Customer Reviews:
A tale that flourishes like a lone camellia from beginning to end.......2007-02-10
The year is 1857. While other children are preparing themselves for the upcoming Moon Festival, twelve-year-old Spring Pearl is mourning the death of her scholarly parents, and packing her belongings to make the trek to Master Sung's home, where she will live with his family until she can find better accommodations for herself. However, while Spring Pearl is mesmerized by the lavish living of Master Sung, and his family, she can't help but miss her family's tiny cottage by the river, where she spent hours watching her handiwork in the garden flourish into a floral haven. Here at Master Sung's home, the garden has gone to pot, and all that remains are long, sharp weeds that sprout up every which way. Spring Pearl is supposed to be a guest in the Sung household, but Mistress Sung views her as nothing more than an orphan - one who would be better suited as a male, instead of a female, given the fact that she can read and write, but can't stitch to save her soul. She instantly begins treating Spring Pearl as one of the help, and allows her daughters - Miss Emerald, Miss Willow, and Miss Orion - to refer to her as such. Luckily, Spring Pearl finds solace in the form of Doggy, one of the Sung's hired help. Doggy is her age, and respects her, along with her tomboyish ways. However, when the Second Opium War begins building within the walls of Canton, China, and Master Sung is taken away for being a traitor, the only person there to help hold the family together is Spring Pearl. Together, she and Mistress Sung attempt to hold the family together, and keep it from going bankrupt. But as the French and British military begin to invade, the family begins contemplating whether an escape from within the walls would be safer for them all. It is only with Spring Pearl's "swamp-rat" ways that the family may be able to survive, and rescue Master Sung once and for all. But for that to happen, they must unite as one, and put their differences aside, in an attempt to come out on top and defeat their enemies.
I have read very little historical fiction revolving around China and the mid-1800's. However, from page one of SPRING PEARL: THE LAST FLOWER, I was drawn into the world of Pearl, and the somber cloud hanging over her as she attempts to ingratiate into the Sung household, and find her place among semi-royals. Laurence Yep has given Spring Pearl a strong voice, combined with vivid descriptions, as well as a brave heart and soul. Her intelligence during a time when female's were held down, and encouraged to obey their elders, as well as their male counterparts, is a wonderful thing to witness. Not only does Spring Pearl have the knack for reading and writing, but she has a talent when it comes to tongues, and the quick wits to bargain with just about anyone she comes in contact with. While it is sometimes tragic to witness the interactions Spring Pearl must hold with Miss Willow, Miss Orion, Miss Emerald, and even Mistress Sung, it is always entertaining to see the amazing way she holds her own, and manages to keep her cool, even as she is called names, and put-down. Spring Pearl is a heroic character, who will instantly win a place in the hearts of female readers, especially as she demonstrates her ability to overcome any obstacle she may face. A tale that flourishes like a lone camellia from beginning to end.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
This flower is unique and has rare beauty........2006-03-04
Chou Spring Pearl is a twelve year old girl growing up in Canton, China in the year 1857. She has just found herself an orphan. Spring Pearl goes to live with her father's friend, Master Sung, a rich scholar. Master Sung lives in a huge house in the very nice part of town. Spring Pearl has lived all of her life in the Rat's Nest of China (the run down part of town). Now that she has come to live with them they want to change her apperance which includes everything from her hair, which is done in a out of date style, to her feet, which seem to be a couple sizes to big. With all of this going on, Spring Pearl can only say that she has one good friend, Doggy. Doggy is a servant in the Sung household. Probably one of the strangest things of the time was that Spring Pearl was smarter than alot of the boys her age, even though she did not attend school and she doesn't care what other people think of the way she acts. Will Chou Spring Pearl be able to adjust to the new life changes or will she keep her differences? Find out for yourself.
I really enjoyed the book it really gave me an incite into the life of a girl in China during the "Opium War". I just could not put the book down. The author uesd exquisite details. Another really good book in the series, that you should also consider reading, which is not a book about a chinese girl but it is about a girl growing up in England in 1592. This book has alot of the same views. The name of the book is Isabel: Taking Wing by Anne Dalton
A book all families can enjoy........2005-07-28
Spring Pearl is a 12 year old girl who likes gardening. But now that her parents have died she must move in with her dad's rich friend Master Sung. But this way of life is much different then her life in the rats nests, (where she used to live was called the rats nest). Will the Sungs ever except Spring pearl in there life, that is one thing that you will learn in this book after all the tragic events that the book will tell you about!
