On wheels & how I came there

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On wheels & how I came there
William B Smith
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1432814826
Release Date: 1969-12-31

Product Description

On wheels & how I came there: a real story for real boys & girls giving the personal experiences & observations of a fifteen-year-old Yankee boy as soldier & prisoner in the American civil war Gale Archival Editions: On Demand are digital copies of rare and out-of-print historical content. Delivered where and when you need them, Gale Archival Editions arrive complete with original fonts, marks, notations, punctuation and spelling, giving you the feeling of owning the original work. These images of original worksfrom the world's leading librariesinclude everything from books to pamphlets, many with original illustrations, indexes, maps and other annotations. Sourced from Joseph Sabin's Bibliotheca Americana: A Dictionary of Books Relating to America from its Discovery to the Present Time (1868-1936), the Sabin American Civil War Collection includes thousands of titles on all topics related to the Civil War experience.

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On Wheels-------A True Story of the Civil War

On Wheels: And How I Came There
William B. Smith
Manufacturer: Virtualbookworm.com Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Life & Institutions | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1589392698

Book Description

First published in 1892, On Wheels: And How I Came There is Private William B. Smith's firsthand account of his enlistment in the 14th Illinois Volunteer Infantry at age 15, and his adventures-- first as a wide-eyed boy soldier and later, as a wisened veteran and prisoner in Andersonville and other notorious Southern prisons.

The stories he tells of his life, friends, and adventures along the way give a revealing peek into that long-ago war. His writing is always upbeat, despite the terrible hardships and physical trauma he suffered, and his dry wit, humor, and unique perspective make this a story you won't want to put down. This isn't a scholarly writing, it is a heartfelt, human story told by someone who experienced one of the most exciting and horrific times in US history and lived to tell the tale.

One hundred and ten years after the original publication, and up till now available only as a rare, antiquarian book, On Wheels can once again be read by Civil War enthusiasts and others wanting to expand their knowlege while also reading a fascinating story.

Updated and indexed, with added pension records, maps, a timeline, and a glossary, this new printing goes a step further in satisfying the reader as to what became of the boy soldier from that long ago time.

Customer Reviews:

On Wheels-------A True Story of the Civil War.......2002-10-13

A good read! Originally written in 1892, this book by William B. Smith is his recollection of time spent as a young Union Army Private in the 16th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He tells of his trips up and down the Missisippi on paddlewheel boats, then as a foot soldier marching through the Southern countryside. Along the way he gives us a taste of what it was like as a soldier in the Civil War.
Whats remarkable about this book is that the author retains his sense of humor throughout--not just the tales of his youthful soldiering, but also as he tells of the terrible hardships he and his comrades faced as prisoners in those horrible Southern Prisons.
The cover picture is the author "on wheels" as a result of injuries sustained at Andersonville and Blackshear prisons.

That this book was rediscovered, researched, updated and edited by a high school student the same age as Smith when he was discharged from Andersonville is extraordinary in itself.

Average customer rating:
On wheels and how I came there;: A real story for real boys and girls, giving the personal experiences and observations of a fifteen-year-old Yankee boy ... and prisoner in the American civil war,
William B Smith
Manufacturer: Cranston & Curts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008BOE7Q

Average customer rating:
On wheels and how I came there;: A real story for real boys and girls, giving the personal experiences and observations of a fifteen-year-old Yankee boy ... War (Travels in the Confederate states)
William B Smith
Manufacturer: Hunt & Eaton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00085QC7W

Book Description

Offering a fascinating survey of Norbert Elias's life and writings, Dennis Smith traces the growth of his reputation. He is the first author to confront Elias's work with the contrasting theories of Talcott Parsons, Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault and Zygmunt Bauman. He also illustrates how Elias's insights can be applied to understand Western modernity and social and political change. Smith shows why Elias is important for sociology, but he is also clear sighted about the limitations of Elias's approach.

Norbert Elias (SAGE Masters in Modern Social Thought series)

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Norbert Elias (SAGE Masters in Modern Social Thought series)

Manufacturer: Sage Publications Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0761974571

Book Description

Norbert Elias (1897-1990) is now widely regarded as one of the greatest sociologists of the 20th century. The challenge and profundity of his work are still being assimilated. Some have suggested that in time, he will be regarded as the Copernicus or Darwin of sociology, the man who set the subject on its scientific course.

