Average customer rating:
- Sieg-Hell
- An Amazing True WW II Memoir
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"SIEG - HELL!"
Ruth Weddle
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Military & Spies
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Military
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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General
| Germany
| Europe
| History
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General
| World War II
| Military
| History
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ASIN: 141404500X |
Customer Reviews:
Sieg-Hell.......2004-09-01
This is a story that needs to be told, a story of humanity in midst of inhumanity, a story of human endurance against all odds. It is a story you will not forget and which will linger on long after you have finished reading the book. A story that makes you wonder how you, as a reader, would have dealt with the situation. A good read with a surprise ending.
An Amazing True WW II Memoir.......2004-08-18
This book spotlights a little known WW II experience when teenage girls were drafted into the German Air Force at the end of WW II to release men for the Russian Front. A brief sidetrip home to Berlin from a stalled troop train gets five girls arrested as deserters when they report back two days later, fibbing that they'd gotten lost. They are to be executed as an example after a show trial, but things narrow down to just one -- the narrator -- who manages to escape the ultimate punishment with unexpected help from equally unexpected sources. A fascinating story based on a true incident which already has readers clamor for a sequel to show the fate of the main characacters after the war.
Average customer rating:
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Under the Covers: Discovering the Crazy Quilt of Life
Luleen S. Anderson
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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Social Scientists & Psychologists
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Personal Transformation
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
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| Religion & Spirituality
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| Astrology
| Chakras
| Channeling
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| General
| Goddesses
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| Mental & Spiritual Healing
| Mysticism
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| Reference
| Reincarnation
| Self-Help
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| Urantia
| Visionary Fiction
General
| Occult
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
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Personal Transformation
| Spirituality
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1591295319 |
Book Description
Clinical psychologist Luleen Anderson has spent thirty-seven years Under the Covers, listening to stories of people who have triumphed despite incredible odds. In Under the Covers she returns to her roots and tells her own story. Dr. Anderson paints intimate portraits of the people who touched her early life and of lessons learned on her journey. In this collection of essays are humorous poignant snippets of extraordinary characters who taught her valuable life lessons. She now shares them with her readers to offer them special encouragement and support on their own path. ?No matter where we?ve come from or where we?re going, we are all stories. And together our stories make up one book we call life.? Readers will find Under the Covers an inspiring chapter in that book.
Book Description
Whether through her stories or her legendary readings, J. California Cooper has an uncanny ability to reach out to readers like an old and dear friend. Her characters are plain-spoken and direct: simple people for whom life, despite its ever-present struggles, is always worth the journey.
In Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime, Cooper's characteristic themes of romance, heartbreak, struggle and faith resonate. We meet Darlin, a self-proclaimed femme fatale who uses her wiles to try to find a husband; MLee, whose life seems to be coming to an end at the age of forty until she decides to set out and see if she can make a new life for herself; Kissy and Buddy, both trying and failing to find them until they finally meet each other; and Aberdeen, whose daughter Uniqua shows her how to educate herself and move up in the world.
These characters and others offer inspiration, laughter, instruction and pure enjoyment in what is one of J. California Cooper's finest story collections.
Customer Reviews:
Nice Read.......2007-08-28
This was a nice read, but not good for a book club discussion. The book includes some awesome stories that makes you feel good about love. The only thing we didn't like was that all of the stories were written in another (older) time period. It would have been good if the stories could have reflected modern times.
Even better than a "best friend".......2007-02-17
Sometimes even your best friend hesitates to tell you when she/he knows you're playin' a fool, but in this book of rollicking stories, you may see yourself in a few, and Ms. Cooper will be your new best friend for pointing things out to you. Even after 20+ years of marriage, I could still find useful insights ("wake up, girl!") into life, love, and perseverance. You can sink real low, but nobody can KEEP you there but yourself. Ms. Cooper gives literary voice to a large number of African American women, and her writing is as meaningful (and maybe more so) to those who are not African American women.
excellent.......2007-01-13
loved this and bascilly all of her books! Once I get started I read them till I am finished, nonstop.
