Shopaholic Abroad

Average customer rating:

Shopaholics must buy !!!

Careful when Buying...

Shopaholic Abroad
Sophie Kinsella
Manufacturer: Black Swan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic

Shopaholic & Baby (Shopaholic)

Shopaholic Ties the Knot

Shopaholic & Sister

The Undomestic Goddess

ASIN: 0552999407
Release Date: 2001-09-03

Customer Reviews:

Shopaholics must buy !!!.......2007-02-06

In Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic, Sophie Kinsella introduced us to Becky Bloomwood, self avowed Shopaholic with a life that was out of control. In Shopaholic Abroad, Becky is back and is apparently in control of her life...or is she?

In this book, Ms. Kinsella takes us on an enjoyable look at Becky's life. She's got a good career as a television presenter, and yet, she's still shopping. Actually, Becky LIVES for shopping!

There are a few twists and turns in this book. Ms. Kinsella has done an outstanding job of writing a sequel to a book that was fun to read. You can just FEEL Becky's inability to control her urge to shop! It's almost as if you become Becky!

I found myself choked up at the end--it was an unexpected ending, but one that I found well written and surprising.

Careful when Buying..........2006-01-05

Of course, this is book is good, but it's the same as Shopaholic Takes Manhattan! It's just a different title for the UK. I thought I'd discovered some UK-only releases of Becky's adventures, but alas, now I need to return it.

Average customer rating:

Most Enjoyable

Fun Mystery !

can't wait for the next one!

Great suspense, even if you don't know wine!

A New Mystery Convert!
Sharpshooter: A Sunny McCoskey Napa Valley Mystery
Nadia Gordon
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Murder Alfresco: A Sunny Mccoskey Napa Valley Mystery

Silenced By Syrah: A Wine Lover's Mystery (Wine Lovers Mysteries)

Murder By the Glass: A Wine Lover's Mystery

Murder Uncorked (Prime Crime Mysteries)

The Merlot Murders ((Wine Country Mysteries, Book 1)

ASIN: 081183462X

Book Description

Sunny McCoskey is the independent chef/owner of Wildside, a little cafe nestled in Napa Valley, where the food is exactly right. When the heir apparent to a major vineyard is shot dead, and Sunny's eccentric winemaker friend, Wade, is arrested for the murder, she launches her own investigation. The solution lies in the tangled personalities and politics of the wine industry, and in the threat posed to the valley by the glassy-winged sharpshooter. Set in a region renowned for its food and wine, Sharpshooter launches an entertaining mystery series featuring Sunny and an engaging cast of wine professionals, cooks, socialites-and suspects.

Customer Reviews:

Most Enjoyable.......2005-10-31

I just returned from Napa Valley and particularly enjoyed reading about the harvest and scenery as described by the author.

The characters we're well planned and described. I hope that as the series continues we learn more about them and what makes them tick, both the good and the bad.

I thought the author did a good job of telling a clever story. The answer to "who done it' wasn't obvious but the author didn't take the easy way out and withhold clues to make the culprit impossible for the reader to figure for him or herself.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Fun Mystery !.......2004-08-18

If you love Napa, the wineries, the bistros, the relaxation, you'll love this mystery! Nadia Gordon weaves a wonderful story, full of friendship and memorable characters - not to mention the scenery. Sit down with a glass of Pinot Noir and read this book!

can't wait for the next one!.......2004-04-16

this book was really great. I hope nadia gordon will match this book's superbness with her next one. can't wait! she expresses the napa wine valley beatifully and makes the story easy to follow.

Great suspense, even if you don't know wine!.......2002-11-18

Especially nice if you know the Napa Valley and if you like to speculate on just WHO in real life would make the best verisons of the fictional characters in this easy-to-read, enjoyable book. I even learned how to enjoy that left-over red wine the morning after!

Good read, nice holiday gift along with a bottle of a great Napa Rutherford Cabernet!

A New Mystery Convert!.......2002-11-14

I really enjoyed reading this book and I don't normally read fiction. (As my previous reviews indicate.) I had just finished reading a beautiful big coffee table book - "Napa Stories: Profiles, Reflections, and Recipes from the Napa Valley" by Michael Chiarello. I was certainly in the mood.

