My Secret Life on the McJob: Lessons from Behind the Counter Guaranteed to Supersize Any Management Style
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good Content
  • Mini McJob review
  • If you are in retail/fast food management...a must read...
  • strongly recommend!
  • Great Insider Analysis! Mediocre Writing Style...
My Secret Life on the McJob: Lessons from Behind the Counter Guaranteed to Supersize Any Management Style
Jerry Newman
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0071473653

Book Description

Once upon a time, a Ph.D. went to work at Mickey D's...

And what he found was illuminating. Jerry Newman, a college professor who has taught business courses for nearly 30 years, went undercover as a bottom-rung worker for the biggest names in fast food, including McDonald's and Burger King. Newman found that fast-food chains were the perfect petri dishes for covert research: High-pressure, high-volume businesses with high-employee turnover. The pecking order was also crystal clear, from fry cook all the way up to store manager.

Of the seven restaurants where Newman worked, some were high-morale, high-productivity machines. Others were miserable, misplaced circles of hell. Yet one common trait stuck out from them all: Each restaurant's respective manager determined the climate of the work environment.

Go behind the fast food counter with Newman and see what happens on an average day on the “McJob”…

how the restaurants are run (for better or worse)

how managers reward good employees when raises are impossible (believe it or not, bosses give 'em more hours-and it works!)

how morale and motivation spring directly from the manager's office

and how a few simple adjustments to your own management style-the “Supersized Management Principles” in this book-can transform and invigorate your workplace

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Good Content.......2007-07-12

Interesting content, stories, and points from "Behind the counter," but the organization and writing were not impressive. Prof. Newman talks about the skills matrix with stars for mastered skills at least three times as though it was the first and only time he introduced the idea. Didnt provide and concrete conclusions and seemed to just be a rather random conglomeration of thoughts and points.

5 out of 5 stars Mini McJob review.......2007-05-14

I read a review of this book in a newspaper and decided immediately that I had to have it. The author writes in an easy, conversational tone - in point of fact, I finished it in one weekend. Through his various part-time job descriptions at fast food restaurants you become acquainted with far-ranging management philosophies (especially the "toxic" managers), training programs (or lack thereof), and a greater appreciation for life behind the counter. Both my wife and I are much more tolerant of the mistakes made by people who hold these McJobs. And, yes, I would love to take a business management course from Dr. Newman!

5 out of 5 stars If you are in retail/fast food management...a must read..........2007-04-25


As a convenience store manager, I saw myself and peers in this book (the good, the bad and the ugly). I laughted, I cringed, and most importantly, I learned! A fascinating, informative and thoughtful read. Thank you Jerry Newman for your 14 months undercover!!

5 out of 5 stars strongly recommend!.......2007-03-19

It's a great book: intelligent and interesting, both professional and entertaining. I worked in Taco Bell for near a year before I entered my MBA program, will graduate in 2 months, just recently got a job in HR management. I'm going to buy more books to give to my friends in Taco Bell, in this MBA program, and my future Human Resource department co-workers.

4 out of 5 stars Great Insider Analysis! Mediocre Writing Style..........2007-03-16

Society places fast-food workers at the bottom rung of society - but Jerry Newman's experiment does an great job showing why we should change our thinking about the people working in these McJobs. In an industry where everything is seemingly identical, different management styles really stand out. I learned a lot about managing people in high turnover industries like fast food and why hiring for personality works so well.

I sort of feel like each chapter in the book was written at some point in time independent from all the others; then merged together without good connections between chapters. There is also a lot of repetition and many of the stories are told two or three times.

Overall a great and quick read!
Life Doesn't Frighten Me
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • 2 for 1
  • Life Doesn't Frighten Me
  • Undecided
  • Art Appreciation For All Ages---
  • Pure Bosh
Life Doesn't Frighten Me
Maya Angelou , and Jean-Michel Basquiat
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1556702884

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars 2 for 1.......2007-08-12

You have two great contemporary artists combined in this book.....I plan to buy it again as I gave it to a friend who is a new grandmother.

5 out of 5 stars Life Doesn't Frighten Me .......2007-05-21

This is a great book! This book is a good starting point for conversation with children in helping them talk about what might frighten them. The artists (both Maya Angelou and Jean-Michel Basquiat) both have created a unique book for all ages.

2 out of 5 stars Undecided.......2007-04-22

The pictures are abstract looking and dark in tone. The book makes reference to; ghosts, bad men fighting in the dark, and cougars in the park. I'm not sure my 3 or 5 year old children had thought up these bad things on their own yet. While reading them the book I felt uneasy about the dark pictures and scary references to things they may not have even thought of before. I'm still undecided if it will be helpful in convincing them that they don't need to be afraid of life or if it will convince them that life is pretty scary and they ought to be afraid! There is one reference to 'having a lucky charm up her sleeve' that protects her from the bad stuff and also allows her to walk on the ocean floor without having to come up to breathe. Those are both useless defenses in the real world so the book doesn't offer any real reasons to not be scared of life.

5 out of 5 stars Art Appreciation For All Ages---.......2006-11-19

This book is truly for both parents and children. The cadence of Angelou's poem is one that appeals to kids of all ages, even if they don't initially understand it's meaning. The artwork in it's 'stick figure form' can be appreciated by all who enjoy the complexity of Basquiat's work as well as children relating to it's color and elementary presentation. It's one of my favorite gifts, from baby showers to adult parents. If you appreciate art and culture this book is one to have in the home as well as gift to a friend.

1 out of 5 stars Pure Bosh.......2006-07-13

What a deep, deep woman this Maya Angelou is. At least this book ADMITS it's for little kids, unlike a lot of her other work.
The Life and Death of Classical Music: Featuring the 100 Best and 20 Worst Recordings Ever Made
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The crisis of classical music?
  • Always entertaining and informative
  • Deserves to be placed aside next to the Penguin Guide....
  • Glad to finally meet Chopin
  • A most interesting, if rather depressing, book
The Life and Death of Classical Music: Featuring the 100 Best and 20 Worst Recordings Ever Made
Norman Lebrecht
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400096588
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

In this compulsively readable, fascinating, and provocative guide to classical music, Norman Lebrecht, one of the world’s most widely read cultural commentators tells the story of the rise of the classical recording industry from Caruso’s first notes to the heyday of Bernstein, Glenn Gould, Callas, and von Karajan.