These four volumes provide a comprehensive and penetrating survey of Elias's life and work. They pinpoint the main fields of research which Elias and his followers have explored: the civilizing process; state-formation; knowledge, religion and science; informalization; power; established-outsider figurations in fields such as class, gender and race; the sociology of the body; the sociology of the emotions; the sociology of leisure, sport and the arts; the sociology of the professions; medicine and psychoanalysis; crime and punishment; drug use and abuse. The collection also explores the various critiques of Elias's `figurational' or `process' sociology and counter-critiques by Elias's followers.

The volumes successfully locate the work of Elias and his followers in the context of modern sociology, especially in relation to writers such as Mannheim, Adorno, Parsons, Goffman, Foucault and Bourdieu. In the penetrating, original and informative Introduction, Eric Dunning and Stephen Mennell elucidate Elias's sociological contributions and the bearing his life experiences had on his work. The collection is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the sociological contribution of Norbert Elias.

The collection is organized in the following 4 volumes:

Volume 1

Focuses on Elias's work in the context of his life and career, and reviews his place in the contemporary social sciences, especially in relation to such figures as Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu. Also discussed in this volume are Elias's pathbreaking contributions to such issues as: the 'agency-structure' dilemma; habitus; power; involvement and detachment; knowledge and the sciences; time; and the relations between history and sociology.

Volume 2

Addresses Elias's major empiricallybased contributions to sociological theory, especially the theories of the civilizing process, state formation and established-outsider figurations. Also discussed are informalization and de-civilizing processes, and the applications of the established-outsider theory to such fields as race, gender and sexuality.

Volume 3

Examines figurational contributions to special areas of sociology such as: the sociology of the body; the sociology of the emotions; the sociology of everyday life, sport, leisure, lifestyles, taste, music and the arts; deviance and crime; the sociology of health and illness; psychiatry, psychoanalysis, and psychology; death and dying; and drugs and tobacco use.

Volume 4

Focuses on criticisms of Elias's work and the responses of Elias and his sociological followers. Key themes are: civilization and the Holocaust; sports violence, especially soccer hooliganism; the meanings and value of concepts like 'development', 'evolution' and 'change'; and the relative merits of long-term and short-term approaches. The end of the volume returns to the issue of Elias's place in contemporary sociology and the growing worldwide recognition of the significance of his contribution.

Book Description

Over recent years there has been a steady upsurge of interest in the work of Norbert Elias. This book provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the key aspects of Elias's work and then applies an Eliasian approach to key topics in contemporary sociology such as race, class, gender, religion, epistemology and nationalism. The editors have brought together a distinguished group of international sociologists and this book will not only change the course of Elias studies but be a valuable resource for both students and scholars alike.

Norbert Elias and Modern Social Theory. (book review): An article from: Theoria

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Norbert Elias and Modern Social Theory. (book review): An article from: Theoria
Volker Wedekind
Manufacturer: Berghahn Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Or, variety is the spice of life.......2003-11-08

Burros offers good, low-fat meals designed to be on the table in 20 to 30 minutes. Organized traditionally by main-dish ingredient (vegetarian, chicken, etc.) each two-page spread includes a full meal, main and side dish, with "game plan" directions and nutritional information. Burros stresses a "strategic approach" to cooking to maximize kitchen efficiency and her directions are simple and easy to follow.

The dishes are simple and delicious and varied - curried potatoes, tomatoes and peas; yellow fruited rice with fish, Chinese chicken and rotini, turkey apple patties.

Perfect for the harried cook, sick of eating the same things all the time.

Eating Well Is the Best Revenge: Everyday Strategies for Del.......2001-06-21

Of all of my "healthy cooking" cookbooks, this is the one I'd save from fire! The food is truly delicious, and they are easy to prepare. I generally find I increase the sauce quantities, but there is not an appreciable increase in calories. My husband and I have each lost over 20 pounds this year, slowly and easily, with great enjoyment. I got online to order this book as a present for a friend who survived a heart attack, and am sorry to find it not available! Does anyone have a copy to spare? Probably not now, with this glowing review!

I love this cookbook!.......2000-03-02

I've had this book over a year now and keep going back to it for easy, healthy and most importantly quick recipes. With it, I'm able to serve a variety of meals yet not spend the afternoon cooking them.

'Eating Well' is the best revenge.(Masters of the Marketplace): An article from: Food Processing

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'Eating Well' is the best revenge.(Masters of the Marketplace): An article from: Food Processing
Diane Toops
Manufacturer: Putman Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Food Processing, published by Putman Media, Inc. on February 1, 1996. The length of the article is 1732 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.