Great Life Lessons.......2006-10-21
I just recently finished this book, and have given it to my daughter who is headed to college soon. I am certain she will benefit from these stories. Although they are written as fiction, they ring true loud and clear. I admire Cooper for writing such wonderful work as always.
Life Stories.......2006-09-18
I thought the life stories were real and funny. The underlying theme is good women who get stuck with loser men, and watch out for men who ain't got nothing. Their goal is to move in and die with a woman who has something. Laughing!!! Actually, I had one try and "mack" me the other day.
Book Description
Acclaimed author Lorna Sass, creator of the hit New Soy Cookbook, once again displays her talent for combining good health with great taste. With a little flair and an abundance of whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, and herbs and spices, it's easy to create the exciting recipes presented in The New Vegan Cookbook. Satisfying and cholesterol-free, even kosher cooks will find they can slip these cooking ideas into almost any type of menu. Striking color photographs illustrate the wide variety of tasty choices available for budding vegans or those already versed looking for new options. From savory Mediterranean Red Lentil Paté to sweet, creamy Chocolate Rice Pudding, The New Vegan Cookbook offers recipes guaranteed to entice any palate.
Customer Reviews:
Good recipes, great pictures!.......2007-02-26
Healthy recipes that are as appealing to the eyes as the taste buds. For me many of the recipes are too complicated for the work week, but great for weekends and special occasions. Some ingredients can be hard to find.
I particularly like the "Roasted Sweet Potato and Corn Chowder"," Crisp Tortilla Stacks with Roasted Corn and Black Beans", "Tomato-Chickpea Curry in Eggplant Shells", "Slow-Baked Cannellini with Olives, Escarole, and Gremolata", "Kabocha Squash and Spinach with Moroccan Spices", "Baked Beet and Brown Rice Salad", "Carrot Slaw with Mango Chutney Dressing" and finally the "Mango-Coconut Tapioca".
I am not a vegan, but I use a lot of vegan recipes due to my daughter's allergies to dairy, egg, soy and nuts--this cookbook can offer food allergic families a lot of tasty, healthy options.
Good for the gourmet.......2004-10-08
This is a good cookbook with a lot of variety of interesting, new recipes. However, the things I have attempted in this book are slightly complicated and some of them are also quite time-consuming. Contrary to the belief of some others, however, I actually value the pictures, as I find it easier to commit my time to a recipe that I like the looks of. Albeit this is not a great way to judge a recipe. Overall, this is a great cookbook if you intend on throwing some sort of soiree, but not entirely practical in everyday life. However, I still enjoy the variety of worldly cuisines based in indian, thai, and cuban, among others. A downfall: the book doesn't have a huge selection, as it is full of pictures and rather thing, it lacks a plethora of those soon-to-become stand-by recipes. So, it's a great book to have, but for the thrifty, I'd opt for borrowing it for your local library rather than investing in something that may not be efficient in the longterm.
best cookbook ever.......2004-03-04
This book is simply the best cookbook I've ever had, and I have a lot. Every thing I've made out of it has been exceptional, and I've made a lot of the recipes! It's not one of those books where you just keep making the same five recipes again and again. Everything is so good, you want to just keeping trying more. And, it's easy. Straightforward ingredients and processes, and most recipes are pretty fast to do on an average weeknight. But the food is also so good that you'll make it for dinner parties. I swear, this is the best cookbook ever.
This cookbook is wonderful!.......2004-02-08
I did try more than once almost all dishes in this book and they are all wonderful. As a vegetarian I was tired of salads and was curious about vegan alternative. I borrowed many books from library and after looking and trying many different things I thought this book is above all others! It delivers consistency and delicious results every single time! I purchased 2 of her books. Lorna knows how to combine flavor with practicality. I don't know how somebody ranked this book with one star, I think person must be complete klutz. I am very enthusiastic about this book. It has become staple in our kitchen. And I would encourage to browse through her other books-although there are some meat dishes, I am crazy about Grand Marnier tofu sauce-forget chocolate-this is the best treat ever!
I would give this book 6 stars if I could.