Lebrecht compellingly demonstrates that classical recording has reached its end point–but this is not simply an expos? of decline and fall. It is, for the first time, the full story of a minor art form, analyzing the cultural revolution wrought by Schnabel, Toscanini, Callas, Rattle, the Three Tenors, and Charlotte Church . It is the story of how stars were made and broken by the record business; how a war criminal conspired with  a concentration-camp victim to create a record empire; and how advancing technology, boardroom wars, public credulity and unscrupulous exploitation shaped the musical backdrop to our modern lives. The book ends with a suitable shrine to classical recording: the author’s critical selection of the 100 most important recordings–and the 20 most appalling.

Filled with memorable incidents and unforgettable personalities–from Goddard Lieberson, legendary head of CBS Masterworks who signed his letters as God; to Georg Solti, who turned the Chicago Symphony into “ the loudest symphony on earth”–this is at once the captivating story of the life and death of classical recording and an opinioned, insider’s guide to appreciating the genre, now and for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars The crisis of classical music?.......2007-08-17

In the last times several books and articles have cast doubts about the future of classical music. Evidences like the ageing of audiences attending concerts or the lack of renewal of repertoires support that thesis. In this context, the writer and critic Norman Lebrecht has published a new book on the subject. To support his thesis, the first part of the book is devoted to the history of the record industry, its rise and its fall, how were founded the companies that lead the sector for half a century; the impact of new technologies (stereophonic sound, digital recording) and formats (LP, CD) in its evolution; and, finally, the present situation where big companies face a shrinking production and a fierce competition from small independent publishers besides the internet and downloads.
Any selection is obviously subjective and the criteria applied can be questioned. Nevertheless it is worth to know the circumstances and fact that were around the making of these records, some of them unanimously considered as absolute references.
What is left after reading the book is a certain air of pessimism. However its reading is worthwhile as it offers a vivid description of the recording industry, well documented with bibliographic references, and what is more important, with the author's personal experiences.

5 out of 5 stars Always entertaining and informative.......2007-07-04

Lebrecht has been placing lilies on the grave of classical music for some time now. A more accurate title would be "The Life and Death of Classical Recording," as classical music itself is alive and well. It is an observable fact that the traditional CD is probably on its way out as a "pop" music vehicle; it would be unrealistic to expect classical recording to be unaffected by the ongoing shift to MP3 and other computer formats. Like the "Death" card of the Tarot deck, signifying not death so much as change, the industry is not dying but evolving in unexpected directions. What must be upsetting for those involved is the unpredictability of change - who, in 1975, would have predicted the prevalence of hip-hop today? The same forces are reflected in classical music, on a smaller scale.

The relative popularity of classical music in the 20th century's midpoint was an anomaly. Through the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras, composers were dependent on patronage (Schubert may have been the first serious composer to support himself, primarily through the popularity of his songs for the Biedermeier set, rather than his "serious" music). The typical 19th century European peasant, like his modern American counterpart, may have gone his entire life without hearing a Beethoven piano sonata. The majority, then as now, had their "popular" music.

Lebrecht manages to unearth endless troves of fascinating minutiae. For instance, he relates how Phillips, the inventors of the cassette, partnered with Sony to develop the compact disc. The Dutch wanted the new format to be the same size as the cassette, however, the favorite piece of the Sony chairman's wife was Beethoven's 9th Symphony, too long to fit onto a disk of that size. To accommodate it, the disk's diameter was increased to allow 80 minutes of music, with the center hole corresponding to the size of the smallest Dutch coin.

The list of the "100 best" and "20 worst" recordings don't exactly complement each other. The "100" are sometimes, but not always, the "best;" Lebrecht chose many recordings primarily for their significance, be it artistic, historical, or political. The "20" were not chosen for their lack of significance; in most cases, they represent bad ideas or poor execution by people who should have known better.

5 out of 5 stars Deserves to be placed aside next to the Penguin Guide...........2007-06-21

A fascinating and absorbing read, Lebrecht's expose into the demise of classical music is as revealing as it is heartbreaking. Ten years ago, I was fortunate enough to work at one of the top classical radio stations in the US--(KDFC Classical 102.1 FM in San Francisco)there, I acquired a passion for classical music, reading Grammaphone and the Penguin Guide to Classial Compact Disc's with a fervor as children do with comic books. In short, it was an education in many ways--music as an art form, the aquisition of a refined taste, and a practical education into a highly unpredicatable business.

Lebrecht's book sheds light on all the vanities, egos, and personalities in the industry--past and present. Here is Karajan--masestro grandioso--feared but respected, whose net worth at his death was estimated at over $500 million with most of it derived from reissues of his earlier and better performances. Here is Bernstein, who, considered a somewhat of a second-tier conductor, plagued with insecurities and pretentious self-doubt, would often exasperate orchestras without punctuality or form (often forcing entire orchestras to wait an hour or more before he took to the podium) with his disdain for the inviolate nature of some works that are an inherent part of a country's national identity. Although venerated as a national treasure, Lebrecht paints another dimension to Bernstein; he recalls how the conductor completely botched a recording session with BBC Orchestra to produce one of the "worst classical recordings of all time"--Elgar's Enigma Variations in 1982. A very sloppy and unprofessional approach to a job overall and a personal insult to the dead composer's memory and the English.

