Private Smith's Journal: Recollections of the Late War (The Lakeside Classics)

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Private Smith's Journal: Recollections of the Late War (The Lakeside Classics)
Benjamin T. Smith
Manufacturer: The Lakeside Press (R. R. Donnelley & Sons CO)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000EOF1UQ

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Recollections and Private Memoirs of George Washington
George Washington Parke Custic
Manufacturer: American Foundation Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1928596037

Book Description

WASHINGTON firsthand, through the eyes of his adopted son (But this monumental volume, first published in 1859, offers you much, much more)

Here's the history book that belongs in the library of every family. Why? First, because its author, the youth who called General (and afterward President) Washington his father, the youth who was the grandson of First Lady Martha Washington, knew intimately the Great Patriot s family and life:

"Concerning [Washington s] domestic habits and manners; the routine of his methodical life; what he said and did, when he retired from public cares and duties, in the evening of his glorious day, I ought to know much. Taken from my orphaned cradle to his paternal arms, nourished at his board, cherished in his bosom, from childhood to manhood, I ought to know something of the First President of the United States, and the illustrious Farmer of Mount Vernon.

So, over the years, George Washington Parke Custis wrote it all down, everything he could remember about his father, the Father of our Country. What Mr. Custis couldn't remember himself, he got directly from family and friends, all former associates of Washington. Mr. Custis tells us of two:

"Bishop, [Washington s] military servant and humble friend in the war of '55-56, who helped him to his last horse on the field of Braddock, when death gathered so many sheaves to the garner --- the veteran Bishop died at Mount Vernon at a very advanced age. It was while sitting upon his knee, in the days of my childhood, that I often heard the old man relate the events of the Indian wars, and have seen him raise his withered arm, while his faded eye lighted up, when describing the memorable and heroic achievements of his patron and commander."

Dr. James Craik, also. He and Washington were comrades and fellow-captives at the affair of the Meadows, in '55; were associated in the War of the Revolution, and bosom friends.

When Mr. Custis died in 1857, his daughter collected and arranged for publishing the Recollections and Private Memoirs of George Washington, careful not to alter her father s text.

It s truly a history bonanza. A mere sliver of the contents explains why:

Washington at Mount Vernon • Observer of the Sabbath • Tour of his Farms • Washington s Evenings • His Habit in Winter • Washington at the Battle of Princeton • Composition of the American Army • Washington Undismayed by Defeat • Battle of Germantown • Anecdote of Pulaski • The Undisciplined Americans • March to Valley Forge • Privations at Valley Forge • Washington s Compassion • Washington on the Night of the Battle of Monmouth • Exposure in Battle • Anecdote of Colonel Hamilton • Incidents of the Siege of Yorktown • Cornwallis s Attempt to Escape • A Chosen Guest at Washington s Table • Mysteries of the Revolution • Headquarters at Morristown • Washington s Life-Guard (select corps) • Depreciation of Continental Money • Celebration of Washington s Birthday • Washington a Sportsman • First Year of the Presidency • Aversion to Show and Pomp • Martha Washington

The indispensable Washington:

MORE reasons to purchase this great book: • Explanatory footnotes throughout from the original publisher, with many additional eyewitness accounts. These incredible anecdotes and histories make a book all their own • Correspondence between Washington and his adopted son while the latter was at Princeton and then Annapolis. Full of practical wisdom for today s young men • Correspondence between General Washington and John Parke Custis (the author s father) during the Revolution. Reveals Washington s great presence of mind • Memoir of Mr. Custis by his daughter; which introduces a "very curious matter" about the earlier history of the family • A sketch, by Mr. Custis, of Washington s mother; acknowledged by Washington himself as the foundation of his fame • Background on all the original portraits of Washington • Presentation of a ring to General Lafayette by Mr. Custis at the tomb of Washington, 1826 • The famous oration on the death of Washington delivered by Henry Lee before Congress • Washington s directions for the management of his farms, 1789 • Beautifully designed cover; stamped in gold with the famous painting of Washington praying at Valley Forge • Hefty 644 pages • Teens to adult, but even parents of younger children will want this classic on hand

