Diary of an Army Baker, Quartermaster Corps, Southwest Pacific, 1942-45 (Studies in American History)

Book Description

Jung in Africa is the first full-scale historical study of Jung's 1925 expedition to Africa. In the autumn of that year Jung set sail with two companions for British East Africa on an expedition commissioned by the British government to conduct ethnographic interviews with the Bugishu people. This trip proved to be a watershed event in Jung's life and thought. In Africa he discovered in his own words: 'the stillness of the eternal beginning, the world as it had always been, in the state of non-being . . .There the cosmic meaning of consciousness became overwhelmingly clear to me.' Burleson's study contributes greatly not only to our understanding of Jung's personal and professional life but also to the history of psychology, of colonialism in Africa and the development of Western thought.

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous!.......2006-07-01

I thought this book was fabulous! It seems that Burleson has researched nearly every detail on this 1925-26 safari. Thus, not only is it an interesting book on this portion of Jung's life but it is also a great insight into what was perhaps the last great walking safari across Kenya. Jung traveled by truck and railroad whenever possible, but the crossing into the desert of Sudan on foot makes for some interesting speculation. I loved the entire book and recommend it to Jungians and safari buffs alike.

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Hotel Africa Volume 1
Hee Jung Park
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 142780575X
Release Date: 2008-04-01

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Hotel Africa Volume 2
Hee Jung Park
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1427805768
Release Date: 2008-08-12

Modern South Africa in Search of a Soul: Jungian Perspectives on the Wilderness Within

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Modern South Africa in Search of a Soul: Jungian Perspectives on the Wilderness Within

Manufacturer: Sigo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Social Psychology & Interactions | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Panoramic Egypt
Gerold Jung
Manufacturer: Ziethen-Panorama Verlag Gmbh
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 3921268087

Then I Was Black: South African Political Identities in Transition

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Then I Was Black: South African Political Identities in Transition
Courtney Jung
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

South Africa | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

Discrimination & Racism | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0300080131

Book Description

How are ethnic identities politicized and depoliticized? What are the implications for democracy? In this book Courtney Jung uses a constructivist approach to show that in South Africa Zulu, Afrikaner, and Coloured ethnic identities are politicized through persistent, but changing, variables. Ethnic identities are fluid over time and heterogeneous across space, she finds, and so they are not necessarily destructive to the democratic project.

Fine-Tuning the Feminine Psyche: Jungian Patterns in the Novels of Doris Lessing (American University Studies Series IV, English Language and Literature)

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Fine-Tuning the Feminine Psyche: Jungian Patterns in the Novels of Doris Lessing (American University Studies Series IV, English Language and Literature)
Lorelei Cederstrom
Manufacturer: Peter Lang Pub Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0820410470

Healing the rupture: a Jungian perspective in African religion/mythology.: An article from: MACLAS Latin American Essays

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Healing the rupture: a Jungian perspective in African religion/mythology.: An article from: MACLAS Latin American Essays
Eva Rocha Turner
Manufacturer: Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from MACLAS Latin American Essays, published by Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies on March 1, 2001. The length of the article is 2954 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Healing the rupture: a Jungian perspective in African religion/mythology.
Author: Eva Rocha Turner
Publication: MACLAS Latin American Essays (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2001
Publisher: Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies
Page: 83(6)

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Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin ab Baujahr 1993.

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Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin ab Baujahr 1993.
Thomas Jung
Manufacturer: Bucheli Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 3716818836

Wo der Glaube noch jung ist: Afrikanische Unabhangige Kirchen im sudlichen Afrika (Erlanger Tasshenbucher)

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Wo der Glaube noch jung ist: Afrikanische Unabhangige Kirchen im sudlichen Afrika (Erlanger Tasshenbucher)
Hans-Jurgen Becken
Manufacturer: Verlag der Ev.-Luth. Mission
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Nonfiction | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

German | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 3872141732

Book Description

If you breed dogs for any reason, you must own this book. Genetic diseases are among the most serious hazards on the landscape of modern dog breeding and one of the most vexing challenges facing today's dog breeders. Is it appropriate to open the gene pool to unwanted conditions in the pursuit of physical perfection, or must breeding to the Standard take a back seat to producing healthy animals?