What is interesting about this book is how Lebrecht puts it all together; the rivalries between the major labels: Decca, DG, Phillips, EMI and their producers scrambling to be the first to sign an exclusive contract with the industry's power players--Bernstein, Solti, Rattle, among others; how "crossover" discs and performances(a Bono and Pavarotti duo easily comes to mind)ultimately spelled doom for serious classical music fan; how the major labels used sexy CD cover art of young and talented artists like Vanessa Mae, Anne Sophie Mutter and Charlotte Church to increase sales of an already declining market, and the unexpected rise of Klaus Heymann and NAXOS. Here is the budget CD tycoon who taught all the "majors" a valuable lesson by hiring lesser known and Eastern European orchestras looking for work and produced several Grammaphone award-winning discs with Vivaldi's Four Seasons taking away honors as one of the best-selling classical recordings ever produced topping sales of 1.16 million besting even the venerated Arthur Fiedler of the Boston Pops!

If you ever wanted to know the in and outs of a business as fascinating as the classical music industry, this is a must read.

4 out of 5 stars Glad to finally meet Chopin.......2007-06-16

This book is an informative and enjoyable read but I'm most grateful for the Masterpieces List. I bought #15- Chopin Waltzes played by Dinu Lipatti and discovered the Chopin who all the shouting was about. Lipatti's Chopin is sparkling, witty and entirely lacks the dirge-like sound that the other artists in my small collection have. Wow! I can hardly wait to sample others from Lebrecht's list.

4 out of 5 stars A most interesting, if rather depressing, book.......2007-06-15

Norman Lebrecht can always be counted on to stir things up, and this book is no exception. The first half is a brief history of the classical recording industry, which Lebrecht believes to be dead. The second half is an annotated list of recordings, 100 of the most significant of the century, and 20 that should never have been made. The tone is breezy, gossipy, and opinionated; the anecdotes are fascinating, and Lebrecht pulls no punches. One wishes he had checked facts a bit closer, however. For example: Gould's "first on a major label" Goldbergs were preceded by Landowska's on RCA; Rautavaara is by no means a minimalist composer; the Beaux Arts Trio recorded Beethoven's Triple Concerto with Haitink and the LPO, not Masur and the Leipzig Gewandhaus. But these are minor quibbles in what is a very recommendable read.
Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The co-producer of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's!!!
  • Vitally Important Perspective
  • He should know; he was there
  • Class Act
  • Here, There and Everywhere
Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles
Geoff Emerick , and Howard Massey
Manufacturer: Gotham
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B000NA1XSA

Book Description

A fascinating memoir featuring never-before-told stories from Beatles recording engineer Geoff Emerick—the industry legend who made music history by crafting the groundbreaking sound of the group's most famous records, including Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, and Abbey Road

Geoff Emerick was only fifteen years old when he began working with the Beatles as assistant engineer for their early classics “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You.” Incredibly, at the age of nineteen, he was promoted to full engineer, taking the helm for the group's groundbreaking album Revolver. Ten months later, he joined forces with the Beatles for the recording of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, hailed by Rolling Stone as the greatest album ever made. In their constant quest for experimentation and new sounds—and despite the technical limitations of the pre-digital age—Emerick developed a slew of innovative recording techniques, many of which are still in use today.

In Here, There and Everywhere, Emerick tells his story for the first time, taking the reader through the hallowed (though somewhat dingy) corridors of Abbey Road Studios to give rare insights into the Beatles' unique creative processes and personalities and provide a behind-the- scenes look at how the greatest band of all time made their greatest records. As Emerick describes the Beatles' transformation from wide-eyed Liverpool teenagers into tour-savvy professionals, he provides a startling picture of the Fab Four. Fascinating and moving, Here, There and Everywhere illuminates the creative tensions within the band that fueled their early success, but would ultimately lead them to record in separate studios while the partnership was disintegrating.

“We all owe some debt to Geoff Emerick's self-effacing work as an engineer and producer . . . there is very little that any group of scruffy musicians can throw at him that he cannot put into some kind of good sonic order. I feel fortunate to have worked with him.”
—Elvis Costello

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The co-producer of Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's!!!.......2007-10-10

If you're the kind of Beatle fan that love discussing not only about their lives and accomplishments, but also getting down to the technical aspects involved in the creation of their revolutionary music, this is A MUST ONE to have.

Reading it is a very enjoyable experience, especially when it comes down to the explanation of the tricks they had to do in the then pre-historic technology (but still, great) Abbey Road studio to generate and record the very special sonic wishes of the Beatles.

The book itself made me realize (this time for sure) that Geoff Emerick is, really, the co-producer of Revolver and Pepper. And that means a lot!

5 out of 5 stars Vitally Important Perspective.......2007-10-09

I am about 50 pages from finishing this book, but one thing I want to point out is that Geoff Emerick does not fawn all over Paul at the expense of the other Beatles, as has been stated in previous reviews. Most people I know have their favorite Beatle, and Mr. Emerick is no exception. He makes it clear that Paul was always the most friendly and diplomatic of the four, and this coincides with what we already knew. Whereas the other Beatles may have had a tendency to put up buffers around themselves, Paul tended to be the outgoing and friendly one, and I'm sure that was a comfort to Emerick, who was trying to fit in with the world's most popular pop recording group. Just the same, and as proof of his objectivity, Emerick also points to the contributions made by Paul toward the overall friction that developed and led to the break-up of the Beatles. Emerick also eventually has very positive things to say about Lennon and Harrison, and illustrates the bridges and appreciations that developed between him and them. So, don't be put off by those reviews that criticize Emerick for being unduly biased. If you have listened intently to Beatles recordings, many of your conclusions will be confirmed by what Geoff Emerick has to say in this book. I think he did an amazing job, and if you are into uncovering new and interesting detail about the Beatles and how they worked in the studio, don't pass this one by.

5 out of 5 stars He should know; he was there.......2007-09-28

Few accounts of history are more accurate than the first-hand kind, and that is what we have with Mr. Emerick's outstanding book. To his credit, this thoroughly British gentleman focuses on what he actually saw versus what is commonly known about the Beatles. His tone is respectful, but he does not shy away from saying what he thinks based on what he saw and how he was treated. Mr. Emerick went on to engineer and produce some great acts, which I hope are the subjects of a future book. And consider this: When I was 19, I was just learning to tie my shoes. He was engineering the "Revolver" album!

