Midshipman in Gray: Selections from Recollections of a Rebel Reefer

Book Description

Diana Wells's intriguing exploration into the rewards of relationships--both the canine and human varieties--begins when she reluctantly starts seeing a psychologist, Beth, during a difficult time in her life. With no insurance to pay for counseling, a barter is arranged in which the client becomes part-time caretaker to the therapist's dog, Luggs, a sweet, clumsy black Labrador retriever.

As Wells examines her past--her peripatetic childhood, her eccentric family, her grief over the deaths of loved ones--Luggs provides a bridge between therapist and patient. Dog lover by nature, historian by trade, Wells finds herself curious about the connections that dogs and humans have shared for centuries--and what these bonds tell us about our own psyches.

Wells observes that training a dog has much in common with the therapeutic techniques her psychologist employs. Looking into recent experiments that have proved dogs better at interpreting human behavior than chimps or wolves, Wells explores the subtleties of her own relationship with dogs. Increasingly she finds herself agreeing with Diogenes, the original Greek cynic (the word cynic comes from the greek kuon, meaning "dog"), who said that unless we think like dogs, happiness will elude us.

Wells analyzes what we name our dogs, how we breed them, how we've explored the wilderness with them, the kinds of literature we write about them, why we love them, and, most important, what we can learn from them.

When an unexpected illness befalls Beth, Luggs comforts the two women, and his devotion helps Wells come to accept that relationships--despite the possibility of hurt and pain--are what life is all about.

Customer Reviews:

Lessons in Self-Absorption.......2006-03-24

The author of this impossibly self-absorbed little book spent a day in the library -- compiling a list of historical and biological facts about dogs -- and uses these to pepper a story about her own life and woes. "Pepper" is exactly the right word too, because a little bit is seasoning; a lot becomes an irritant.

Even without the distracting arcana & ephemera about dogs this book is annoyingly whiney, with the author essentially asking "Why me?" everytime somebody dies in her life. It's hard to lose loved ones, 2-legged or 4-, but the author's own little disfunctional family is hardly unique in that regard.

And as to "Unconditional Love" I don't think the author has a clue -- she lets her dogs run undisciplined, and her relatives live unmoderated, and then moans when bad things happen. That isn't love, it's abandonment.

Trying to be two books at once.......2005-04-23

I hate to burst the bubble here, but I was disappointed in this book. In my opinion, it's trying to be two different books: a memoir of therapy and an informal history of the relationship between dogs and people. The jumps between the two genres are awkward and disorienting, and often have the unintended effect of trivializing the very serious issues Wells is discussing. In the midst of a moving description of a session with the therapist, she will suddenly shift to discuss some particular breed of dog. It's almost as if the dog stuff is there to distract her (or us) when the material gets too heavy.

I also would seriously question the ethics of the therapist in this story, but given the way the story ends, that's a cheap shot on my part.

The Complexity of Mourning .......2004-08-21

Diana Wells has written a sophisticated memoir about recovery from personal loss with a dog as a kind of remarkable deus ex machina. This book works on the dog-lover's level, on the confessional level, as a memoir from a fascinating person, and altogether is a fine story extremely well written.

good read.......2004-08-20

this is a sweet story about the sacred bond between animals and people.

Average customer rating:

Yoga Journal's Yoga Basics : The Essential Beginner's Guide

Just like the title says--Yoga Basics

Very basic information with too much history.

A clearly written book about yoga philosophy and practice.

Yoga Journal's Yoga Basics: The Essential Beginner's Guide to Yoga For a Lifetime of Health and Fitness
Mara Carrico , and Editors of Yoga Journal
Manufacturer: Holt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Yoga | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Hatha Yoga | Hinduism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 0805045716

