The Heart of a Soldier: Intimate Wartime Letters from General George E. Pickett C.S.A. to His Wife

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Reading...........2000-08-26

If you are a civil war buff like I am, this is a MUST HAVE book! Very interesting perspectives. I am very glad to find a book on this particular man of the civil war. I would also like to take this opportunity to make a suggestion to any of you interested in civil war artwork, etc. There is a new portrait artist by the name of Gary Nichols, who was introduced last year by Minnesota entertainer Natalia Melony. He seems to have done several civil war generals, one of which is Pickett. Two of his works, including his portrait of Pickett, won art awards in the Midwest. I saw his portraits of Pickett and Jeb Stuart, and they were so incredibly life-like, at first glance I thought they were old photographs of the men themselves. Too bad this book doesn't have Mr. Nichols portrait of Pickett on the cover. If you are a civil war buff, you can not go wrong - DEFINITELY purchase this book, for it will be a great "intimate" piece to add to your collection of works from this period in our history. Clark Mathena

Book Description

A clear and moving record of one woman's healing from cult and ritual abuse, Spirit Alive shares the process of healing through understanding and integration, demystifies the meaning of classical Multiple Personality Disorder and counteracts mainstream sensationalizing of cult and ritual abuse.

Releasing the pain and fear locked inside for years and learning to trust her ability to heal, Jadelinn remembers, copes, accepts, denies, rages, learns, feels, challenges, mourns. Through courage, honesty and trust, she finds joy and compassion, and she declares her spirit alive.

Book Description

When children have recurrent sleep problems, they and their families must deal with negative effects on behavior, mood, social interactions, physical stamina, step-by-step, "how to" instructions for helping children with disabilities get the rest they need. For problems ranging from bedtime tantrums to night waking, parents and caregivers will find a variety of widely tested and easy-to-implement techniques that have already helped hundreds of children with special needs - especially children with autism, Tourette syndrome, and cerebral palsy.

Written by a psychologist who was inspired by many sleepless nights with his own child, this book delivers proven techniques from the author's clinical and personal experience, making it a one-of-a-kind resource for families and professionals.

Customer Reviews:

Sleep Better!: A Guide to Improbing Sleep for Children with Special Needs.......2007-03-20

This is an excellent resource for professionals who work with special needs children and their families. The book contains many wonderful step by step suggestions for parents on how to deal with various sleep difficulties.

Such a life and marriage saver!.......2007-01-09

we had been struggling for a couple of years with our daughter's sleep issues and read and implemented some other books and suggestions early on. this book seems to have finally lead us to the solutions. it caught our interest because of the 'special needs' in the title. we were able to pick two of the recommendations and alternate them, depending on the situation. unfortunately, her issues are re-occuring, but we now know we can work through them and that is a tremendous weight off of our shoulders! we have shared the information about this book with our autism doc, too, hoping he passes the title along to other struggling parents!

Will be indispensible to exhausted parents.......1998-09-28

As far as I know, Durand's book is completely unique - there are no other books specifically on coping with sleep problems in children with special needs, even though they are unusually prone to developing sleep problems (which are also not always susceptible to the methods designed for "normal" children).

Durand's advice is built on a solid foundation of research, but written clearly and without jargon. He's also not out to "sell" a particular method or program as the cure-all: he describes a number of different methods, giving the pros and cons of each, so that parents can make an informed decision about what is likely to work with their child.

Incidentally, the information in the book might also help an adult (disabled or non-disabled) sort out any sleep problems of theirs as a free bonus.

Average customer rating:

We use this book all the time

Yes you can do it in an hour, if...

Taste-Time-Health

Great Recipes that take more than an hour

THE most often used cookbook we own!

The Eating Well Rush Hour Cookbook: Healthy Meals for Busy Cooks (Eating Well)
Magazine of Food and Health
Manufacturer: Eating Well Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Quick & Easy | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Healthy | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Low-Fat Diet | Special Conditions | Diets & Weight Loss | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Eating Well Cookbook: Favorite Recipes from Eating Well, the Magazine of Food & Health

The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook: 150 Delicious Recipes for Simple, Everyday Suppers in 45 Minutes or Less

The Essential EatingWell Cookbook: Good Carbs, Good Fats, Great Flavors

The Eating Well New Favorites Cookbook: More Great Recipes from the Magazine of Food & Health (Eating Well)

The Eating Well Dessert Cookbook: 150 Recipes to Bring Dessert Back into Your Life

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1884943063

Amazon.com

Cooks seeking delicious, good-for-you food that can be prepared in an hour or less will welcome The Eating Well Rush Hour Cookbook. Written by the editors of Eating Well Magazine, the book presents 60 quick and easy menus of 3 or 4 dishes each, organized to take advantage of fresh seasonal bounty. The recipes, which emphasize grains, vegetables, pasta, and small portions of meat, are as healthy as they are delectable. A complete nutritional analysis for one serving accompanies each menu--particularly useful if you want to mix and match menus to create your own "rush hour" meal.

