California Books

I developed an appreciation for Handel's Messiah over 60 years ago, and to this day I listen to recordings of it frequently. While in college I became a participant, singing in the chorus, and have done so many times since. A while back I gave my vocal score to my daughter for her use, not realizing how much I missed having it at hand. Since I recently purchased a replacement I feel complete again as I refresh my readings of this great work, truly an all time classical composition.
Donald A Carlson

My copy of Handel's Messiah arrived when stated and in in perfect condition. Thank you

The Messiah is, by far, my favorite piece of classical music. It has been a Christmas tradition for me to attend singalong Messiah concerts for many years. This score has been the choice of the choral conductors and organizers of the concerts of which I have been a part. I bought this book to give to my son-in-law for Christmas, as part of a package that also included a recording of a radio program about the Messiah and Handel, and a CD of the music. He is an musician, so I knew he would enjoy it, and I wanted to provide him with material to share with my granddaughters, so they could also become acquainted with this great piece of music. He was very pleased to receive the gift.

The book arrived in a very timely manner. It was in excellent shape. I am extremely happy to have it. Now I can mark it all up for the soprano lines.

Our Chancle Choir preformed excerpts with guest soloist I wanted my own score. The quickness in receiving this was of utmost importance. I was delighted to receive a copy just like the ones purchased by our church. A beautiful score to own.

I have the Catalog of the British Museum Exhibition: "Forgotten Empire, the world of Ancient Persia" by the same authors. This book's text is essentially the same as the text in the catalog. The exhibition, and this book, mark a turning point in our appreciation of the legacy of the Ancient Persians in 'western' civilization. For too long the Greek texts colored western opinions of the Persians. This consise, clear, well-reasoned study begins to correct that biass. Oh - and the illustrations are exquisite!

The exhibition was absolutely wonderful with material from Louvre,British Museum,National Museum of Iran,my eyes were filled with tears as soon I walked into the exhibition rooms and I remembered my first visit to Persepolis(Parse) as a child.Cyrus the Great laid the foundation for an Empire based on tolerance for other cultures and traditions and the Great king and Persians demonstrated their desire for other nations to maintain their own ethnocultural traditions.I recommend this book specially to readers who wish to get the correct information contray to the repeated Macedonian propaganda and I hope this book will be available in Persian language for that group of my compatriot who have forgotten their glorious past.The name of the book describes my point of view.

This large and attractive book is the work of two scholars from the Department of the Ancient Near East at the British Museum - John Curtis, the Keeper of the Department, and Nigel Tallis, his special assistant. It was created to accompany an exhibition of the museum's holding, and acts as something of a catalogue. But, it is so much more than that.

What this book really is is a history of Ancient Persia, illustrated with many colorful pictures of Persian artifacts. Many subjects are covered herein, ranging from a general history of Ancient Persia, through the royal table, religion, imperial administration, and transport and warfare. And last, but not least, is a chapter on the legacy of Ancient Persia.

Overall, I found this to be a very interesting book. It takes a very interesting look at certain subjects that are not adequately covered in most books - such as burial customs. Plus, I must say that the brightly colored pictures of the artifacts, such as Persian stamp- and cylinder-seals were worth the price of the book alone.

I think that this is an excellent book on Ancient Persia, one that is sure to please any student of ancient history.

I loved the book. There are hundreds of excellent quality photos, lots of descriptions, wonderful articles, and useful maps to help understanding the old Persia. It covers every aspect of life in ancient Persia: the government, the financial system and daily life. I have watched the photos every day and still want to watch them more. Articles are academically sound, easy to read and the book is well structured.

Another good thing about it is that, it reveals the bias introduced to the Ancient history by Greeks.

The book is an excellent introduction to the Persian Empire; the world's first true empire. From developing new forms of political administration, building roads that would inspire Rome, fromulating monotheism and fostering cultural tolerance, the Persians were innovators in every sense of the word. Sadly this world is all too often forgotten or only mentioned in passing. This is an excellent beginning for anyone interested in the history of Iran, whose people trace their roots- both ethnically and culturally- to the world of ancient Persia.

I recommend the garlic bread. It is more like the cheesy type, if you LOVE your Carbs this is the way to go.

Great recipes, good stories this is a must for someone who needs inspiration for the daily meal.

