How Plants Are Trained to Work for Man: Flowers (How Plants Are Trained to Work for Man)

Book Description

This is volume seven of an eight-volume set.

Customer Reviews:

a history of NJ as well as a personal history, fascinating.......2003-12-31

I bought this book expecting it to be a description of intersting stores and shops, perhaps some places to eat alnog some of the secondary highways of NJ. What I got was the personal history of the author as well as a history of NJ. It was a fascinating read as DiLonno takes out along several of the "500" roads of NJ, which are secondary hgihways designed to supplement the larger, faster roads of the state. DiLonno tells us about the towns you pass thru and described the contrast from one end to the other end, and tells us tales from his own past when he traveled some of these roads with his father. These personal details as well as the interesting and obscure facts about the towns is both fascianting and illuminating. I expected a guide to where to shop and eat and instead I got a history of NJ.

I throughly enjoyed the book, but I must say that B&W pictures suffer from being (IMHO) not crisp or sharp enough, a tad on the dark side and not having enough depth of field. That's not to say they're bad, but I always believe B&W pictures, to be effective need to be the things I mentioned above, and these weren't. The color pictures are good, but there aren;t enough. (Disclaimer: I actually love B&W, and have nothing against it)

One negative: There are 17 roads profiled, in a book of 137 pages so that's roughly 8 pages per road. For some reason he devotes less then one page each to Route 501 & 514. I'm not sure why but since 501 is the only road in the book that goes thru Bergen County, I was disapointed that it was glossed over, especially since Bergen County is home to the earliest colonial settlements anywhere, and since a lot of important history took place here.

Otherwise, an excellent, thought provoking book.

Great book!.......2003-06-16

This book is full with interesting facts, tidbits and general information regarding New Jersey's many highways and backroads that make up this great state. DiIonno did a great job putting this book together and I recommend anyone interested in the history and many tidbits about New Jersey to buy this book!

Book Description

The lives of this remarkable couple unfold alongside events of the Revolutionary War era, a time in which John left his family for prolonged periods to serve his colony and country. Their engaging exchanges follow John's career from provincial lawyer and farmer in Braintree, Massachusetts, to delegate to the Continental Congresses in Philadelphia, to diplomatic success in Europe. John reveals himself as an ambitious, determined, and self-doubting statesman with a trusting, deeply affectionate character and an earthy sense of humor.

Abigail's lively and captivating letters show the trials of an intelligent, strong, and resourceful woman who managed the family's farm and business affairs and reared the pair's four children during her husband's long absences. Her missives to John are filled with outspoken remarks on politics, public figures, and world-shaking events. An independent thinker and advocate of equal rights for women, she urged him in one spirited letter to "Remember the Ladies" in framing the new government. Abigail also vividly documents domestic life in eighteenth-century America, providing enlightening details on health problems, childbirth, education, women's activities, the difficulties of travel, and the impact of wartime inflation.

The 226 letters contained in this volume are supplemented with a few to third parties and a sampling of diary entries. Altogether, the words and thoughts of these warm, if occasionally fallible, human beings richly convey the experience of the Revolutionary generation in a most personal and authentic way.

Customer Reviews:

Good History Book.......2001-04-15

This was a very interesting book showing the way a women saw the start of a new country. It also shows the sacrifice that both John and Abigail both had to make to still be together while John was helping the colonies. John tells Abigail all of the political happenings that have been going on not including deaths etc... Abigail is very much into politics and reminds John to "remember the ladies" when writing the Declaration of Independence. This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about the war at a different perspective than what just the history books say.

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The loving letters of our second president and his wife abigail: brilliance in Braintree!

The Letters of John and Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams , and Frank Shuffelton
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142437115
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Book Description

The Letters of John and Abigail Adams provides an insightful record of American life before, during, and after the Revolution; the letters also reveal the intellectually and emotionally fulfilling relationship between John and Abigail that lasted fifty-four years and withstood historical upheavals, long periods apart, and personal tragedies. Covering key moments in American history-the Continental Congress, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, and John Adams's diplomatic missions to Europe-the letters reveal the concerns of a couple living during a period of explosive change, from smallpox and British warships to raising children, paying taxes, the state of women, and the emerging concepts of American democracy.