5 out of 5 stars Class Act.......2007-09-17

I couldn't put this book down....what a fascinating first hand account of one of the most infuential musical experiences in modern history. I think you will find it particularly interesting if you write and record music, as Geoff's recollections are incredibly detailed and specific. It's truly unbelievable that he could remember so much of what happened in such picture perfect detail, and it is a lasting testament to critical and often unsung heroics of the worlds best audio engineers. Howard Massey did an excellent job helping Geoff make this material completely accessible to the lay person and fan as well. When I proposed to my wife in 2002 I wrote a symphonic piece and surprised her at Capitol Records in Studio A, where we recorded it live (I proposed afterwards). While they were mixing the music we took a tour of Capitol Records, and when we returned there was a gentleman in the studio playing the most beautiful music on the grand piano. We listened for awhile, then entered to studio and spoke with him for almost half an hour. What a lovely man, and what great music. That was Geoff Emerick. Perhaps someday we will hear you on the other side of the glass young man:)
Thanks so much for sharing your amazing life with us Geoff. As I sit at my grand piano in Maui I can't thank you enough for the inspiration. Warmest aloha from Maui, Tim & Michele Heile

5 out of 5 stars Here, There and Everywhere.......2007-09-03

Geoff Emerick was there for the creation of the Beatle sound. It is well written with enjoyable person information.
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Calculations are only as good as your numbers
  • Pants on fire?
  • Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
  • Very Interesting
  • History as Science Fiction
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  5. They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

5 out of 5 stars Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

5 out of 5 stars Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

5 out of 5 stars Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

4 out of 5 stars History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Louis I. Kahn: Beyond Time and Style: A Life in Architecture
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • I ordered more of Kahn's work
  • The best choice
  • Highly recommended for any college-level collection concentrating on architectural history.
  • A Brilliant Architect Newly Appreciated
  • A superb study of a master architect
Louis I. Kahn: Beyond Time and Style: A Life in Architecture
Carter Wiseman
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0393731650

Book Description

The first in-depth biographical study of the brilliant but elusive architect who fundamentally redefined twentieth-century architecture.

Now ranked with Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Mies van der Rohe, Louis I. Kahn brought a reverence for history back into modern architecture while translating it into a uniquely contemporary idiom. Drawing on more than one hundred interviews with colleagues, coworkers, clients, and family members—and illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs—this book documents the uniquely American rise of a poor immigrant to the pinnacle of the international architectural world. It illuminates the richly diverse personal relationships Kahn had with such clients as Jonas Salk and Paul Mellon, and the romantic entanglements that mystified even those closest to him. While celebrating the genius of Kahn's art, the book provides an invaluable portrait of the man who created it. 200 color illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars I ordered more of Kahn's work .......2007-10-19

I finished this in 7 days, and I'm not the type of person who enjoys reading (like Mr. Kahn) but I was just siply amazed by his journey. Kahn's life is not that of being born into a prestigious family and leaving a legacy that is famous, it's far from that. Kahn grew in a poverty stricken family and environment. One would expect that he would let this run his existance, but he chose to overcome the obstacles and eventually this launched his success. Everything may seem to go well but his life--both professionally and personal--had many mishaps.

Just buy it, it'll give you a deeper in-depth understanding of 1 of the famous yet complicated architect!

5 out of 5 stars The best choice.......2007-10-10

This is a wonderful book of one of America's finest architects. His life and works all together. Powerful images of Kahn masterpiece's. The text is quite scholarly and informative. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Highly recommended for any college-level collection concentrating on architectural history........2007-08-09

The biography of architect Louis I. Kahn, whose work is now ranked with Frank Lloyd Wright and other notables, represents the first in-depth survey of an architect whose works redefined 20th century architecture, and uses over a hundred interviews with colleagues, clients and family members to reveal Kahn's life, influences, and his sudden emergence as a notable architect. Illustrated with many previously unpublished photos documenting the rise of this poor immigrant, and including extensive family documents from archives, LOUIS I. KAHN: BEYOND TIME AND STYLE surveys his personal relationships, clients, and the extent of his genius. Highly recommended for any college-level collection concentrating on architectural history.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

5 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Architect Newly Appreciated.......2007-05-16

Everyone knows that books can be turned into movies. Less frequently are buildings turned into movies, but that was part of the appeal of the unique 2003 documentary _My Architect_ by Nathaniel Kahn, about his architect father Louis I. Kahn, whom the son did not know well except through his buildings. The film was an introduction for many people to Kahn's architectural work, but other architects had held Kahn in high esteem. The film showed why, and now Carter Wiseman, an architecture critic and teacher, has written an accessible and handsome biography, _Louis I. Kahn: Beyond Time and Style: A Life in Architecture_ (Norton). The documentary excited the curiosity of many who will now want to look at Kahn's life and works in more detail, and while Wiseman's book does not have the personal quest of the film, it does an exceptional job of explaining the life of an enigmatic figure whose importance in architecture is, over thirty years after his death, increasingly well appreciated. Many rank Kahn as second in importance to twentieth century architecture only to Frank Lloyd Wright himself.

Kahn came with his family from 1901 in Russian-controlled Estonia, moving to Philadelphia in 1906 when he was five. He quickly showed skill in drawing, and got into a public art school for talented youths, then to the University of Pennsylvania to study architecture. In 1930 he married Esther Israeli, a scholar pursuing her masters in psychology. They would remain supportively married for 44 years until his death, but he had many affairs and children by two other women by whom he had children (one of whom was the documentary filmmaker Nathaniel) and with whom he maintained a type of family life. The problem in his relationships was not that he was promiscuous, but that his devotions were simply not marital; his widow said that "his first love was architecture and everything else came second." Like so many other artists with peculiar private lives, however, he is best judged simply on his art. That art is surprising and humane. Wiseman's book has scores of photographs of Kahn's most important works. The Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, has a gorgeous courtyard encompassing a view of the Pacific, flanked by study towers for the researchers, each of which has a view of the ocean. The Assembly Building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is an astonishing huge crystal of cubes and cylinders that emerges from a moat, with an interior of Piranesi-style complexity that obliges members of parliament to interact with staffs and public. The Phillips Exeter Academy Library is ostensibly a solid masonry cube on the outside, but with huge circular concrete facades inside, a celebration of circular and cubic geometry that allows a public space with vantages for anyone to see what others are doing in the building.