The recipes in this book are easy to follow and a delight to make. My family has enjoyed all that we have tryed. We have also started some new family traditons after reading this book.

A wonderful cookbook filled with great, everyday meals along with gourmet entertaining recipes. Easy to follow instructions and it is perfect for family cooking.

This is a great cookbook with easy to follow recipes and great cooking tips. The book provides substitutions for ingrediants as well as what to do with "left overs" to create a new dish. I would definetly recommend this book to anyone who likes to eat. Make sure to try the "asparagus pockets", yummmm!!

This was a great book even if you don't love to cook...but you probably will want to try to after reading this book. The recipes are for things that everyone likes to eat and the ingredients are readily available. Even better than the recipes are the vignettes that go with them. A definite must for the cookbook collection.

A good basic book and its arguement for saving cities is beyond reproach. But it lacked information on how to conduct research on where one might want to move, how to evaluate the direction an urban area is going or even how to tell if a city wants to have an urban core. And if he used the word "funky" once more I would have screamed; in fact he used it so much it almost made me put the book down. He should have stuck to the facts and tried not to draw verbal pictures of so many funky neighborhoods.

This timely book has made me realize....why drive and pay 50 bucks to fill up your SUV when you can "schlepp?" Get Urban! shows people how to avoid high gas prices by "positioning yourself" around food, work, fun and friends. I've already "gotten urban" in Bella Vista, Philly and I laugh at all the folks who made the choice to put themselves so far away from everything out in the 'burbs. Perhaps they might choose to establish their own world in waiting neighborhoods in their city's downtown. After all, we all have choices. GET URBAN AND START SCHELPPING!

After driving through the decaying neighborhoods in D.C. today, I think every local politician and resident in the surrounding over-crowded suburbs should read this great book. Kyle Ezell tells you how to find the right neighborhood for your personality and teaches you the basic survival skills you will need to live in a city.

Going by the wonderful writing in "Get Urban!," I bet Kyle Ezell is going to be a superstar one day.

We were pleased when we passed the "Getting Urban 101" minicourse (chapter 3) with flying colors. We recently moved from the southern suburbs. We chose the "postindustrial urbs" and are living in Chicago's South Loop development called Central Station. Reading your book is full of good advice and is helping us get even more urban! And we're saving a load of money not paying high gas prices!

Get Urban is the perfect book for us older folks with empty nests who are thinking about "getting urban." Our kids are gone and we are actually considering "moving on up" to a condo in downtown Nashville. The books speaks to us because we really do have to transform ourselves into a different mindset to become city dwellers. We haven't gotten urban yet, but have determined that we are "Postindustrial" urbanites. That's South of Broad (SoBo) in Downtown Nashville. Off we go, anxious, but excited. This was a very worthwhile book for us, especially because we've lived in a subdivision for forty years!

As I write this I'm looking at the front cover of Golden Country . That lone cypress puts me in mind of a quote by Paul Klee, who marvelled at the tenacity of trees, and put it thus: "To stand despite all possibilities to fall." I guess that applies to the state of California too, which is just waiting to fall into a gap between tectonic plates. Neider's book, like California, is full of marvels, though I do have a favourite photograph; that tiny bird track preserved in the baked earth of the Mojave. It's like some biblical metaphor for existence and eternity. My God, I wish I were in California right now (outside is like a English summer's day cliche - gray skies, pouring rain, cold winds, not to mention thunder and lightning). I shall seek further salvation in Susan M Neider's lovely book. And recommend it as perfect therapy for anyone with a yen for soul-enhancing travel.

Susan Neider is as gifted a photographer of the Point Reyes Peninsula as that enchanted place has ever had. Her work is tack sharp, wonderfully composed, and perfectly catches California light. A superb collection of photographs.