In Control of Canine Genetic Diseases, renowned authority George A. Padgett, DVM, provides an expert road map to help dog breeders everywhere avoid the pitfalls they are almost destined to encounter. For anyone whose goal is to produce healthy, functional and beautiful dogs, this is the book they need. Dr. Padgett provides clear explanations of modes of inheritance, how to conduct and analyze test matings and how to lower the chances of producing affected animals. Numerous tables, diagrams and graphs further enhance the text to facilitate the breeder's understanding.
A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

Customer Reviews:

Every breeder should read this book.......2007-06-13

This is the kind of book tha every breeder should have! Not only by clear way he puts how to track and understand genetic diseases, but by his proposes about Open Registries.

GENETICS ARE NOT THAT DIFFICULT.......2007-05-31

Being a vet student I've always heard about how difficult genetics are and how it bores us to death. This book is written so well that there aren't too many technicalities or hard words to understand. It is extremely clear and well written and its a must for everyone intending to breed dogs.

This book should be on every dog breeder's bookshelf!.......2007-05-13

This book should be on every dog breeder's bookshelf!
In the introduction Dr Padgett candidly writes:

` My goal is to help prevent serious genetic diseases in dogs, both in breeds and in kennels. If you learn the material presented here, follow the guidelines, and apply this information to your breed or your kennel, you will reduce the frequency of disease, and it will not take you twenty-five years to do it.
You need three things to accomplish this task: knowledge, information, and honesty. All three are within your control '

A professor of Pathology, one of the world's most celebrated researchers, writers and lecturers on the entire subject of canine genetic diseases, George A Padgett DVM has published numerous papers and has appeared before almost 100 breed clubs speaking on his specialty.

In his book ` Control of Canine Genetic Diseases' Dr Padgett addresses breed clubs and challenges them to encourage and reward members with honest information regarding the diseases within their lines.

He starts off by explaining the background, and then goes on to explain how to trace disease in your own dogs with a chapter that is titled ` The development of pedigrees'. In this chapter Dr Padgett teaches the reader to keep records and gives a number of scenarios of which the readers can test themselves to see if they are on the right track with this lesson.

Other topics he addresses are; modes of inheritance; the interpretation and use of pedigrees to determine the genetic status of given dogs and, the probable mode of inheritance of a trait; test mating; registries and prioritizing genetic disease; tables and probabilities; breed clubs and control of genetic disease; and the last chapter is aptly titled ` For the breeder '.

Dr Padgett is not a geneticist and doesn't claim to be one. He even admits that some of his data finding procedures would have geneticists screaming.
He is not suggesting breeders' refrain from ever breeding with an affected or carrying dog. He's realistic about breeding from the best dog from an overall perspective, but instead he explains about breeding out or diluting disease in order to lower the chances of producing affected animals, whilst maintaining honesty.
He clearly states that he acknowledges a breeder shouldn't ever breed their dog to an animal of lesser quality than what they want to represent them, their line and breed, just because they're making a test-mating.

George A. Padgett writes fluidly and convincingly and at times is quite amusing. I found his advice on prioritizing disease very reasonable. He explains the necessity to develop a hierarchy of disagreeability for various diseases by evaluating the severity of the disease, and its impact on the dog itself, and the people that own it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to every breed club, member and breeder whose goal it is to produce healthy, functional and beautiful dogs.

Canine Genetics.......2007-04-12

A useful source of information on hereditary diseases of dogs, obviously slanted towards the USA scene. Just waiting for a UK author to produce a similar volume with less sweeping allegations of widespread canine defects amongst pedigree dogs.

Best Book on Canine Genetics.......2006-11-10

I have recommended this book to everyone I know that is interested in breeding. Very informative, good concrete tips on how to correct genetic disease in purebred dogs without loosing type. Written for the layperson. Every breeder should read this book and use its methods to correct genetic disorders and improve their bloodlines for show. I have read it several times already. Without a doubt the best book I have read on this subject.