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Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington
George Washington Parke Custis
Manufacturer: Book Jungle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Washington, George | ( W ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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AN IMPERFECT GOD: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America

ASIN: 1594625182

Book Description

1860. Written by his adopted son, with a memoir of the author by his daughter; and illustrative and explanatory notes. A fabulous history of George Washington which takes the reader from discussion regarding his mother, through the various battles in which he was a part, to his last hours. Chapters relate stories relative to Martha Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Daniel Morgan, Robert Morris, Thomas Nelson and Henry Lee. Appendices include original correspondence between the author and Washington and orations delivered by the author. Illustrated.

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The Recollections of Solar Pons
Basil Copper
Manufacturer: Fedogan & Bremer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1878252208

Algernon Charles Swinburne: Personal Recollections By His Cousin (with extracts from Some of His Private letters)

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Algernon Charles Swinburne: Personal Recollections By His Cousin (with extracts from Some of His Private letters)
Mrs. Disney Leith
Manufacturer: G. P. Putnam's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IZKTYE

Memoirs of the private life of Marie Antoinette,: To which are added personal recollections illustrative of the reigns of Louis XIV, XV, XVI,

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Memoirs of the private life of Marie Antoinette,: To which are added personal recollections illustrative of the reigns of Louis XIV, XV, XVI,
Campan
Manufacturer: Tudor Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Memoirs of the Private Life of Marie Antoinette: To Which are Added Personal Recollections Illustrative of the Reigns of Louis XIV, XV, XVI with Illustrations Vol 2

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Memoirs of the Private Life of Marie Antoinette: To Which are Added Personal Recollections Illustrative of the Reigns of Louis XIV, XV, XVI with Illustrations Vol 2

Manufacturer: Brentano's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000G1VGOM

Personal recollections of Private John Henry Cammack: A soldier of the Confederacy, 1861-1865 ... : to which is added press notices and other papers containing final tribute to his memory

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Personal recollections of Private John Henry Cammack: A soldier of the Confederacy, 1861-1865 ... : to which is added press notices and other papers containing final tribute to his memory
John Henry Cammack
Manufacturer: Marshall University Library Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006DBEJ2

Personal recollections of the American Revolution: A private journal : prepared from authentic domestic records : together with reminiscences of Washington and Lafayette

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Personal recollections of the American Revolution: A private journal : prepared from authentic domestic records : together with reminiscences of Washington and Lafayette
Lydia Minturn Post
Manufacturer: Rudd and Carleton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B000871PXG

Private O'Neil: the Recollections of an Irish Rogue of H. M. 28th Regt.-the Slashers-During the Peninsula & Waterloo Campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars

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Private O'Neil: the Recollections of an Irish Rogue of H. M. 28th Regt.-the Slashers-During the Peninsula & Waterloo Campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars
Charles O'Neil
Manufacturer: Leonaur Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Private O'Neil: the Recollections of an Irish Rogue of H. M. 28th Regt.-the Slashers-During the Peninsula & Waterloo Campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars At war with 'the Slashers'-the fighting 28th O'Neil wrote his military memoirs from his American home, having moved there from Canada because he "did not feel safe" after quitting Ireland out of necessity. As a recruit he took his enlistment bounty four times - absconding to re-enlist on three occasions. This then is the story of a rogue (sanitized by him) who went to war against Napoleon's French. Whilst O'Neil may not have been reliable, like most of his breed he is entertaining. His accounts of war in the Peninsula are graphic and realistic. Present at the storming of Badajoz his description of the scene carries the reader to the heart of the action as well as any other account - and better than most. At Waterloo O'Neil was wounded and his account of the famous battle is equally compelling. This is a fine Napoleonic memoir from an ordinary soldier's viewpoint.

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Worst Enemies/ Best Friends Beacon Street Girls

Not as interesting as I'd hoped

This book is important.