From the supplier: Marian Burros is the author of the column 'Eating Well' for the New York Times. She is also heard in the airwaves as she talks about controversial news stories and discusses food and issues such as labeling and pesticides. Burros claims that people do not live up to their health goals because it has got them more confused and because does not taste as good any more. She recommends prepared or convenience foods made out of vegetables.

Citation Details
Title: 'Eating Well' is the best revenge.(Masters of the Marketplace)
Author: Diane Toops
Publication: Food Processing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 1996
Publisher: Putman Media, Inc.
Volume: v57 Issue: n2 Page: p40(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

EATING WELL IS THE BEST REVENGE - EVERYDAY STRATEGIES FOR DELICIOUS, HEALTHFUL FOOD IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS (SIGNED)

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EATING WELL IS THE BEST REVENGE - EVERYDAY STRATEGIES FOR DELICIOUS, HEALTHFUL FOOD IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS (SIGNED)

Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IAB2NQ

Average customer rating:

Good Book---Where's the Follow Through??

Perfect for the Beginner

An excellent book on coin collections

Absolutely crucial info for anyone investing in U.S. coins!

Don't expect too much from this helpful, easy read!

The Coin Collector's Survival Manual, 5th Edition (Coin Collector's Survival Manual)
Scott A. Travers
Manufacturer: House of Collectibles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Coins & Medals | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Reference | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Expert's Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins: Secrets Of Success

How to Make Money in Coins Right Now, 2nd Edition

The One-Minute Coin Expert, Edition #5 (One Minute Coin Expert)

The Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection Edition #2 (Official Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection)

A Guide Book of United States Coins 2007 (60th Edition)

ASIN: 0375721274
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Book Description

“The preeminent consumer advocate in the numismatic field.”
—New York Times

From one of the world’s most knowledgeable coin dealers—a former consultant to the Federal Trade Commission often quoted by the Wall Street Journal—comes a thorough update of his consumer protection handbook to buying and selling rare and valuable coins. Bestselling, award-winning author Scott A. Travers combines insider information on the latest trends in coin collecting with his influential How to Make Money in Coins Right Now. Beautifully illustrated with black-and-white photographs and a full-color insert, The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual is indispensable for seasoned collectors and novices alike.

“One of the most important coin books ever written.”
—New York Times

In The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual you’ll learn how to:
• Understand coin grading systems
• Detect altered, counterfeit, and doctored coins
• Know when to buy and sell—and when not to
• Buy coins through Internet auctions—and avoid the pitfalls
• Safeguard and protect your coins from disaster

BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER—NUMISMATIC LITERARY GUILD

Praise for The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual:
The book on rare coins “you can’t afford to be without.” —Newsweek
“A book that should be read before a single coin is bought—and read again and again!” —Coin World

BUY IT • USE IT • BECOME AN EXPERT™

Customer Reviews:

Good Book---Where's the Follow Through??.......2007-05-03

I have been a fan of Scott Travers books for a while now. When it came time to sell my collection after reading a few books, Mr. Travers who promotes himself and his firm throughout this particular book, was nowhere to be found. I followed the advice in this book and tried to contact Mr. Travers several times by phone and email to sell my collection valued at over $20K. After leaving messages on more than one occasion, I received a phone call inquiring on my collection, and explaining I would receive another phone call later. That phone call never came. All I would ask is that this author, who took time to write a book claiming to be the best of it's kind on the market, to follow through with his own words.

Perfect for the Beginner.......2007-02-16

I've decided to begin collecting and needed something to kick-start my hobby. This book appears to be a nice way to ease into it. It gives the basic grading systems and sound advice. It's not too detailed and covers what you might require as a novice. If you're considering US coins, get the "Red Book" as well for pricing and more info.

An excellent book on coin collections.......2006-05-28

Recently I had inherited a coin collection. Honestly, I basically knew very little about coin collecting. I found this book to be very informative, and very helpful in learning about this hobby. I like that Scott Travers writes in a no-nonsense style. He is easy to read, and better yet, easy to understand. I think he goes well to describe many aspects of coin collecting.

I like that the book takes it time in telling you about the grading of coins, where to purchase coins, and better yet the pitfalls and traps inexperienced people may fall into. I like the many pictures throughout the book and found them instrumental in understanding about grading, and how to look at coins for any possible defects.

I would recommend this book to the novice, as well as the more experienced coin collector. I think this book covers many aspects of coin collecting that everyone can gain knowledge from. This is definately the ideal book to pick up for someone who is interested in collecting coins.