Jim Cohee
Senior Editor
Sierra Club Books
San Francisco, California

The Ideal Blend
For anyone looking for the ideal blend of landscape photography and information to express the essence of a place, Golden Country: Touring Scenic California does it perfectly. Susan Neider has proven once again that this is her great talent, and has made another valuable and unique contribution to the guidebook offerings. In my opinion, the portfolio of 120+ photographs is her best yet; even the most complex landscapes are captured in gorgeous, rich color with superior skill and honesty. It would not be an overstatement to say that her photographic eye is one of the best at work today. The accompanying text adds for the reader the explanations needed to understand further California's complicated and diverse geology. Her descriptive narrative is excellent -- always clean, direct, and easy to follow. As usual, Neider is able to control the flow of information masterfully so as not to exhaust the reader. Simply put, it is a pleasure to read. Maps are plentiful in Golden Country, and
these are maps that can easily be used when traveling. They are beautiful, thorough and particularly helpful as they contain little camera icons that show exactly where Neider has found her photographs. It's a wonderful touch and a great idea to guide the reader who also carries a camera in hand. For a superb overview of California that also contains the necessary detail and organization to make a terrific guidebook, Golden Country is the ideal blend.

"Golden Country" is, quite simply, an extraordinary book by an extraordinarily talented individual. I am in awe of the sheer quality of the work product created here.

Other reviewers have already praised the book's photographs. They are indeed gorgeous and sumptuous: flawlessly composed, tack sharp, bathed in perfect natural light, and offering a wide variety of interesting content (ranging from soaring panoramas to tight close-ups of individual trees, foliage, rocks, and animals). Some images are simple "matter-of-fact" recordings of beautiful landscapes, while others show off clever interpretations of unusual but naturally-occurring effects (like discreet angled beams of sunlight shining crisply through the green canopy of a section of woodlands, or low-hanging gray clouds appearing to kiss the twin peaks of the Golden Gate bridge, or mountain ridges seamlessly mirrored in salt water pools lying below). But every picture is powerful and emotive, setting its own emotional tone and a distinct mood. All of them are compelling and emotional.

But this is hardly just a pretty picture book for the coffee table (though it would do just fine there and anyone should be proud to display it there or fascinated to peruse it there). This book is also a highly effective travel guide. Unlike other travel guides that bombard the reader with boring historical information and poorly presented details, this book's information is accessible, well organized, and cleanly laid out on the page in a way that anyone can use. Only the essence of what you need to know to visit, observe, and photograph the destinations is provided: no fat, just what you need to know, presented in a highly efficient manner with journalistic-like precision and accompanied by clean, usable maps of the destination areas.

But it is not just a travel guide. It is actually a beautiful piece of literature because of the remarkable quality of the author's writing. The opening preface captures, in a single page, California's majesty, massive expanse, and remarkable physical complexity and contrasts. Later text explains the origins of the landscape -- the geological processes that actually caused the topography to develop the way it did: why things look the way they do, why the weather patterns act the way they do, why the mountains are positioned the way they are, how they came to be that way. It is pure fascination, but communicated in an easy and accessible way, scientifically accurate but not at all overwhelming for the lay reader. The prose is so beautiful, the words so well chosen, the sentences so well crafted and rhythmic, that the text is simply a joy to read -- packed full of information but yet flowing and engaging. I am struck by how Ms. Neider's descriptive writing often manages to combine a soaring, lyrical quality with a crisp, scientific precision, all at the same time. It is very rare to find these qualities combined so artfully.

Before she began her career as a photographer, Ms. Neider was a scientist and a teacher. In Golden Country, she has accomplished the truly remarkable feat of combining together in one book the technical observations of a keen scientist, the engaging education of an inspiring teacher, the graphic design of a fine artist, the talented eye of a world-class photographer, and the emotional intensity and honesty of a great writer. Rarely, if ever, has a photography book or a travel guide managed to provide such a unique combination in a single article.

I consider this extraordinary book to be one of the four or five most impressive creative works I have ever owned, and I highly recommend it to others. You will not be disappointed.

These pictures are beautiful and render the California landscape in a way rarely seen by casual travelers. It is a must for anyone who likes landscape beauty of our glorious west.

I like this book. It's very affordable for the quality of the book itself--I purchased it to have as a handy reference. As a reference, it is quite good, though topical. I have had several compendiums on fighter aircraft, but this one contains strange/one-off fighters I have never seen before (Caudron-Renault C714 Cyclone anyone?). The data for each aircraft is not too detailed, but it's worth having in your aviation library.

I finally found a William Green opus my father hadn't seen. The book is classic Green: no-nonsense, just the facts, with beautiful graphics and detailed histories of every (and I mean e-v-e-r-y) fighter aircraft ever flown. A great surprise for the airplane-oholic on your gift list.