Children's social lives

Shows how parents can understand and help children socially

Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children
Michael Thompson , Cathe O'Neill-Grace , Lawrence J. Cohen , and Catherine O'Neill Grace
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Development | Child Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Child Development | Babies & Toddlers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

ASIN: 034544289X
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Book Description

Friends broaden our children’s horizons, share their joys and secrets, and accompany them on their journeys into ever wider worlds. But friends can also gossip and betray, tease and exclude. Children can cause untold suffering, not only for their peers but for parents as well. In this wise and insightful book, psychologist Michael Thompson, Ph.D., and children’s book author Catherine O’Neill Grace, illuminate the crucial and often hidden role that friendship plays in the lives of children from birth through adolescence.

Drawing on fascinating new research as well as their own extensive experience in schools, Thompson and Grace demonstrate that children’s friendships begin early–in infancy–and run exceptionally deep in intensity and loyalty. As children grow, their friendships become more complex and layered but also more emotionally fraught, marked by both extraordinary intimacy and bewildering cruelty. As parents, we watch, and often live through vicariously, the tumult that our children experience as they encounter the “cool” crowd, shifting alliances, bullies, and disloyal best friends.

Best Friends, Worst Enemies brings to life the drama of childhood relationships, guiding parents to a deeper understanding of the motives and meanings of social behavior. Here you will find penetrating discussions of the difference between friendship and popularity, how boys and girls deal in unique ways with intimacy and commitment, whether all kids need a best friend, why cliques form and what you can do about them.

Filled with anecdotes that ring amazingly true to life, Best Friends, Worst Enemies probes the magic and the heartbreak that all children experience with their friends. Parents, teachers, counselors–indeed anyone who cares about children–will find this an eye-opening and wonderfully affirming book.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

From the bestselling coauthor of Raising Cain comes a pathbreaking new book about the intricacies of children's friendships.

Customer Reviews:

Worst Enemies/ Best Friends Beacon Street Girls.......2004-09-15

Hi,My name is Taylor. I read Beacon Street Girls. It was a really great book. You never knew what to expect next. It was so interesting I could hardly put it down. It is a good book for any age girl. I felt like I was one of the Beacon Street Girls. I could see myself there. It is a perfect book for every girl. It has all the personalities of every girl, so anyone can relate to it. The book kept me guessing throughout the entire story. Even when I put it down I kept wondering what was going to happen next. I would highly recommend this book to any girl of any age. I know you will enjoy this and be glad you read it. I hope you will be as excited as I to read the next book and tell your friends.

Not as interesting as I'd hoped.......2002-09-17

I guess I was expecting something more in-depth and less instructional. I am sure this is a fine book for a parent who isn't clued into how some kids are popular and some kids have no friends at all, but I was looking for a more psychological perspective.

I did find the short sections about infants and toddlers very interesting. I think there should have been less emphasis on popularity and what it means to children. The section about people acting a certain way because of a group mentality rather than personal morals captured my attention.

This book is important........2002-05-03

Alice Miller (author of The Drama of the Gifted Child and Breaking Down the Walls of Silence) has long emphasized that if we are serious about solving society's problems, we must focus on how we treat children --- as individual families and as a cultural. This book is an excellent contribution toward that end.

From thought-provoking observations to practical suggestions about solutions, Best Friends, Worst Enemies is an effective education about social problems that begin in childhood, but do not end in childhood. One point the authors make that interests me greatly is that when one child is being bullied by others, the majority of children witnessing the abuse will either do nothing to intervene or they will join in with the bullying. If you think that is not a reflection of the society in which we live, think again.

As a psychotherapist and author (Embracing Fear, HarperSanFrancisco) who emphasizes personal responsibility and facing fears head on, I hope that more than just parents and educators will read this book. I think there is something here for us all to think about --- no, to do something about.

Children's social lives.......2002-03-13

Outatanding book! It has valuable information for adults concerning what our kids social lives are like and how to help them when there is a problem. Children can be so cruel. The book sheds light on a world we as adults don't really understand. This book is well written and easy to read. I highly recommend it!