Want a quickly made spring feast? The "Light Twist on a Classic" menu offers Savory Zucchini Rice, Sautéed Tomatoes with Chives, and a lightened and fully satisfying version of Veal Cordon Bleu using chicken. Finish the meal with the suggested sliced melon and you've eaten royally at only 613 calories per serving, just 25 percent of them from fat. From the "Hills of Tuscany," an autumn repast includes Rigatoni with Wild Mushroom Sauce, Rosemary and Olive Breadsticks, Radicchio Salad, and fresh figs. The menu contains only 716 calories per serving, just 18 percent of them from fat. Accompanying each menu is a timetable to help cooks produce the meals as quickly as promised; there are also color photos throughout the book, and a concluding glossary of ingredients, all easy to find. --Arthur Boehm

Customer Reviews:

We use this book all the time.......2006-12-06

My husband and I love this cookbook. I can't believe it is out of print, as I have tried to buy it for gifts. I would agree with most of the other reviews that you would be hardpressed to finish a complete menu in an hour, but we rarely do the full menu. We even make some of the side dishes for main courses. The recipes are fairly healthy, really delicious and simple. We've made several dishes for dinner parties because they allow you to make a great dinner and still enjoy your company. We've always gotten rave reviews and requests for the recipes. I would recommend this book to anyone if you can find a copy!

Yes you can do it in an hour, if..........2002-01-28

Probably pointless to add another review, but I love this book so much and it needs some defense. I agree with most reviewers that many of the menues - note that's complete *menues*, not individual recipes - can't be prepared in under an hour, but I would guess that a third to a half can, especially if you don't prepare the dessert portion.

This is not a how-to book for beginners, but if you can saute garlic and onions without burning them, understand the difference between browning meat and stewing it, and have the judgement to sense that if the recipe says 'medium-high for 10 minutes' and yours is burning after two that you should turn the heat down, then there is nothing you can't prepare successfully in this book. I mean, for each menu, they even tell you what order to do the different parts of the menu. It can't get much plainer than that! And you will probably learn a great deal from it. I sure have.

The aspect of this book I love most is the excellent combination of dishes to form complete menues. Even if I'm not preparing a recipe from this book, I often refer to it for suggestions in pairing dishes with something I am planning to cook. The second best aspect in my opinion is the nutrition information summarized for the complete menu as well as broken down per dish.

I can't believe this book is out of print. It should be considered a classic. Buy it if you can find it. You won't regret it.

Taste-Time-Health.......2001-02-20

Keywords of this approach. Recipes mostly deliver these intended three, although for some the short time might cause some problems. Must be organized with ingredients and prep and know techniques ahead of time.

Organized by season, with full menu, usually entree, accompanying dish and dessert, typically three-course. Great results with these: The Turkey Cutlet Caper, A Rea; Snappy Supper, and a Southern Porch Supper.

Great Recipes that take more than an hour.......1999-12-04

This cookbook was a gift which has turned out to be a mixed blessing. The recipes are amazing, especially the Chicken Cordon Bleu, but my feeling on the title is that you are in a rush to cook the recipes in an hour. The recipes take more time than an hour, but are very worth the effort. I especially appreciate the coordinated menus and timetable of sequence of cooking events, which helps me to know what to do first.

THE most often used cookbook we own!.......1998-09-02

I am a professional cook who rarely (if ever) have been able to totally trust a cookbook's choice of ingrediants, menu selection, cooking method(s)completely. This cookbook is a "no brainer" total joy. I have yet to be dissapointed in any of the many selections we have tried and many have become "family standards". Buy it yourself, give it as gifts, ENJOY! (P.S. - No, I don't work for the company!)

Average customer rating:

Blackbook Price Guide is Great!

