Dance Books

I finished reading this at the Falls of the Ohio, where a statue of Lewis and Clark overlook the Ohio. Meanwhile across the river in Louisville, there is Ed Hamilton's statue of York, not as prominently displayed but present. Perhaps we'd like to tell ourselves that we have gone a long way, and York too came a long way on the voyageur of discovery. But to go from a voting member of the expedition ("That winter, he give me my own proxy // say my word count too, /// but I knows not to get too full a myself ") to return to "revisionist history" and ill treatment ("I don't know what get in Massa's head // an have him think a generous whip // make me a better slave"). York left no notes, so Walker makes appealing conjectures about York's inner thoughts during the voyage .. "When I be my best self, I be all buffalo", of dreaming of his wife, or of vision quests. Thought provoking poetry!

A fabulous book, given to me as a gift from my parents, who heard him speak. They said he was a fantastic speaker. Well, I can say Mr. Walker is a fantastic writer.

In this collection he goes into the soul of York, the guide for Lewis & Clark. He doesn't gloss over anything, carefully critiquing York's observations and feelings, including those of the racism dished his way before, during, and after the journey. Walker's keen eye and lyrical voice give York himself a voice.

Whether one likes poetry, history, good writing -- or all three -- this is a must-get.

I can only hope Mr. Walker speaks in my town soon.

Walker is the rare poet (like Ron Rash or Mary Oliver) who can be overwhelming without being intimidating. The latest collection is wonderful. Each individual poem is a jewel, but the collection as a whole reads like a wonderful novel, and I stayed awake late into the night, reading and savoring each poem because I could not put in down. In York, Walker creates a vision that is honest about both the world he lived in and the one his readers find ourselves inhabiting, with all theglorious and saddening connections between the two. Thanks, Frank.

I have read many of these poems along with many other of Mr. Walkers and I am amazed with his voice and vision that he puts into words. I was also privileged to be in a creative writing session that he taught. Not only is he a gifted writer, but an excellent teacher as well.
Read this book, read Affrilacha, and look for his new collection coming in October 2004.

Want to be an actor, but don't know how to break into the business with the right approach? You can't go wrong with - and shouldn't go without - Cynthia Brian's The Business Of Show Business: A Comprehensive Career Guide For Actors And Models. The author has a background in producing, directing, acting, hosting and consulting, and has coached kids and adults alike. From learning what kinds of jobs are out there to learning about agents, auditioning, rules for child actors and working on the side, this is the 'insider's' guide to the industry which should be in the hands and on the minds of any aspiring model or actor before they compete in the show business world.

Want to be an actor, but don't know how to break into the business with the right approach? You can't go wrong with - and shouldn't go without - Cynthia Brian's The Business Of Show Business: A Comprehensive Career Guide For Actors And Models. The author has a background in producing, directing, acting, hosting and consulting, and has coached kids and adults alike. From learning what kinds of jobs are out there to learning about agents, auditioning, rules for child actors and working on the side, this is the 'insider's' guide to the industry which should be in the hands and on the minds of any aspiring model or actor before they compete in the show business world.

What a wonderful book for any mother/daughter team (mother/son) starting out in the world of big pictures. This is a lifesaver from page one, helping those new to Hollywood and Madison Avenue get it right the first time. Any parent who is helping their child get discover should read Cynthia Brian's book first before doing anything else. Her wisdom, experience, and inspirational words will help both aspiring actor and the actor's mentors. If you have already begun your journey down the golden road, it is never too late to pick up extra advice.

The Business of Show Business is THE best resource for anyone interesting in getting into the biz. Cynthia Brian spells it all out so you can understand everything. This business can be tricky, but with this book as your guide, your goals will be finally within your reach!

Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (9/06)




"The Butterfly's Dance" is truly one of those gripping, realistic romances that will simply make you feel good to the core.