Shows how parents can understand and help children socially.......2002-02-19

After watching a feature documentary on the power of social relationships to shape a child's life into adulthood, I was already interested in learning more. This book filled the bill, especially the sections which revealed how children use power (and even bullying) to both include some children and exclude others. I think most of us remember the playground bullies but what this book did was show how parents can help to change bullying behavior, give their children skills to handle bullies and lessen the damaging effects of their behavior.
This book focuses on far more than bullies and those who purchase it will find it filled with rich insights into the social world of children and how they view their friendships and connections with other children.

Best Friends, Worst Enemies - Understanding The Social Lives Of Children

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Best Friends, Worst Enemies - Understanding The Social Lives Of Children
Michael, Ph.D. and Grace, Catherine O'neill with Cohem, Lawrence J., Ph.D. Thompson
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MTSS1W

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Best Friends Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children
Thompson Michael Ph.D. And Grace Catherine O'Neill And Cohen Lawrence J.
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVOORK

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Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children
Michael Thompson; Cathe O'Neill-Grace; Lawrence J. Cohen; Catherine O'Neill Grace
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QY9UU6

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A GREAT FINISH TO A GREAT SERIES

Specialist book

Specialist book

Petits Fours, Chocolate, Frozen Desserts, and Sugar Work (French Professional Pastry Series)
Roland Bilheux , and Alain Escoffier
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0470244100

Book Description

This book provides a complete overview of basic techniques and applications for making petits fours, chocolate, and an assortment of frozen desserts, and also provides a thorough description of sugar work.

Customer Reviews:

A GREAT FINISH TO A GREAT SERIES.......2007-10-10

This is the fourth book in a series of four and it a competent companion to the other three books.
It deals mainly with the decoration of finished desserts, lettering and writing with a variety of ingredients (chocolate, fondant etc), marzipan decorations, edible color painting, decoration and exhibition pieces and finished desserts among others.
As it is part of a series you need to get the recipes for the preparations and bases from the other books, especially the first two (bases and fillings). The second part of the book deals with modern desserts (tortes, gateaux) that one can find in patisseries around France. If you live in Europe you might find some of the dessert decorations somewhat dated, as this book has quite a few years on its back. If you live in the USA though, the desserts and decorations here are rarely if ever seen in american bakeries.
The last part of the book deals with exhbition pieces and alone is worth the price of the book. Excellent craftmanship and endles inspiration for the pastry chef.
The book has gloss pages, it is full of colored photographs, depicting both the procedures and the finished products and it has Metric weights as sould be expected from a professional book.
The price has decreased recently so it is a great buy for the professional.

Specialist book.......2000-05-30

This is a very nice book, that teaches you to make French pastry-chef quality letters and borders to decorate your cakes. It has extensive examples and instructions for modelling animals and flowers in marzipan. It also has a gallery of special delicious looking cakes, unfortunately though, if you want to try those, you are referred to the author's other volumes for the recipes.

Specialist book.......2000-05-30

Doughs, Batters, and Meringues and Creams, Confections, and Finished Desserts and Petits Fours, Chocolate, Frozen Desserts, and Sugar Work and Decorations, ... Desserts (French Professional Pastry Series)

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Doughs, Batters, and Meringues and Creams, Confections, and Finished Desserts and Petits Fours, Chocolate, Frozen Desserts, and Sugar Work and Decorations, ... Desserts (French Professional Pastry Series)
Roland Bilheux , and Alain Escoffier
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0471321494

Petits Fours, Chocolate, Frozen Desserts, and Sugar Work (French Professional Pastry)

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Petits Fours, Chocolate, Frozen Desserts, and Sugar Work (French Professional Pastry)
Roland Bilheux
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N6BG1S

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for the Kid in all of us

Paper Piecing Picnic

Paper Piecing Picnic: Fun-Filled Projects for Every Quilter

Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Applique | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Easy Machine Paper Piecing

ASIN: 1571201440

Book Description

Have fun with wonderful paper-pieced projects! Easy paper piecing makes for perfect blocks every time. Quilters and crafters everywhere will love these tried-and-true, popular quilt designs selected by the editors of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine and its sister publication, Quiltmaker. Paper Piecing Picnic features over a dozen charming and unique quilt projects, including dramatic fireworks, colorful Rick Rackosaurus, elegant Pink Dogwood, and retro Pineapple Slices. Featuring designs for every taste and skill level, each pattern comes complete with step-by-step instructions and expert tips for successful sewing. With this fabulous selection of favorites, the only problem will be deciding where to start!