Customer Reviews:

The loving letters of our second president and his wife abigail: brilliance in Braintree!.......2006-08-25

John Adams was the first Vice-President and second chief
executive of the United States of America. He was also a brilliant lawyer, legislator, writer and diplomat for the fledging American nation in France and the Netherlands during
the Revolutionary War.
In this excellent collection of personal letters John and
Abigail share their thoughts on a wide variety of topics chiefly the struggle for our nation's independence. The letters in this
copious collection cover the years from 1774 to 1783 (the years
of the American Revolution).
These are two extremely intelligent persons! John's letters
let the reader look through the keyhole in Philadelphia as the
Declaration of Independence is approved; throughout the war
Adams was away from his Braintree farm for long stretches of
time. His life was in danger and he was worried about Abigail and
their young children. A few of the letters in this collection
were written by his parents to the young John Quincy Adams who
served as the sixth President of the United States.
Abigail lived long before the womens liberation movement but
she was the intellectual equal of her husband. Abigail kept the
farm going staying abreast of political affairs and raising a
great American family.
The patriotism and self-sacrifice of the Adams family is an
inspiration to all Americans. This is a wonderful collection
for anyone wishing to know these two American patriots on a more
intimate basis. Excellent resource for history classes and anyone wishing to know more about our history.

The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams

Average customer rating:

Meet John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
Throw Away the Text Books
Just what I was hoping for
Not just for historians
The Adams-Jefferson Letters

The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams
John Adams
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807842303

Book Description

An intellectual dialogue of the highest plane achieved in America, the correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson spanned half a century and embraced government, philosophy, religion, quotidiana, and family griefs and joys. First meeting as delegates to the Continental Congress in 1775, they initiated correspondence in 1777, negotiated jointly as ministers in Europe in the 1780s, and served the early Republic—each, ultimately, in its highest office. At Jefferson's defeat of Adams for the presidency in 1800, they became estranged, and the correspondence lapses from 1801 to 1812, then is renewed until the death of both in 1826, fifty years to the day after the Declaration of Independence.

Lester J. Cappon's edition, first published in 1959 in two volumes, provides the complete correspondence between these two men and includes the correspondence between Abigail Adams and Jefferson. Many of these letters have been published in no other modern edition, nor does any other edition devote itself exclusively to the exchange between Jefferson and the Adamses. Introduction, headnotes, and footnotes inform the reader without interrupting the speakers. This reissue of The Adams-Jefferson Letters in a one-volume unabridged edition brings to a broader audience one of the monuments of American scholarship and, to quote C. Vann Woodward, 'a major treasure of national literature.'

Customer Reviews:

Meet John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.......2007-09-22

Out second and third presidents began their political career as friends, fell out, and then fortunately became friends again. In this wonderful collection of personal letters we see not only the men but the times until their deaths July 4, 1826. One of our most beloved presidents and most mis-understood are brought into reality by this collection. They were after all both remarkable men and human beings.

Throw Away the Text Books.......2006-11-10

Throw Away the texbooks. As others have said this is our Real History and Heritage. There is more to be found here on Ethics and Intergrity than in any of the pogressively vaporous decriptions of these men and their times. Imagine the chief architects of the Great Experiment in Representstve Democracy. Adversaries at the Constitutional Congress; ememies over the the transition from Adam's Presidency to Jefferson's. And then THESE! Conciliation and repect and eventually true affection - The founding fathers in thier own words - asessing what they had wrought - the good, the bad, the ugly - all passsed through that wondeful 18-19th Century Prose. Throw away the text books. Integrity was the founding principle of Taoism; Ethics the founding princple of Socratic/Platonic discouse. Adams and Jefferson knew this. Many Americans are waking up astounded by the lack of these two foundational elements in our modern system of governance. There is more to be learn of governance,literature and critical thinking on any page than there is in an entire high-school(and most college) curricula. Jefferson and Adams are stirring, stirring - and this can only be a Good Thing.

Just what I was hoping for.......2006-11-03

This collection of historic dialogue is just what I was looking for. The simply and powerfully reprints the letters between Adams, the older more conservative thought leader for a nation, and Jefferson, the quiet country Gentleman who gave voice to that nation. This chronilogical collection of letters bring to life the common bond that brought together and then sustained these two giants; the love of well formed thoughts and learning. The addition of the Abigal to Jefferson letters adds a deeply spiritual and personal tough. A great tool for understanding the thoughts and arguments behind the norming and forming of the United States.

Not just for historians.......2006-02-01

I have a hard time reading straightforward history. Usually, I would rather read fictionalized or storified versions of history. This is my first effort at reading original sources like letters of historical figures. So it was with real trepidation that I started reading.