Author Nadia Gordon did her homework about the Napa Valley. As a biologist I wasn't sure the glassy-winged sharpshooter was an actual insect. Well, it certainly is. She creates a very real "sense of place" about this world famous valley. She weaves in a lot about wine making, believable local politics, society and personal relationships.

I guess I am being a little bit picky, but I wish the book were a little bit longer to flesh out some of the characters more. However, this is the first of a series, so I guess it is a complement that I would like to know the characters better. The only other comment would be one of the main characters is named Rivka. It is a little bit difficult to mentally pronounce.

I must admit it was a great read and I look forward to the rest of the series.

Book Description

In the "User's Guide to Brain-Boosting Supplements," leading nutritionist Shari Lieberman terams up woth top nutrition writer James Gormley to describe the best brain-boosting dietary supplements-including vitamin E, amino acids, huperzine A, and acetyl-L-carnitine-and how to use them safely and effectively to achieve optimum brain power.

Customer Reviews:

Gormley does it again!.......2006-06-13

I was impressed enough when Gormley came out a landmark book on DHA in 1999, but was equally impressed when he came out with this book, the most-concise, best-researched, most practical and powerful consumer book on brain-boosting I have ever read--and there are a number out at this point. Bravo!

Excellent Book.......2005-12-31

The authors do a superb job of identifying the how to get the most from your mind. Their suggestions are practical and effective.

I would only caution people to be very careful where you source the recommended supplements. A supplement retailer with more than 4-5 suppliers cannot keep up with the latest innovations. Snake-oil abounds. RelentlessImprovement.com is fast, professional, and offers only pharmaceutical quality fully tested supplements.

Be the best you can be, let this book help you.

interesting read, great advice.......2004-05-12

I bought this book because I've been having a few senior moments (even though I'm not a senior!) I really liked it because it wasn't too technical and was easy to read. I like that the authors make recomendations for things to take and what they are. I recomend this book to anyone looking to boost their memory!

Average customer rating:

Best book out there on memory
Realistic assessment with digestible data
Very good aspect of amnesia and memory.

Your Memory: A User's Guide
Alan Baddeley
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Memory Improvement | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1552979857

Book Description

Praise for the previous edition:
"Recommended for specialists and non-specialists alike."
- American Journal of Psychology

At the most critical times, especially during negotiations and arguments, memory can fail. Some people can quickly recall faces, but names and dates are easily forgotten.

Your Memory explains how memory works and how to make it more reliable. This book is full of useful information and advice, and practical exercises for improving the quality and capacity of memory.

Combining anecdotes and exercises with scientific developments and statistics, the book presents this complex topic in a highly accessible way. The author covers a range of issues, such as why a natural system of classifying, storing and retrieving information that exceeds the capacity of a computer can, at times, also forget a phone number.

Your Memory tackles all the fundamental questions about memory and provides answers and solutions for the person who always seems to forget that all-important anniversary date.

Customer Reviews:

Best book out there on memory.......2006-07-31

I had to write a seminar on memory recently and read every book on the shelf. This is without question the authoritative text. It's easy to read, it's easy to understand, and the author is a renowned expert in the field who has taken this book through several editions.

- Thom

Realistic assessment with digestible data.......2005-08-01

"In one sense we cannot change our memory. By this I mean that I know of no way in which the neural systems underlying memory can be systematically enhanced. What we can do, however, is use the system we have more effectively." Dr. Allen Baddeley

This book describes memory in mostly real world contexts. Concepts make intuitive sense. We tend to remember what we are interested in and what is important to us.

Theories are discussed and some may disagree with Dr. Baddeley's but he makes even-handed assessments. (Here's my theory for these reasons, here's another theory for those reasons.) I got the feeling the state of the science is presented, not someone's opinion.

I've read "Your Memory How it Works and How To Improve It" by Dr. Kenneth Higbee and found it technique oriented, i.e. HOW was discussed. Dr. Baddeley goes into more depth on WHAT. I think it would be wise to read "Your Memory A User's Guide" first and then "Your Memory How It Works and How To Improve It".

Very good aspect of amnesia and memory........1999-01-11

It is an excelent book about most aspect of amnesia as well as useful case studies.