Customer Reviews:

for the Kid in all of us.......2006-01-21

This book has 16 projects that will appeal to kids and adults alike. Tips are included to help the reader get the most out of the project, good explanation on paper piecing including pictures of do's and don'ts, and offers a good variety of quilts. I would have liked to see alternate color variations and settings included though. Overall, worth the purchase.

Paper Piecing Picnic.......2005-09-16

A good book for a beginner to learn about paper piecing and how to do it. Instructions and illustrations are quite clear.

Average customer rating:

helpful and frustrating at the same time

I Wanna Do It Myself: From Baby to Toddler-A Radical Three-Tiered Approach to Helping Your Child Achieve Independence
William, M.D. Sammons
Manufacturer: Hyperion (Juv)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 1562829726

Customer Reviews:

helpful and frustrating at the same time.......2000-06-10

When I started this book I was very optimistic that it would help us, and I'm still hoping it will. I came to agree with many of Sammons points: that children need the capability to self-calm, self-control, and self-entertain; that the roots of sleep problems are best addressed first in daytime hours, and that children have more capabilities than we give them credit for. What I didn't like was his "there's just one right way" attitude. While he suggested that all children have different needs for amount of sleep, that's where individual differences ended with him. He seemed overly judgemental and didn't allow for possibilities of difference. (My own personal experience plays into this as a parent of an adopted child). Also, the idea of a 20 minute time-out for a two-year-old is ridiculous, and our daughter exhibits none of the behaviors Sammons claims will happen if you don't use long time-outs. So I definitely have mixed feelings. It's a good start if you want to think more about independence for toddlers, but flawed.

Book Description

Swing is back in style, and with it a renewed interest in the Big Band Era. And few players dominated that era more than Harry James, whose soaring trumpet solos and romantic hit tunes influenced popular music for a generation. Now, Peter J. Levinson, who knew Harry James personally, has written a revealing biography of this jazz icon, based on nearly 200 interviews with musicians and friends. Harry James led a truly colorful life, and in Trumpet Blues Levinson captures it all. Beginning with James's childhood in a traveling circus, we follow the young trumpeter's meteoric rise in the 1930s and witness his electrifying performances with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. We see how James formed his own band in 1939, an incubator for many pop music stars of the 1940s and '50s, including Frank Sinatra, Connie Haines, Dick Haymes, Helen Forrest, and Kitty Kallen. Combined with James's superb musicianship, peerless trumpet technique and talented sidemen, this stellar group dominated the war years and the immediate post-war period. And James himself, especially after his marriage to film goddess Betty Grable, became one of America's most famous personalities and lived like true Hollywood royalty. Levinson describes their twenty-two-year marriage with insight and sympathy. But he shows how James's marriage--and his triumphant late-1950s comeback in Nevada's casinos--were slowly undermined by his penchant for compulsive gambling, womanizing, and alcoholism. He gives us the nside story of James's sybaritic life style, and probes the profound psychological reasons for James's destructive behavior. The first biography ever written on Harry James, Trumpet Blues is a scintillating portrait of Swing's brightest star--his life, his loves, and the music that defined an era.

Customer Reviews:

Harry James-one of the greatest trumpters of all time!.......2005-03-03

This book is something that has long been over due,a look at the life and career of arguably the greatest horn player of the bigband era and of all time.The cover for both the hardcover and paperback edition,along with a new greatest hits CD released around the same time,is taken from the cover of one of Harrys' better 50s Capitol Albums "Harrys Choice".
Often maligned by critics for being schmaltzy and too commercial(a cheap tactic used much too often to put down those they didn't like or that didn't fit their perception of how they thought their music should be played),Harry nevertheless was a master of his instrument and his dedication to his music never wavered.There wasn't a style of music that Harry couldn't play and make it seem effortless and he KNEW what the public wanted to hear.
This book however is not the volume I would have hoped for.
The author knew Harry off and on from the late 1950s until his death but his narrative I found to be lacking a definite rhythym
and progressiveness.He often jumps from story to story and in the telling the timeline often gets muddied and you can find yourself unsure of what year it is he's referring to.
Also much is made of Harrys' drinking and other sordid aspects of his career.While I'm all for getting at the truth of ones' subject matter sometimes this can be just a little overdone these days while other areas may go wanting.For example I would loved to have learned more about his late 40s period(the recordings,his arrangers,the bebop influence,his live dates,etc)instead of the approximately 10 pages he did write with very little of substance to glean from.
Also there is NO discography.His short bibliography(only 13 references!)lists "The Complete List of all Harry James Recordings(1995)", so why wasn't this at least used as a starting point by the author to research and obtain his own discography?
It also contains about 17 pages of photos many of which have been previously published elsewhere.
In conclusion,all in all this book though LONG overdue is a disappointment from a lack of a good narrative style and information standpoint.However it is a good start and one can only hope the next book that appears on Harry James will compliment this one by filling in many of the gaps left by Mr.Levinson.

UNDERRATED BY SOME CRITICS, TOPS WITH HIS PEERS !.......2004-03-22

I originally bought this book when it came out in 1999 and actually spoke with Mr. Peter Levinson putting him on to several contacts when the book was in preparation. I have not chosen to send in my review until now after having reread the book several times.

Harry James was a phenomenon in the music world: a musician who reached the pinnacle of success in record sales, popularity with the masses, stardom in the glory days of Hollywood musicals and longevity in the big band arena long after the hay days of the big bands. He was a child prodigy, mastering his instrument, the trumpet, at a very early age of fourteen. In two years he was on the road with territory bands and at twenty he was leading the top big band trumpet section in the country with the Benny Goodman band. When he formed his own band at twenty three he already had a body of recorded jazz work equal to all the trumpet giants of his era. He had the blues soul of a Louis Armstrong, Mugsy Spanier and Bix Beiderbecke but because he reached real commercial stardom based on commercial ballads, and, he was WHITE, many of the so called jazz critics of the day demeaned his jazz work and dismissed all his later work. If one traverses the jazz shelves of the local libraries one will be hard pressed to find many references to Harry James listed among the elite jazz icons in any number of jazz histories as reviewed by current so-called jazz critics. These wet behind the ears critics continue to believe you have to be BLACK to have any credibility in jazz. Similarly, one does not see the name of Stan Kenton or Artie Shaw mentioned as much or ever as one sees the names of Basie, Fletcher Henderson or Chick Webb. The truth is, as Gunther Schuller, the noted music historian has noted, Harry James took the jazz trumpet to a new level never before reached in his era or even after. He HAD the blues soul of Louis Armstrong and others but possessed the brilliant and unsurpassed technique of a Rafael Mendez, that earlier giants like Armstrong, Spanier and Beiderbecke could only have dreamed about. Couple that with his turn to hit commercial instrumental-vocal ballads and moderate swing in the early '40's and the subsequent financial rewards, the critics literally turned on Harry James. That is especially disheartening in light of the body of commercial junk Armstrong recorded for literally the last twenty five years of his life and even Miles Davis, with his excursions into so-called jazz rock and fusion, but they never got the critical arrows fired at them as did James.

The truth is that Harry James was the number one icon to all the trumpet stars who rose with him and for decades after, such diverse talents as Maynard Ferguson, Clifford Brown, Doc Severinsen, Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Arturo Sandoval, Wynton Marsallis and dozens of others. The "real" critics like Schuller, Leonard Feather and George Simon all agree that Harry James was truly a one and only jazz-big band-trumpet "super star". I first heard him at age seven when an older cousin played Harry's hit recording of "The Flight Of The Bumblebee" for me. I was dazzled and had my parents start me on the trumpet. He was my idol then and some fifty plus years later still is.

Artie Shaw had it right: DEPRESSING!.......2000-04-29

I met Harry in 1974, when I was 14, in between sets at the South Shore Music Circus. He had two trumpet cases, one for his horns and another for something clear he was drinking. As a young trumpet player, he was my idol, and musically still is. The accompanying CD to this bio has some terrific releases on it, but would have been even better had they included "Countin," "One on the House," "Blues for Harry's Sake," and "Bangtail," the key charts from his great comeback band.