What is wonderful about one building after another is that the brutalism associated with massive poured concrete is lightened and humanized; these are sensitive, even poetic, works, with none of the oppressiveness of modernism. Wiseman quotes David Rinehart, Kahn's friend and fellow architect: "For Lou, every building was a temple. Salk was a temple for science. Dhaka was a temple for government. Exeter was a temple for learning." Kahn may have been Jewish, but he was never observant of religious custom. His buildings, however, show an intense spirituality; viewing even pictures of them, it is easy to understand how people entering them have feelings of awe as if they are entering cathedrals. Wiseman's portrait of the man and the buildings is a welcome tribute to a twentieth century master.

5 out of 5 stars A superb study of a master architect.......2007-04-04

This book far exceeded my expectations. I am generally not a fan of Wiseman's writings, as in the past he has judged my own mentor (a figure treated more positively in this book too) very harshly. Neither here nor there, other than to say I was skeptical about this book when I picked it up.

But I have to admit it's great. Wiseman's biography of one of America's greatest architects is balanced, entertaining, and packed with astute judgments. Louis Kahn had a convoluted family life (maintaining several families at once, hidden from each other), and even his professional relationships were unusual in their combination of intimacy and distance. Wiseman brings Kahn's architectural accomplishment to life in the context of this personal complexity.

The book is well illustrated and the photographs support Wiseman's discussion - Kahn's development of a new architectural language beyond International Style modernism. And Wiseman is excellent in describing the importance of Kahn's role as an educator. This book is a great introduction to a figure of towering accomplishment, and if Wiseman does not capture all the complexity of such an enigmatic figure, he is as close as anyone has come in writing.
Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Can't say enough about it...
  • A great book for everyone
  • Providing depth to the inner workings of the music industry.
  • The poet laureate of early rock/pop gets a worthy biography
  • Well written and researched biography of a musical legend
Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus
Alex Halberstadt
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0306813009

Book Description

The only biography of colorful and legendary songwriter Doc Pomus, who wrote such enduring songs as "Lonely Avenue," "Save the Last Dance for Me," and "Viva Las Vegas."

One of the most original, influential, and commercially successful American songwriters, Jerome Felder, aka Doc Pomus (1925-1991), gave the world a dazzling legacy of musical hits during rock 'n' roll's first decade. A role model for generations of writers and performers, Doc was renowned for his mastery of virtually every popular style, from the gutbucket rhythm and blues of "Lonely Avenue" to the symphonic soul of "Save the Last Dance for Me" to the pure pop of "Viva Las Vegas." His songs--"This Magic Moment," "A Teenager in Love," "Hushabye," "Little Sister," "Turn Me Loose," and many others--have been recorded by everyone from Ray Charles, Elvis Presley, and B. B. King to Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, and Bruce Springsteen, with sales exceeding $100 million.

Doc was ready-made for literature. His collaborator Mort Shuman once described him as an "entire rollicking soul neighborhood rolled into one man." Garrulous, profane, hilarious, and Rabelaisian, Doc was never inhibited about offering his opinions and his friendship. His confidants, collaborators, and discoveries included Duke Ellington, John Lennon, Dr. John, Jimmy Scott, Bette Midler, and Lou Reed. In the words of renowned producer Jerry Wexler, "If the music industry had a heart, it would be Doc Pomus."

Despite, or more likely because of, his successes, few acquaintances knew that this writer of jukebox hits led one of the most dramatic and unlikely lives of his time. Spanning extravagant wealth and desperate poverty, suburban domesticity and the depths of New York's underworld, worldwide fame and near-total obscurity, enduring love and persistent loneliness, Doc's story remains one of the great untold American lives. Its chapters comprise a back-room history of rock 'n' roll, touching on more than a half-century of American popular music--from the blues Doc performed with Lester Young to his collaborations with the luminaries of New York's punk scene, shot through with vivid portraits of virtually every major player.

Lonely Avenue is the first biography of this American original, so elegantly rendered that it reads like a novel, and fortified by full, exclusive access to Doc Pomus's family, friends, voluminous journals, and archives.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Can't say enough about it..........2007-06-29

"Lonely Avenue" is one of the most moving books I've read in a long, long time. It's so good, I read it in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. This book will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and parts of it will make you want to jump out of your chair and cheer for its hero (and a new hero of mine), Doc Pomus, a true American orginal if there ever was one. Even if you don't know anything about him or his music, do yourself a favor and buy this book.

5 out of 5 stars A great book for everyone.......2007-06-05

This is a fantastic new book. Among its many strengths is the fact that this is a book that can be appreciated and enjoyed by anyone. While it is a biography of a great American song writer, it is also a multi-dimensional work that offers readers glimpses into the history of New York City and its various neighborhoods, the evolution of American culture, the personal struggles of all its characters and the music industry. The book is also very personal and very human and is an inspiring piece about extraordianry and ordinary people. Anyone can read this book; no one needs to have a background in music history or to even love Elvis!

Halberstadt's book is very beautifully written. I was just as caught up with the writing as I was with the subject. I learned a great deal about America's famous musicians, but I also just loved the prose and the intimate details that the author included. Clearly, this book was exhautively researched and the author obviously labored lovingly over each sentence. I hope that Halberstadt will continue to publish books as I am eagerly looking forward to his next one.