I think Spring Pearls story is great for all ages. But even if there is a girl on the cover, i think this book is good for boys to, because it is a story of adventure!!!
By Elayna B
True Chinese Sensibility.......2004-07-18
While this is a story which can be appreciated simply for the feisty character of the girl Spring Pearl, a poor scholar's orphan who goes to live in a rich patron's house at the height of the Opium Wars in Canton, it is so much more. Kind of a primer in Chinese culture which immediately raises modern questions as well. There are challenges to the system of values prevailing in the rich man's house, an understanding of the frustrated aspirations of adults as well as the difficulties of a girl's adolescence in a male-dominated society. But it is done with imagery not just wordy ideas, and this plays into the Asian sensibility to indicate rather than to assert boldly. I just loved it, and would recommend it for anyone from a precocious 8-10 year old, through to adolescence and beyond. I am eager to see the writer's series about the Chinese who came to America, the Golden Mountain. This is a superb introduction.
Another bonus is that it shows the true face of mercantilism and also of the internal politics of China in response to it. For those concerned about universal human rights, it definitely provokes thought. For those who think that merchants are just trying to strike a sincere bargain all the time, the fairy tale believers, it should also provoke thought.
Outstanding Book.......2003-08-14
My 11 year-old daughter loved this book. She raved so much about it, I began to read it. From the very first page, one is drawn into the story of this very likeable girl. I highly recommend it.
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The Sex Life of Flowers
Bastiaan Meeuse , and
Sean Morris
Manufacturer: Facts on File
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Movie Tie-Ins
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Flowers
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ASIN: 0871969076 |
Customer Reviews:
you will be amazed.......2004-05-02
This book is a well-written, engaging resource on flower reproduction, a subject not often taught in depth. I used this book as the main resource for a lecture about flower color given to high school students. THey were fascinated. Biology and chemistry teachers alike should read this book. Its pictures are colorful and interesting (eg an orchid species that evolved to appear exactly like a bee).
Average customer rating:
- Is that price a typo?
- If You Buy One Book on Fungi, This Should Be The One
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Slayers, Saviors, Servants And Sex: An Expose of Kingdom Fungi
D. Moore
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds
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Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World
ASIN: 0387950982 |
Book Description
This is a book for the general reader about the world of fungi. We should know more about fungi. They have killed us, saved us and served us since before written records began. We have been making bread, brewing ale, and fermenting wine for millennia. Our crops have been at the mercy of fungal diseases since we became farmers, and they still are. Fungal diseases have caused large demographic changes - from the great plague of 'St. Anthony's Fire' of the Middle Ages (caused by a fungal toxin) to the Irish mass migration to the Americas during the famine (caused by a fungal disease of the potato crop).We can also thank fungi for antibiotics, but do we fully appreciate the revolution in life style (and life expectancy) that these taken-for-granted treatments permit? One of the first people to receive penicillin treatment in England in the 1940s was a policeman in Oxford. He died of septicemia when the supplies of the antibiotic ran out after he had been scratched by a rose thorn.Fungi enabled plants (by a mutualistic combination that persists today) to invade the land during the evolution of life on Earth. Higher fungi are almost unique in their ability to decay the chemical components of timber. Without the wood-rotting fungi we would be up to our eyes in dead trees. Fungi give us the opportunity of treating plant diseases and killing specific weeds, as well as being very useful for cleaning up polluted environments and for producing chemicals. In short, this book will show you why it is wise to look again at fungi and appreciate these extraordinary organisms for what they are: a vital component of our lives and of the Earth's ecosystem.
Customer Reviews:
Is that price a typo?.......2003-03-12
This is an interestic book for mycophiles, or people just starting to get interested in mushrooms and other fungi. Some of the author's digressions into the dollar amounts of damage to industry blah blah blah get really dull. I did like learning the specific names of the organisms involved in fermentation and diseases. I used this as a source in my magazine The Urban Pantheist. I think the price listed (over seventy dollars when I wrote this) has got to be wrong. My copy cost under ten at another online book site.