Absolutely crucial info for anyone investing in U.S. coins!.......2006-02-15

OK, so I'm biased. I've known Scott Travers since he was a teenager, and I've worked professionally with him on a number of projects over the years, including this book. But I'm also a former consumer affairs reporter, former American Numismatic Association Consumer Education Committee Chair and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Better Business Bureau in Chicago. Yeah, I'm a big believer in consumer education and protection. That's exactly what Scott's new book provides: absolutely crucial information for anyone who wants to buy rare coins whether for future financial gain or just to make sure you're getting a good deal today.

At the February 2006 Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo I watched and listened as an unsuspecting "collector" who purchased several gold coins in an online auction was crushed to learn from several reputable dealers that his "MS68" Saint Gaudens was only MS64 at best and worth thousands less than the $8,000 he paid for it. If he'd read Scott's chapters about grading and online auctions he would have saved money --and grief.

Even if you don't buy five, six or seven-figure coins, this book will help save you or make you hundreds of dollars by knowing insiders' secrets about buying and selling even modestly priced coins. COINage Magazine's Senior Editor, Ed Reiter, called this new edition "...the gold standard for coin books on consumer protection and investment." I agree.

-donn-
Donn Pearlman
(Affiliations given for identification purposes only)

Don't expect too much from this helpful, easy read!.......2003-07-12

I've decided to add my, ahem, two cents worth, on this book because I have just finished reading another book by the same author titled 'How to make money in coins right now.' I resisted buying the latter because I suspected, rightfully as it turns out, that there would not be much new information contained in it; Mr. Travers has a tendency to rehash a lot of his admittedly valuable and well-reasoned information advice. This book covers a lot of ground, per the reviews below, much of it essential. The single most valuable section, to my mind, is the in-depth discussion of coin grades as used by the professionals, and a discussion of recent changes made in grading standards. Also helpful is the section discussing ways to spot coins that may not be as good as the 'look,' and why (toning, doctoring, cleaning, etc.). I definitely can recommend this book as a stand alone purchase but would steer the interested buyer to another of Mr. Travers' books titled 'How to make money in coins right now.' I say this only because each book covers a lot of the same ground but the other contains information crucial to the 'value' question that every coin collector has at the back of his mind. Either will do, however, I just don't recommend purchasing both: One or the other and spend the money you don't spend on a nice collectible coin.

Average customer rating:

Beware at least one pattern problem in this book...

Delicious!

An Array of Trendy Projects

Quick Knits with Today's Yarns: 50 Fun and Stylish Designs
Jayne S. Davis
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Knitting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Yummy Yarns: Learn to Knit in 20+ Easy Projects Featuring Fun Novelty Yarns

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ASIN: 0873499948

Book Description

Knitters who want to create today's popular fashions in a minimal amount of time will love this book, with 50 projects that can be completed using just two basic stitches: knit and purl. The book explains each technique in easy-to-follow instructions, so that even beginners will be successful in creating these fun and funky pieces.

A delicious array of popular yarns in sparkly metallics, "soft fuzzies," cozy chenilles, "eyelash" yarns, and ribbons of every variety are used to create hats, shawls, scarves, purses and cover-ups. Many projects feature embellishments such as beads, buttons, tassels and fringes. Sprinkled throughout the book are tidbits on the history of knitting, tips to make knitting easier, and sidebars teaching specific techniques.

-50 projects for fun and funky accessories -Each project uses two basic stitches - perfect for beginners -Step-by-step instructions and tips for easier knitting

Customer Reviews:

Beware at least one pattern problem in this book..........2007-03-12

My 13yo daughter was excited to try a purse in this book but was disappointed to figure out (practically at the end of the project) that the purse has no actual closure...the button shown can only be for show, the way it is attached. It is sewed to the top of the purse flap and there are no instructions for a loop or anything to hold it shut. Also, the directions state stockinette for the flap, and yet the photo clearly shows that the flap is worked in garter stitch. The instructions do not match the photo of the finished project. Neither of these issues were something that she picked up on (nor would I have done so, I think) when she pre-read the pattern...they became apparent as she worked. Maybe a knitter more experienced than the both of us would have, but still, you are hoping for some degree of accuracy and clarity in these patterns.

These are not insurmountable problems, but they are enough to make us glad we checked it out from the library before purchasing. I'm betting this is not the only error in this book...so we're kind of spooked away from it, not wishing to be disappointed again. With so many great collections of knitting projects out there, no point in chancing it.