Book Description

Wine lovers will find sections to record their cellaring and tasting notes, plus space to preserve wine label information for more than 60 wines. Also included are expert tips on establishing a cellar and storing, tasting, and serving wines, as well as a complete glossary of wine terminology.

Customer Reviews:

not what I expected.......2005-11-11

Like another reviewer stated, this book does not have room to paste wine labels. Also, most of this book is for recording cellar notes. This is not what I expected. I will keep searching for a book that has room for me to record notes on wine and a place to paste labels.

Guess you have to have a wine cellar.......2003-12-23

I bought this journal as a gift to my parents who enjoy wine but can never remember which ones they've had and how to find them again. The description states there's room to save labels - where? The pages offer a little too much detail - such as stock records (for those that have an abundance of wine on hand in their cellars). I was looking for something a bit more "informal" so they could jot down notes about the wine, where they bought it, where they enjoyed it and with whom, or for what occasion) and space to paste the label. This book did not fit the bill. I'll keep looking... I will say that it's sturdy for a spiral bound and appears to be well made.

Wine Journal: A Wine Lover's Album for Cellaring and Tasting

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Wine Journal: A Wine Lover's Album for Cellaring and Tasting

Manufacturer: Collins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Wine Journal: A Wine Lover's Album for Cellaring and Tasting
Gerald Asher
Manufacturer: Collins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Wine Journal: A Wine Lover's Album for Cellaring and Tasting
Gerald Asher
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Eveything you need to know!

Great book for beginning and intermediate jewelers

The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes

The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes

Excellent

The Jeweler's Directory Of Decorative Finishes
Jinks McGrath
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Jewelry | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Penland Book of Jewelry: Master Classes in Jewelry Techniques

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Jewelry Making: Techniques for Metal

500 Bracelets: An Inspiring Collection of Extraordinary Designs (Lark Jewelry Book)

The Art of Enameling: Techniques, Projects, Inspiration

ASIN: 0896891933

Book Description

Anyone who spends time fashioning copper, brass, silver and gold into jewelry will appreciate the wealth of detail in this guide to jewelry finishes. The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes covers 15 different techniques for creating various decorative finishes from start to finish.

More than 350 step-by-step illustrations and photographs guide jewelers through techniques including patination, granulation, fusing and more. Adding gold foil, developing patterns that contrast with by layering metals and inlays, creating exquisite etchings and engravings and more are covered. Illustrations demonstrate various combinations of the different finishes, while instructions bear practical safety tips. An inspiring gallery of work by professional jewelers, using the techniques taught in this easy-to-understand working resource.

-More than 350 color photos and illustrations clearly demonstrate the outcome of each technique

-A collection of 15 different techniques helps artists expand the skills of their craft

-Complete instruction, including necessary tools, makes this useful for experienced and novice artists

Customer Reviews:

Eveything you need to know!.......2007-08-12

Awesome book with great illustrations and techniques for many different finishes in jewelry making!! Get this one!!

Great book for beginning and intermediate jewelers.......2007-07-17

This is a wonderful reference book not only for a beginner but for a silversmith that has much experience. I have purchased several of these books for students!

The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes.......2007-06-30

This is absolutely the best book I have used to help me learn about Patination, enameling, engraving, inlay, granulation, chasing, repousse, reticulation and much more. The book was very well set up and easy to understand for a beginner, like me. I highly recommend this book. It is a great value.

The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes.......2007-05-15

The best book on metal finishes I've ever seen. Great instructions, great photos. A must have for every jeweler.

Excellent.......2007-04-02

This is a must buy book to accomplish any finish you want. Beautiful pictures...easy to read and understand.