I highly recommend this book. It is perfect for summer reading, for serious inquiry into American history, for book clubs, for college classes.... You will not be disappointed, and you will probably go out and buy lots of new music after reading it!

5 out of 5 stars Providing depth to the inner workings of the music industry........2007-05-08

I met Doc Pomus in a treasured CD by Johnny Adams. Pomus' lyrics fascinate me. I have searched and found bits and pieces of his life. When I read a review of Lonely Avenue, I had to have it. I savored every word as I have a special place in my heart for musicians. I did not want to finish the book because I did not want him to die. I have loaned the book to friends who are musicians and loaned Johnny Adams' interpretation of his music also. Friends of my who are avid readers have been receiving this recommendation from me as "a person I would like to have known." Long Live Doc's Music!

5 out of 5 stars The poet laureate of early rock/pop gets a worthy biography.......2007-03-07

He was short and stubby. He'd had polio at 9; he couldn't walk without braces and crutches. To see this 16-year-old kid struggle to the stage of a Greenwich Village club in 1943 was to get a taste of what it was like to run into Toulouse Lautrec in a Paris cafe half a century earlier --- you knew this guy was....different.

His dreams, for starters. Jerome Felder wanted to stand in a boxing ring and, though he couldn't move, win the championship. Or fire unhittable fastballs from the pitcher's mound. And the women --- they'd be lined up for him.

In that club, though, Jerome connected with a dream that could come true. He got on stage and sang the only blues song he knew --- and people clapped. The next night, he was back, with a new confidence and a new name: Doc Pomus. He was on his way to becoming the greatest songwriter in the history of early rock `n roll.

There are books you read because you're interested in the subject. And then there are books you read because you just happen to pick them up --- and the next thing you knew, your mouth was dry, your heart was racing and you were turning the pages like the secret of life lay just ahead. "Lonely Avenue" was like that for me: a freight train with no brakes, bound for glory and ruin.

I have a soft spot for stories about people who make something out of nothing --- people who reach into their guts and share their deepest, rawest feelings in a form that makes us feel them too. The Doc Pomus story is the very best of that breed. A Brooklyn kid who didn't want to waste his life at a desk. A misfit who found his first home in black blues clubs. A survivor who realized he was never going to make it as a performer and started writing songs because behind-the-scenes was the closest a white, chunky cripple could come to touching an audience.

He was in his 30s when he teamed up with an 18-year-old composer named Mort Shuman. And when, unaccountably, he persuaded a virginal blond actress to marry him. A few years later, he chanced upon their wedding invitation, and he remembered what it was like to sit on the sidelines while other men danced with his wife. He picked up a pen and watched the words flow:

You can dance
Every dance with the guy
Who gives you the eye
Let him hold you tight
You can smile
Every smile for the man who held your hand
'Neath the pale moonlight
But don't forget who's taking you home
And in whose arms you're gonna be
So darlin', save the last dance for me...

Before Ben E. King recorded that song, Ahmet Ertegun told him the back story. King's eyes misted. And, as you know, he and the Drifters delivered a record they'll be playing as long as there are lovers.

Silly stuff followed. "Turn Me Loose" and other hits for Fabian, a teen idol "who had a reliable range of four or five notes." But also, more hits for Ben E. King and the Drifters: "This Magic Moment" and "I Count the Tears." For Dion & the Belmonts, "Teenager in Love."And, for Elvis, "Suspicion" and "Viva Las Vegas."

If this were just a story about music, it would be fascinating --- Halberstadt introduces us to a world of sleazy promoters, crooked producers, random hangers-on and freaks. All inhabited Doc's world --- he was not only the ultimate hipster, the insider's insider, but he had infinite time for stories. To read these pages is to enlarge your world.

And then, to read these pages is to watch a world explode and one of its kings have to re-invent himself all over again. What happened? The Beatles. The Stones. And Dylan. "Tin Pan Alley is dead," Dylan announced. "I killed it."

At 40, Doc was broke again. His weight ballooned to 350 and crutches were out of the question --- now he was chair-bound. His wife divorced him and took the kids. This is where the Doc Pomus story gets really exciting for me, because it's one thing to be at the bottom when you've never seen the top, another to wake up in a fleabag hotel after you've known success. Anyone who's been there will tell you: It's harder to make it the second time.

Poc made it twice. That's one good reason to read this book: as a fable of disability denied, as the rugged, raw story of a guy in a wheelchair learning how to become the tallest guy in the room. But there's so much more in these lightning-fast 225 pages. A large claim, but here it is: the story of a great 20th century artist.

Oh, come on, you say. The guy wrote pop ditties for pimply kids.His stuff is like Kleenex. Keats and Shakespeare he ain't. I beg to differ. I say anyone can write arty stuff that only the elite can appreciate; it takes real talent to deliver a clear, powerful message with just a few chords in 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Keats and Shakespeare were immensely talented poets, and popular in their day --- but they never reached a fraction of the people Doc Pomus. And admit it: You can quote five of Doc's songs for every Shakespeare sonnet you know.

One of Motown's early mottos was, "It's what's in the grooves that counts." On "Till the Night Is Gone," you can hear Dylan and The Band and Lou Reed and Aaron Neville and Dion and Rosanne Cash --- the kings and queens of modern music --- pay tribute to the master. Every cut is gold.

4 out of 5 stars Well written and researched biography of a musical legend.......2007-03-05

LONELY AVENUE gives us a glimpse into songwriter "Doc" Pomus career and life. During the 50's he was one of THE most important songwriters that worked in the penthouse of the Brill Building providing songs to everyone from Big Joe Turner to Elvis Presley. Crippled by polio, Pomus held court with some of the biggest singers of the day as a unique talent that scored with a series of great hit songs from 1959 through the early 60's. Even when the hits dried up he continued to provide inspiration to talents as diverse as John Lennon to Andy Williams (who scored a huge hit with Pomus' "Can't Get Used to Losing You"). Collaborating with Mort Shuman Pomus produced classics such as "Save the Last Dance for Me" (which he wrote about a personal incident--Pomus watched his friends dance with his new wife something he wasn't able to do).