Average customer rating:

YOUR MEMORY: A USER'S GUIDE
Alan Baddeley
Manufacturer: Sidg. & J
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0283989297

Video Family Portraits: The User Friendly Guide to Video Taping Your Family History, Stories, and Memories

Average customer rating:

Video Family Portraits: The User Friendly Guide to Video Taping Your Family History, Stories, and Memories
Rob Huberman , and Laura Janis
Manufacturer: Heritage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1556130740

Average customer rating:

Your Memory a Users Guide
Alan Baddeley
Manufacturer: PENGUIN PUTNAM * TRADE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SFT66Q

Average customer rating:

YOUR MEMORY, A USER'S GUIDE
BADDELEY
Manufacturer: PENGUIN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S92OKC

Average customer rating:

Your Memory, a User's Guide
alan baddeley
Manufacturer: MacMillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FMOUI6

Average customer rating:

Your Memory : A User's Guide -
Alan Baddeley -
Manufacturer: Macmillan Publishing -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P0X12E

Average customer rating:

Your Memory a Users Guide
Alan Braddeley
Manufacturer: Macmillan Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 9999606652

Average customer rating:

Your Memory a Users Guide
Alan Baddeley
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O90XDQ

Average customer rating:

An ideal addition for gourmet cookbook collections

Too complicated for the mid-level cook.

For those who like a little challenge

Too Pretty to Take in the Kitchen

Homemade pizza dough recipe lacking accurate flour measure.

The Common Grill Cookbook
Craig Common
Manufacturer: Huron River Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Quantity | Professional Cooking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Reference | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Gourmet | Special Occasions | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Return to the Common Grill

Zingerman's Guide to Good Eating: How to Choose the Best Bread, Cheeses, Olive Oil, Pasta, Chocolate, and Much More

Culinary Artistry

ASIN: 1886947880

Amazon.com

First of all, there is nothing common about this cookbook, and it is not about grilling. Rather, it is a compilation of more than 150 recipes from the Common Grill, chef Craig Common's restaurant in the quaint town of Chelsea, Michigan. Common's food has been described as a combination of "big city" and "casual comfort," and with recipes such as Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Warm Garlic Custard, it's easy to see why.

Common's work is well organized. He starts with a chapter of basics, such as stocks, basil pesto, and a roasted-tomato sauce, and then presents a chapter of sauces, some of which are called for later in the book and some of which will make a dish all on their own. A little note at the end of a recipe for Mint Aioli says, "A great addition to grilled lamb chops"; Tomato and Roasted Pepper Compote is "great on grilled fish"; and Bacon-Balsamic Vinaigrette is used in a salmon recipe but would be tasty also on a spinach salad.

Once you get past the basics, however, Common gets less common and more complicated. While there are a number of recipes with short lists of ingredients and manageable time frames, such as Skillet-Roasted Mussels, Dungeness Crab Cakes, and Apple Praline French Toast, most are quite complex and time-consuming, requiring a bit of expertise in the kitchen. Fortunately, many are beautifully photographed and all are laid out well, with the lists of ingredients separated into mini-recipes and printed on an off-white background to help you keep your place as you look back and forth at the instructions alongside. Tuna Salad Niçoise, for example, is a work of art, made with fresh Ahi tuna and served on mesclun with beans, potatoes, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and ricotta or feta cheese with Roasted Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette. The recipes for the Tuna Marinade and the vinaigrette are called out separately.

Pan-Seared Whitefish with Cajun Ragout Sauce, Chilean Sea Bass with New Bedford Littleneck Clams, and Roasted Vegetable Cannelloni are all worth the trouble, but the key to these recipes is to really read them, as the instructions sometimes oversimplify the work involved. While this book is certainly something a kitchen novice could aspire to, it is geared more toward cooks who are already quite comfortable in the kitchen. For them, Common is sure to be a source of inspiration. --Leora Y. Bloom

Book Description

Among the many reasons for visiting Chelsea, Michiganthe quaint village located 15 miles west of Ann Arboris The Common Grill. Owned by local resident Craig Common, who also works as Executive Chef, The Common Grill is a delightful combination of big city cuisine, bountiful beverages, to-die-for desserts and casual atmosphere. In the nine years since its opening, the restaurant has consistently received outstanding reviews and ratings from critics and patrons alike. Chef Common, however, is well aware that many people enjoy cooking as much as he does. So within these pages youll find recipes to inspire the experienced home cook as well as the beginner.