It has every fighter that I know and a lot of that I have never heard in my like. Excellent work.

This book is without a doubt THE classic compendium of all fighters ever dsigned or manufactured. It is exhaustive in detail and catalogues many planes you would never find in any other book.

There is however, no analysis of the planes in their overall historical contribution to airpower or technological development. As a result the book is replete with a lot of facts on the aircraft, but there is no critical or lauditory comment on any. Therefore we do not know that the Hurricane was an excellent gun-platform, and the Buffalo possibly the worst fighter in history. Neither do we know which series of the Me109 was "better" against the allies, nor do we know that Japanese "Betty" bombers were called the "one-shot-lighter" because of there tendency to explode easily.

All in all there is too much colour missing from this collection for it to really enthrall as much as it could have. As a result my bathroom reading is that much less intense and enhanced...

I shall await other, newer editions to rectify this weekness.

PS: This book weights about 10Kgs. Hefty in the bathroom... bring a reading stand.

The name sounds like something for 6-year-old kids but this is a serious work. The coverage is exceptional and unlike so many other books in this category this one does not play favorites. The major US, British, and WW2 Luftwaffe aircraft are covered well, but so are all the obscure types. Depth and amount of text accompanying some of the more obscure Soviet fighters is particularly impressive, as are the cutaways of more rare and unusual aircraft (e.g. Dewoitine D.510) as well as some deserving but forgotten types (CAC Boomerang, Ouragan, Su-17). All eras, from WW1 to modern, are given fair treatment.

Each aircraft is given a history of development, notable service, and variants (in most cases, significant variants have separate entries), followed by the specs. In addition to 80+ cutaways there are 470 color profiles, and there is a plethora of well-reproduced photos many of which I've not seen before. The book claims to cover over 1,700 aircraft and there was nothing I could throw at it that it didn't cover, including obscure French, Italian and Soviet designs.

I do have a few complaints. The book could have used another round of proofreading -- there are no factual errors I could find but I came across some misspellings and misplaced photos (many concentrated in the F-4 Phantom II article for some reason). Being a book on military aircraft, it's strange to find armament information tucked into the text and not delineated in the specifications. The same goes for engine specs. And the cutaways, while very nice and detailed (200+ items labeled in the key is typical for modern aircraft) span two pages which means information is lost in the crease.

Overall, this book is a superb value and in many ways a superior alternative to Jane's.

The delivery was perfect and on time..it was a gift for someone but the only mistake you made is that the billing information was sent together to that address and not to the address that was requested...so my gift arrived good but the person knew how much it costed. It would have been perfect if the billing info would have arrived to my address..I am not angry..just letting you know.

ME GUSTARIA SABER COMO CONSEGUIR LOS LIBROS DE METAFISICA LOS LEO DESDE PUERTO RICO Y EN CHICAGO NO ENCUENTRO SITIO DONDE LOS VENDAN O COMO PUEDO HACER PARA COMPRAR POR INTERNET

Por casualidad entré en una librería de saldos y compré El Devocionario de su Angel de la Guarda, de las mismas autoras (al igual que Erasmo, tengo debilidad por comprar libros aunque no los lea de inmediato, como quien compra ropa u otros objetos). Y al comenzar a leer me dí cuenta que el que tenía en mis manos era la segunda parte, entonces decidí buscar éste. Pero de pronto se me ocurrió que por internet podría encontrarlo más barato. Y así fue, entonces compré seis, pensando en regalarlos. Fué una magnífica compra.
En los últimos dos años de mi vida se me ha despertado un interés inusitado por la espiritualidad. No soy una persona religiosa, y el tema de las religiones organizadas me produce urticaria (quizás por que mi padre solía decir con frecuencia que el no se fiaba de los hombres con faldas; y no, no hablaba de los escoceses). Así que mi búsqueda de identidad espiritual necesitaba otros tipos de respuestas. He buscado mucho y he explorado otro tanto en las corrientes del pensamiento. Por ésta razón, éste librito me tomó por sorpresa, es asombrosamente sencillo (al igual que el otro)y sin embargo está tan lleno de respuestas, que ponen a prueba hasta el más dogmático. Su efectividad te devuelve la fé y te cambia la perspectiva de la vida, si decides elevar tu estado de conciencia. Es un regalo de amor.