Book Description

Welcome to the world of yoga.Yoga Journal's Yoga Basics offers the first truly comprehensive introduction to the practice of this popular ancient healing art. Produced by a teacher of yoga for over 25 years and the editors of Yoga Journal, it offers all the inspiration and instruction you'll need to develop your own at-home yoga practice. Beginning with an exploration of the roots of yoga, the book goes on to describe a variety of hatha yoga styles-- Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kundalini, and others-- so you can choose the method that's appropriate for you. Featuring easy-to-follow instructions and 140 black-and-white photographs to illustrate the postures, Yoga Basics provides a thorough understanding not only of the mechanics of technique but of all the important elements that make yoga so much more than a fitness regime. In this unique book you'll find:* Tips on the use of the breath in yoga practice and breath awareness exercises* Guidelines for regular practice, including health and safety considerations* Dozens of illustrated postures-- standing, seated, supine, and prone-- with their benefits described* Sample Yoga routines that can be done in as little as 15 minutes per day* Instruction on the practice and power of meditation

Customer Reviews:

Yoga Journal's Yoga Basics : The Essential Beginner's Guide.......2001-05-03

The word "Essential" says it all in terms of the usefulness of this book. This is a must have for the person that wants to put the right foot forward in understanding and developing a personal Yoga practice, or for the individual that hopes to gain a better historical understanding of this ancient practice. In a concise fashion the reader will acquire the tools to develop an individual practice. The reader will also find answers in identifying an instructor and style of Yoga that is right for them. Clear photographs and detailed instructions round out this most excellent and "Essential" resource.

Just like the title says--Yoga Basics.......2000-10-17

This book is a competent introduction to yoga. Contrary to one reviewer, the section on yoga philosophy is short and to the point.

The section on yoga teachers and styles can be very useful in helping to decide what yoga style you might wish to explore.

The section (the bulk of the book) on yoga postures is adequate but unexceptional. The descriptions are ok, but the photos are small and not especially clear. No variations are shown for advanced practicioners or for those with limited flexibility.

There is a brief description of yoga props, but no information on how to incorporate them into your practice.

The section on sample yoga routines is mediocre.

This book is best as an inexpensive supplement to a good yoga class or video tape. The best beginners yoga book I've seen is "Yoga for Beginners" by Mark Ansari and Liz Lark.

Very basic information with too much history........1999-06-11

The book covers the very basics of yoga. It is too long on history and people in the yoga movement, which is ok for those who want that stuff. I went away wanting much more from the book. It did not deliver what I had expected.

A clearly written book about yoga philosophy and practice........1999-03-30

This title is a handy resource book for practicing yoga, although the spine design makes it difficult to keep flat on the floor near your yoga mat. However, the posture photos and descriptions are easy to follow. The history and philosophy of yoga are written very accessibly, as are the approaches to meditation. I enjoy this book as a yoga student of 8 years, and am glad a yoga teacher recommended it. I keep signing it out at my library, but it's so handy and succinct I want to give it a permanent place on my bookshelf.

Yoga Journal's Yoga Basics: the Essential Beginner's Guide To Yoga for a Lifetime of Health and Fitness

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Yoga Journal's Yoga Basics: the Essential Beginner's Guide To Yoga for a Lifetime of Health and Fitness
Mara Carrico
Manufacturer: Owl Books (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N78PQ6

Amazon.com

We want to eat healthy foods and renounce the familiar, artery-clogging staples of our past, but what do we cook instead? "The American culinary scene has become a minefield of strange ingredients and elaborate preparations," writes the mother-daughter author team in Dreaded Broccoli. They show us how to make everyday cooking more healthful and fun, especially for those of us who don't have all day to spend in the kitchen. This is a sprightly and entertaining cooking guide about vegetables and how to enjoy cooking and eating them. For instance, you can simplify preparation by just brushing the dirt off mushrooms and getting your 4-year-old to wash the spinach. Keep your cooking low-fat by steaming, roasting, or sautéing in as little oil as possible. The book demystifies easy-to-cook ingredients such as leafy greens (forget the complicated names: "There are two kinds of greens--little and big"), whole grains (you can eat them without taking on an alternative lifestyle), and legumes ("you just put them in very hot water and leave them there a very long time"). You'll sample the Haspels' favorite recipes, such as Potato and Mushroom Pie with Polenta Crust (14 percent fat) and Nutritionally Correct One-Bowl Chocolate Cake (9 percent fat). Recipes include calories, fat grams, and saturated fat grams. The book is fun to read, plus you'll learn plenty about how to cook healthier without strain or pain. --Joan Price

Book Description

Excited by the challenge of replacing the mundane and the familiar with truly exciting food, and faced with the need to make dramatic changes in their eating habits, Barbara and Tamar Haspel -- a mother-and-daughter team of accomplished cooks and discriminating eaters -- took on the world of high-risk, high-fat food and made it over into their own.