Customer Reviews:

An ideal addition for gourmet cookbook collections .......2005-01-06

Craig Common began his culinary career at age fourteen washing dishes in a Dearborn Heights restaurant. A self-taught chef, Common eventually became overseer of sixteen C.A. Muer Corporation restaurants in Michigan, Ohio, and Florida. He finally opened up The Common Grill restaurant on July 26, 1991 and became an immediate success in downtown Chelsea, an enterprise that has grown from 48 seats to a 148 seats and includes a popular carryout market. The Common Grill Cookbook is an impressive compilation of more than 150 of Craig Common and his restaurant clienteles' favorite recipes. Ranging from Firecracker Shrimp with Hong Kong Salsa; Pinconning Cheese Soup; Apple Praline French Toast; and Braised Beef Short Ribs with Gorgonzola Polenta Cakes; to Pasta Jambalaya; Grilled Asian BBQ Tuna; and Warm Berry Bread Pudding, The Common Grill Cookbook is an ideal addition for gourmet cookbook collections while being thoroughly "user friendly" for even the most novice of kitchen cooks!

Too complicated for the mid-level cook........2004-12-31

While the pictures are pretty, anyone who's cooking experience is less than chef level will find these recipes a bit ridiculous. If you like the food, go to the restaurant. The incredibly loud atmosphere will be less of an annoyance if you must have this overrated, lackluster and overpriced food.

For those who like a little challenge.......2002-03-19

I have completed three dinner parties using recipes from this cookbook exclusively, and have gotten rave reviews on all three. The ingredients lists are long, sometimes with unusual ingredients, so this is a book for someone who enjoys a little challenge. The Chinese Chicken Salad is delicious, the desserts are rich and wonderful, and the pictures allow you to produce meals that look like a professional chef is hiding in your kitchen.

Too Pretty to Take in the Kitchen.......2001-11-16

Sleeping Bear Publishing makes great looking books and the Common Grill Cookbook is no exception. It's so pretty I needed to buy a second book--one for the coffee table and one for the kitchen. The recipes are easy to follow and result in fabulous food. The only thing better is eating in the restaurant because then you don't need to clean up.

Homemade pizza dough recipe lacking accurate flour measure........2001-11-07

The cookbook overall is filled with mouth-watering recipes and easy to follow directions and layout.
Major disappointment came, however, in the homemade pizza dough recipe (page 141)... Seems to be a "typo" in the flour quantity. The recipe requires one cup of flour, but with 2/3 cup warm water doesn't seem to be accurate. When preparing this recipe I had to trial-and-error the quantity of flour myself.
This recipe was very important to me, for pizzas, but also for bread when shaped into a short loaf, the one I tried to prepare first, and one which didn't quite turn out, hence my disappointment.
The apple chutney, on the other hand, was quite a success.

Average customer rating:
Gardens of the Mind: The Genius of Geoffrey Jellicoe
Michael Spens
Manufacturer: Antique Collectors' Club 1992
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MCDV8E

Book Description

This volume is a complete illustrated step-by-step guide to the marbleizing process. Create beautiful marbled papers for craft projects with 12 designs including stone, fantasy, comb, wave, tiger, batik, and more. Decorate books, boxes, lamp shades, picture frames, wallpaper, more. 32 illustrations. 6 color papers on covers.

HOW To MARBLEIZE PAPER: Step-by-Step Instructions for 12 Traditional Patterns.

Average customer rating:

HOW To MARBLEIZE PAPER: Step-by-Step Instructions for 12 Traditional Patterns.
Gabriele. Grunebaum
Manufacturer: Dover Publications, Inc.,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MZ8ZZA

Average customer rating:

Informative & Inspiring

Buy before you select a plan

Home by Design: Inspiration for Transforming House Into Home

Inspirational, Energizing...