Author Alex Halberstadt used Pomus' journals as some of the source material for this marvelous biography. Well written with the insight afforded access to Pomus' private papers, LONELY AVENUE paints a picture of a man with tremendous talent who was never quite content and overcame tremendous adversity to achieve musical greatness. Ultimately, though, we get a sense that Pomus' melancholy about those things he couldn't control in his life drove him to continue to achieve.

Pomus was later celebrated and rediscovered by other generations of singer/songwriters after the British Invasion dissapated and after the waning of Punk rock. Although it isn't a perfect biography, it's a heartfelt, intelligent exploration of Pomus' unique gift and the burdens that haunted him his whole life.
Elephant House: Or, The Home of Edward Gorey
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A home filled with curiosities and wonders.
  • Amazing
  • Inside Edward Gorey's house...
  • Not MUST HAVE, but definitely NICE to have
  • A specialty item for the true Gorey collector
Elephant House: Or, The Home of Edward Gorey

Manufacturer: Pomegranate Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764924958

Book Description

An intimate photographic journey through Edward Gorey's home.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A home filled with curiosities and wonders........2007-08-09

This is a beautiful book of photographs and text that allows the reader an intriguing view of the home in which Edward Gorey lived and the collections of curious objects, books, and cats he filled it with.

The photographs are large and beautiful - haunting even - and there are lots of them. There is just the right amount of text to cast some light on the man behind the house and his elusive character - anecdotes about his life, his work, his friends and the things that inspired him.

If you are fan of Edward Gorey, or of eclectic interior decorating and design, and displaying collections of antiques, this book will be a treasure in your library.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing.......2007-04-10

That's really all I can say. I have been waiting for this book for a long time, and it was the most incredible thing. Amazing photos. Read up on Gorey first, though. The details are some much better when you get the little visual jokes Gorey set up in his day-to-day life.

5 out of 5 stars Inside Edward Gorey's house..........2006-02-01

If you are an Ogdred Weary fan...this is a truly wonderful book. Photographs of the exterior (peeling paint and kind of saggy porch) and the interior rooms of the house on Cape Cod in Gorey lived and worked, along with his cats and figbashes, piles of thousands of books, assorted rocks and oddish things, and the expected miriad of curiosities. Alas, or delightfully...just the environment one would expect of the eccentric Edward. A cabinet of curiosities...a delight!

4 out of 5 stars Not MUST HAVE, but definitely NICE to have.......2005-09-10

This book wouldn't mean much to anyone who isn't already a Gorey fan. I own (and love) the compilations 'Amphigorey', 'Amphigorey Too' & 'Amphogorey Also', so have a head start. I also have the auto(?) biography 'Ascending Peculiarity', which is almost a necessary co-requisite to this book - it helps explain the cats, and many other Gorey details. Now that the individual books are available again, I'm tempted to get them too, because they are such nice objects - but only if the kids promise to share with me!

5 out of 5 stars A specialty item for the true Gorey collector.......2004-04-05

Even dedicated fans of Edward Gorey will probably know very little about his personal life: he was an enigmatic recluse and few were permitted past his front door. Photographer Kevin McDermott's Elephant House will delight students of architecture and photography, providing rich duotone works of Gorey's intriguing home and its contents. A specialty item for the true Gorey collector, Elephant House is an impressive photographic showcase and a welcome addition to both architectural studies and photographic studies reference collections.
Read Between My Lines: The Musical And Life Journey of Stevie Nicks
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Terrible
  • What a Mess!
  • The book should be called "Lost in Timespace"
  • Comments on Stevies life.
  • An "ok" Read
Read Between My Lines: The Musical And Life Journey of Stevie Nicks
Sandra Halliburton
Manufacturer: SK Halliburton Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Composers & Musicians | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
WomenWomen | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
RockRock | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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<I>Rumours</I> (Vinyl Frontier series, The) Never Break the Chain: Fleetwood Mac and the Making of Rumours (Vinyl Frontier series, The)

ASIN: 0978687000

Book Description

Whether giving back through her patriotism and community service, touring with Fleetwood Mac or performing as a solo artist, Stevie Nicks has mesmerized us for over thirty years. Her life story, with all its highs and lows, provides an opportunity to grow from her tremendous strength, persistence and courage while learning from the challenges she has faced. A widely revered singer/songwriter, Stevie is adored by multiple generations.

Interpretation of her songs gives you a look inside her soul but "not unless she lets you." On "Stand Back" from The Wild Heart, Stevie's second solo album she sings, "No one knows how I feel what I say unless you read between my lines." Her highly personal songwriting tells the story. Stevie's autobiographical songs serve as an outlet for coping with pain and personal sacrifice. Fans have credited her with literally saving their lives!

* Stevie's relationship with Lindsey Buckingham serves as a consistent basis for her songwriting and decisions made along her life journey.

* The book chronicles Stevie's musical accomplishments while highlighting the pain and sacrifice women face leading a rock 'n' roll lifestyle.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Terrible.......2007-09-04

First of all, this author appears to never have even spoken to Stevie Nicks. The book is full of innacuracies and at one point she even gets the title of Stevie and Kenny Loggins duet wrong.
Dont bother read it!

1 out of 5 stars What a Mess!.......2007-08-06

Sandra, I don't know who your contacts were but it's a wonder you spelled Stevie's name correctly. I have never read a biography with more inaccuracies than you log in at. In additon, I can't help but wonder if those postive reviews are from friends of yours. How can anyone with any literary sense call this book a good read? Despite getting the facts wrong --- it bounces around more than a bouncing rubber ball at a dodgeball game in which the participants are blind! There is no chronological order at all. It's as if you just repeated a bunch of quotes you heard over and over -- never bothering to verify the info at all while just kept listing one after another. Like the "Planets of The Universe" - you should "Go Your Own Way" and leave Stevie and her true fans alone. I wish I could give this book negative stars!