Tasteless and Bland.......2003-12-17
I was excited as I flipped through the pages of this cookbook -- many of the recipes sounded tantalizing, and all the color photos displayed tasty looking dishes. HOWEVER, after trying out my first recipe (the curried tempeh and grains), both myself and my dining companion were rather let down. We found the dish incredibly bland and not at all what we had expected. Despite the dissatisfying first attempt, I didn't let that deter me from trying again. Surely the Thai-Inspired Broccoli w/Coconut Sauce could not fail.... Well, it did. Again, neither of us clamored for seconds, as the dish lacked any real flavor or punch one would expect of something inspired by Thai food. Again and again, this cookbook failed to satisfy -- definitely not a keeper.
Book Description
For military historians and firearm enthusiasts this inclusive reference is a key resource to nearly all the military firearms available to U.S. collectors. Standard Catalog of Military Firearms features listings for firearms manufactured in 1870 through the present.
Listings for firearms including handguns, submachine guns, rifles and machineguns from more than 25 countries fill the pages of this comprehensive reference. This third edition offers more than 2,000 listings, details about model modifications, additional historic information, six grades of conditions, and more than 1,250 photos. In addition, firearms enthusiasts will discover interesting feature articles and commentaries written by various firearms experts.
-Contains listings and current pricing for firearms from around the world
-Features 1,250+ photos for identification and review
-Companion volume to Standard Catalog of Firearms
Customer Reviews:
Good Supplement.......2007-05-31
This book goes hand-in-hand with the Standard Catalog of Firearms: 2007. While not quite as complete as that book, Military Firearms is absolutely necessary for the military firearm collector or historian. In fact, Standard references this book when indexing any military gun, as they catalog only commercial versions. The only gripe I have is the organization of the two books. It is quite obvious they were meant to supplement one another, yet they use different methods to catalog the various firearms. Standard goes in alphabetical order by manufacturer name, while Military is by country of origin and sub-catogarized by manufacturer--this can be tough if one is looking for a specific manufacturer, but don't know the country of origin. For this reason, I had to deduct a star, however, I would highly recommend this book and its companion, the Standard Catalog of Firearms: 2007.
A very helpful guide.......2007-02-21
This book contains a lot of good information. It covers many variants and subclasses that are not covered in detail in generic price guides. I have added a lot to my firearms knowledge by reading this book.
Good reference.......2007-01-10
I found this to be a good reference. I especially liked the way the firearms are sorted into chapter by county of origin. Of course considering the material, if you want more in-depth information on any particular piece you need to look elsewhere.
review.......2007-01-04
I have a very consistent library on weapons.
This particular book was of interest to me especially for the information it contains on the life of most of the models dealt with, first of all the year of introduction and the year in which every single model has been discontinued by the manufacturer.
Standard Catalog of Military Firearms.......2006-07-14
I was looking for a comprehensive guide specific to Military Firearms in order to identify and appraise weaponry. I found that unlike other price guides this one offered a higher degree of credibility due to it's titles and composition. I felt it was a great value for the price.
Book Description
From the author of the highly successful “Standard Catalog of® Firearms” comes this complete illustrated catalog of every known military firearm available to the U.S. collector, including handguns, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, and machine guns. Coverage begins with the early cartridge models of the 1870s to the latest high-tech sniper rifles.
A companion volume to ""Standard Catalog of® Firearms,"" this volume offers more detail for the military firearms collector, shooter and history buff. Gun collectors can place values on any type of gun they own and trace the history of individual guns while understanding their role in shaping history.
Mauser, Lee Enfield, Mosin-Nagant and other highly collectible military guns are extensively covered. Guns are organized according to country of origin to help decipher similar models.
-Completely illustrated catalog of every known military firearm available to the U.S. collector
-Covers handguns, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, and machine guns up to 55 caliber
-Special sections on Mauser, Lee Enfield, Mosin-Nagant, and other highly collectible military guns
Customer Reviews:
It's only Basic but it's covers a lot.......2007-01-02
I like the book, it doesn't give a lot of information, just the basics which is what it is. The only thing I didn't like is that the "values" of the firearms aren't realistically real world prices, and that it doesn't differentiate between rearsenalled firearms and originals. But for what it does, it's simple and easy to use.
Book Description
Only firearms reference to include comprehensive bayonet listings - with photos and prices.