In this witty and informative look at learning to eat well -- and enjoying it -- the authors show you how the simplest lifestyle changes can help you in your quest to make low-fat meals that taste good. With just a few changes in your outlook and in your kitchen, you can create a momentum in your pantry -- or in the authors' case, the linen closet -- that will have you turning out dish after delicious dish of healthful foods.

In its no-holds-barred approach to cooking, The Dreaded Broccoli Cookbook will help you overcome your fear of eating well with just these basics:

* Pantry Momentum and the Incatenata -- the two components of the great chain of meals: tips on how to make one meal segue into the next and get the most out of the ingredients you have on hand.

* Recipes and techniques for using some of the Haspels' favorite ingredients -- from mushrooms to monkfish, turnips to turkey.

* Commonsense guidance to help you master basics like stock, soups, and sauces -- and even chocolate cake.

* Help and encouragement facing the cook's most dreaded task -- veggie prep!

In 1992, concerned citizens began subscribing to a quarterly newsletter called Dreaded Broccoli, begun by Barbara Haspel when her husband's heart attack prompted a radical overhaul of her cooking style. The newsletter -- like this book -- is full of recipes, food strategies, and lots of no-punches-pulled opinion.

Customer Reviews:

The title doesn't do this wonderful book justice!!.......2002-05-18

I picked up this book because it was on sale (kind of an 'impulse buy'), but also because I'm trying to cultivate a desire to cook. Thinking the book was really just about broccoli, I let it sit on my bookshelf for a couple of months before even opening it. What a surprise to discover this is a wonderful book, and I love reading it! It's about so much more than broccoli, and I've learned a great deal about putting flavor into healthy food (a skill which doesn't come naturally to me). The authors (a mother and daughter team) are very amusing and informative, and a novice like me would actually feel comfortable cooking with them, rather than feeling intimidated. I would recommend this book to anyone who's not already an accomplished cook or chef ; I'm inspired to go buy a Römertopf (clay pot) and cook up a feast this weekend. (And I'm someone who often eats cereal for dinner to avoid cooking. No longer!!) I like to know how and why you do certain things when cooking, and this book tells you everything you need to know, and it's all fun.

Witty, insightful, a pleasure to read.......1999-03-30

Unlike other assorted low-fat cranks, the authors of Dreaded Broccoli actually like food, and it shows. The book is witty, insightful and a pleasure to read even if you never cook a single recipe. In fact, its title notwithstanding, it is not really a cookbook at all; the authors' insistence on "recipe independence" means not cooking the recipes is really part of the point.

Well written and Funny like the Newsletter, just longer.......1999-03-27

I have subscribed to the Dreaded Broccoli Newsletter for several years. It helps that I like to cook, but even if I didn't I would still enjoy reading the Haspels' writing. The Haspels are intelligent, highly literate authors whose ability to turn a phrase (article on cooking low fat buffalo meat at home titled "At Home on the Range") is a constant delight. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys eating, reading or reading about eating.

Eli Becker

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Miniature Donkey Foaling Manual
Bonnie Gross
Manufacturer: Miniature Donkey Talk, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 096585471X

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Miniature Donkey Talk Foaling Manual
Bonnie Gross
Manufacturer: Miniature Donkey talk
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VKRWYQ

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Donkey Foaling Manual
Bonnie R. Gross
Manufacturer: Miniature Donkey Talk Magazine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0965854736

Book Description

The availability of lithium polymer (Li-Poly) batteries has transformed the world of model aircraft. It is now possible for manufacturers to offer electric-powered models that perform similarly to gas-powered models. How to Build and Fly Electric Model Aircraft is a fully-illustrated, all-color guide to unleashing the unlimited potential of silent flight with electric power. Highly regarded hobby author Robert Schleicher examines the new technologies that allow enthusiasts access to indoor and outdoor spaces not accessible to gas power models. He also offers primers on topics such as choosing a battery, tethered flight versus free flight, simple sail planes, beginning and advanced radio control, indoor flight, build-it-yourself kits, and even state-of-the-art U-control and exact-scale flying. This title also includes club and organization lists, helpful resources, and a glossary.