If You Buy One Book on Fungi, This Should Be The One.......2001-03-15
As someone who delights in odd facts and has a curiosity about the underpinnings of our natural world, I found Moore's book to be the perfect blend of summary and specific detail, delivered in a relaxed and mischievious style. I've been on a quest for this type of book for a long time, both for personal pleasure and for research for my writing: one that went beyond the basic mushroom guide but that did not stray so far into the area of advanced scientific research that I could not follow it. Moore knows how to strike the right balance between entertainment and science in doling out the facts. I took great delight in chapter titles such as Toxins: Kill the Primates, Rule the World; Blights, Rusts, Bunts, and Mycoses; Decay and Degradation; and The Old Kingdom in Time and Space. Learning, for example, that rabbits can eat some mushrooms humans cannot is an innocuous enough fact--but learning that the Victorian cure for eating poison mushrooms consisted of downing a combination of raw rabbit stomachs and brains mixed with jam...well, that's simply the kind of detail that distinguishes an excellent book from a good book. Perhaps the best thing about the book is Moore's comfort level. He is so comfortable with this material that he revels in it--and this results in numerous corresponding delights for the reader. I have collected over two dozen books on fungi and this one is the best of the lot.
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The Moon and Flowers: A Woman's Path to Enlightenment
Manufacturer: Windhorse Publications (UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0904766896 |
Customer Reviews:
women and buddhism.......2003-01-14
This book presents a buddhist perspective on women's issues such as abortion, motherhood, feminism, but it also gives balance to more universal themes such as livelihood and dealing with diversity. This book presents a fresh perspective on all the above issues, which is a good change to the usual dichotomy of conservative/liberal rhetoric we seem to get from mass media. Because much of what one hears is either conservative or liberal from an american paradigm, very little of any opinion we hear seems to sound original. A book like this provided a newer voice in the sea of conformed discourse. Each topic is penned by a different individual and are all very well written in terms of giving the reader a better understanding of not just what buddhism is, but how it affects the perspectives, beliefs and lives of it's followers. In addition, much of the materials are written by british individuals (given that this is a windhorse publication), which gives a different cultural perspective on the aforementioned issues as well.
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Atlas of Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants
M. Cresti ,
S. Blackmore , and
J. L. Van Went
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0387549048 |
Book Description
Comprising about one hundred plates this atlas documents and describes the processes concerning the sexual reproduction in higher plants. It is divided into three parts: - Anther Development - Pistil Development - Progamic Phase and Fertilization. The scanning, transmission electron and light micrographs are all of immaculate quality and - for the viewer's orientation - almost each plate is complemented by a scheme showing a larger area of the plant indicating the site of the section. Together with instructive texts, the often striking images provide a valuable introduction into plant reproductive cell structures for researchers and advanced students of genetics, plant breeding and cell biology.
Book Description
A NEW SERIES DESIGNED FOR TRAVELERS WHO WANT MORE THAN A GUIDEBOOK Each edition of this unique series marries a collection of previously published essays with detailed practical information, creating a colorful and deeply absorbing pastiche of opinions and advice. Each book is a valuable resource-a compass of sorts-pointing vacationers, business travelers, and readers in many directions. Going abroad with a
Collected Traveler edition is like being accompanied by a group of savvy and observant friends who are intimately familiar with your destination.
THIS EDITION ON PROVENCE, the cote d'Azur, and monaco FEATURES:
* Distinguished writers, such as Peter Mayle, Mary Cantwell, Alexandra Foges, Patricia Wells, Herbert Gold, Lorraine Alexander, Gully Wells,Linda Dannenberg, Randall Rothenberg, Cary Marriott, Cara De Silva, Jeffrey Robinson, Frank Prial, and Judith Thurman, who share seductive pieces on Provence's Roman influence, the unsung glories of Marseille, the region's beaches, gardens, and wine, and Aix-en-Provence's famous almond calissons.
*Annotated bibliographies for each section with recommendations for related readings.
*An A-Z "renseignements pratiques" (practical information) section covering everything from accommodations, tipping, and parler pointu to cafes, film, hiking, and le soleil.
Whether it's your first trip or your tenth, the
Collected Traveler books are indispensable, and meant to be the first volumes you turn to when planning your journeys.
Customer Reviews:
Experiencing Provence beyond the travel guides........2005-09-12
The seductive south of France is synonymous with lavender fields, open-air flower markets, jasmine, olive oil, gorgeous sunsets, wine, pastel houses,topless starlets on the beach, and grande cuisine like boullabaisse, socca, ratatouille, and almond calissons. Provence and the Cote d"Azure have attracted painters like Matisse, Cezanne and Picasso, writers like Colette and Peter Mayle, royalty like Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, and celebrities like Brigitte Bardotte and Johnny Depp, and it is no surprise that the south of France is also a popular travel destination. If you're looking for a Provence guidebook with detailed maps, tours, recommended hotels and restauraunts, museum hours and prices, skip this book and read Rick Steve's trusted travel guide instead. But if you're curious why "the red tile roofs, the heartbraking blue of water, the sun across mountains, the changes into evening twilight . . . can still turn a banker into a painter" (pp. 255-56) in Provence, read Barrie Kerper's anthology. It encourages readers to experience the south of France on their own, and immerse themselves in Provence and the Cote d'Azur beyond the pages of other best-selling travel guides. Contributors include Peter Mayle, Mary Cantwell, Alexandra Foges, Patricia Wells, Herbert Gold, Lorraine Alexander, Gully Wells,Linda Dannenberg, Randall Rothenberg, Cary Marriott, Cara De Silva, Jeffrey Robinson, Frank Prial, and Judith Thurman.