This one-volume reference to military firearms of the past 130 years is unmatched in depth of identifying details. More affordable than the closest competition, this general guide delivers descriptions for more than 2,000 antique, vintage, collectible and modern military firearms - providing you with 300+ more listings than the previous edition, all for the same price. Arranged alphabetically by nation, then category, this easy-to-use identification guide includes a separate section for machine guns/submachine guns, and features, for the first time, descriptions and values for bayonets.
Book Description
Firearms enthusiasts embraced the first edition of this comprehensive illustrated catalog of every known military firearm available to the U.S. collector, including handguns, rifles, shotguns, submachine guns, and machine guns. A companion volume to the Standard Catalog of Firearms, this revised and expanded second edition comes complete with all the detailed information readers found useful and more.
Listings beginning with the early cartridge models of the 1870s to the latest high-tech sniper rifles have been expanded to include more models, variations, historical information, and data, offering more detail for the military firearms collector, shooter, and history buff. Identification of specific firearms is easier with nearly 250 additional photographs. Plus, readers will enjoy "snap shots," small personal articles from experts relating real-life experiences with exclusive models.
* Revised to include every known military firearm available to the U.S. collector * More than 100 pages of expanded coverage * Special feature articles on focused aspects of collecting and shooting
Customer Reviews:
Have not recived this yet........2006-02-27
Why in hell would you want me to review items I have not recived yet?
Standard Catalog of Military Firearms.......2004-01-21
There are still some errors and omissions in this edition and in many cases the history doesn't go back to 1870. The values quoted are also different for the same gun listed for different countries. The values are a couple of years old in some cases. The information on automatic weapons appears to be good. I hope this will become as good as his Standard Catalog of Firearms.
Amazon.com
Readily available, inexpensive, and easily manipulated, polymer clay is an ideal beginner's medium, and Syndee Holt does an admirable job of introducing it. She sets the stage with background on materials and basic handling, then presents 27 approaches and variations as a series of questions on technique whose answers are full-fledged projects. "How do I make a pinroll cane?" for instance, explains a simple cane process and uses it to cover a candleholder. Other cane methods yield jewelry, a frame, a barrette, drawer pulls, and a covered pen, utilizing both basic canes (bull's eye, banner, checkerboard, blended) and pictorial types (flower, millefiori, star, face, shaman). The final section focuses on molds and textural effects such as metallic and rubber stamp effects to produce brooches, light switch covers, a box, and coasters. Most of the designs are fairly ordinary and there are certainly more exciting books on polymer clay, but this one does provide a thorough, easily understood introduction to this popular subject. --Amy Handy
Book Description
"As a serious craft medium [polymer clay] requires knowing some basic techniques. These are covered in great detail with excellent photos...Beginners will find many of their questions answered... Recommended."--Library Journal
No experience is necessary--with every beginner's question answered, you'll soon master the basics of polymer clay, and its unique traits and teachniques, from a perfect pinroll to heat-embossing powders. Novices will become pros in no time.
Customer Reviews:
Excelente guía para principiantes.......2007-09-05
Este libro es una excelente guía para quienes desean iniciar su práctica y conocimiento sobre esta técnica artesanal.
Felicitaciones a la autora Syndee Holt.
Wonderful Book For The First Time Clay Artist!.......2007-09-01
syndee holt has written an instruction manual with the first time polymer clay user in mind, and she's done a superb job! This book is well-written, structured for ease-of-use, and contains photographs of the processes she discusses, as well as of finished products. Not only is jewelry making discussed, but other crafted items--light-switch covers, picture frames, covered pens, drawer pulls, napkin rings--get ample coverage as well.
"Polymer Clay for the first time" begins with explanations of the basics: types of polymer clay available, tools needed to begin working with clay, and some of the various ways in which this clay can be used. The next sections--which make up the bulk of the book--are instructional, beginning with the simple and becoming more complex as the reader acquires skills and knowledge. There is, finally, a Gallery section of finished works (some quite astonishing in their minute detail!), a Metric Equivalency Chart, and a very useful Index.
"Polymer Clay for the first time" is a wonderful book that will give the beginning polymer clay user the basic techniques in order to start crafting immediately, as well as a strong foundation for expansion and growth, should the artist desire to further explore this flexible, colorful medium.