The Official Blackbook Price Guide to U.S. Postage Stamps 2006, Edition #28 (Official Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps)
Thomas E. Jr Hudgeons
Manufacturer: House of Collectibles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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

Top Dollar Paid: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Stamps

The Official Stamp Collector's Bible

The Postal Service Guide to U.S. Stamps 32nd ed (Postal Service Guide to Us Stamps)

The Postal Service Guide to U.S. Stamps, 33e (Postal Service Guide to Us Stamps)

Stamp Collecting for Dummies

ASIN: 140004846X
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Book Description

The new 28th edition of The Official® Blackbook Price Guide to United States Postage Stamps is updated to give you the current value of every U.S. postage stamp along with its illustration on every page. This in-depth source makes it easy to identify and price the collection you own and the stamps you want to buy. This is the most comprehensive pocket stamp guide available, with information on collecting and investing and how to buy, sell, and grade stamps. With complete listings of stamp publications and organizations, this is your passport to the stamp-collecting community.

Special Features:

• Scott numbers for all possible varieties appear with each stamp illustration

• An up-to-date market review that traces current trends in stamp collecting and investing

• Exclusive prices for first day cover, mint sheets, plate blocks, line pairs, and PNCs

• Essential information on how to identify types

Customer Reviews:

Blackbook Price Guide is Great!.......2005-08-31

A must-have for the serious stamp collector. Informative and educational. Well written and easy to understand. I refer to it often.

Average customer rating:

Good typical clay stuff

dummy-proof

Imagine Your World In Clay
Maureen Carlson
Manufacturer: North Light Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Sculpture | Art | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Crafts for Children | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

How to Make Clay Characters

Clay Characters for Kids

Fairies Gnomes & Trolls: Create A Fantasy World in Polymer Clay

Family and Friends in Polymer Clay

Making Gifts in Polymer Clay

ASIN: 1581806345

Book Description

Best-selling polymer clay artist Maureen Carlson has shown countless adults and children how to create charming works with this versatile material. Now, she brings more ideas to the children's audience, introducing new fun and creative projects. Children ages 6-12 will discover:

-Step-by-step projects including puppets, along with a wide variety of people and pets -Age-appropriate instruction from one of the most successful polymer clay artists working today -Ideas and inspiration for kids to make figures that look like friends and family

Children will love creating their own worlds with the engaging projects in this dynamic guide.

Customer Reviews:

Good typical clay stuff.......2007-08-09

Maureen Carlson is one of my favorite polymer clay artists. This book is great.

dummy-proof.......2005-12-10

This book's steps make it impossible to fail. Even if you have trouble with detail and faces, you can do it. Kids will appreciate the step-by-step approach and won't feel overwhelmed.-Such cute results(and a great confidence builder)!-A great way to move kids from average-intermediate ability with clay.

Average customer rating:

No Shoes
Marie M. Clay , and Marie Clay
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reading | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Readers | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

jp-unknown1 | Specialty Stores | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Children's Books | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0325002363

Book Description

New full-color alternative to Sand and Stones, this "Concepts About Print" test can be used with the new entrant or nonreader, enabling the child to point to certain features as the examiner reads the book.

An Observation Survey presents the theoretical background, administration details, and scoring interpretation of the tests.

Average customer rating:

hands-down the best

Children, Clay, And Sculpture
Cathy Weisman Topal
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Crafts for Children | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Pottery & Ceramics | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0871921456

Book Description

Kids will happily dig into the soft, malleable medium, exploring its possibilities. They’ll break the clay apart, rejoin it with water, try to model it into recognizable shapes, and cut out great big slabs to design. Pictures of professional sculptures, as well as objects created by kids, fill the book. Children will think it’s playtime—you don’t have to tell them they’re learning, too.

Customer Reviews:

hands-down the best.......2005-05-11

This book is extremely useful for classroom teachers and homeschooling families alike. It slowly and thoroughly works through the progression of skills from first using clay to creating finished sculpture. The chapters include information for teaching the skills, multiple examples of professional artwork that can be studied to view the technique at hand, tons of pictures of student work with the age of the student identified (very helpful for knowing how to set your expectations at a realistic level) and every chapter includes free exploration ideas as well as specific exercises.

Chapters:

Before You Begin
Explorations
Making Sculpture
Sculpting in Relief
Animals
Heads and Faces
Figures
Improving Sculptures
Finishing and Displaying Sculpture

I have taken classes with Cathy Topal; she teaches in the Education department at Smith College, helping prospective teachers learn how to teach art. The care and attention she has taken to laying out the exercises in this book clearly reflect this experience - she can think both like an experienced teacher of art and like a mentor to new teachers. This book is a valuable purchase for any art teacher or homeschool family and can be used with students from age 4 to high school level. It will grow with your child and can be used over and over to explore topics in more depth in subsequent years. I give it my very highest recommendation.