1 out of 5 stars The book should be called "Lost in Timespace".......2007-05-22

HI Stevie fans,

Over the years I've been involved in several Stevie e-posters and websites sharing deep info on Stevie Nicks, her life and songwriting. Though I sometimes enjoy reading "independent" writers at times, this book is a fiasco. I was able to read just a couple of pages from this Amazon website and discovered several errors and wrong info on Stevie.
From saying Stevie moved to Arcadia Ca and went to High School there, and knowing fully well she lived in Atherton Ca in Northern Ca, and went to high school there was enough for me. She played in the band Fritz in the Bay Area with Lindsey Buckingham if I'm sure many can attest.....all anyone would have to log on youtube and type in Fritz to see the info gathered there of her early years in the Bay Area. She did go to LA with Lindsey during the Buckingham Nicks years before being "discovered" by Mick, but Sandra's book is scattered like 'dreams" in the "midnight wind"....Bob of CA(of prodigy legend)

3 out of 5 stars Comments on Stevies life........2007-05-13

This book details alot about Stevie, but none of it is directly from her. I would say this book is more a collection of Stevie Nicks interviews and comments from her rock n roll life with comments/story outlines from the author in between, so i found that disappointing from that respect. However overall still some great facts and insight into the rock n roll legend that stevie is.

5 out of 5 stars An "ok" Read.......2007-03-10

As far as biographies go, I found the book to be small, for some one as Great as Stevie Nicks. But all in all was informative. For a beginer reader of anything about Stevie Nicks, and are not sure about getting a great big fat book, and just need quick facts this a a good book for this pupose.
Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • So So
  • inspiration for your dream home
  • Beautiful Country Homes
  • Ho-hum
  • Just another potpourri book...
Shades of Country: Designing a Life of Comfort
Chippy Irvine
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

StyleStyle | Interior Design | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
DecoratingDecorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
StyleStyle | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1561588164
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

Country living and style permeates every aspect of our culture- we yearn for the simplicity and comfort of country style living as seen in the pages of popular publications like Country Living Magazine and in Shabby Chic décor. There are many shades of country to match your personal style and Shades of Country, written by Chippy Irvine, masterfully presents some of America’s most beautiful, charming and fascinating country houses. Chippy introduces six unique country styles; Farmhouse, Grand Country, Cottage, Rusticator, Clean and Simple, and Urban Arcadia; enrich a home with warmth, texture, color and beauty. Shades of Country shows how you can mix and match styles or create a unified look while helping you enjoy the comfort of living in country style.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars So So.......2007-06-11

This book was a bit disapointing. The disappointment comes from the intrepetation of Country style or English country style, as shown the the photographs, as being lots of clutter and in some cases not the best of taste. I have many other style books that show how charming Country style, antiques and hodge podge collections can be, but somehow many of the examples in this book miss the mark. Maybe the author's take on Country style is just not my cup of country tea, so to speak. Many photos are from the author's own home and I felt that narrowed the scope of the book somewhat.

5 out of 5 stars inspiration for your dream home.......2007-02-28

I can seldom resist a good décor book, especially one on Country Style. My current excuse is that I'm looking for ideas I can use in my own country house which I've been renovating for the past 5 years.

Shades of Country is perfect for the amateur decorator and it's reasonably priced too. It is profusely illustrated with a wealth of examples of actual American homes -- including the author's own country retreat -- which are not only beautiful but emphasize comfort & practicality. Some of them are derived from European country styles, but most are what we think of as typically American - east coast farmhouses, Shaker simplicity, Montana ranch and rustic Adirondack cabin.

There is something for every taste here; cosy bedrooms with iron beds & antique bureaus & old quilts in muted pastels; walls painted, wallpapered, wainscotted or of varnished logs; walls hung with blue and white platters, old portraits or prints or ornate mirrors; a stair rail made from a birch tree; support posts disguised as palm trees; kitchens with open shelves of china bowls or glassware, and red-painted iron pots hanging from overhead beams; staircases plain or classic; toile's and stripes and rose-bouquet chintzes; floral cushions on a jade green slip-covered sofa; cobalt blue cushions on spruce-green wicker chairs on a white-painted verandah; a window box on a country out-house, and bookshelves - which I seldom see in American decor magazines - including one converted from a fireplace hole-in-the-wall (I guess I'm not the first to think of doing that) and fluted pilasters high-lighting an otherwise plain bookshelf .

Whether you are renovating your home; or still dreaming of that someday home in the country; updating a tired décor or looking for ideas for colour schemes or a knick-knack shelf, this book will inspire you.

4 out of 5 stars Beautiful Country Homes.......2007-01-16

This may not break any new ground in decorating, but I never fail to enjoy browsing one more book on the topic of country style. This shows use of fabrics, accessories, paint and furniture that makes country style what it is. It also defines some sub-genres of country; Farmhouse, Grand Country, Cottage, Rusticator, Clean and Simple, and Urban Arcadia.
If you like Country Living magazine or enjoy the Shabby Chic trend, then you'll find pleasure in this book.

2 out of 5 stars Ho-hum.......2006-12-30

In my opinion, this book did not "live up to" it's cover. Too many of the rooms looked very dated. I love the idea of collecting over time but many of these rooms were very lackluster and boring. I requested it as a Christmas gift and wish I could un-request it!

3 out of 5 stars Just another potpourri book..........2006-10-20

I love interior decorating books, especially Colonial, Regency and Victorian or English Country Style. But this book covers too much territory. A few pictures of each, as well as others styles like Ranch, or French. If you are having trouble deciding on a style, this book might help you. It has lovely illustrations, but again, as it is trying to cover many different styles falling under the broad title of "Country" your information is limited. There are too many books coming out like this. Specialty books are much better. Look to Rizzoli for the best in interior decorating books, or if you want some kind of country, best buy a book that covers that one particular style. I browsed through this at the store, hoping it might make a good Christmas present for me, but it ended up back on the shelf.

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