flying" I was so taken with the character, so intrigued by her life and her adventures, that I took the book everywhere with me. This book has Chinese food all over it because I would cross the street from my home to the local Chinese restaurant, sit at the table each night, and spill food on it while enjoying every single word. It is hysterical, very moving and gives one a great deal of insight into the world of a neurotic playwright who is struggling with personal demons - and having the ride of his life. I'm glad the author took us with him.

This is a terrific book. It's a great read, a marvelous look at the struggles of an artist trying to make a living in the theater, and a must buy for anyone who plans to make the theater his or her life.

This book may seem at first glance like something for a "niche" market -- people in the theater or the like -- but it's actually so entertaining, funny, skillfully written, moving and wonderfully offbeat that it speaks to any reader no matter what their interests. Fife has found a way to resonate with the universal experience of success/failure that we all share while still remaining excrutiatingly personal, honest and true to his own real story - and that's what memoir should do! All students of the theater should read this, but so should all students of life. And if you do, I guarentee it won't feel like "studying"...enjoy!

I know that a book is good when I have to put everything else on hold until I finish it. This one grabbed me right from the beginning. On the very first page I felt as though I was the playwright, experiencing the highs and lows of being accepted, rejected and accepted again as an artist. This book was a lot of fun, full of dry wit and good humor. I especially enjoyed getting the inside track into the world of Broadway and film and finding out from a first-hand source what some of those Oscar-winning superstar actors are REALLY like.

An excellent book filled with huge amount of photographs which are made by different authors in different times including Avinash Pasricha and S.Anwar.
It contains interesting articles about the history, spiritual background of bharata nataym, musicians and their genealogy.
Good part about nritta, i.e. detailed and accurate adavu classification is made by Padma Subramanyam.
And for dessert is a section about contemporary exponents. This part is a little bit outdated, because the last edition of the book was in 1997, though it could be called outdated only because of the phorographs made more than 10 years ago, but the master's names are still remaining same.

The book is very well-written, and gives lots of explanations on a host of topics that are likely to baffle any foreigner trying to start her Bharata Natyam classes.

Most of the pictures quality is very good, although I would have appreciated it if there were provided any references to what major styles of Bharata Natyam a particular picture represents. True, it would be valuable for the advanced learners of Bharata Natyam, but would confuse the beginners.

The author should remember that a still picture is not as adequate illustration for a dance book as a complimentary DVD (like the ones by Medha Hari) would be. Maybe the next edition would include one? It would be a perfect combination!

All in all, the book is a perfect gift, and a fantastic cofee-table book. Definitely worth the money.

Sunil Kothari is an outstanding scholar in the realm of dance. And this book is a precious gift that has been written for anyone passionate about their art! Beautiful colour pictures. Detailed descriptions and it inspires you to strive for greater achievement in dance....

I am a beginner in Bharata Natyam and this book have help me alot to understand the history and the various postures. I feel very comfortable when I attend my classes as I know what my teacher is talking about. This book have been very helpful to me especially as I am not a South Indian and do not speak the language either. A very good book for anyone who wants to learn Bharata Natyam.

I loved the book Bigfoot Doesn't Square Dance. It was a real adventure. If you do a bookreport in 3rd grade I`d consider this book. Bigfoot pretends to be a camp counselor, but when a real camp counselor comes he hightails it out of there.

This book was a good adventure. I liked when Liza got a bug on her shoe. It was funny. Lauren age 8

There are some weird grownups in Bailey City. But could the very large hairy man with huge feet really be legendary Bigfoot? THE BAILEY SCHOOL ARE GOING TO FIND OUT!

I liked when everyone started square dancing on the stage. It was really funny. Ranger Lily was my favorite character because she kept disappearing whenever Bigfoot came to the class. The Bailey School Kid books are the best series of books I have ever read. Jonny, age 7

I like Star Trek, I just am not a fanatic. As such, I hesitated in buying this book. Why should I care if, for example a Klingon and a Vulcan could or would want to mate? They don't exist! Still, after I read the back and skimmed through the chapters, I decided to buy it. It was great fun!

First, this book is based on real science. The writers are well educated. In fact, they are both doctors and they explain real biology in an interesting way that makes it more interesting and accessible to the public. Teachers take note.

But, this book is much more then a teaching tool. The writers are obvious fans of Star Trek and both have a delightful sense of humor. I found myself laughing outloud and sharing some of the stories with my friends. But it is hard for me to describe their humor, with taking away the hard scient. I think the fairest thing to do, is just tell you the title of some of the chapters.

-What the future May hold, but Probably won't -Parasitic Possession is Nine-tenths of the Law or -Where No One Will Ever Go

These chapters are about the probablities of telepathy, real example of parasites on Earth, (and why they are unlikely in space) and examples of big bloopers in Captain Kirk's Universe. Why and what made the Klingons evolve, for example.

Utimately this book is a tribute to Star Trek's attempts to potray science fiction in an accurate and truthful way. Science often inspires science fiction. It is Star Trek's great glory that a science fiction series has inspired this, and other works of science and scientist. Enjoy the Book.

I like Star Trek, I just am not a fanatic. As such, I hesitated in buying this book. Why should I care if, for example a Klingon and a Vulcan could or would want to mate? They don't exist! Still, after I read the back and skimmed through the chapters, I decided to buy it. It was great fun!

First, this book is based on real science. The writers are well educated. In fact, they are both doctors and they explain real biology in an interesting way that makes it more interesting and accessible to the public. Teachers take note.

But, this book is much more then a teaching tool. The writers are obvious fans of Star Trek and both have a delightful sense of humor. I found myself laughing outloud and sharing some of the stories with my friends. But it is hard for me to describe their humor, with taking away the hard science. I think the fairest thing to do, is just tell you the title of some of the chapters.

-What the future May hold, but Probably won't -Parasitic Possession is Nine-tenths of the Law or -Where No One Will Ever Go

These chapters are about the probablities of telepathy, real example of parasites on Earth, (and why they are unlikely in space) and examples of big bloopers in Captain Kirk's Universe. Why and what made the Klingons evolve, for example.

Utimately this book is a tribute to Star Trek's attempts to potray science fiction in an accurate and truthful way. Science often inspires science fiction. It is Star Trek's great glory that a science fiction series has inspired this, and other works of science and scientist. Enjoy the Book.

This books answers some of the basic questions that Trekers have been asking for ages:

Why do the old Klingons look different from the new Klingons? Could an alien really take over and control a human body? Can ageing be sped up, stopped or reversed?

A really good read with just the right amount of depth. Recommended.

This book asks many of the strange things about star trek that have puzzled us from the beginning (Is Data alive? Are Changlings possible?). And I think this is the book that said: "The idea that a shapeshifter like Odo would fall in love with a 'solid' like Kira is akin to human falling maddily in love with a turnip." I agree, sorry Odo. And just how did Odo turn into that ball of light when he was with Kira in a recent episode? Matter into energy? KA-BANG!!! Goodbye, DS9! This book also explains that so many "human" aliens is impossible. It also shows why star trek is not my favorite show anymore because of these problems (and repetitive storylines).