Krause Publications.(Felted Crochet)(Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes)(Kitchen Stitchin')(Machine Embroidery with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide)(More ... review) : An article from: Library Bookwatch

Average customer rating:

Krause Publications.(Felted Crochet)(Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes)(Kitchen Stitchin')(Machine Embroidery with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide)(More ... review) : An article from: Library Bookwatch
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Online Books | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Library Bookwatch, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2005. The length of the article is 411 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Krause Publications.(Felted Crochet)(Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes)(Kitchen Stitchin')(Machine Embroidery with Confidence: A Beginner's Guide)(More Crazy Quilting with Attitude)(The Cross Stitch Motif Bible)(Book review)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Library Bookwatch (Newsletter)
Date: November 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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A Workshop With Velda Newman: Adding Dimension to Your Quilts
Velda Newman
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Velda Newman: A Painter's Approach to Quilt Design

Free-Style Quilts: A "No Rules" Approach

Contemporary Quilts: Design, Surface and Stitch

Coloring With Thread: A No-Drawing Approach To Free-Motion Embroidery

Journey of an Art Quilter: Creative Strategies and Techniques

ASIN: 1571201858

Book Description

Blaze a path to creativity and self-expression using quilts as your canvas! Take inspiration from nature, then see how to use basic design elements—color, shape, and texture—to translate the world around you into amazing works of quilted art. Six projects demonstrate an array of innovative quilting techniques using such mediums as cheesecloth, paint, and watercolor pencils. Plus, a dazzling color gallery of quilts is sure to add a dose of creative inspiration.

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Collingridge Encyclopedia of Gardening
Arthur Hellyer; Illustrator Norman Barber
Manufacturer: CHARTWELL BOOKS, INC.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Gardening | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000ST78GM

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The Collingridge encyclopedia of gardening
A. G. L Hellyer
Manufacturer: Hamlyn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Gardening | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 060031765X

Book Description

En El Efecto Mozart para niños, Don Campbell nos muestra que la música es la herramienta más adecuada para mejorar aspectos como el lenguaje, la motricidad y la expresión de los sentimientos. A partir de un sinfín de ejemplos dinámicos e imaginativos, enseña a padres y profesores a potenciar la imaginación del niño con sonidos, música y canciones. Presenta ejercicios sencillos y actividades divertidas pensadas para los distintos estadios de desarrollo, desde los meses anteriores al nacimiento hasta los diez años. Campbell expone desde maneras especiales de fortalecer los vínculos entre los padres y los recién nacidos hasta consejos para propiciar buenos hábitos de estudio y minimizar el estrés de los alumnos de primaria.

Estamos ante una obra de referencia imprescindible para todas las personas implicadas en la educación infantil. Con el apoyo del autor, que aporta su inagotable curiosidad y sus vastos conocimientos conseguiremos ayudar a los niños a mantener y desarrollar la salud de su cuerpo, su mente y su alma.

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La Musica, Mozart Y Su Efecto En Prenatal (Varios Cog)
Lorraine H. Newman
Manufacturer: Oceano De Mexico
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Referencia | Ciencias Sociales | No-Ficción | Libros en español | Formats | Books
ASIN: 9709451804

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El efecto Mozart en la mente.(TT: The Mozart effect in the mind.): An article from: Siempre!

Manufacturer: Edicional Siempre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008GYMBY
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Siempre!, published by Edicional Siempre on March 16, 2000. The length of the article is 1290 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: El efecto Mozart en la mente.(TT: The Mozart effect in the mind.)
Publication: Siempre! (Refereed)
Date: March 16, 2000
Publisher: Edicional Siempre
Volume: 46 Issue: 2439 Page: 74

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Los mitos del efecto Mozart. (Ciencia).(supuestos efectos de la música clásica sobre el intelecto)(investigación sobre el tema ): An article from: Siempre!