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The Joy of Planting - 101 Recipes for Pots & Containers ¿ A Step-by-Step Guide
Arlette Laird , George Huczek , Suzanne Laird , and Margo Embury
Manufacturer: Betty K Books & Food
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Container Gardening | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1894022416

Book Description

Gardening nourishes your soul as cooking nourishes your body. The Joy of Planting brims over with the author's love of her chosen profession. With infectious enthusiasm she offers us her creative recipe ideas and the benefit of her years of practical experience with container planting.

Each pot or container is an exciting new recipe. Arlette Laird knows that if you can scramble an egg, you can fill a container; if you can pour a glass of water (you don't have to be able to boil it), you can water your plants; if you can add salt and pepper to taste, you can handle fertilizer; if you can transfer a piece of cake from the pan to a plate, you can transplant any plant.

If you can feed yourself, you can handle container gardening. If you have no experience, start with a snack or a few appetizers one or two pots will do. If you're a good gardener with lots of experience go gourmet. All you need is a good container gardening recipe book! No green thumb? The Joy of Planting can help you develop one. If you do have a green thumb, this book can give you many appetizing ideas. Either way, these recipes will be invaluable for planning your pots and baskets according to taste and color, putting together a shopping list and guiding you through pot filling and planting. The color index will help you design a dazzling balcony or patio with containers filled with your favorite colors. With the simple instructions in The Joy of Planting you can grow a gorgeous floral show.

6" x 9"; 10 colour photographs; lay-flat coil binding

Book Description

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in this country and has lead to early onset diabetes and a general health crisis for children. The best way to attack childhood obesity is to start at the family table and the experts at Texas Childrens Hospital can give you the tools to do so.

A Parent's Guide To Eating Disorders and Obesity: the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

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A Parent's Guide To Eating Disorders and Obesity: the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Martha M. Jablow
Manufacturer: Delta Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

When Alec Wilder's American Popular Song first appeared, it was almost universally hailed--from The New York Times to The New Yorker to Down Beat--as the definitive account of the classic era of American popular music. It has since become the standard work of the great songwriters who dominated popular music in the United States for half a century. Now Wilder's classic is available again, with a new introduction by Gene Lees. Uniquely analytical yet engagingly informal, American Popular Song focuses on the melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic qualities that distinguish American popular music and have made it an authentic art form. Wilder traces the roots of the American style to the ragtime music of the 1890s, shows how it was incorporated into mainstream popular music after 1900, and then surveys the careers of every major songwriter from World War I to 1950. Wilder devotes desparate chapters to such greats as Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, and Harold Arlen. Illustrated with over seven hundred musical examples, Wilder's sensitive analyses of the most distinctive, creative, and original songs of this period reveal unexpected beauties in songs long forgotten and delightful subtleties in many familiar standards. The result is a definitive treatment of a strangely unsung and uniquely American art.

Customer Reviews:

Gershwin Pretentious Gimme a Break! Bach Must be Zues on Pluto.......2006-03-14

Richard Rogers The Greatest Composer Of His Time?Let's get clear folks Espically you low brows who call porgy and bess Pretentious,Rogers "Might" be The Greatest Songwriter(NOT COMPOSER-There,s A big distinction)of his time(personally i pick Porter then Gershwin Then Arlen for Bluesiness And Sexiness-and ground zero is the blues sorry Gang not the vieniese waltz that Rogers was so fond of)depending on what lyricist he worked with(his most heart felt ones are with Hart).He might have had the Greatest fund of pure melody then any one-Granted.But there is an slickness And Artificial & Superficial Aspect to much Of his Work That over time looses it power,and certainly appeal.Mabe this under the surface aspect to Rogers Work Is Reflective Of The Fact That As A Person, He Was A Complete SOB- an autocratic homophobic womanizing self serving A hole.Not One Of Rogers "Serious" Works Like Ellingtons Can Hold A Candel To Gershwins.Europeans Take Gershwins Greatness as a composer Musican & Pianist(another area where no one including Rogers in the pop field{as well as classical}of that time could compete with George)as a matter of course(Americans and american critics should do the same and put to bed this stupid debate of GG Songwriter? or Composer?-and get with the fact that the closest thing America has produced to the level of anything like a Mozart is called GERSHWIN-PERIOD-just look at the high level gifts he had in abbudance as an innovater- melody,Harmony,rhythm,pianist,theatre & Drama.And the two most rare,originality & Humor-gimme a break Rogers or any one else for that matter can't even compare or compete.It Seems It's even A Gift To begin to Grasp And Appriciate the enormity of G.G's Genius.Levant Got It,When He Was Consigned By George On A Train Road Trip To The Lower Berth(Talent)to Georges Upper Berth(Genius)Levant's Words And Appraisal.Koussivitsky Got It "he's a genius to great to be real"His Exact words.Ravel Certainly got it it's well documented,hell his piano concertos were directly inspired by Gershwin's Own.Hambitzer-Gershwins only beloved music-piano teacher got it as early as 1912 when he wrote his sister with the words "The Boy Is A Genius Without A doubt",And Yet He Still Get's Snubbed and slighted by Envious low-brow & High-brow Snobs alike.Just Look As one of the reviews opines below(to be Read Snidley."i can't stand Porgy & Bess & American In Paris,They Are So Pretentious"all I can say Is BLOW ME!Certainly you are entitled to your(mis- informed)opinions(diversity Is The Spice of Life)But be honest as to why you don't like Porgy Before invoking the "P" word as Your Decree(and defense)against This Masterwork-and what is the honest answer?you don't get it,it's over your head,you have lazy ears,it doesen't fit with your world view which prefers charming "Rogers" Bon Bons-it intimidates you,you are envious-pick one or all of the above.Again Evauluating and grasping the true aspect and significance(and moving beyond all the pedigogical brainwashing and propaganda)of G.G.is an Art In Itself.And The Point Needs To Be RAMMED Home Time And Again.And I Here To Ram It.The GREENess of the Heart Chakra Makes many uncomfortable(Genius Has That Effect on those that don't want to be ennobeled or inspired by it-(And If Ever There Was a Pop Genius It's Gershwin-Two choices With Genius-you can let it wash over you and grow as a result or project upon it all your own petty offenses opinions And Predjudices).Gershwin and Porgy Pretentious? Overated? hell i guess That leaves Bach Right Out.The use of the word Pretentious is just an example of these soclaly engineered(thank you Edward Bernaise You A-hole) downloadable"buzz"words and or phrases("COOL" being the Prime One)For Fuzzy Thinkers Who's Minds are not their own and indulge and defend a Kind Of pervasive UN-critical thinking that is really just a laziness of mind and heart,(a lack of feelings based connectedness & desire for TRUTH seeking within and without)the same kind of automatic pre conditoned cognative dissonant Parrot like responses can be found in other areas as well I.e. "you think Oswald didn't act alone? that sounds like a CONSPIRACY THEORY",or this one "You're a Vegan?,How Do You Get Your PROTEIN?"And The Gem Below "Porgy & Bess Strikes Me As Artifical And PRETENTIOUS" Back to the Gist and Thrust of my thesis,Rogers was Green With Envy Over Porgy as were most of the worlds other composers and songwriters of the time.Rogers tried to compete with Gershwin with the likes of "Victory At Sea" & "Slaughter on tenth ave",which are wonderfull pieces of fluff in their own way,and get ocasional hearings over the CONSTANT and Steady programing of the Gershwin Staples World Wide(Rhap in blue,the Concerto in F,A In P,Preludes,Cuban Overture,2nd Rhap,I got Rhythm V's And Porgy).Pretentiuous Is When You Try For The Big Gesture And Fall Flat On Your Face(George Never Fell On His Face On This Score Quite The Opposite-and time and time again,He Pulled It Off Marvelously-And All Without A Net).From This Stand Point the "serious" Rogers fare is More Guilty Of Pretention And Cloyingness And Insincerity then any thing George Ever Wrote.The Jurys in,like it or not,Gershwins Music Is The Epitome Of Brillance Timelessness,Sincerity,Originality And Honesty.As For Mr Wilder's(with his two minor song hits for posterity And numerous-some actually quite good-quirky Jazzy lyrical Chamber pieces-a kind of American Hindemith-though no Gershwin Or Copland Barber Or Ives-)estimation of Songwriters After 1950 as all being amateurs(what a Curmudgeon)I got News for him in his astral home(where he's still writing for angelic brass and woodwinds i hear)-That's where the "BLUES"(Rock & Pop & R&B) went.All inspired Artists should get on with their work,be Courageous, And Fudge The OPINIONS Of ALL OTHERS-and listen ONLY! to the dictates and demands of their Hearts-the true home of the Creator.Peace.And While Your At It Keep It All Joyfull And Fun-George Did,he Never Made A Distinction Between His Serious And Pop hats -wearing both without judgment or justifacation,and that's why he is the worlds supreme crossover GENIUS!At a time when that was possible,let the pundits whimper on while Gershwin continues to Bang,and thereby doing his part to continue to keep the world from ending.