It has been so worth it! The words and ideas of these two great men (and one great woman) are really interesting. The ideas that they discussed and fought over resonate into today's political discussions. What makes it all so much more interesting is the falling out that they had and the eventual reconcilliation.

Still, if you are like me, there are times when you may want to skim just a little. There is only so much reading about the commerce of the New England Whale Oil that I can take. Ride through it though...the good sections are very good and sometimes mixed into the dull sections.

The Adams-Jefferson Letters.......2002-10-25

The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams edited by Lester J. Cappon is a remarkable book containing letter correspondence of the time when the United States was being formed and for fifty more years.

It is very interesting to read their letters to find out what really was on their minds concerning issues of the day. Americana at its best is what you come away with after reading these letters. The letters are in chronological order and are placed in order of response to the letter sent. Thomas Jefferson was a very prolific letter writer and the subjects the he discussed with John Adams vary greatly, but that is what made these letters very interesting. Also, the depth and the detail of the letters is remarkable.

Abigail Adams for a woman of her time was well versed and her letters to both Jefferson and her husband showed character, wit, and resolve. She was well aware of what was going on around her and you could tell by her letters that she loved her husband while he was away in the duty of his country.

This collection of letters is a real treasure, if you read or study the American Revolution, you have to own this book. This makes an excellent reference volume to fall back on when you get to the footnotes and want a more detailed reference, you can with these letters readily at hand.

Book Description

Letters have long been read as primary sources for biography and history, but their performative, fictive, and textual dimensions have only recently attracted serious notice. In this book, William Merrill Decker examines the place of the personal letter in American popular and literary culture from the colonial to the postmodern period.

After offering an overview of the genre, Decker explores epistolary practices that coincide with American experiences of space, settlement, separation, and reunion. He discusses letters written by such well-known and well-educated persons as John Winthrop, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abigail and John Adams, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Margaret Fuller, Henry David Thoreau, Samuel Clemens, Henry James, and Alice James, but also letters by persons who, except in their correspondence, were not writers at all: indentured servants, New England factory workers, slaves, soldiers, and Western pioneers. Individual chapters explore the letter writing of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emily Dickinson, and Henry Adams—three of America's most ambitious, accomplished, and theoretically astute letter writers. Finally, Decker considers the ongoing transformation of letter writing in the electronic age.

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Letters of John and Abigail Adams: 1762 to 1826
John Adams
Manufacturer: Westvaco Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006RUVS8

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The Book of Abigail and John - Selected Letters of the Adams Family 1762-1784
L.H., Marc Friedlander, and Mary-Jo Kline (Edited by) Butterfield
Manufacturer: Harvard Univ. Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K9WZ4A

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THE ADAMS JEFFERSON LETTERS: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams. 2 vols

Manufacturer: UNC Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I5PR46

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The Adams Papers: Portraits of John and Abigail Adams
John) Oliver, Andrew Adams
Manufacturer: Belknap Press of Harvard University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QFRK5W

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The Adams-Jefferson Letters in Two Volumes, volume 1, 1777-1804
Thomas Jefferson , John Adams , and Abigail Adams
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W8X3G8

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The Adams-Jefferson Letters. The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams. 2 Volumes
Lester J. Cappon
Manufacturer: University of North Carolina
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MBKN6S

Book Description

Recognizing the link that exists between body and mind is the first step toward understanding good health.

Average customer rating:

the best book I have ever seen

Great Book

The Crazy Quuilt Handbook, Revised Edition 2

The Crazy Quilt Handbook

Crazy Quilt Handbook is so helpful!

The Crazy Quilt Handbook, Revised 2nd Edition
Judith Montano
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Magic of Crazy Quilting: A Complete Resource for Embellished Quilting

Elegant Stitches: An Illustrated Stitch Guide and Source Book of Inspiration

An Encyclopedia of Crazy Quilt Stitches and Motifs (4178)

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Floral Stitches: An Illustrated Guide

ASIN: 1571201734

Customer Reviews:

the best book I have ever seen .......2007-09-09

This book is the most wonderful detailed logically presented book of ideas and stitches....so glad i found it....if you want to know about crazy quilting this and her companion stitching guide embellishments is all you need to create beautiful works of heirloom quality

Great Book.......2007-03-26

Love the boook. Can get a lot of good ideas from it as I am making a crazy quilt. Thank you so much

The Crazy Quuilt Handbook, Revised Edition 2.......2006-07-16

Book arrived in less time than was expected and it was in excellent condition.

The Crazy Quilt Handbook.......2005-09-26

I learned many different techniques of crazy quilting.
It was very informative and beautifully illustrated.