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Los mitos del efecto Mozart. (Ciencia).(supuestos efectos de la música clásica sobre el intelecto)(investigación sobre el tema ): An article from: Siempre!
René Anaya
Manufacturer: Edicional Siempre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008DHYN0
Release Date: 2005-07-31

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Siempre!, published by Edicional Siempre on May 4, 2003. The length of the article is 905 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Los mitos del efecto Mozart. (Ciencia).(supuestos efectos de la mÃºsica clÃ¡sica sobre el intelecto)(investigaciÃ³n sobre el tema )
Author: RenÃ© Anaya
Publication: Siempre! (Refereed)
Date: May 4, 2003
Publisher: Edicional Siempre
Volume: 49 Issue: 2603 Page: 84(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

This is not only the first life-and-works on Musorgsky in English for over half a century but also the largest such study of the composer ever to have appeared outside Russia. Mussorgsky was one of the towering figures of nineteenth century Russian music - but also one of the most tragic. Largely an amateur with no systematic training in composition, he nevertheless emerged in his first opera, Boris Godunov, as a supreme musical dramatist, presenting here (and in certain of his piano pieces in Pictures at an Exhibition) some of the most startlingly original of all song composers, with a prodigious gift for uncovering the emotional content of a text. His failure to complete his two remaining operas, Khovanshchina and Sorochintsy Fair, before his premature death from alcohol poisoning is one of music's greatest tragedies.

Customer Reviews:

Brown delivers a glimpse into Musorgsky's troubled mind.......2006-05-09

When dealing with a composer whose works were so erratic and often incomplete, writing a combined biography and analysis of his works is not an easy task. Brown approaches this with sensible organization, alternating between chapters that detail Mussorgsky's life and focus on his individual compositions of important note. Significant amounts of the book are even devoted to the half-finished, aborted, or otherwise incomplete works of the composer. This is justified since these works provide some insight into Mussorgsky's compositional process, although it is sometimes presented at a level too dense for the amateur musician. Another area of focus is Mussorgsky's relationships in the "mighty handful" with specific members, and also to the RMS (Russian Music Society) and FMS (Free Music Society).

Brown's command of the English language is certainly nothing to dismiss as his diction and syntax are colorful, rich, and flowing. He often refers to Mussorgsky's compositional capacity as his "musical armory", a fitting metaphor perhaps to capture the essence of violence that often arises in Mussorgsky's works, as well as his hostility toward western music.

The biographical portions of the book are densely pocked with excerpts from letters and memoirs belonging to the most influential people in Mussorgsky's life, and Mussorgsky himself. Brown sometimes acts merely as a guide to weave all of these observations and discourses together to give the reader an accurate characterization of the composer. Of course, a near inexhaustible amount of documents could probably be relevantly cited, and it is Brown's job to attempt to extract what is important and create an unbiased recollection. There is one thing in particular that seems to be suspiciously highlighted in the later years of Mussorgsky's life, and that is his relationship with Cesar Cui. The latter composer seems to recognize his inferiority to the other members of the kuchka as the years wane on, and he particularly seems to react hostilely toward Mussorgsky. Brown cites his criticisms increasingly and also Mussorgsky's reactions, which tend toward anger and insult. It seems strange that these two that share such brotherhood in their musical circle would lash out with such negativism. Brown even notes that Cui's criticism continues near into Mussorgsky's death, almost suggesting some form of the mythical Mozart-Sallieri relationship. Perhaps Brown subconsciously wished to add a bit more tension to his biography (which, as a biography - often lacks the interest of fiction), and he certainly succeeds in portraying Cui as the villain in Mussorgsky's life

One shortcoming I see is the failure of the book to explain Mussorgsky's knowledge of music theory. Brown uses vague adjectives such as "uneducated, intuitive, unrefined" etc. to define Mussorgsky's compositional finesse, but rarely goes into any more detail. It is difficult to tell how Mussorgsky thought when he composed. Did he have knowledge of chord theory and progression, so that he could explain and "break down" his music rather than just let it flow from his mind in chaos? Did he discover these things through his own intuitiveness but with a flare of originality? It becomes apparent that Mussorgsky begins to revel in his own ignorance of western music theory, idealizing the "natural" composer as the superior filter for music.

Lastly, either due to a lack of evidence or because Brown considered it irrelevant, Mussorgsky's mental illness is largely left ambiguous. A few letters give strange metaphorical accounts of Mussorgsky's bouts of mental anguish, but they fail to list any real symptoms. I would consider the mental condition of a composer to be the primary factor contributing to the music he wrote. The book should have an appendix if not a chapter at lease speculating what the causes or true symptoms of Mussorgsky's periodic mental distress were.