On the good side, the projects are mostly appealing and the photography is nice. There are a few things that are pretty awful, like a tube top and bikini bra top, but most of them look like fun to make and wear.

Delicious!.......2006-02-01

Delicious is not a word I would usually use to describe a non-food item but it's the one that applies to this book. The patterns are relatively easy, the yarns used are the ones I see in the craft store ads every weekend, and the results are stupendous. What can I say? This book makes me smile!

An Array of Trendy Projects.......2005-09-22

First-time knitters and seasoned veterans alike will find joy in creating the fast and fun projects in this book. Today's array of yarn weights and colors--from exquisite eyelash to chunky chenille and everything in-between--provides the inspiration for 50 pieces for every season or occasion. The hottest fashion accessories (ponchos, hats, scarves, bandeau tops, funky socks and purses) are all here, beautifully presented with 185 full-color photos, 45 how-to illustrations and thorough step-by-step instructions. And if the yarns used by author Jayne S. Davis aren't your style, the Craft Yarn Council of America's standardized yarn weight logos included with every project will enable you to easily find an alternative to suit your taste. It's definitely a worthwhile buy for any knitter.

Book Description

Citation Details

Distributed by ProQuest Information and Learning

The cytology and genetics of the potato (Solanum tuberosum): And related species

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The cytology and genetics of the potato (Solanum tuberosum): And related species
Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan
Manufacturer: Martinus Nijhoff
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007JA2LG

Average customer rating:

I Love it

Good - Not Truly Reality Based

Susan Newman: ADVOCATE FOR SATAN!

The Publishers Weekly Review is accurate

Words of Wisdom for Christian Women

Oh God!: A Black Woman's Guide to Sex and Spirituality
Susan Newman
Manufacturer: One World/Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Women | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Women's Issues | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0345450779
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Book Description

Far too many African American women struggle with a deep division between the two fundamental pillars of their identity–spirituality and sexuality. The church tells them that to live “holy and sanctified” lives they must give up sexual activity outside the institution of marriage, and yet their bodies and souls cry out for a way to express and fulfill their natural passions. In this groundbreaking book, the Reverend Dr. Susan Newman, a nationally recognized minister and speaker, finally shows all women of faith how to find a healthy balance between their spiritual selves and their sexual needs.

Dr. Newman opens with a simple but startling premise: You can love God and love sex at the same time. Though it may sound irreverent, this premise is actually the basis for an essential journey to self-knowledge and reconciliation. As Dr. Newman shows, this journey has been denied to women for centuries because of church traditions and doctrines going back to the Old Testament and to the teachings of Saint Paul. For African American women, the spiritual-sexual divide was compounded by slavery.

But women of faith do not have to live divided lives. Writing with passion, candor, and welcome humor, Dr. Newman opens new paths to healing and reconciliation. Here are frank, direct discussions about sex both inside and outside marriage; about being honest about your spiritual and erotic needs; about making personal choices; and about acknowledging the holiness of your body.

The goal, as Dr. Newman explains, is not to suppress or channel your sexuality, but to embrace sex as a wonderful gift from God. As a woman of faith–and as a woman–you deserve a healthy, satisfying life, a life open to passion and truly free of guilt and shame. The first book of its kind, Oh God! is a landmark achievement that will be welcomed by black women who want to live in wholeness of spirit and body.

Customer Reviews:

I Love it.......2004-06-30

I just brought this book and I feel everyone should read this book. from ages from 15 to 100 year old. You will learn something from this book. This is a Powerful Book and I am so happy she was not afraid to speak her mind on sex,church and spiritual. Dr. Susan Newman I hope she write another book on spirituality and sex. I am very open minded about what she is saying and I feel that I learned even more so when I read her book. Please buy it. You will love it and you will be telling everyone about this book. PS: Dr. Susan Newman Please write another book on this subject.

Good - Not Truly Reality Based.......2003-12-09

Found this book to be a good guide, but it did not address real world relationship issues. This is not a book for a 20something looking for ideal love. The author is far removed from the dating scene. If you are looking for young and hip advice,I prefer LaDawn Black's Stripped Bare.

Susan Newman: ADVOCATE FOR SATAN!.......2003-10-15

Ms. Newman's book is horrible!! Don't let the title fool you! She's using the word of God and spirituality to decieve women, black women in particular, into thinking that sex before marriage is all good!

The Publishers Weekly Review is accurate.......2002-04-18

This book was given to me by a friend. She read it and didn't like it. I read it and then read the reviews. I agree with the Publisher's Weekly review.