4 1/2* Excellent Ref. Book for the Musically Inclined.......2002-12-05

Yes, the man is opinionated, and one may argue with some of his more controversial and unsparing critiques. His analyses are grounded in a thorough understanding of music, and he does not retreat from criticizing the most popular. I think that the whole topic is perhaps more subjective than Wilder lets on, but at least he's forthright about his opinions, and provides hundreds of musical annotations to illustrate his views. I'll also agree with the reviewer who criticizes Wilder's view that post-50's popular music was written by "amateurs." Still, this is widely regarded as a must-have for the student of popular music, and it's an excellent, albeit somewhat technical critique of popular music's "golden age." Recommended!

proves that the worthiest critic is the practitioner.......2001-08-31

Lord knows there is a place for criticism in music. The problem is that too often the most ill-qualified, wrongest people practice it, and are rewarded with the bully pulpit of widely read publication and nice paychecks to boot. Alec Wilder is a "right" person, if ever there was one. He's no outsider or "wannabe". His insights on the procedures and content on the songwriting of his brethren come from his own long, hard struggle with the form. And he did it VERY well, giving his observations yet more credence. He has the courage of his convictions, putting a hard critical ear to the work of his peers, betters, "worsers"---whoever, while owning up to his prejudices and acknowledging that it is, after all, only his opinion. I'm glad he covered the people he did, and only disappointed and perplexed that he passed on Strayhorn (I suppose because his work was outside the theater/movie/pop song orbit of the others). I would have appreciated his insights. Such skill, courage, and honesty in criticism is at the very least a breath of fresh air.

Neither music lovers, nor especially fellow composers should take Wilder's words as the gospel, though, as I feel he'd be the first to implore. It's hard enough to compose and ignore the criticism in one's one head, let alone hear the muse over the strains of a duet. Another thing to consider in placing importance on even as eloquent and well-formed criticisms as these is Wilder's harrowing self-doubt about his OWN composing, and general worth (which comes through loud and clear in his autobiographical "Letters I Never Sent") And listeners should follow their own ears and hearts. Take Wilder's survey for what it is, very high quality opinion.