Just a beginner.......2006-08-20
I am just a beginner and with this book I was able to learn some important information about how to begin. It walked me thru the steps for making canes and how to use them. It also gave me some good ideas on future projects.
Art and craft still survives and it is polymer.......2004-10-30
I have to admit I eased in to polymer clay the easy way with a couple of ready made kits. Then I decided it was time to go beyond the mechanics.
How ever for the more adventurous this is a great starter book. It covers tools, techniques, and step by step instructions on being creative with polymer clay. It is organized to take you from ground zero to where not other artist has gone before.
Back in the sixties and seventies people spent a lot more time with unique materials and were sort of back to basics in crafts. Crafts (real crafts where one had to work from design and raw material) seem become scarce from main stream living. During the following years polymer clay has survived and not as just some kids kitsch projects.
The author of this book is the president of the San Diego Polymer Clay Guild and takes the craft seriously. She even works for the National Polymer Clay Guild. If you are wondering why the photographs are so well done Syndee Holt has a Fine Art degree in photography.
If you have teens then this is the book for them!.......2003-02-21
Got teens? Problems with Boredom? Solve it by buying this book. Your teenager will thank you. This book is expertly written for the teenager. The easy to follow steps are perfect for your teenager. The projects are very simple and easy for twelve year olds and up to follow. My teenager and her friends enjoyed the book and projects. This book will help keep the winter boredom blues away. A must have book for any teen library.
Average customer rating:
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The Handbook of Soft Fruit Growing
David Turner , and
Ken Muir
Manufacturer: Routledge Kegan & Paul
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
| By Climate
| By Plant
| English Gardens
| Essays
| Flowers
| Fruit
| Garden Design
| Garden Furnishings
| General
| Greenhouses
| Herbs
| House Plants
| Japanese Gardens
| Landscape
| Lawns
| Organic
| Ornamental Plants
| Outdoor & Recreational Areas
| Reference
| Regional
| Shade
| Shrubs
| Soil
| Techniques
| Trees
| Vegetables
| Weed & Pest Control
| Wild Plants
ASIN: 0709924968 |
Average customer rating:
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Raising Black Children Who Love Reading and Writing:: A Guide from Birth Through Grade Six
Dierdre Glenn Paul
Manufacturer: Bergin & Garvey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Composition & Creative Writing
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All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Accessories:
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Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
-
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer
ASIN: 089789555X |
Book Description
Paul provides specific tools that parents can work with to make their children lifelong lovers of reading and writing. As a former teacher in the public school system, Paul is well acquainted with it, and provides parents with insights that will assist them in establishing an educational partnership with their children's teachers. This guide is geared specifically to Black children from the perspective of an educator and parent. It provides a historical framework that gives a firm foundation upon which to build an understanding of literacy as potentially emancipatory and empowering. This guide includes an annotated bibliography featuring exemplary children's and adolescent literature.
Average customer rating:
- With a friend like this who needs enemies?
- Spectacular photographs in themselves make this a great buy.
- My own private Callas.
- The best biography of Callas I have ever read
- A low-class job
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MARIA CALLAS: Sacred Monster
Stelios Galatopoulos
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Opera
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
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Callas, Maria
| Performers
| Opera
| Musical Genres
| Music
| Entertainment
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Voice
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Callas, Maria
| ( C )
| People, A-Z
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Similar Items:
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Callas By Callas: The Secret Writings of "la Maria"
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Maria Callas: The Woman behind the Legend
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Maria Callas: A Musical Biography
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Maria
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Greek Fire: The Story of Maria Callas and Aristotle Onassis
ASIN: 0684859858 |
Amazon.com
Maria Callas is a biographer's dream. Born into poverty, she turned herself from an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan, and in the process became the most celebrated diva of the 20th century. She breathed life, drama, and passion into an art form that had hitherto remained the preserve of an intellectual elite, and was single-handedly responsible for turning opera from an arts-page sideshow to front-page news. Her bust-ups with the New York Met and her disastrous love life--culminating in a tragic obsession with Aristotle Onassis--were as enthralling as her voice, and there was a depressing inevitability about her mysterious, early death in 1977 at the age of 54.