Crazy Quilt Handbook is so helpful!.......2005-08-24

The Crazy quilt handbook has all the information that I needed to create a crazy quilt of my own. Great pictures and clear directions - I recomend it to experienced quilters as well as those new to the craft.

Book Description

128 pages (all in color), 7 1/4 x 9 1/2.

Customer Reviews:

Good info on lawn shapes and care minimization.......1999-11-10

Pitched to people with lazy English Sundays to tend roses and vegetables, the book is best on steps one can take to minimize maintenance. The English terminology used may not be familiar to U.S. readers and its plant recommendations do not necessarily cover the hardy plants bred here to withstand longer, hotter summers and harsher winters.

Average customer rating:

Easy Care Gardening Expert
D. G. Hessayon
Manufacturer: Expert Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UWBRPK

Book Description

What lies ahead for expectant parents of twins? Immeasurable joy, plus many sleepless nights. Parenting twins is unlike parenting siblings of different ages. From infancy through the teen years, twins require a bit more energy and diplomacy, plus lots of clever ideas. Double Duty: The Parents' Guide to Raising Twins, from Pregnancy Through the School Years offers plenty of reassuring advice and practical strategies for coping with the challenges that lie ahead. Featuring a wealth of tips from couples with twins who've lived to tell about it, Double Duty covers everything from managing a multiple pregnancy to the first days of school. Whether you're concerned about bonding with two babies at once, getting them on the same schedule, or separating your inseparable duo for a day, Double Duty suggests many comforting solutions. It covers such twin-specific issues as:

How to increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy
How to prepare home and family for the arrival of twins
How to survive the critical first month
How to breastfeed or bottle feed two infants at once
The pros and cons of dressing twins alike
How to encourage paternal involvement
How to avoid speech difficulties in twins
How to avoid unhealthy competition between the siblings

Christina Baglivi Tinglof has had travel features published in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune Boston Herald, and Westways Magazine. Now, as a full-time mother, she writes on parenting for LA Parent and Central California Parent magazines. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Kevin, and their fraternal twin boys, Joseph and Michael.

Customer Reviews:

A good quick glide over a large territory........2007-07-20

If you are expecting twins and only can choose or take the time to read one book, this is the one to buy. As we have a pair on the way, (at a rather late time in life for me, I already have three adult children), I am keenly interested in what is in store for my wife and me in the months ahead. Having now read several books about twins, I would say that Baglivi-Tinglof's "Double Duty" is perhaps the most readable, if not the most in depth, review of events to come. She clearly sets forth what to expect in the pregnancy stage, what to do in preparation, and perhaps just as valuable, what you don't need to concern yourself with on hearing about the upcoming 'doubly blessed event(s)'. She doesn't stop there but also provides a succinct summary of what to expect in the next phases of their lives. You won't regret the practical and straightforward information this book provides. It is also performs another valuable service: calming the expectant parents. So much on the internet focuses on the challenges and potential complications of the twin experience, this balanced view is very refreshing.

Good Information.......2007-03-21

This book was a gift for a family that is expecting twins. The mother-to-be was very please with the book and said that it offered good information for planning for a double arrival. The book arrived quickly and the whole order was quick and very easy.

Good Book!.......2007-03-21

I would recommend this book to anyone who is expecting twins. It is definately written as a guide. I liked the fact that it gave you different perspectives on a multitude of issues. It gives you advise and/or good ideas while allowing you to decide which way is best for you and your twins.

A quick, simple read.......2006-08-28

This quick read would be ideal for a tired new mom, who needs the occasional quick reference, however as a pregnant mom with a bit of time on my hands I was left wanting something more in depth. Included are lots of "Top Five" lists, quick and easy recipes, and basic survival advice, but the book still feels like a compilation of simple parenting magazine articles. It's hard to get into depth, when you're covering pregnancy through the school years in 191 pages. I recommend this book only to parents who are looking for a basic, light read that summarizes early life with twins.

Fabulous Book!.......2005-07-08

I am a soon-to-be mother of twins and like everyone else went out bought a bunch of books, I was reading 4 at once. But with this book I read it cover to cover in two weeks(I also have two small boys, so I could only read in the evenings) I was more impressed with this book then all the others. It seemed to have more useful information in addition to personal stories, I found it to be pretty amusing and very helpful.

Book Description

In the spring of 1969, the inauspicious release of Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band's Trout Mask Replica, a double-album featuring 28 stream-of-consciousness songs filled with abstract rhythms and guttural bellows, dramatically altered the pop landscape.