Kayla Jennings was in an automobile accident at age 12. Losing her will to survive, only her parents could make her carry on with life, finally coming to grips with what she was handed as her deal in life. As she grew older she came to realize that she was a woman in a wheelchair and realistically she would never be able to have a "normal" life like any woman that wasn't wheelchair bound, including love and romance. But that was before she met Jordan, the uncle of a teenage client she's working with.

Taking on a new attitude to delve into helping others in her condition, she becomes a counselor, but when she meets Jordan, her life turns upside down as she somehow allows her heart to take over her brain and falls deeply in love. But can that love survive the trials and tribulations of a woman that's wheelchair bound? How will his friends, family and business acquaintances take her presence? Will she be a burden? Or will they both realize they cannot live without each other?

As she battles her own desires and wishes, resulting in a torn heart and whirling mind she realizes that perhaps love can be found from the seat of a wheelchair. But then what happens when she's given the opportunity to get rid of the wheelchair? Will the fact that Jordan fell in love as much with her disability and honesty as he did her personality mean that she could lose him? Will he understand if she makes the decision to become whole again or is she already "whole" with him at her side?

This is a touching, dramatic story of love that goes against the odds and has you cheering in their corner to keep afloat despite all of the obstacles they face. "The Butterfly's Dance" is written with such an intimate inside look at their lives, you quickly become one with the characters and feel their pains and triumphs. Christyna Hunter's excellent writing style, with a touching story, will pierce your heart.

Christyna Hunter's debut novel, The Butterfly's Dance, is a refreshing take on shattered dreams and the human response and spirit in making the best of one's life, whatever is thrown their way.

Hunter has Kayla experience all the pain, frustration, self-doubt, and humiliation that the disabled confront on a daily basis. That isn't all. The kindness, determination, understanding, and humor in her characters outweigh their personal boundaries.

The Butterfly's Dance takes you on a relaxing and refreshing ride through the eyes, heart, and soul of a wheelchair bound young woman into a romance she never thought possible. Together, Kayla and Jordan battle with the insecurities of their pasts to develop a long, lasting, and loving relationship.

Hunter's characters are real and true to heart. Readers will find themselves feeling the pain, experiencing the frustration, and reveling in the spirit of possibilities. There's even a chance that Hunter's book may lend a hand in human response and open the eyes of everyone, with or without disabilities. Whether Hunter meant to exude a lesson in her book or not, there is the straightforward fact that people are whole human beings, regardless of their capabilities: it just takes some longer to realize, and those that never do are those who miss out on the joys life can bring and the wonderful people who can be a part of those joys.

Romantics at heart, you will be drawn into this love story and want to read it until the very end. Kayla is the young woman who has survived the devastating trauma of losing the use of her legs at an early age. Giving up her dream of becoming a dancer, she works through rehabilitation, schoolmates harrassment and people misjudging her to become a successful vocational counselor. Through her work she meets 18 year old James who has MS and his caring Uncle Jordon who is haunted by the pain of a lost love and personal dreams. Trials of the search for love, complicated by life in a wheelchair have you wondering which obstacles can be overcome.

For her first published novel I found it to be emotional and captivating. She has a flair for description without it being overdone. I would say it is a great read and look forward to her next novel.

This book is a delightful read for all romantics especially if they have disabilities. It honestly shows what it's like to have a disability and how the disability can affect a romantic relationship. The well written plot keeps the reader interested through the entire book.

This is probably the best handbook for this discipline I've ever seen. I bought a copy when I was in the States three years ago - and it was swiped ! I plan to prescribe this book for my students from 2001 onwards. Well done !

John Hill ctftvs@netactive.co.za

Of the two major "textbooks" on ACing, this is the best one to start with. It gives enough information to initiate you into what is expected of all members of the camera crew, but is not overwhelming with technical info (not that you are not going to want that info someday, but if you are new, it can be confusing and even discouraging.) After this book, get David Elkin's Camera Assistant's Manual, which goes into much further detail. As you work with different cameras, download the manuals from the panavision/arri/aaton/etc websites so you can feel comfortable with the differences in individual cameras. Lastly, get a used copy of the very expensive American Cinematographer Manual for all the technical bits in one handy portable reference book. This, and tons of set experience, is probably all you need (and keep in mind some of the greatest cinematographers who ever lived worked without any of these aids). Rely on your eye!