It's hardly surprising, then, that there have been any number of books written about Callas. Most have been little more than well-researched clippings jobs. Callas spent nearly 30 years in the public eye, and there is any amount of material about her on public record. What separates Stelios Galatopoulos from the rest of her biographers is the wealth of previously unpublished material from which he draws. He is stronger than most on Callas's early years--particularly the German occupation of Greece during the Second World War--which is a period many writers try to ignore, as Callas was accused by many Greek patriots of having been a traitor to her country by continuing to perform for the Nazis in the Athens opera house. Galatopoulos is quick to absolve her of any charges of collaboration. This is probably a correct assessment, though he falls short of labeling Callas and her mother as the ruthless careerists and opportunists they undoubtedly were.
Herein lie both the strength and weakness of the book. Galatopoulos was a close personal friend of Callas; as such he was privy to her most private thoughts and he offers us some fascinating new insights into her husband, Giovanni Meneghini; her lover Aristotle Onassis; and her mother. What he doesn't always do, though, is maintain a critical eye. Whenever he deals with anything controversial, he is happy to give Callas the benefit of the doubt. But all this is really a minor quibble. Overall, Galatopoulos does a superb job in re-creating the opera world of the 1940s through to the 1970s and he excels in his assessment of Callas's artistic achievements. Maria Callas: Sacred Monster may not be the final word on the diva, but it's as close as it comes. --John Crace
Book Description
"I am not an angel and do not pretend to be. That is not one of my roles. But I am not the devil, either. I am a woman and a serious artist, and I would like so to be judged."
-- Maria Callas
This is the authoritative biography of one of the great icons of the century, Maria Callas, the most brilliant and controversial singer-actress of modern times. Written by a music scholar, opera critic, and, toward the end of Callas' life, a close friend, Sacred Monster is an account of the singer's triumphant and tumultuous public career and her private life. "There are two people in me, Maria and Callas....Their difference is only that Callas is a celebrity," she remarked. The celebrity Callas defined an age of opera. The private Callas is a source of lasting fascination.
Sacred Monster is not only the definitive portrait of one of the greatest artists of the century, it corrects the many misguided books about Callas that have appeared since her death in 1977 at the age of fifty-three. Galatopoulos writes about Callas objectively -- recognizing her flaws, her temperament, and the signs of premature vocal deterioration. He re-creates the triumph of intelligence, hard work, musical talent, grit, and fierceness that enabled Callas to rise to superstardom. He recounts her sometimes stormy relationships with the conductors, managers, and fellow stars, and with her family, husband, and lover.
Galatopoulos attended more than a hundred of Callas' performances and he describes not only the brilliance of her many triumphs, the disappointments of her setbacks, and the poignance of her premature decline, but also her legacy, which resides in her continuing influence and her extensive and valuable discography. Callas chose to share many of her most frank judgments about her professional problems with Galatopoulos. Perhaps most dramatically, in this book, which might almost be called "Callas Has the Last Word," Galatopoulos sets straight the soap opera portrait some have drawn of a shattered and reclusive woman abandoned by her lover, Aristotle Onassis. In fact, Callas and Onassis resumed their friendship shortly after his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy. This portrait of Callas shows her in retirement every bit as forceful and engaged as she was on stage.
Maria Callas: Sacred Monster is lavishly illustrated. One hundred pages of photographs show Callas' roles in a visual documentary of the period 1947 to 1965, a truly golden age of opera. Many of the images have never before been published. A complete survey of Callas' recordings and a list of her performances are also included.
Customer Reviews:
With a friend like this who needs enemies?.......1999-11-23
There's not much to recommend this book. Some of the photographs look as if they've been smeared across the pages. Others are clearly NOT Callas at all, and one has been so badly cropped as to make Callas appear to be juggling balls whilst singing Iphigenie. The text reads as if it was written for Woman's Weekly in Athens and would have benefitted from a very strong editorial hand. The author claims to have been a friend of Callas. Really - One's friends!
Throw a stick at the Met or Covent Garden [when it re-opens] or the Paris Opera and you will hit six people who could put together a better biography than this, and without the many somewhat spurious 'Callas told me's' with which this book is littered.