G. Merritt
What a wonderful approach!.......2001-10-27
I love the approach this author has taken with the Collected Traveler. It offers so much more depth as additional reading and background than the traditional travel guides.
I really appreciate the amount of thoughtful recommendations for web-sites, travel companies, other books and commentaries that this book includes.
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Mandela for Young Beginners: A Time to Be Free (For Young Beginners)
Sue Adler
Manufacturer: Writers & Readers Publishing
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ASIN: 086316174X |
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Letterheads/7: The International Annual of Letterhead Design (Letterheads)
Manufacturer: Art Direction Book Co
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0881080659 |
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Pheasant Breeding and Care
J. Delacour
Manufacturer: TFH Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Pheasants
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Extraordinary Pheasants
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Raising Game Birds
ASIN: 0876669690 |
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A Guide to Pheasants & WaterfowlýýTheir Management, Care and Breeding
Dr Danny Brown
Manufacturer: ABK Publications
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Pheasant Breeding and Care
Manufacturer: T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BWEENQ |
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Pheasant Breeding and Care
Manufacturer: All-Pets Books
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Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I9W5AG |
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Ornamental pheasants,: Their breeding and care,
Charles F Dentley
Manufacturer: Printed by Judd and Detweiler]
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ASIN: B00086EKTS |
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A Century of Silver: The Courtauld Family of Silversmiths 1710-1780
Helen Braham
Manufacturer: Paul Holberton Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1903470145 |
Book Description
The silver described in this book represents a unique selection of typical and rare pieces from the finest period of London silver-making, illustrating the development of style in the eighteenth century from Queen Anne to Rococo and early Neoclassicism. All the silver was produced or hallmarked by three generations of the Courtauld family.
There are chapters on the Courtauld family; the making and marketing of silver; silver for the new hot drinks (tea, coffee, chocolate), for candlesticks and correspondence, for dining and display; and on early Huguenot silver.
Customer Reviews:
the only one you will need.......2007-02-06
Buy the cheap one, no need for more. Beautiful pictures, practical information, great tips for off-the-grid home food growing in a sustainable method that is also fun and nice to look at. If more of us did this instead of buying asparagus from patagonia, we could slow global warming
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Psalm Fifty-One in the Light of Ancient Near Eastern Patternism (Biblical Studies)
E. R. Dalglish
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 9004004297 |
Book Description
Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound embraces the subject of sound for films. Based on the experience of the author and other top sound craftspeople and firmly grounded in practical techniques, this book provides numerous real-life examples and relevant technical data, as well as an appreciation of all the processes involved in creating motion picture sound.
This edition is completely revised, with all-new chapters on 5.1, the Nagra IV-S, and the Nagra V. The ProTools content is expanded, and there are new sections on how to record Foley in Pro Tools and the concept of ADR/looping. The accompanying audio CD presents demonstration material as well as a large library of sound effects, while numerous charts, illustrations, and photographs help to demonstrate techniques and common industry practices.
Learn about best practices and pitfalls from a Hollywood veteran
Audio CD with demos and sound effects
Experience-based advice on a wide range of topics
Customer Reviews:
Behind the attitude, there is a lot to learn here.......2007-09-29
As mentioned, Mr. Yewdall really knows his stuff, and the personal approach is unique and highly effective. It's rare to see a subject like this tackled in such a personal manner, and on that level it works.
However, as a "read" it has its problems. It is extremely lenghty, the writing is at times long-winded, and much of the information is unnecessary. The Pro Tools chapter should probably be removed entirely as it shows a lack of real awareness of how the system is being used by professional operators. (and it really doesn't seem to be his strength anyway.)
More troubling for me was the attitude. He has quite an ego, and his anti-intellectualism is not a positive influence, not for those practicing sound arts nor those who work with them (producers, directors, editors). In many ways, his book is geared toward all practitioners in film, and I fear that his attitude reinforces the perception many people have of the bitter sound guy.