Yet even if the album did cast its radical vision over the future of music, much of the record's artistic strength is actually drawn from the past. This book examines how Beefheart's incomparable opus, an album that divided (rather than) united a pop audience, is informed by a variety of diverse sources. Trout Mask Replica is a hybrid of poetic declarations inspired by both Walt Whitman and the beat poets, the field hollers of the Delta Blues, the urban blues of Howlin' Wolf, the gospel blues of Blind Willie Johnson, and the free jazz of Ornette Coleman. This book illustrates how Trout Mask Replica was not so much an arcane specimen of the avant-garde, but rather a defiantly original declaration of the American imagination.

Customer Reviews:

Good overview.......2007-09-18

Good commentary on TMR. With the lack of material about CB out there, anything is refreshing. Lots of interviews with MB members, some good funny insights and comments, not too much overintellectualising, a quick read. A good choice for Beefheart fans

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Identity Crisis
More of a biography on the music and not the MAN
Tells a story, but Van Vliet remains obscure...
Warms The Cockles Of My (Beef)Heart
A Fair Biography of a Great Artist

Captain Beefheart
Mike Barnes
Manufacturer: Quartet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0704380730

Book Description

Born Don Van Vliet in 1941, Captain Beefheart is one of modern music's true innovators. The owner of a remarkable four-and-one-half octave vocal range, he employs idiosyncratic rhythms, absurdist lyrics, and an unholy alliance of free jazz, Delta blues, latter-day classical music, and rock & roll to create a singular body of work virtually unrivalled in its daring creativity.

Customer Reviews:

Identity Crisis.......2007-05-13

I'll try to keep this brief.

Certainly it contains some fascinating biographical insights, but I felt it was more consumed with page after page of review-type song-by-song analyses of each album, and the aforementioned biographical insights seemed to be overwhelmingly comprised of anecdotes about Beefheart's ego & paranoia.

More of a biography on the music and not the MAN.......2004-12-21

This book is pretty good as it is a fast and interesting read. As it progresses, it analyzes the albums in order (which is good for those who don't know much about them).

However, the author is not a great writer. I'm not talking about grammar, I'm talking about creativity and the ability to bring the people to life. He doesn't do this. Good biographies make you feel like you KNOW the people (not just the main person) after you read it, but sadly, this book doesn't describe the people at all. Also, he quite often mentions a person as if we should KNOW who they are (he did this a few times, like with Grannie Annie. Maybe i'm not a big enough fan to already know who that person is).

Also, Beefheart himself doesn't even feel like the focus. Its more of a musical biography and when I mean music I mean the music from the other bandmembers. The author analyzes the music from a musicians view.. which I can understand since he's a musician. But still, to just call this "Captain Beefheart: The Biography" is sort of a stretch. We don't get too much into his personal life. The author jumps around and makes mention of one of Beefheart's girlfriends and then BOOM!, a little while later, Beefheart is married to a different woman. A good biography would go into that. Or, if the information is unavailable, the author should have made note of that.

Basically, this is a dry clinical approach yet is somehow interesting. Like I said, its a fast read and its good for people who want to know information about the songs.

Also, a small criticism.. In most biographies the author does not make an appearance.. they do not use the word "I" and talk about themselves. Some biographies DO, and there's nothing wrong with that. They make it a more personal thing (if they knew the person in question). However, this author does not mention himself at all until more than halfway in the book in just one sentence. Strange!! What do we care about him buying a Beefheart record? We KNOW he is a fan and has listened to the music, why else would he be writing this?
Anyway, I do recommend it to be read by Beefheart fans but I wouldn't call this a "biography".. more of a book ABOUT beefheart's music career and an average one at that. The author's gotta learn how to be more creative.