Unfortunately, the book does not live up to its initial promise.

Newman is curiously opaque about sex outside of marriage.

She wants her readers to feel good about themselves. This is hardly new advice.

Newman attempts to cover too many subjects, including body image, domestic violence, orgasm in marriage, dancing in church, dating and HIV prevention. Though these are all worthy topics, Newman sacrifices depth for breadth.

Her book is a very disjointed guide.

Words of Wisdom for Christian Women.......2002-04-12

This book was awesome! Reverend Newman breaks down portions of the bible in ways that you will never hear a male pastor do. Each page had some bit of new information that really caused me to think about what I've been told in the past about the history of women in the bible and the current status of women in the church. EVERY woman should read this book.

Oh God! (A Black Woman's Guide to Sex and Spirituality)

Average customer rating:

Oh God! (A Black Woman's Guide to Sex and Spirituality)
Susan D./ Newman, Susan, Dr. Newman
Manufacturer: One World/Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVI8KO

Amazon.com

In an art form known for its outrageous characters, Charles Mingus stood out. To paraphrase Walt Whitman, he was a man of "multitudes." He was a forceful, virtuosic bassist. He was an imaginative and original composer and arranger second only to Duke Ellington. He was also a social critic, bully, lady's man, father, and hypersensitive man-child who simply wanted to be appreciated for his work. Making sense of this larger-than-life personality presents an imposing challenge to any biographer. Enter Gene Santoro. The author of Dancing in Your Head and Stir It Up: Musical Mixes from Roots to Jazz, Santoro updates Brian Priestley's Mingus: A Critical Biography; separates the fact from the fiction of Mingus's rowdy autobiography, Beneath the Underdog; and produces the literary equivalent of a masterful Mingus composition, complete with labyrinthine surprises and complexities.

A light-skinned African American with Native American and Asian bloodlines who was born in 1922, Mingus endured a difficult childhood in Los Angeles, forever stung by the rampant racism that halted his dreams of a career in the classical music field. Undaunted, Mingus went on to work with several jazz giants, including Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington, before creating his own record company (Debut) and composing over 300 iconoclastic compositions, including "Eclipse," "Haitian Fight Song," "Goodbye Porkpie Hat," "Cumbia and Jazz Fusion," and many other jazz standards. Santoro writes that the music "is overwhelming in its torrent of musical styles and psychological switchbacks and emotional punch, its tumble of raucous gospel swing, luminous melodies, European classical threads, bebop tributes, Mexican and Colombian and Indian music and sounds from anywhere and everywhere."

In addition to his keen insights into the music (including a thorough discography), Santoro deftly analyzes Mingus's mercurial personality. From the highs (his celebrated recordings Blues & Roots and Mingus Ah Um) to the lows (his horrible Epitaph concert, his eviction from his New York apartment, his numerous assaults on sidemen, and his slow death from Lou Gehrig's disease in 1979), Santoro fairly and faithfully lays bare the mind, body, soul, and art of an American original who influenced everyone from Wynton Marsalis to Joni Mitchell. "Mingus' music was autobiography in sound," Santoro writes. "Everyone in his life had a role. His portraits, his musical tributes, his insistence on forcing his sidemen to find themselves in what he imagined, his clamor for recognition, his emphasis on his originality ... these were more than stylistic trademarks. They were the essence of who he was." Myself When I Am Real captures this essence brilliantly. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Book Description