However, while I found that aspect tiring, there's no denying that this is easily the most revealing book on audio for film I've found. If you want an in-depth look at the nuts and bolts process of film sound, you'll definitely learn a great deal in Mr. Yewdall's book.
The Practical Politics of Motion Picture Sound.......2007-08-03
This is the first book I've read on the specific topic of sound for films. I saw this listed on the Berkely School of Music website as a listed text book, so I figured if it's good enough for them....
There's a lot of great technical tips on many aspects of sound recording, from on-camera dialog, sound effects in the field, foley stage, to editing both linear and non-linear. The only thing less touched on was some techniques on the final mix of a soundtrack, even though the process of it was covered.
This book would be better for someone who's getting ready to enter the professional field, or just starting as tons of politics are discussed which at points made some chapters seems like an E! Entertainment report. Funny, but a little overkill for someone not in "the business".
Lastly, I would have liked to hear more about the mistakes the author made and how he learned from them, with solutions and the problem solving techniques used. Most references are on how everyone else made the mistake of not listening to the author, which comes across a little snooty, but I get the point. Good basic tips and setup for using ProTools as well. If you don't mind all the politics, and camera talk, then this will be a great read and learning expierence.
This book needs a new edition!.......2007-06-05
There's a lot of really good stuff in here - clear, concise, and helpful, even if the author is a little hubristic at times. Sadly, all of the information dealing with computer-based audio is at least ten years old: the author mentions applications like Sound Designer and the 'Audio Media III' hardware card, which went out with beige Macs.
Untold Secrets of Cinema Sound.......2005-02-27
Mr. Yewdall, the author, puts his long time experience into this book. Avoiding pitfalls with producers to working with budgetary constraints while producing academy award winning sound is probably the main emphasis of this book. The CD that comes with it is quite valuable, containing sample audio clips to demonstrates the author's points at various times. This book will save you atleast 2 years of experience in motion picture sound. It's worth every penny.
A good overview of sound for films.......2001-04-28
I found the book very entertaining to read, Yewdall tells many personal stories which he uses to illustrate points. In fact, I read it more like a novel. He passes his knowledge, and experience to the reader through stories of things he's done, and has seen in his many years recording, producing and creating sound for motion pictures. Some is fact, some is opinion, but his opinions are clear and are backed-up with his own unique style of logic.
There are also more technical areas of the book that cover topics like mic placement, how to record cars/explosions/dialogue, how to catalogue your own sound effects libary, etc. This book would also be useful to directors and producers who want better sound in their films. There's definately lots to learn about sound, and the author has done a good job giving the reader an idea about what motion picture sound is all about.
Book Description
Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound embraces the subject of sound for films. Based on the experience of the author and other top sound craftspeople, this book provides numerous real-life examples and relevant technical data. It also is firmly grounded in practical techniques and it will show you an appreciation of all the processes involved in creating motion picture sound, from how to achieve great sound despite a small budget and less-than-perfect recording conditions to steps you will need to take to create an artful audio experience.
This edition is completely revised and expanded, and the most popular sound editing systems, Pro Tools and Final Cut Pro, are covered in-depth. The accompanying NEW DVD presents demonstration material as well as a large library of sound effects, while numerous charts, illustrations, and photographs help to demonstrate techniques and common industry practices.
Among other topics, Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound, Third Edition includes:
Preproduction planning
Production tips
Sound design
Sound editing
ADR and looping
Using Pro Tools
Using Nagras analog and digital systems
Custom recording sound effects
* NEW! Accompanying DVD with an ADR/Looping practice session, video interview with Ray Harryhausen, and more than 1000 photos and charts with audio clips
* Written by an experienced craftsman and professor who brings his experience in the movie biz as well as in front of the classroom to life
* Gives a complete overview of film sound, including motion picture protocol, budgeting info, and technical information about recording
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Overview of Sound for Film.......2007-09-18
This is my favorite book for film sound. David writes an excellent book that covers everything for film sound. He explains everything from before pre-production to print-mastering. My only problem with this book is that the chapter on Pro Tools is extremely dated and almost irrelevant. Having said that, there are a number of excellent Pro Tools books out there, but this is the only book that covers film sound in such detail. The accompanying DVD is a nice addition. This, along with Dialogue Editing for Motion Pictures by John Purcell, is a must read for film sound editors. Directors and producers would also benefit from reading this book.
Average customer rating:
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Biography of the Eloquent Ji Xiaolan, Vol. 2 ('Ji xiao lan-tian xia di yi bian (2)', in traditional Chinese, NOT in English)
Zichen Yang
Manufacturer: Shi Xue
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 957835097X |
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