Average customer rating:

Clay Modeling (Step By Step)
Greta Speechley
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Children, Clay, And Sculpture

ASIN: 1575723263

Let's Start! Modeling With Clay: Contains Everything You Need to Get Going (Let's Start!)

Average customer rating:

Let's Start! Modeling With Clay: Contains Everything You Need to Get Going (Let's Start!)
Emma Foa
Manufacturer: Silver Dolphin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1571453334

Book Description

Kevin the Cat molds kids into Michelangelos in this fun introduction to clay modeling. This colorfully illustrated book is packed with projects which encourage children's imaginations. Includes a 32-page instruction booklet, colored modeling clays, special shaped cutters, dual-use modeling tool, play mats, game board, and dice. Children will love all the Let's Start characters in the series which includes the following: Numbers, Alphabet, Collage, Drawing, Modeling with Clay, Painting, Sand Art, and Stamp Art. Not for children under three years of age.

Kids' Crafts: Polymer Clay: 30 Terrific Projects to Roll, Mold & Squish

Average customer rating:

Not just for kids...
Great! Fun! Super!
Way better than five stars!

Kids' Crafts: Polymer Clay: 30 Terrific Projects to Roll, Mold & Squish
Irene Semanchuk Dean
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Crafts for Children | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1579903509

Book Description

Introducing a new crafts series for kids 8 to 12! With great care and love for their art, the talented experts at Lark have always produced books that encouraged creativity, experimentation, and imagination in the crafter. Now they're ready and eager to help children express themselves artistically. And you can be sure that every one of these delightful guides will virtually burst with fun projects, simple instructions, appealing photos, original techniques, and terrific materials.

Polymer clay is the perfect material for youngsters: in addition to polymer's pliability, it doesn't dry out like regular clay, comes in a range of bright colors, and can bake in an ordinary oven. And the most important tools are your hands, so children can really dig in and feel the tactile joy of manipulating their work. With the help of a renowned polymer clay artist, kids can create 30 awesome objects. A comprehensive basics section covers everything from rolling, cutting and sculpting to figuring out amounts, conditioning the clay, mixing new colors, and creating textures. Kids will really love the cool tricks, too, including marbling and embedding objects. But what will really stir their creative juices are the really super projects, including a Donut Pendant, Bug Magnets, Trinket Bowl, Plant Critters, Fat Pen, Spirit Guide Doll, and Computer Monitor Wizard.

Customer Reviews:

Not just for kids..........2006-03-06

This book is not only good for kids, but a good book for adults who are just getting started with polymer clay. I've been using polymer clay for years and got some great ideas for my own art from this book. My kids love the variety of projects and are excited about working with PC.

Great! Fun! Super!.......2003-05-26

This is a wonderful book. It is GREAT! And not only for kids. It has inspired me even though I'm WAY past the kid stage :o) I've done countless craft programs with various ages of children in the past 10 years, so I know what it takes to work with children. This book is wonderful for kids to use on their own or for adults to follow. The directions are clear & everything is easy to understand. I LOVE the kids in the book. Lark did a great job with the photos. They look like they are having fun :o) My favorites ideas are the"Makin' Faces Face Plates" (what a riot!), "Pushpinzzzzzzzz", "Fine Feathered Friends", and "Spirit Dolls". I'm planning to give a copy of the book to a friend's 9 year-old daughter for Christmas.

Way better than five stars!.......2003-04-29

I was so happy to participate in making some of the projects in this book and with Irene Dean writing it, I knew the book was naturally going to be good.

But, when I received it, I was totally floored at the quality - hardcover, great paper, clear pictures, well-written instructions. It was so much better than I'd even anticipated.

This book was written for someone much younger than I am, but I found it completely entertaining, throughout. Very thorough "basics" section, including a look at making simple canes, then on to the projects. Lively and colorful from cover to cover.

Jazzy, upbeat writing, hip kids in artful demonstration, wonderful photography, lots of humor and cool fonts surround each of the thirty projects. There are beginner items to advanced - critters, jewelry, things to make for gifts, from simple to sophisticated - kids are going to absolutely love this book! And just in time to give to a young person before the appearance of "summer doldrums," too. :)

But, I don't think its appeal is limited to the 8-14 years-old age bracket because IMO, most adults would find it fun, too. I'd recommend this one to beginning clayers of any age.