Charles Mingus was one of the most innovative jazz musicians of the 20th Century, and ranks with Ives and Ellington as one of America's greatest composers. By temperament, he was a high-strung and sensitive romantic, a towering figure whose tempestuous personal life found powerfully coherent expression in the ever-shifting textures of his music. Now, acclaimed music critic Gene Santoro strips away the myths shrouding "Jazz's Angry Man," revealing Mingus as more complex than even his lovers and close friends knew. A pioneering bassist and composer, Mingus redefined jazz's terrain. He penned over 300 works spanning gutbucket gospel, Colombian cumbias, orchestral tone poems, multimedia performance, and chamber jazz. By the time he was 35, his growing body of music won increasing attention as it unfolded into one pioneering musical venture after another, from classical-meets-jazz extended pieces to spoken-word and dramatic performances and television and movie soundtracks. Though critics and musicians debated his musical merits and his personality, by the late 1950s he was widely recognized as a major jazz star, a bellwether whose combined grasp of tradition and feel for change poured his inventive creativity into new musical outlets. But Mingus got headlines less for his art than for his volatile and often provocative behavior, which drew fans who wanted to watch his temper suddenly flare onstage. Impromptu outbursts and speeches formed an integral part of his long-running jazz workshop, modeled partly on dramatic models like Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre. Keeping up with the organized chaos of Mingus's art demanded gymnastic improvisational skills and openness from his musicians-which is why some of them called it "the Sweatshop." He hired and fired musicians on the bandstand, attacked a few musicians physically and many more verbally, twice threw Lionel Hampton's drummer off the stage, and routinely harangued chattering audiences, once chasing a table of inattentive patrons out of the FIVE SPOT with a meat cleaver. But the musical and mental challenges this volcanic man set his bands also nurtured deep loyalties. Key sidemen stayed with him for years and even decades. In this biography, Santoro probes the sore spots in Mingus's easily wounded nature that helped make him so explosive: his bullying father, his interracial background, his vulnerability to women and distrust of men, his views of political and social issues, his overwhelming need for love and acceptance. Of black, white, and Asian descent, Mingus made race a central issue in his life as well as a crucial aspect of his music, becoming an outspoken (and often misunderstood) critic of racial injustice. Santoro gives us a vivid portrait of Mingus's development, from the racially mixed Watts where he mingled with artists and writers as well as mobsters, union toughs, and pimps to the artistic ferment of postwar Greenwich Village, where he absorbed and extended the radical improvisation flowing through the work of Allen Ginsberg, Jackson Pollock, and Charlie Parker. Indeed, unlike Most jazz biographers, Santoro examines Mingus's extra-musical influences--from Orson Welles to Langston Hughes, Farwell Taylor, and Timothy Leary--and illuminates his achievement in the broader cultural context it demands. Written in a lively, novelistic style, Myself When I Am Real draws on dozens of new interviews and previously untapped letters and archival materials to explore the intricate connections between this extraordinary man and the extraordinary music he made.

Customer Reviews:

A trade-off.......2006-06-24

Gene Santoro has done his research. His book is a montage of statistics, historical events, and various anecdotes derived from the life of Charles Mingus; accurate, I assume, but hardly captivating.

Santoro's style, in its attempt to garner and then to hold the audience's attention, falls short of its mark and becomes choppy, disorganized, and in some cases even irrelevant. The author shows little regard for unity or storyline in the biography, and simply offers the reader a barrage of statistics in purely chronological order, marked too often and too feebly by ineffective one-sentence throwbacks to Hemingway.

Myself When I Am Real is well-researched, and Santoro has the good fortune of outlining the life of a man who was interesting in his own right. The facts and statistics of Charles Mingus' life, however disjointed, are interesting to learn about -- however, it is up to the prospective reader to decide whether he or she thinks it is worth the slogging-through-cement experience of reading the over-400-page volume, which leaves the impression of being an extremely thorough and also extremely underdeveloped outline of a potentially interesting piece of writing.

Amused, it is tougher to review a book than a recording............2002-12-03

I think it VERY difficult to critique not only the rich and complex mind, musics,and moods of Charles Mingus, and much has ALREADY been said pros and cons about Mr Santoro's excellent (IMO) biography here on the Amazon.[com.]

To add some different ideas, close to my heart is this book as it reads as if American Historian(in the true, not fictional history sense) Howard Zinn might write if he was autoring a biography of a very influential and complex musician.

To me, who grew up listening to Mingus since the early 70s, and living through life in this land of absurdos, the USA as an "outsider looking in" during the times that Mingus was at his most influential, Mr Santoro writes about CM without the usual biases,(those are , the fawning "groupie" or the hypercritical "harpie")
~Mr Santoro writes about Mingus, warts and all,...we are privledge to observe that we should not lionize our heroes as "perfection incarnate", but rather distill what is useful and enjoyable from their "best they have to give", and leave it at that.

Mingus we see in the decades he roamed this planeta,influenced by his own inner visions and carnal vices and the world around him at vantagepoint of his contemporaries and adversaries who influenced from without..
.Mr. Santoro seems to reserve his own biases MUCH better than most authors , and reports the fruits of his research into the "multitudes of Mingus" speak for itself. From the overview of each decade that passes to the minutia of Mingus' royalty earnings, the book is absorbing to readalmost 400 pages ride by TOO quickly...Doesnt this indicate that this is a very good book to read?? Case closed, story told, hehehe! but I more little bone I must pick as a sidebar.......