In its entirety, the book succeeds in giving the reader a strong foundation of Mussorgsky as a composer. Brown highlights his relationships with other Russian composers and musicians of the time, his financial and residential situations, his musical revelations and awakenings (as shown by his letters), and the context in which each of his works, completed or not, arise.

The Best 'Musorgsky' for the General Reader.......2003-06-25

David Brown's 'Musorgsky' appears in the Oxford University Press's 'The Master Musicians' series and replaces the older volume in that series started by M. D. Calvocoressi before his death in 1944 and finished by Gerald Abraham, published in 1946. There has been no major life-and-works of Modest Musorgsky (1839-1881) in English since then, although Richard Taruskin's scholarly 'Musorgsky,' intended for a narrower musicologically-informed audience, was published in 1992. This volume has musical examples and some reasonably detailed discussion of musical points in Musorgsky's works, but it is certainly not beyond the reach of the general reader.

Musorgsky's life is detailed throughout the book but there is little that is gossipy or speculative. Much more attention is paid to the origin and development of Musorgsky's art, with a clear exposition of musical and psychological influences by such figures are Dargomizhky, Glinka, Balakirev, Rimsky-Korsakoff, Alexander Serov, Vladimir Stasov and others. The lengthy, often obscure and confusing chronology of 'Boris Godunov' is set out logically and lucidly; Brown's exposition of its difficult gestation certainly cleared up some of my confusion in this regard. There is a good deal of explanation of how and where Musorgky cannibalized earlier works, inserting whole passages in the works by which he is now primarily known. There is a fascinating discussion of how he slowly developed his musical 'fingerprints,' with examples. Several chapters are devoted to the composition of his numerous and still undervalued songs. And we get psychologically and musically insightful chapters on 'Night on Bald Mountain' (more properly 'St. John's Night on Bare Mountain') and 'Pictures at an Exhibition.' The sad story of the inability to complete 'Khovanshchina' and 'Sorochintsy Fair' is told, along with the related heart-breaking drama of Musorgky's decline and death.

In Musorgsky's too-short life he wrote at least three undisputed popular masterpieces - 'Boris,' 'Night on Bare Mountain,' and 'Pictures'- and those who love these pieces, and others, owe it to themselves to become more familiar with the life of the man behind these favorites. This book provides the kind of framework that makes those works more alive for the listener.

Recommended.

Review by Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:
Musorgsky: His Life and Works
David Brown
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLB4PK

Book Description

In January 1931, Mary M. Leder, an American teenager attending high school in Santa Monica, California, emigrated with the family to Birobidzhan, an area designated by the USSR as a Jewish socialist homeland. By year's end, she was living in a Moscow commune and learning a trade in a factory. My Life in Stalinist Russia chronicles Mary's experiences for the next 34 years, through the First Five Year Plan, the Great Terror, World War II, the Soviet occupation and the Cold War. Her remarkable story provides an extraordinary window into everyday life and culture in the Stalin era.

Customer Reviews:

Very humane and honest.......2002-04-21

A great account of how people lived in the Soviet Union during Stalin's rule. The advantage of this book is that it gives you the facts in such a way that it is up to you to decide whether or not the author is right in her conclusions. I strongly recommend this book for both academic and private reading for I believe it is one of the most unique books ever written about the lifes of regular Soviet citizens.

Intriguing and Informative.......2001-07-09

Although I have read a number of books on the Soviet Union, much to my surprise, I found myself totally absorbed by Mary Leder's odyssey. Starting with her travels across the US, and thence to Birobidzhan (Siberia), later asked to spy and, of course, spied upon, I believe Ms. Leder spins an eloquent and gripping tale. From Mary the dedicated communist to Mary the disenchanted one, from Mary the factory worker to Mary the editor-translator, she paints a totally honest and courageous picture of herself and her travails and those of so many of her fellow citizens. I recommend this book highly.

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