This book is a complete and highly insightful manual for motion picture camera assistants and operators. It covers the disciplines, techniques, skills and even the politics of the craft. For anyone involved or wanting a fabulous look into the workings of the film industry, buy this book!

Compiled from years of teaching innumerable students at the International Film & Television Workshops in Rockport, ME, this book supercedes all previous texts on the subject. A former President of East Coast Camera Local 644, Hart writes in a manner as readable as it is thorough. Illustrations and appendices are completely useful. This is the new Bible for the working A.C. and anyone seeking to understand how the camera department really functions.

Certainly the most comprehensive and balanced study available to guide lawyers, judges and the media through some very contentious issues.

CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM lives and breathes with the challenges and complexities of legal realities. It should become a standard resource for the continuing debate over the place that cameras could occupy in the courtrooms of the land.

Cohn and Dow have written the definitive work on cameras in the courtroom. Thoroughly researched and brilliantly written, CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM gives an honest, balanced and realistic discussion of the role of electronic journalism in courtrooms of the past, present and future. This book is an incredible resource!

The best book yet about cameras in the courtroom. Meticulously researched and engagingly written, the book traces the history of cameras in courts and carefully presents the arguments on both sides of this heated debate.

Written by relationship coach Susanne M. Alexander, Can We Dance: Learning The Steps for a Fulfilling Relationship is an in-depth, self-help guide to the skills and communication abilities needed for a lasting, healthy relationship. Covering both romantic (including sexual) relationships and meaningful platonic friendships at length, Can We Dance? explores positive qualities to cultivate in oneself, how to prevent missteps in communication, how to earn confidence, how to keep expectations realistic and discuss them when needed, and much more. A solidly grounded, honest, and practical guide to better understanding and connecting with fellow human beings.

Can We Dance? Learning the Steps for a Fulfilling Relationship is the best resource I have seen for assisting youth and singles of all ages to achieve success in finding a partner that will be the right one for them! It combines theory, insights, advice, exercises and a lot of know-how gained from experience. I am a member of a Board of Directors that has responsibility for the education and well-being of youth and singles, as well as counseling in relationships, and this is the best guidance that we have found that will take them to a higher level of investigation and potential success. It will be very helpful to high school teachers and counselors, for community college courses, for university level curriculum and libraries. I urge you to check out this excellent resource.

Whereas many books in the flooded pantheon of relationship literature focus on the relationship that has already gone awry, produced children, been entrenched in a dysfunctional marriage, or become entirely irreparable, this smart, playful, insightful gem leads with a beacon of guidance around the issue of romance. This book does not condescend to its audience. Rather, it helps single individuals know what to look for in a mate, how to know when someone's character is honorable or not, and how to proceed slowly, without impulsiveness and hollywood blinders landing them in an unsavory position. Kudos to the authors!

I found the book the very useful and very insightful in preparing people to know themselves and know what kind of a relationship partner they are looking for. I found their focus on personal development of one's character (honesty, acceptance, flexibility, etc..)and the character of one's partner as the core of a happy relationship a new and yet common sense take on relationships! I'm already married so this book wasn't as personally useful but I've definitly recommended it to alot of my friends who are still single!!

I reccomend this book for anybody who even has a "sleight" interest in card tricks. It's clever tricks and invisible sleights will allow you to amaze anybody, including other magicians. This excellent book brought me from a cub scout magician to a serious and amazing amateur. Please don't buy it so that magicians like me can still amaze guys like you.

Teaches alsome tricks for any level of skill. A must for any learning wizard

This is another great book by Jean Hugard densely packed with card tricks and other sleights - over 120 in all. Some things to consider: (1) these are not simple tricks, and will require significant practice to master (i.e., they are not self-working card tricks); (2) the text is sometimes difficult to follow and may require multiple readings. Otherwise, this is a very valuable resource for the serious card manipulator.