me gusto mucho lo que lei.......ahunque es la primera vez que leo acerca de Angeles...me interesa mucho el tema......porque en ocaciones que he pasado por realmente malos momentos en mi vida...he sentido la presencia de alguien muy cerca de mi..lo he sentido en mi hombro, cerca de mi oido,.......y siempre habia pensado que era Dios... pero no sabia que Dios nos a designado un Angel especial para cada persona....yo no voy a ninguna iglesia....pero siempre he sentido a Dios muy cerca de mi....y ahora se que es el Angel que el me envio para cuidarme...quisiera saber como comunicarme con el y verlo........siempre me he sentido diferente a las demas mujeres..no se si sea mi imaginacion..pero hay muchas preguntas que quisiera que alguien me contestara...si ustedes me pueden ayudar.....se los agradeceria toda mi vida.......Gracias.

Las autoras ofrecen un método simple y directo para que cualquier lector pueda contactar a su Angel de la Guarda. El libro es muy fácil de leer y es uno de esos libros que uno quiere tener en su biblioteca personal y usar como un libro de referencia.

Aconsejo practicar bastante, los resultados no se obtienen al primer o segundo intento generalmente. Su Angel de la Guarda está ahí, junto a usted, amándolem protegiendole en todo momento, transmitiendole su inspiración y deseando que usted le hable.

Recomiendo ampliamente este libro.

I can admit it now, but for a long period of my life, it was quite painful: I'm an Angels fan. Have been since the days of Bo Belinski. That's why I was delighted to see Bucky Fox's addition to the history, lore and trivia of my beloved Angels -- be they of Anaheim or Los Angeles. His book is crammed with stuff I didn't know or, in many cases, had forgotten. Like "Adam Kennedy's Reggie Moment," when Kennedy hit three dingers in Game 5 of the ALC championship series to beat the Twins. Or the key role played by the relatively unknown pitcher John Lackey in a number of major Angel wins (Game 7 of 2002 World Series, Game 4 of 2002 ALC championship, Game 2 of 2005 AL Division series). Bucky's book is filled with this stuff.

For a demented Angel fan, it's all pure gold.

Bucky Fox has done a terrific job of highlighting the top players, moments and memories of the Angels' storied past. This book is written in a short, punchy style that makes it a quick, easy read. It brings back memories for any Angels fan of the great moments in franchise history, and it reminds you that the Angels have a lot more high points in their history than you might think.

I'm not an Angels fan. I'm a Yankees fan and what I want to know is why MY team doesn't have a kickass book like this. With his fast-paced, tightly-written countdown to victory, Fox does the seemingly impossible. He makes the Angels look like the Yankees. And for that, I tip my pro cap to him.

Great introduction for new fans to the history of the Angels and a great rememberance for long time Angel Fans. It was a fun read because you could just tell that the Author is an Angels fan.

As an Angel fan I think this book makes a delightful quick read and scores consistently with interesting tidbits of Angel player triva. Should be in any Angel fan's collection.

I think this was a great book because it captured the life of a teen girl. Some thing she did reminded me of my friend who is exatly like Bron. I would recomend this book to everyone. I think adults should also read this book so they can get and understanding of a teens life. Some parents dont understand Teens. Eveyone but this book its worth reading.

Bronwyn Lewis is a sixteen-year-old girl who has just been forced to move to Ojala, California with her family. The year is 1960. Bron is a good student, and has always lived life by the rules. It doesn't take long for her to realize if she doesn't change herself, she will not fit in with the carefree, easygoing teens in town. A popular interest of these individuals is drag racing, something that Bron wrongly thought she would never experience herself. Soon she meets J.C., an extremely attractive racer, and Will, a down-to-earth, old-fashioned country guy. She gets caught between them, and some interesting things occur with both men. I guess you could say she has a lot of things on her mind, including her reckless friend Lanie, the legendary horrific fires of Ojala, the profits of her family business, and her life's turn for romance and adventure. Hobbs really brings Bron's story to life through her dense plot and rising action. There is an overwhelming mood this book gives you through Bron's interactions with other characters. I really started to enjoy the book as the number of friendships and relationships Bron aquires increased. The ending really left me thinking because there is a distinct mystery to it. The genre is a combination of coming-of-age, adventure, and romance; no single genre would be fit by itself in my opinion. I really felt like I knew the characters personally as the plot thickened. I would definatly recommend this book to anyone. If an adult were to read it, he or she would have a good idea of the aspects of American teenagers' lives.

this is a really good book! it gives good insight on a teen girl's point of view on things. not only that, but it is fast paced! i got in bed to read at nine and stayed up until two to finish it! belive me, you will like this book!