As much as I always wanted to read an account of his life, however, I'm almost sorry I did. Now I know what the clear liquid was, and how badly it tormented the greatest trumpet player ever. The book is interesting, but we still need an account of Harry's super-human technique. What bore did he use on his King, and how did that bore, which I've heard was the largest they ever constructed, mesh with the tiny Parduba mouthpiece. What mouthpiece did he learn on when he was building his chops on circus music, the hardest music in the world?

And how on earth did he ever manage to perform at such a high level for 45 years with his lifestyle, is unanswered here. Playing at his level after a fifth of bourbon just doesn't seem credible, although if he could drink Phil Harris under the table maybe it was. There is likewise no evidence presented to justify the physical abuse charge levelled against Everette, save for the rapped on the knuckles vignette Harry told to Merv Griffin. There are other munched nuances as well: Harry is placed at Reagan's second inaugural, even though he would have been dead for a year and a half then. It would have been interesting to hear more from FS, Jr., as well. Artie Shaw had it right in this jacket blurb: this is a horribly depressing story. Harry, when I finished it, I cried for you.

A needed and superb biography of a titan.......2000-03-04

Harry James was a titan of the trumpet and Big Bands. We have sorely needed a biography, and I think that this first biography is absolutely superb. Harry James has always been my #1 favorite. "Trumpet Blues" confirms for me James' extraordinary musical contributions but also fleshes out his story with a rich, full treatment of the realities - both good and bad - of his professional and personal lives. Included are excellent materials on his grand musical history, his first wife, the appealing singer Louise Tobin, and his second wife, the marvelous Betty Grable. I came away from the book with a much different and far more realistic vision of Harry James than I had going in - that he indeed was a musical giant (he is still my #1 favorite) but that he also was a human being with his share of personal flaws and imperfections to go with his fine qualities. I am glad that "Trumpet Blues" is here and that I read it.

TRUMPET BLUES.......2000-02-19

Having known Harry James from 1963 on, as well as being a professional player myself, I enjoyed the book tremendously. There are a couple of glaring inaccuracies however. One was the statement that Harry's solo on "Shine" was left out of the "Benny Goodman Story" just isn't so. I have the movie, and it's in it. Another was the reference to the get-well card signed by all of the top trumpet players in Hollywood to Harry. The author stated that Conrad Gozzo signed it. That would have been a neat trick, because Goz pre-deceased Harry by almost 20 years. I would also have liked to have seen more reference to Ziggy Elman, who, together with Harry basically pioneered the combination of "schmaltz" and pure raw power in their swinging approach to ensemble, as well as solo playing. All in all, however, it was a good read. I recommend it to all who are interested in this titan of trumpet swing. Tony Horowitz

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Trumpet Blues. The Life of Harry James.
HARRY). LEVINSON, PETER J. (JAMES
Manufacturer: New York:Oxford University Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UBBQK2

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Trumpet Blues: the Life of Harry James

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HESDVM

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Trumpet Blues The Life of Harry James
Peter J. Levinson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKJBRE

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Trumpet Blues: The Life of Harry James
Peter J. Levinson
Manufacturer: Oxford University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KXEW8S

Trumpet Blues: The Life of Harry James (ISBN: 0195110307)

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Trumpet Blues: The Life of Harry James (ISBN: 0195110307)
Peter J. Levinson
Manufacturer: Oxford Univ. Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LC7532

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Judenrat leader remembered.......2001-04-28

An outstanding description of the background conditions of Jews in pre-war Czechoslovakia, written with great understanding and based on thorough research. The story of the establishment of the Terezin ghetto is extremely well told, but the remaining chapters are a bit too long and too detailed. An exceptionally fine memorial for Edelman and similar honest and upright leaders of the Judenrat.

Elder of the Jews : Jakob Edelstein of Theresienstadt

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Elder of the Jews : Jakob Edelstein of Theresienstadt
Ruth Bondy
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PWA2UG

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