To date this is the author's fourth attempt at Callas biography, [and should get some sort of an award for so gallantly persisting in a task for which he so clearly unsuited] and whilst the information has changed from one edition to another, and the grammar and prose has improved [and, believe me, that's not saying much at all] I do hope this is his last book on his 'friend' until he does a little more research and just some plain old fashioned observation of photographs. I had the feeling that the author feels he 'owns' Callas, with all the obsessiveness and lack of insight of a stalking fan.
Search out the magical Thames & Hudson Callas by Fitzgerald and Ardoin, or Ardoin's Callas Legacy, and Michael Scott's Maria Meneghini Callas is a must.
Spectacular photographs in themselves make this a great buy........1999-07-19
The spectacular photographs of all of Callas's performances are in themselves worth the price of the book. In addition, the discography and quotes from reviews of the performances give this book much value as a reference source. Even if one doesn't always agree with the author's interpretation of events in Callas's personal life, the reader comes away with a profound sense of her artistry.
My own private Callas........1999-07-16
I found this book deplorable. Badly written, it could have used a strong editorial hand both in the prose and the picture captions. Especially disapointing is the re-hashing of incidents that have long since been disproved or properly researched, i.e. Callas's first audition at the Metroplitan Opera, which resulted in no offer of work from that house. Likewise, the famous incident in Rome when Callas abandoned a performance of Norma. Galatopoulos claims there was uproar in the audience whilst she was singing, but a tape exists of this performance and there is no disturbance at all at that point. These are just two of a number of incidents in the book where the author does not seem to be able to relate information long and freely available to his own conception of what happened. It is a long established fact that Callas made her Italian debut on the 2nd August 1947, but Galatopoulos sticks to the innacurate date of 3rd August which was current well into the 1970's. [The Arena di Verona celebrated the 50th anniversary of Callas's debut on 2nd August 1997] This gave me the distinct impression the author felt that he and he alone was/is THE authority on Callas and there isn't any need for him to read anyone else's scholarship on the subject. Fortunately he isn't and I had the feeling, shored up by all those verbatim conversations, this tome was simply an attempt to present the author's version of "My own private Callas." Another area of the book I found disturbing is the photographic content. I found it impossible to identify Callas in her first stage role, the picture is simply not clear enough. Whereas Callas is easily identified as Brunnhilde are those pictures of Isolde really Callas? There is one photograph supposedly of Callas in I Puritani but there is a small child in the picture with her, and the lady in the picture, wearing an off the shoulder dress, does not look like Callas. I leave readers to form their own opinions.
Maria Callas is an on-going phenomena, her voice is as inspiring and awesomely thought provoking now as it ever was. There are now generations of people who never heard or saw her live, there are only recordings and old films. A few authors; John Ardoin, Gerald Fitzgerald, Henry Wisneski and Michael Scott have shed new light on Callas the singer and Callas the woman with serious scholarship for future generations. Stelios Galatopoulos's work is not in this league.
The best biography of Callas I have ever read.......1999-06-22
I'm sorry to see that this book is getting such bad reviews, because I think it is the best biography of Callas that I have ever read. The others seem to concentrate on one side of her life: either her art or her personal life. This book deals with both and keeps a good balance between them. The pictures were wonderful! There were many pictures in this book that I had never seen before, including one from Callas' very first opera, a student production in Athens, which she sang when she was 15. I also loved the chronology of her performances and the author's comments on Callas' recordings.
A low-class job.......1999-06-20
Much as I admire the subject, I simply can't read through the book. The prose is lousy, sometimes resembling the breathless (and brainless) outpourings of those photo-romances so popular in postwar Italy, and the illustrations are of very low quality, almost as if done on a cheap photocopier. Callas would have hated this book.
Average customer rating:
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Maria Callas: Sacred Monster.(Review): An article from: Notes
Stephen Willier
Manufacturer: Music Library Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
Callas, Maria
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ASIN: B0008GZMY0
Release Date: 2005-07-28 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on March 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1592 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: Maria Callas: Sacred Monster.(Review)
Author: Stephen Willier
Publication:
Notes (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2000
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 56
Issue: 3
Page: 735
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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