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It made me laugh and cry and fall in love with every bit of it. The author was so great and I hope that I can get to read more of her books, soon. I just loved it, if you haven't read it then you need to. You have no idea what you're missing.

As an adult I was very moved by the story, especially the insight into the thoughts of a young woman. There was a "true story" feeling in the Bron's experiences. A must read for parents of young people...lots of insight into the need to "belong". Hobbs has done a superb writing job!

"How to Write a Screenplay" is a superb guide to the craft of cinematic storytelling and the process of rendering that story into the standard screenplay format. The book also includes detailed guidance on the pitch and development stages of the screenwriting process. Schwartz effectively delivers his lessons because "How to Write a Screenplay" seamlessly marries form and function. The book itself is in the form of a screenplay, and therefore serves as an ongoing example of the points it presents. This is an extremely effective pedagogical approach because the reader's attention is not divided between separate narrative text and examples, but fully engaged at any moment in an interesting story that illustrates its points in concrete terms.

In the introduction to his book, Schwartz states he has seen the quality of his screenwriting students' work dramatically improve after utilizing this approach; I have no doubt that this has been true for him, and will also apply to those who read his excellent book.

This is by far and away the best book I've read on screenwriting. It's really insightful, informative, and entertaining. I found myself laughing while learning! As others have noted, this clever little gem is a fast and fun read, a how-to book that is actually written in the form of a character and story-driven screenplay. Like a good movie, I kept turning the pages, wanting to "see" what would happen next. Before you get to the feature length screenplay (titled Screenwriting for the Hell of It!),it has a funny short script about pitching, and takes you by example through the steps of development. I can see why a great director like Wes Craven recommends it. Very cool!

The latest edition of HOW TO WRITE: A SCREENPLAY appears in its revised, expanded edition to add a chapter on 'The Pitch' and features a screenplay-like format which sets it apart from others on the market. Danny, the hero in this story, is hopelessly in love with a star who won't date him until he proves he can write an outstanding screenplay for her. Learn the basics of writing and marketing a screenplay through a format that lends to lively insights: perfect for any public library or school collection catering to aspiring screenwriters.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The addition of a section on "pitching" in Mr. Schwartz' Second Edition is the icing on the cake of his excellent guide to screenwriting. Having worked inside the studio system for several decades as a story analyst, development executive, and producer, I've seen many cases where a screenwriter had a good story and/or script but failed to sell it because he/she blew the "pitch." As he did with screenwriting in the First Edition, Mr. Schwartz provides the keys to successful "pitching" in his user-friendly format: keep it simple, clear and entertaining. I will continue to recommend Mr. Schwartz' book to writers, producers and development execs as a very useful tool in developing, and NOW in selling screenplays.

In summary, like a good movie, this is highly entertaining and educational!
There, now that that is out of the way, let me say I was initially skeptical about this book and its overwhelmingly good reviews. The reason is a character flaw (I think): I don't trust positivity.

However, it wasn't too expensive and Amazon would ship it to me in record time so I thought, what the heck and ordered it. It's a small book, and I was expecting it to be. After all, it's in the format of a screenplay and those shouldn't be more than 120 pages or so, right?

On starting to read, straightaway, I was hooked. The story used is a bit corny, but--I couldn't believe it!--I wanted to know more: what did Virgil want? Who was the stranger in Bebe's apartment? Does Danny finish the screenplay? And right along with all that, I was actually learning about structure, character, theme, dialog and exposition; all in a way I never would have thought possible.

And at a speed I never thought possible either! I was learning how to write a screenplay and how to make it interesting and watchable, without the impediment of translating jargon and quasi-indecipherable jibber jabber. I blew through it in less than two hours and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. One of my highest recommendations and kudos to the author for finding a pleasant, funny, and incredibly insightful way of transferring knowledge.