Great BEFORE you build

Home by Design: Inspiration for Transforming House Into Home
Sarah Susanka
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Interior Design | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Inside the Not So Big House: Discovering the Details that Bring a Home to Life (Susanka)

Not So Big Solutions for Your Home (Susanka)

Outside the Not So Big House: Creating the Landscape of Home

The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live

Creating the Not So Big House: Insights and Ideas for the New American Home

ASIN: 1561587915
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Book Description

In Home by Design, Sarah Susanka presents the 30 key design concepts that can be applied to any home – no matter what the style or size. Using 28 of the best designed homes from around the country, Susanka brings these concepts to life with 150 powerful and inspirational examples: from something as simple as placing a rug under a table to renovating a whole second floor. Home by Design shows homeowners a new way to look at their spaces and provides ideas for how to make each home reach its full potential.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPACE
THE PROCESS OF ENTERING, SHELTER AROUND ACTIVITY, SEQUENCES OF PLACES, CEILING HEIGHT VARIETY, INTERIOR VIEWS, INSIDE OUTSIDE, CHANGES IN LEVEL, PUBLIC TO PRIVATE, OPENABILITY, ENCLOSURE, DIFFERNTIATION OF PARTS, DEPTH AND THICKNESS

LIGHT
LIGHT TO WALK TOWARD, LIGHT INTESITY VARIED, REFLECTING SURFACES, WINDOW POSITIONING, VISUAL WEIGHT, VIEW AND NONVIEW

ORDER
PATTERN AND GEOMETRY, ALIGNMENTS, RHYTHYM, THEME AND VARIATIONS, COMPOSTION, EXPRESSED STRUCTURE, POINT OF FOCUS, ORGANIZING STRATEGY

Customer Reviews:

Informative & Inspiring.......2007-09-19

I found this book to be well laid out and full of good ideas for not only planning the construction of a new house but for doing renovations as well. Reading this has mad me want to buy her other book about Small Homes.

Buy before you select a plan.......2007-07-16

Having browsed through a thousand or so online house plans, my wife and I are just starting to work with a designer to plan our own house. This book provides a great source of ideas.

For those thinking about having a house built, this is a good book...unless you're past the plan selection phase of the process. Susanka walks you through many of the facets of home design, explaining tools that architects commonly use to put a house together: space, light, and order.

The book begins with describing how space can be used to make a home more liveable. It covers different characteristics of an entry, and different techniques used to vary ceiling heights such as dropped soffits, lowered hallways, and floating shelves. It discusses the importance of views and how to take advantage of different types of views to get different effects. It even covers the importance of distinguishing between public and private areas, something that seems to be completely missing from most of the house plans we have seen.

In discussing light, the book covers techniques such as placing a window at the end of a hallway, using reflective surfaces, positioning windows, and using color and texture for visual weight. Order techniques, such as alignment, geometry, symmetry, themes, and composition are all covered in an understandable manner.

More than just a simple idea book, Home By Design tells you why a particular feature works, and why it is important to the overall home design. Granted, some of the features covered in the book are not to our taste. Other features look fabulous, but would probably kill our budget. And I certainly wouldn't want to attempt to use all of the ideas in one house.

But we will certainly use many of the ideas in the book. For example: we might modify our kitchen layout to include dropped soffits in a manner similar to that illustrated in the book, we'll probably pay attention to the height of windowsills, to alignment, and to views; we may even be able to figure out how to use repetition or rhythm to come up with something that we really like.

If you're still in the planning phase of your building or major remodeling project, by all means use this book as a source of ideas. If you've already started building, stay away from it! You might want to start the whole process over again.

Home by Design: Inspiration for Transforming House Into Home.......2007-01-12

GREAT!

Inspirational, Energizing..........2006-08-18

This book is fun to own. Lots of good ideas that can be realistically applied. The pictures are beautiful and the writing truly energizes and inspires one to look with new eyes at the way space is used not only in ones own home, but also in public buildings and spaces which one occupies as daily life is lived. I refer to this book often, and would recommend it to anyone interested in beautifying and simplifying their environment.

Great BEFORE you build.......2006-07-30

This book has wonderful design ideas if you are working with an architect designing a new home, if you are or remodeling an old one. If you already have a home and want to incorporate her ideas, it might be a little difficult. It is a very educational book with beautiful photos, however, I wouldn't recommend it if you aren't planning on doing any major renovation or construction.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely fabulous.......2003-11-05

It's a must-have for any novice or expert graphic designer. Wonderful pieces from tons of designers around the world. Worth every penny.

A reference from 21st Century.......2003-10-18

This book is awesome ! Book has collection from prints, ads, flyers, personel portfolio, web designs, illustrations, book cover designs... in 21st Century.