If I could take lessons from one card magician living or dead, I'd probably pick Jean Hugard. Although he wrote decades ago, his ideas are so timelessly fresh that the serious student of card magic will rejoice when reading this book--it's equally as good as "Card Manipulations." Like its predecessor, it has sleights, tricks, and flourishes that cover the gamut from intermediate to truly advanced. I wouldn't, however, recommend the two Card Manipulation books as first choices--"Expert Card Technique" is a more comprehensive source for sleights and "Encyclopedia of Card Tricks" describes all manner of tricks. But if you want all of Hugard's major works--and you will--you'll spring for the reasonably priced "Card Manipulation" books. They are that good.

An informative and enjoyable guide to Britains popular comedy series that is full of everything you wanted to know about the carry on films and probably more. Intelligent and witty, this offers a critical guide to all 31 carry on films which comes complete with facts behind the scenes of the film, the best scenes in that particular film, best actor/actress and shared memories from the cast. Lovley photographs throughout from stills of the film as well as cast and publicity shots. As well as an informative guide to the films it also offers a faultless guide of the t.v series that began in the late sixties and every stage production of the carry on phenemonan. A must have for any serious Carry On fan. Very enjoyable. Recommended!

An informative and enjoyable guide to Britains popular comedy series that is full of everything you wanted to know about the carry on films and probably more. Intelligent and witty, this offers a critical guide to all 31 carry on films which comes complete with facts behind the scenes of the film, the best scenes in that particular film, best actor/actress and shared memories from the cast. Lovley photographs throughout from stills of the film as well as cast and publicity shots. As well as an informative guide to the films it also offers a faultless guide of the t.v series that began in the late sixties and every stage production of the carry on phenemonan. A must have for any serious Carry On fan. Very enjoyable. Recommended!

This great carry on companion is a great addition to any fans collection. It features all 31 of the carry on films and also biographys of the cast and crew. It's such a great price too, one that any fan can afford. Also there is a behind the scenes section where you find out information on the stars lives outside of the carry on circle. This is a must for any carry on fan and i recommend you buy it today.

An informative and enjoyable guide to Britains popular comedy series that is full of everything you wanted to know about the carry on films and probably more. Intelligent and witty, this offers a critical guide to all 31 carry on films which comes complete with facts behind the scenes of the film, the best scenes in that particular film, best actor/actress and shared memories from the cast. Lovley photographs throughout from stills of the film as well as cast and publicity shots. As well as an informative guide to the films it also offers a faultless guide of the t.v series that began in the late sixties and every stage production of the carry on phenemonan. A must have for any serious Carry On fan. Very enjoyable. Recommended!

It is one thing to look upon the rotting corpse that is secularism today and critique its weaknesses. It is entirely another to take to pen when the victory of secularism over faith seemed almost complete and to announce to the world that the emperor had no clothes. Such was the case when Thomas Howard published his critique of secularism Chance or the Dance? in 1969. A lot has happened since then but the amazing thing in reading the book now is that it could have been written yesterday. In fact, if one does not notice the original publication date, you would probably think it was a recent writing. The reason is simple - Howard focuses on eternal truths and as such their veracity does not change with the winds of popular fashion.

Howard's views the weakness of the secular vision as hinging on the limitations it places upon what subject matter may be cosidered to contribute to our knwledge of the world. Secularism, with its restriction to the natural and its overconfidence in the impartiality of the scientific process, has not eliminated faith but exchanged God for an idol of our own choosing. The author, as an English professor, has a far different and more classical view of knowledge than that supplied by the "conventional wisdom" and explores this in a series of essays that return to a more varied fabric than that advocated by modernity.