As for MY opinion, the only thing that leaves a bad taste in this and similar books (Copland's survey 20th century composers, for a much more egregious example) is a certain elitism cutting through that, at its worst, is downright snotty. According to the preface (by Gene Lees, a talented man and friend of good music, but himself no stranger to the banshee wail of the conservatively cranky)Wilder stated that "after 1955, the amateurs took over". I can understand the horror Wilder and other gifted musicians, weaned on European and even jazz traditions, felt when rock's arrival landed a knockout blow to their careers and values. But it wasn't and isn't all garbage---the best of it is as valid as anything. Perhaps its greatest virtue is that it doesn't take itself that seriously as "art". If nothing else, it loosened us all up a bit. Wilder's cynicism, however justified in his mind, peeks through these pages a bit, although not so much as to be harmful. It's just frustrating and a bit of a bore. I so want to believe that so rare a musical wit felt affection, not disdain toward the the race he wrote about and for. So with these things in mind, enjoy and learn as I have from a very valuable piece of writing.

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC.......2001-08-06

ALEC WILDER himself a composer has written what is generally considered the bible of AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC.More than thirty years have gone by since the first édition of this book and it remains fresh.Like many i am proud to say that this book was really for me what i needed to start digging into the history of many songs before the rock era.From BERLIN and KERN to the often forgotten greats like DONALDSON and McHUGH they are all there and mister WILDER knows what he is talking about;he had talked to many writers and composers who were at the time of the first édition still with us.Personal opinions are of course a matter of taste;we are for example not obliged to believe everything he says.Most of the time mister WILDER is right:EXAMPLE:he believes that RICHARD RODGERS was perhaps the most gifted composer of his time.Few can really disagree with that.In fact,there is only one major problem with this book,if you don't read music it won't be too enjoyable for you,because there are many examples with sheet music to proves the points he wants to make.Everyone who has an interest in the history of AMERICAN popular music should buy that book.

I like Mr. Wilder's analysis.......2000-06-14

I agree with Mr. Wilder about Gershwin. While Gershwin undoubtedly wrote many great songs I find that he can also be very overrated. "Porgy and Bess" and "An American in Paris" have several pieces which I think are grandiose and pretentious. I cannot stand listening to those two musicals. The music seems to not quite be "pop" and not quite "operatic". The music in those two works also sound as if Gershwin is straining to sound important but somehow sounds artificial and shallow. I much prefer the gentler and timeless music written by Richard Rodgers and Jerome Kern. I also like Arlen whose music is always hip.

American Popular Song. The Great Innovators. 1900-1950.

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American Popular Song. The Great Innovators. 1900-1950.
Alec Wilder
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKG6ZE

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American Popular Song The Great Innovators 1900-1950
Wilder Alec
Manufacturer: Oxford UP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UIH1WM

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American Popular Song: The Great Innovators 1900-1950

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GX6JGK

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American Popular Song: The Great Innovators 1900-1950
Alec Wilder
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK4WPK

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Book of Alfred Kantor
Alfred Kantor
Manufacturer: SCHOCKEN BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O5NHZ6

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THE BOOK OF ALFRED KANTOR

Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill New York, London, Dusseldorf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IB1U1E

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Visual Drama of Nazi Death Camps Therezin, Auschwitz, Schwa

Book of Alfred Kantor
Alfred Kantor
Manufacturer: Schocken
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Jewish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0805240292
Release Date: 1987-01-01

Customer Reviews:

Visual Drama of Nazi Death Camps Therezin, Auschwitz, Schwa.......2005-05-11

Alfred Kantor Died, January 16, 2003.He was a talented watercolorist and made public his drawings of the conditions and characters he survived as a prisoner of the Third Reich. Imprisoned at 18 in three Nazi death camps for a total 1238 days, he and his friends risk their lives to document the horror. Thirty four years ago the images on these pages were emblazoned in my mind. You will not have to read it more than once, and pass it on.This collection of paintings enjoys world wide acclaim. We must remember.

I will send 1/ 2 of net proceeds to www.kehilaprag.cz. Where old people of his homeland need help.

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Book of Alfred Kantor
John Wykert
Manufacturer: MCGRAW-HILL INC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLJ8SU

The Book Of Alfred Kantor, An Artist's Journal Of The Holocaust

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The Book Of Alfred Kantor, An Artist's Journal Of The Holocaust
Alfred with a Preface by John Wykert Kantor
Manufacturer: Judy Piatkus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H57C4K

Average customer rating:

Book of Alfred Kantor
Alfred Kantor
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFJY3U

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