Tells a story, but Van Vliet remains obscure..........2004-11-07

Don Van Vliet (alias "Captain Beefheart") has become one of the most elusive and enigmatic figures in rock history. Strangely, a veritable paucity of information exists on his life and work. Internet webpages and blurbs in CD booklets provide one of the largest current trove of insights. This leaves a large knowledge gap for the curious, and there's plenty to be curious about. His self-abdication as the king of avant-garde rock (or so subsumed by many) to the painterly recluse represents a massive - and intriguing - change for an artist to undertake. Also, he's disappeared. Sightings of and interviews with Van Vliet have gone the way of the dodo bird. Add to that rumors of failing health, and the gossip fountains spurt prodigiously.
Given such a situation, those interested in the life of Van Vliet must embrace the appearance of a new biography (or at least a reissue; this book was originally published in 2000, and, according to the title page, was republished in 2002 with "textual emendations"). Surprisingly, not many biographies of "Captain Beefheart" have made their way into print. Or maybe this shouldn't surprise fans. The lack of material, especially valuable primary source material (in the form of interviews with Van Vliet himself) would daunt the most driven biographer wannabe.
In light of the startling limitations, one has to give Mike Barnes some credit for this undertaking. Unfortunately, the lack of really juicy material shows in this 365 page linear telling of Van Vliet's life. Plenty of dates and amusing and insightful anecdotes appear. And if one wants to know just the basic story behind Captain Beefheart and His/The Magic Band and his subsequent (or continuous) morphing into Don Van Vliet the painter, then dig in. Unfortunately, what one won't find is depth. Don Van Vliet the man and his methodologies remain in relative obscurity by the book's end. True, what happened to him gets a fair outline, but not much else. The book generally feels like a compilation of magazine, audio, and television interviews with sequeways filled in by the author. Consequently, anyone who has undertaken a study of Van Vliet will find much of the material familiar. Don't expect any earth shattering surprises.
Other flaws not related directly to lack of information also exist. The author's abrupt transitions to the first person are jarring. This happens only a few times, but when it does, the flow suffers. Placing these personal reflections into footnotes or endnotes would preserve the narrative flow (particularily the author's recollections of trying to get an interview with Van Vliet; they're very interesting but would have fit better in an epilogue or an appendix; they also come off like an apology for the lack of material). In addition, typos dot the text frequently enough to further strain the flow.
The photograph section presents another puzzle. The book covers all of Van Vliet's life (up to around 2001), but the photos only cover the years 1980 - 1982. Maybe permissions for photos were difficult to obtain? The included photos are great, but they beg the question as to why only an extremely small part of Van Vliet's life made it into this section.
Not only that, the book does not include an index, so returning to specific passages becomes tedious. Of course indexers cost money, so dropping the index probably helped the book get into print. Still, it makes the book less useful as a reference.
On a lighter note, one of the most amusing anecdotes related by Barnes is Van Vliet's run-in with Bono of U2. Following an offer made by Bono to tour with U2 and collaborate, Van Vliet supposedly kept asking his friends "Who's this Bongo?"
Lastly, the multifarious members of various Magic Bands get airtime here. Some of them feel cheated. Others feel fortunate. Some even feel cheated and fortunate. Many of their stories clash with Van Vliet's own version. In the end, what exactly happened is difficult to reconstruct.
Overall the book reads quickly and tells the story of Van Vliet. Those who have no prior knowledge of Captain Beefheart apart from the music will learn a great deal. Longtime fans will probably not learn too much. Barnes is obviously a big fan, and his enthusiasm shows. Nonetheless, the book contains flaws, but not insurmountable ones. Perhaps this book will lay the groundwork for a more detailed study in the future. Or at the very least get Van Vliet's music some more well-deserved press.

Warms The Cockles Of My (Beef)Heart.......2003-04-02

Having discovered Captain Don a couple of years ago, Beefheart has risen from curio to obsession in my humble little universe. Quite eager to indulge that obsession, I read this bio in one sitting and I have found it to be most satisfying. Combine this book with (Zoot Horn Rollo) Bill Harkleroad's Lunar Notes, and one seems to get a fair enough picture of Van Vliet's personality & artistry, as well as what life was like living underneath his oppressive regime.

All of the key Magic Band members were interviewed, and their opinions range from bitter/disillusioned (Harkleroad & Ry Cooder), ambiguous (John French, Jimmy Carl Black) to downright hero-worship (Gary Lucas). What this biography makes plain is that all of these attitudes are justified when in reference to the good Captain. Van Vliet has that curious blend of charisma, charm, cruelty, and authoritarianism that seems to part & parcel of many great artists.

The music is discussed in great length, and I find the author's opinions to be mostly sound. The writing style is fast-paced, yet doesn't skimp on analysis. Beefheart's love-hate relationships with Frank Zappa and Ian Anderson are discussed in some detail. It's interesting to note that both Zappa and Anderson were (and in Anderson's case still is) very successful entrepreneurs in the rock music biz, something that completely eluded the financially hapless Beefheart.

If you're ready to shed the ordinary, banal junk that plays on the radio, buy the discs Trout Mask Replica, Safe As Milk and Clear Spot (to start), order this book, and enter a new world.