For Howard, the dismissal of all strata of proposed knowledge beyond empirical data grossly misunderstands both natural and supernatural. By accepting only "facts" we have eliminated the search for purpose in the universe and reduced "the dance" (the interwoven fabric of existence) to "chance" (the purposeless interaction of matter). In relegating the mythical, poetic, and philosophical (in the classical sense) to the realm of the subjective, we have not only stripped the creation of its wonder but have muffled the call of God's image within each of us.

Even our most intimate moments have been impoverished by the fruit of modernity. Sexuality is meant to be a beautiful gift of the Creator and to be used in accordance with His purpose. But without purpose, it is something either to be relegated to a necessary bow to our barbaric past (as in Victorianism) or it is to be used for our own self-gratification (as promoted in the "sexual revolution"). Either view is a distortion of God's purpose for man and woman and each shows modernism's twin fascinations with the purely intellectual and the purely savage.

The views expressed in Chance or the Dance? are remarkably Catholic (in the general sense) and demonstrate the direction Howard was moving even at this phase of his Christian life. In a sense, the book has proven to be prophetic in that the things that may have seemed an overreaction at the time have over the decaded been shown to be on the mark. This is a memorable work that should be read by all serious Christians.

This book was originally published in 1969, yet it remains fresh and relevant today. Truly a critique of secularism, Howard contrasts the "old myth" (where everything meant everything) to the "new myth" (where nothing means anything). In his chapters he takes on different aspects of these contrasting worldviews, from dishrags and borzoi dogs to sex and beyond. From serious subjects to laugh out loud moments. A fairly quick read, but one that could be repeated several times to catch all the insights of a gifted writer who certainly can turn a phrase with the best. Definitely recommended.

Thomas Howard never fails to get me thinking. He also quite often sends me to my dictionary or m-w.com. One of his biggest strengths is his ability to bring meaning to just about any subject.

He spends a whole chapter on poetry, bringing all of his skills as an English professor to bear in his analysis of this monumental work:

One foot up, one foot down,
That's the way to London Town.

I'm not kidding. His insights are actually incredible and if I taught any kind of literature, I would make this chapter required reading for my students.

Thomas Howard's CHANCE OR THE DANCE? is a little-known modern classic, the sort of book that has changed many lives and is changing them still. In prose that is as beautiful as any you will read, Howard lays out the fundamental question that faces us today, whether to accept a view of the world that says we are extraordinary creatures whose lives have eternal meaning and beauty, or to accept a view that says we are cosmic accidents whose lives have no meaning at all. Simply among the very best books of the latter half of the 20th century.


Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery

Ms. Werts does an excellent job in taking scholarly research to new levels as she investigates how the medium of television has treated the most commercialized and well-loved holiday season of the year.

The text focuses on the basic history and various trends of the Christmas specials and episodes for the past forty some years of the genre. Segments include: the variety specials, the animated classics, the "anti-sentimental" specials, the mixed faith episodes, Dickens and A Christmas Carol, etc.

There's some great commentary on the classic Jack Benny-Mel Blanc seasonal skits that started on the radio and was eventually transplanted to television as Jack nearly drives a salesclerk (Mel) mad with constantly changing how he wants his Chistmas present wrapped. From such humble beginnings, Ms. Werts moves unto the black and white period of the fifties (Father Knows Best) to the golden age of the sixties (Rudolph, Charlie Brown, Grinch, etc). As the book evolves into the eighties, brief mentions are made of such episodes as the Nanny Christmas Special and the PeeWee Herman one.

Included is a pretty good summary of the infamous Bundy Christmas in "Married With Children" which may rank up there as one of the first "anti-Christmas" shows. I may even give the "Hebrew Hammer" a try, since its aroused my curiosity. How can it not? With a Jewish super hero trying to stop Santa's evil son from corrupting the holiday.

This closes the chapter, which examines the recent multicultural trend where couples of mixed faiths try to juggle a Christian celebration with a non-Christian faith such as Kwanzaa and Hannakah.

The text moves fast, and helps to refresh the holiday fan of all the different specials and episodes that we have seen over the years.

-- Ms. Werts knows her Christmas specials. An enjoyable read.