It catagorised it by artist and exhibitions. You can find www.requiemforadream.com and www.donniedarko.com designer and many other cool projects. And text info is in 3 languages, English, German, French.

Any graphic designer must have this book. :)

Book Description

Jimi Hendrix's social meaning, his sexual mystery, and his scientific explorations in the field of sound are here addressed from a black perspective. This unique introduction to a man who, despite his popular appeal, has never made it into the pantheon of 20th-century black icons, incorporates extensive interviews with black Americans who shed light on Hendrix's complicated racial relationships. Midnight Lightning explores how Hendrix exploded the complacently segregated world to emerge as an icon for white boys, why his songs were not heard on black radio, and why black people once viewed him as a hippie Uncle Tom. Also explored are his connection to the Black Power movement, how he electrified soul music and made the electric guitar supplant the human voice, how he revolutionized the use of technology in popular music, and how black his music really was. His sex appeal-especially for black women-is discussed, as are how he redefined rock fashion, why nobody was really mad at him for sleeping with white women (at the same time as Sammy Davis, Jr. was being harassed and threatened for kissing a white woman onstage), and how he was marketed as a white performer. Explained are the ways in which Hendrix subverted and destabilized black masculine stereotypes, changing the way black music and black identity are perceived.

Customer Reviews:

As society has always seen it...............2005-02-19

Jimi was African American Period. The white american society today as well as then always viewed anyone mixed black as being black. There were scores of african american people who were mixed with other races that america still see's them as just being black....that is how it has always been. THIS BOOK SPEAKS THE TRUTH, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

America, particularly back then didn't have a problem with Hendrix because his musical genius overshadowed his race. Had Hendrix played strictly soul music then. His treatment and his fame would have been virtually unheard of and he would have not been such an icon that he is now.

on a persone note: I remember growing up in the 1970's in new york and watching white teen age kids use the -N- word while walking around wearing a Jimi Hendrix t-shirt. This the type of experience the author is trying to express and/or convey to the audience. The Black Experience and everything it embodied throughout the turbulent 1960's when Hendrix came on the scene.

Tell It Like It Is, Or Was!.......2003-11-18

Jimi Hendrix is an African American musician who excelled at his craft; he was discovered by several would be managers and producers who obviosly didn't know what to make of him. The last to 'discover' him was graced by luck on having Hendrix relocate to another muisic, and cultural, climate. This gave Hendrix the 'void' he needed to be heard. In the US, New York, in particular, Hendrix confronted the gatekeepers of 'Black Music'(blues, jazz, R&B) tradition (the way it is, the way it works)and philosophy (how a certain music should be played)- nothing bad in and of itself it gave us Howlin' Wolf, Coltrane, James Brown, and others. Unless he was playing in the tradition and philosophy of guitarist Charlie Christian or Wes Montgomery, Hendrix was told there was no room for him to be heard. He was to far removed (advanced, different, or what have you) for them to understand.

The relocation to England where there was no blues, jazz, or R&B gate-keepers to be confronted with proved successful for his being heard. However this incident, a stroke of fate, has caused more misunderstanding and mis-interpretation (some deliberate) of Hendrix than one could imagine.

It is this misunderstanding and mis-information that Greg Tate tackles head-on - The Race Issue and Jimi Hendrix.

This is the first serious indept effort at this explosive subject. Tate makes it very clear that a plane ride to Europe did not transform Hendrix from that of an African American (a Black man), with American-made racial baggage, to something other. Interestingly, if not unwittingly, he demonstrates how it is that White people changed if only to let Hendrix in. These, would-be white fans, associates and lovers, are the sames Whites (speaking in general terms) from whom Black people were demanding civil rights, human rights, an end to colonization, oppression, racism, etc. (Remember the 1960's?). Tate shows that whites were/are willing to let Hendrix in because he 'appeared different' - different than their stereotypes and myths that defined Black people as dangerous and other-worldly (I'm being nice here.) - and, for what they could extract from him for themselves.