Congratulations to Irene and her terrific editor for a fabulous, fun book!

Book Description

One day, a small girl finds a wounded bird. She knows where to go for help, because on her street live two women known as the Clay Ladies. Their home is an old church full of wonders: half-finished statues and pieces of pottery. The Clay Ladies help bring the bird back to life, just as they infuse pieces of clay with life. Moreover they introduce the girl to the world of clay. Although the incident is imaginary, this beautifully written story is based on the lives of artists Frances Loring and Florence Wyle.

Customer Reviews:

Storyline doesn't flow.......2006-09-11

This was a difficult book to read aloud. The sentences didn't flow and the storyline was somehow cluttered. The illustrations are beautiful. The story is losely based on lesbian artists Frances Loring and Florence Wyle. If I had known about the main characters before hand I wouldn't not have borrowed the book. The book makes no moral statements, however, the two clay ladies look like males.

Clay Modeling With Pooh (Learn and Grow)

Average customer rating:

Great!

Clay Modeling With Pooh (Learn and Grow)
Laura Torres , and A. A. Milne
Manufacturer: Disney Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0786832231

Customer Reviews:

Great!.......2005-11-08

This book is highly recommended. I think President Bush read it, shortly after he finished "The Hungry Goat"

I think he was reading it during Katrina... very engrossing stuff!!!

Crafts from Modeling Clay (Step By Step)

Average customer rating:

Crafts from Modeling Clay (Step By Step)
Huguette Kirby
Manufacturer: Bridgestone Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0736814779

Average customer rating:
Parenting Plus: Raising Children With Special Health Needs
Peggy Finston
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books | Codependency | Conflict Management | Dating | Divorce | Friendship | General | Interpersonal Relations | Love & Loss | Love & Romance | Marriage | Mate Seeking | Nonmonogamy
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Accessories:

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

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0140168370

Average customer rating:
Parenting Plus : Raising Children with Special Health Needs
Peggy Finston
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIZRII

Amazon.com

A funny thing happened to Sherrill Milnes along his way to becoming one of the best American Verdi baritones of the 1960s and '70s. In fact, dozens of funny things happened; he took careful note of them and poured them into an autobiography that will appeal to his many fans and anyone who relishes backstage opera gossip. The anecdotes are the best part of this book: they are abundant, sometimes mildly malicious, and often very funny--at least to those readers who are familiar with operatic plots, personalities, and music. For casual readers, Milnes explains why the story is funny--for example, why a tenor should have been executed after making a mistake in Puccini's Turandot. Milnes must be read skeptically when he calls himself shy--his ego is healthier than his voice--but he writes well of the anxieties of an opera star's life, particularly in discussing the vocal problems that hit him in the 1980s and that (whatever he may think) were never entirely cured. He is indignant about the Metropolitan Opera's failure to renew his contract in 1997. They could have been more sensitive, but he should have known that he had stopped singing reliably at the Metropolitan Opera level years before. The book has a useful discography and a list of his most notable performances. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

MR. MILNES OPERAS GREATEST BARITONE........2007-09-18

MR. MILNES WAS MY INTRODUCTION TO OPERA. HIS RECORDINGS WITH DOMINGO AND PRICE ARE THE GREATEST RECORDINGS IN THE HISTORY OF RECORDED OPERA.MANY YEARS LATER I MET THIS MAN , AFTER HIS MET PERFORMANCES WERE OVER. I WAS AT A FINE HOTEL IN NEW HAVEN CT. AND MILNES WENT TO THE FRONT DESK AND SAID" I AM SHERRILL MILNES AND I AM A STAR AND I EXPECT TO BE TREATED LIKE A STAR!!!!!!!" I LAUGHED SO HARD MILNES TURNED TO ME AND ASK WHY I WAS LAUGHING AND I TOLD HIM THAT HIS HUBRIS MATCHED HIS GREAT TALENT AND WE BOTH LAUGHED. HE WAS NO MORE EGO RIDDEN THAN ANY SINGER AND LESS SO THAN THE NO TALENT FREAKS THAT CALL THEMSELVES SINGERS TODAY.THIS BOOK IS MR. MILNES AND IS A GREAT READ FOR OPERA BUFFS OR ANYONE .GET IT AND YOU WONT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TALENT MR. MILNES AND YOUR HONESTY IN THIS BOOK.