Some caveats:

At forty dollars, the book would do better in a paperback edition at about twenty.

There's enough material for a volume 2, even a chapter on forgotten tv specials such as The Great Santa Clause Caper with Art Carney.

The Christmas episodes of "Get Smart," and "The Six Million Dollar Man" were omitted. Ok. I'm being a bit of a stinker here, expecting her to include everything.

Lasty, it's a shame that Ms. Werts fails to recognize the genius that is the Star Wars Holiday Special from 1978. A sure fire classic that the author puts in the "worst" section.

Sincerely,

JThree
carolyn@dia.net

The first thing that struck me about Christmas on Television is that there was another person out there who has as much fondness for old holiday episodes of TV shows as I do. Each year I find myself watching Christmas episodes of TV shows that I do not even watch regularly. This wonderful book from Praeger Publishers and written by Diane Werts is the Holy Grail for fans of holiday themed TV. I don't know if she mentions every Christmas episode of every TV show but I bet she comes pretty darn close. Werts begins with a look at early shows such as Ozzie & Harriet and Father Knows Best, and early specials like the 1953 Liberace Holiday show where he is joined on the set by members of his family...which would become a common theme in many future specials.

Rather than just go chronologically through the years Werts takes a different tack, instead looking at these shows through the many different themes that were used over and over through the years such as shopping, decorating, feasting, being away from, or coming home for the holidays. Werts sites an unending supply of examples for the various themes such as the Partridge Family bus breaking down in a ghost town on Christmas Eve in a 1971 show or Tim Taylor being stuck in an airport during a storm in a 1995 holiday episode of Home Improvement. The theme of a working Christmas was explored in a 1970 Mary Tyler Moore show when Mary finds herself alone in the newsroom until the rest of the cast show up to bring the Christmas party to her.

One of my favorite themes is the one where Santa is proven to be real. In a 1964 Christmas episode of Bewitched, Samantha takes a little boy (played by Billy Mumy) all the way to the North Pole to prove to him that Santa is real. The same year also gave us the Flintsones show where Fred helped out an ailing Santa by delivering gifts but forgets his own family's presents. The desire for an old fashioned Christmas and lamenting commercialization has been a common theme from the days of A Charlie Brown Christmas right through the 2003 Christmas episode of Bernie Mac. And Dickens' A Christmas Carol has played out numerous times over the decades on shows like The Odd Couple, Sanford & Son, and The Simpsons. Thank God for TV land who runs blocks of these old Christmas shows every year!

Of course what would Christmas on TV be without mentioning the great, and regrettably now missing variety shows. Bob Hope did his first Christmas show on NBC in 1950 and continued for over forty years. His most famous shows were those he spent entertaining our armed forces throughout the Korean, Viet Nam, and first Gulf Wars. His 1970 and 1971 specials from Viet Nam are still ranked among Neilsen's Top 30 shows of all-time. Besides Bob there were so many other great variety shows...who can forget the annual Bing Crosby and Andy Williams shows, or even the Muppets. Werts also takes a look at the great animated shows like Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer. While many classic Christmas episodes are forgotten and variety shows are no more, the classic animated specials never get old or lose their luster.

Werts' book is filled with a comprehensive bibliography and index making it easy to find your favorite old Christmas episode. There is also a short, but enjoyable photo section. Truly a fantastic book! My highest recommendation!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Diane Werts' "Christmas on Television" is astonishingly well written, remarkably thorough, and utterly invaluable as a basis for future scholarship in this area. Every paragraph reads like the progeny of intense and loving research, yet the text flows and entertains in the manner of a first-rate episode of, say, "M*A*S*H." If the average pop culture survey were a tenth as good as this, mass-media scholarship would be sitting pretty. Such is hardly the case, but maybe if we're especially good, Santa will bring us more works of this quality.

This is a book that will be fun for both the casual television fan and the television historian. I found it informative and entertaining. There are no two stronger cultural icons in America than Christmas and television and the author did an extraordinary job weaving the two together.