A Fair Biography of a Great Artist.......2002-12-21

Thorough and informative, but unfortunately Mike Barnes is only a mediocre writer. This is a must have for fans and, for that matter, anyone interested in the milestones of American music. But prepare yourself for a less-than-satisfying literary experience.

Lunar Notes: Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience (Music)

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It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper
Love Over Gold. Zoot Apparently Didn't Get Either From CB.
A Typical Music experience in a Unconventional Band
He's Somewhat Bitter
For the Beefheart fanatic...

Lunar Notes: Zoot Horn Rollo's Captain Beefheart Experience (Music)
Bill Harkleroad
Manufacturer: SAF Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0946719217

Book Description

"At last, the inside story of the best rock band of the 20th century. Zoot Horn Rollo tells all and opens the doorto the secret history of Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band."-Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons.Rechristened as Zoot Horn Rollo, guitarist Harkleroad recalls what it was like to live, record and play with a temperamental genius such as Captain Beefheart on landmark albums such as Trout Mask Replica.

Customer Reviews:

It Comes To You In A Plain Brown Wrapper.......2003-04-18

After reading Captain Beefheart interviews for decades it's refreshing to hear what the other guys in the Magic Band have to say about creating their innovative music.
This book is a very rare glimpse into the Magic Band by one of their most talented members. Beefheart prefers to shroud his work in mystery, but Zoot Horn Rollo is here to tell the tale. I enjoyed his book a lot.

Love Over Gold. Zoot Apparently Didn't Get Either From CB........2003-04-02

This is a fascinating glimpse into Planet Beefheart. Bill Harkleroad was Beefheart's guitarist (and quite possibly co-composer), and he's written something that will be enjoyed by all of us Beefheart fans. Zoot's attitude towards the music varies a bit: he loves Lick My Decals Off (rightly), has a guarded respect for Trout Mask, loathes The Spotlight Kid (have to disagree with him on that one), really likes Clear Spot, and utterly dismisses Unconditionally Guaranteed (quite rightly).

As a writer, Zoot is a great slide-guitarist. The anecdotes and discussion about the music are mostly enjoyable, and sometimes very disturbing. Unfortunately, the book lacks real cohesion. As a previous reviewer stated, this book is more of a conversation with Zoot than a literary work. Bill Harkleroad seems awfully bitter about the Captain after all these years (probably justifiably), and I feel that this book was written in order to, at least partially, close a chapter in Bill's life. In any event, thanks to both Zoot and the Captain for creating some of the greatest music of the twentieth century.

A Typical Music experience in a Unconventional Band.......2002-12-24

Bill aka Zoot Horn Rollo may sound bitter regarding his days with Captain Beefheart but it in many ways is typical in the Music Business. The money goes to who set themselves up to get it with contracts and the like. Zoot signed a bad deal and in retrospect is bitter. That being said this book is very insightful on the real persona of Don Van Vliet(Capt Beefheart)Like most successful people he got there by using others to his advantage. A nice easy read that is less than flattering at times to the beef but the truth is kinda funny that way.

He's Somewhat Bitter.......2000-11-21

Sounds like Zoot is tooting his horn about a lot of bad experiences in The Magic Band, mainly not getting paid, or given credit for his writing work. His bitterness has obviously influenced his insight on his Beefheart years. An interesting, but short read for a Beefheart fan that sort of leaves you wanting more. Reportedly drummer John French is writing a book too. It will be interesting to compare his version of the story with Zoot's.

For the Beefheart fanatic..........2000-05-27

This is a very worthwhile book if you want to know what REALLY happened during the time that the CB band was first formed. At least, according to Zoot Horn Rollo, this is how it was...

Not that I doubt Zoot, you understand. I just think that he has his view, and the Captain has his, and everyone has their own...

Nevertheless, I imagine most of what Zoot says here is a fairly accurate portrayal of those early Beefheartian times... and for that, it is very enjoyable, very interesting reading...

If you're a fan of Beefheart and his music, you've got to read this. It's the only book in town, for the time being.

"There are only 40 people in the world, and 5 of them are hamburgers." - Don Van Vliet

-Dr. Whitestein was here on 05/26/00

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Critical Essay

Definitely not worth whatever they're charging for it

Trout Mask Original

A Decent Read

Riding Some Kind Of Unusual Skull Sleigh: On The Arts Of Don Van Vliet
W. C. Bamberger , and William C. Bamberger
Manufacturer: Bamberger Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Captain Beefheart: The Biography

Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and the Secret History of Maximalism (Salt Studies in Contemporary Literature & Culture S.)

Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica (33 1/3)

ASIN: 0917453352

Book Description

Biography. Art Criticism. For more than seventeen years, Don Van Vliet made music under the name Captain Beefheart. When he walked away from music, he turned to his other art and is now an internationally known and collected abstract painter. RIDING SOME KIND OF UNUSUAL SKULL SLEIGH looks at the phases of Van Vliet's musical career through the lens of the new, ecological theories of mind which were emerging at the time Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band were beginning to record. The result is a unique interpretation of Van Vliet's music and motives -- "Van Vliet as Gaia microcasm" -- which looks at both his genius and the darker side of his Captain Beefheart persona. The author also offers a detailed analysis of Van Vliet's drawings and paintings and suggests that art world acceptance has drastically changed his art -- and perhaps the artist himself.

Customer Reviews:

Critical Essay.......2002-01-22

Well I like to read any piece about Don, and I wish more people would get turned onto his musical work; a lot of the painting stuff I can do without.This book is really no revelation if you already are a big fan,but may provide some background for a Beefheart neophyte. It basically quotes Bill Harkleroad's "Lunar Notes" which is recommended over this, and a lot of info comes from the Radar Station website,which you can read for free. Typos are a plenty, and a couple of things strike me as a little misinformed, like his reference to co-writer Herb Bermann on "Safe As Milk" who has pretty well been exposed as a fictitious person created by Don for some type of royalty scam, and I thought that was common knowledge; just read the liner notes for the "Safe As Milk" re-master.Too much of this is opinionated rather than factual.

Definitely not worth whatever they're charging for it.......2001-01-30

I was so hugely disappointed in this book i can barely describe it. This was by far one of the worst written and most poorly edited books I have ever read. Bamberger really takes it over the top trying to intellectualize Beefheart's music & paintings. Leaving the reader to say "who cares?". It really just ends up taking away from how great his music & art really is. Left me with a bad taste in my mouth...Definitely not worth the high price.

Trout Mask Original.......2000-08-08

Bamberger is to Beefheart as Sandberg is to Lincoln. This is the primer and reference book for the subject. Bamberger's detailed descriptions and thoughtful insight will give any reader a greater appreciation of this phenomenal artist. If you have listened to "Trout Mask Replica" more than once or are curious about Van Vliet the artist, you must have this book.

A Decent Read.......1999-12-02

This book reads like a thesis on Don Van Vliet, drawing comparisons between his art and his music. Informative to those unfamiliar with Captain Beefheart/Don Van Vliet.

Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and the Secret History of Maximalism (Salt Studies in Contemporary Literature & Culture S.)

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Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart and the Secret History of Maximalism (Salt Studies in Contemporary Literature & Culture S.)
Michel Delville , and Andrew Norris
Manufacturer: Salt Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1844710599

Book Description

A comparative account of the musical and cultural acts of Zappa and his cohort, collaborator and antagonist Captain Beefheart. Written in the iconoclastic spirit of Zappa's art, this book traces the mixed media experiments of California freakdom through the dada blues of Beefheart, mapping out the pleasures of imaginative excess.

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Captain Beefheart
Ken Brooks
Manufacturer: Agenda Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1899882111

Fast and Bulbous: the Captain Beefheart Story

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Fast and Bulbous: the Captain Beefheart Story
Ben Cruickshank
Manufacturer: Agenda Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

This edition of the writings of Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-98), barrister, United Irishman, agent of the Catholic Committee and later an officer in the French revolutionary army, is intended to comprehend all his writings and largely to supersede the two-volume Life of Theobald Wolfe Tone ... written by himself that was edited by his son, William, and published at Washington in 1826. It consists mainly of Tone's correspondence, diaries, autobiography, pamphlets, public addresses and miscellaneous memoranda (both personal and public); it is based on the original MSS if extant or on the most reliable printed sources. Tone's participation in Irish politics in the early 1790s and his presence on the periphery of the ruling circle in revolutionary France from February 1796 to September 1798 would be sufficient to make his writings a major historical source. The literary quality of his letters, diaries and autobiography enhances their importance. The unique quality of Tone's writings is that they are the production of a gifted and convivial young Irishman who moved widely in intellectual and political circles. This volume _ Tone's career in Ireland to June 1975 _ is the first of three. It is to be followed shortly by volumes II _ ('America, France and Bantry Bay, August 1795 to December 1796') and III ('France, the Rhine, Lough Swilly and death of Tone, January 1797 to November 1798'). A bibliography of Theobald Wolfe Tone and index to all three volumes are to appear in volume III.

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