I am interested in Sue Mingus'book on Mingus, I never have been too enthusiastic about these "strong" women types that appear (to me) to consume and spit out the bones of their famousjazzman husbands, Laurie Pepper and Susan Mingus, or in rockmusics, the obnoxious Yoko Ono in particular...
..they seem to do the right things(tirelessly promote their old man's art)for the wrong reasons(I may be unfair, I only have "2nd hand" info and how I interpret it)
but they appear to live vicariously thru the musician's sucesses. but I digress.....

A book to enjoy if you are both aplicado discipulo or novice to this great but flawed man, the wonderful musics that Mingus left us are his Epitaph, and Mr Santoro's book is a loving tribute!

Subject Matter Itself Worth 3 Stars.......2002-08-26

Any biography of Mingus should, by the nature of its subject matter, earn at least 3 stars. Mingus is too explosive, too mercurial, too much of an American Original, to have his story add up to anything less. Anything more, of course, is in the hands of the author.

It appears as though Gene Santoro has tried to write the jazz biography as jazz - his transitions are abrubt and curl back on themselves, he reuses several motifs and phrases (sometimes so often they become annoying), and he stitches together various pieces to form a supposedly illuminating whole. However, this book is a patchwork that never really adds up to more than the sum of its parts. Most of the details are here - the ex-wives, the feuds over the music and money, the revolving door of bandmates. Without a doubt there are funny and poignant stories, otherwise what's the point of Mingus? But we never really understand why Charles Mingus is in the pantheon of great 20th Century composers (American or otherwise), or how he started out wanting to be the Orson Welles of jazz and ended up its Aaron Copland. And Santoro's attempts to put either Mingus behavior or Mingus music into the rapidly evolving political and social contexts of the 50s and 60s are the usual broad strokes of jazz biography.

The definitive Mingus biography is still waiting to be written. Read Sue Mingus's "Tonight at Noon" for a touching summation of his later years, read the liner notes to "Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" if you want a glimpse of what music meant to Charles Mingus. Most of all, listen to Mingus. And if you read this book while listening to its subject, don't be surprised if your mind wanders from the printed page.

A Jazz History of the 50's, 60's and 70's.......2002-01-10

Contrary to the other reviewers, I thought that this was an excellent book. The author places Mingus in the context of the pop culture of the 1940's through the first half of the 1970's. He relates Mingus's life to other major jazz musicians, the Beat generation poets and icons, popular music, the chi chi movers and shakers, big city life, jazz clubs, fusion, wives, jazz festivals, periods of violent acting out and self destruction, etc. This book is a cultural history (probably why the other critics didn't like it) of the middle of the 20th century. He does make a few obvious errors. For example, the distance from Monterey to Berkeley is about half of the 200 miles he maintains. It's not Camarillo State Prison, but Camarillo State Hospital where Parker was hospitalized (a big difference). He was about a year off when talking about the release of Kind of Blue. He also overworked the term "noodling". On the other hand, if you are interested in jazz history in the context of the middle of the 20th century and a very interesting look a Mingus's life, this is a great place to start.

A major disappointment.......2001-12-05

This biography is a very rough read. Santoro presents a barrage of blunt, declarative sentences that present irrelevant facts along with the interesting details, indiscriminately. His attempts to make sense of Mingus's life and work are fitful and mostly unsupported, and therefore not completely convincing. His attempts to fit Mingus into the broader picture of jazz history, race, and society are also clumsy and half-baked. There is also a numblingly large number of one-sentence paragraphs that come off as nonsequiters, when the author clearly thought that they would make sense to the reader. Again, this is the result of the inclusion of pointless facts and a fatal lack of flow.

You get the sense that he did tons of interviews and wrote each fact on an index card, and then transferred those cards to manuscript with little "connective tissue" and few attempts to edit out the irrelevant details and mold the relevant ones into a compelling story. This book could have used a couple of rewrites, with a couple of severe edits thrown in for good measure.

The word "biography" literally means "life picture." With Santoro's book, you don't get a clear portrait of Mingus, but rather a jumble of mundane facts and clumsy, broad brushstrokes. Mingus deserves better, and I, for one, plan to turn to Priestly's biography in the hopes that I can get the sense of Mingus as a man and artist that I didn't get from Santoro's book.

Average customer rating:
Myself When I Am Real. The Life and Music of Charles Mingus.
Gene Santoro
Manufacturer: Oxford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NUIW5W

Average customer rating:
MYSELF WHEN I AM REAL: The Life and Music of Charles Mingus
Gene Santoro
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKAQMI

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