Tate exposes racism at work in the shaping of the Jimi Hendrix myth. How white people defined him for themselves ("He's abscent of race and politics"), and projected that image to themselves and to others - including Black people. Yet we get to see Hendrix for who he was, an artist, more concerned with his art than politics, though he did mature politically - 'Machine Gun', 'Earth Blues', 'Power Of Soul', 'Star Spangled Banner' ('nuf said). However he, Hendrix, comes to his own defense once back in the US as he reconnects with the community that birthed and nurtured him. This to became a matter of contention for those that wanted him to be something else. Hence, attacking the 'Gypsys Suns and Rainbows', and 'Band Or Gypsys'. (see my book on the subject - 2004)

The only short comming with this book is it's too brief where this subject deserves more indepth examination and explaination; and contrary to Tate's assertion that this is a "Primer For Blackfolks", this book it too advanced for most people unaware of Hendrix. The book is number 3 on my list of must read after 1). David Henderson's - Voodoo child of the Aquarian Age (Biography of Jimi Hendrix), 2). Charles Sharr Murray - Crosstown Traffic (biography of Jimi Hendrix.

Midnight Lighting is a must read for both honest and dishonest people; it is a must read for truth. It is a must read in getting to know a bit more about Jimi Hendrix the human being than the myth-makers would rather make of him.

Tate should be commended and commissioned to do a fuller treatment of this exciting and agitating subject.

why does it smell like something is burning?.......2003-09-27

lighter fluid + this book (saying its name is more than it deserves) + lighter = godsend

this is sadder than the Band of Gypsys movie. a complete waste of paper, ink, time, and not to mention oxygen pointlessly fueling this author. i can't get into how angry this makes me and how disrespectful it is to Jimi- am i alone in this?

yes he was African.

but gasp!

yes he was Irish.

yes he was Native American.

where are the ill-thought out shrines to the other pieces of His heritage? why are musicians of any other ethnicity scolded for playing "black" music but for some reason its another thing for Jimi to play rock n' roll music "in that way only Jimi could"?

songs like "Cherokee Mist," and "I Don't Live Today" feature Native American influences. where's the gossip mill spitting that fact up?

its just as bad as all the hoopla made over what The Beatles or who ever were talking about in their songs. in actuality they would just mix and match words with no metaphorical intent at all.

buddy miles was called in to play drums because Jimi had to honor a contractual obligation that was signed "Jimmy Hendrix." Mitch Mitchell, who played AFTER the band of gypsys shows (sorry Mitch, but you BUTCHERED machine gun as far as recorded evidence shows) was not in new york when the fillmore dates were played. Noel Redding LEFT the band causing Jimi to turn to help from an OLD FRIEND (they were in the army together, played in bands together, etc. etc.). Billy Cox was called in because he was an old friend- not because he was black. buddy miles had sat-in with Jimi in various studio sessions and was a friend from the chitlin circuit.

read the above and save yourself from the rubbish that is this book.

i suggest you read "Jimi Hendrix: Electric Gypsy" to get the full story.

Jimi Hendrix was beyond any color. He himself had his own perspective on color (purple with envy, red with passion, etc.)... so why would it be a big deal- the color of his skin? He was a member of the human race and he came from somewhere past outer-space.

THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN HAS/HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

an inquisition should be held to put people like this author on trial for blasphemous mutations of Jimi's life, music, and motives.

~ "Those poor trees" ~.......2003-09-19

That a few trees had to give their very all for this is a crying shame.

If the "Hendrix Family" are looking to sue someone, this "author" should be prime fodder for those lawyers to help buy their children braces.

A shame against the Hendrix name.

Interesting premise but ultimately fails.......2003-09-05

The chronicling of Jimi Hendrix's life and career has often been told from White writers who have failed to consider how his experiences on the chitlin circuit and in Harlem helped shape his style. Hendrix worked on the circuit for years but this period is often given short shift aside from swipes at Jimi's R&B colleagues for their apparent failure to appreciate his talent.

So I was hoping that Greg Tate's work would provide that perspective. Unfortunately, Tate's book reads like a hap hazard stream of consciousness with psuedo intellectual pretensions. I wasn't looking for a straight biography but I hoped that the author would present a clearer look of Hendrix's somewhat complex relationship with Black America during his lifetime and after death. He only touches briefly on how Black audiences seem to have a greater appreciation for Jimi's Band of Gypsies period than do White fans and writers. Why did Hendrix feel the need to hook up with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles? Why did he return to Harlem and re-establish contact with old friends? Was he trying to change his musical direction? The book doesn't go into these questions deeply enough.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books