AMERICAN ARIA ENCORE is a fine, lively account........2007-09-03

Libraries interested in opera star biographies will want to include AMERICAN ARIA ENCORE in their collections: it's been updated and revised, appears in a new paperback edition, and presents Met Opera star Sherrill Milnes' biography offering plenty of insights into not only her life, but the politics and processes of the opera world as a whole. From encounters with opera masters to behind-the-scenes politics and events, AMERICAN ARIA ENCORE is a fine, lively account.

Not quite what it could have been.......2002-09-30

Now that Sherrill Milnes' career is winding down after four decades, it appears that the long line of twentieth-century American baritones with the vocal amplitude and stamina to tackle the great Verdi roles (Lawrence Tibbett, Robert Merrill, Leonard Warren et al.) is indeed coming to an end.

Opera singer memoirs are a literary breed unto themselves. This one has many points of interest, especially early on. Milnes' recounting of his ancestry, youth, family and upbringing gives a fascinating picture of how a great operatic voice arose out of the farm town of Downers Grove, IL. His early tales of life as a student musician, itinerant opera singer and band member make funny and sometimes harrowing reading. There are many of the usual backstage anecdotes, some very funny, with names discreetly veiled at appropriate moments.

Milnes courageously tackles the issue of the vocal crisis that began in 1981 and dogged him for much of the succeeding decade head-on in a separate chapter, the best in the book. His recounting of the terror that overtakes a performer who sees his entire artistic life and livelihood endangered pierces the reader's heart. These pages are written with an honesty and a willingness to put aside ego that is absent elsewhere in this volume.

The reader who picks up _American Aria_ hoping for any penetrating self-analysis or significant thoughts from Milnes about the music and operatic roles he sang so well will ultimately be disappointed. About the callous termination of his long and distinguished Met career in 1997 he is justifiably indignant; still, one wishes for some sense that perhaps his abilities had changed and that it was necessary to turn his career in a new direction. Though it is fashionable to denigrate ghostwritten autobiographies, a perceptive co-writer or interviewer in this case might have drawn more insights and revelations from Milnes than he appears willing to give of his own volition.

An American Divo.......2001-07-13

In 1965, I was 13. I was dragged kicking and screaming to the opera at the Old Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Little did I know that evening would change my life. I saw Faust and the debut of two singers - Monserrat Caballe and Sherrill Milnes. Now I have to tell you, I didn't know much about voice at that time, but the young Milnes sure looked good to me! And when he sang Avant de Quitter ces Lieux - well, I was hooked. His voice was a remarkable thing. Terribly American in quality and that was a wonderful thing. Here was a big strapping lad from the Midwest, singing like an American and filling the house with a remarkable sound.

Okay, so this crush I had hasn't dwindled any since '65. I still have an infatuation for the guy. When his biography appeared I ran to the bookstore to buy a copy. I read it from cover to cover and (sigh) it's okay. I think I would rather Milnes wrote about technique or style. He is a wonderful teacher. I have seen several of his master classes and the difference he makes in just a few minutes of coaching is amazing.

Sherrill Milnes brought a sexiness to the opera stage. He gave America its first born and bred baritone (he had no European training). He legitimized the American-sounding voice. These are no minor accomplishments. What this stalwart fan would like is for him to share his knowledge about music. I have seen his Master Class video and the tape he made about Verdi. PBS should snatch him up and have him do a series on opera for young people, teaching singing maybe! That's what I'd love to see.

Straightforward, non-operatic look at an operatic life.......2000-09-27

As a bass-baritone singer, I came to this book wanting to learn from it as much as I have learned from his Met performances and Master classes at Juilliard. And the book does not let you down in that regard at all. In many ways it can be seen being even more exclusive in its readership solicitation than one would expect; written for the professional singer even more than just the opera buff. The anecdotes and informative stories about the perils and joys of a career on the rise, the things a singer must know but can't learn in the studio, the sacrifices made for a lasting art, the joy of being in a safe, supportive place to learn your craft, and of course the funny stories about the legends of the business, keep you turning the page.

Unfortunately there are times where I felt as if I am reading a story so specifically designed to highlight certain areas of his life- or to put his life in its entirety in a narrow, safe-for-discussion context- that he wrote it with the same preconceptions of a professor writing a college textbook. It's as if he made a point of not making it literary or dramatically potent to prove a point and to be honest when, as an opera singer, he knows that more often than not in drama is where the real spiritual truths are. At first I figured it is simply his personality to be so deadpan in print when I read some of what he glossed over like a journalist writing headlines, combined with having no intention of being a professional writer of novels or anything else; just wanting to tell his story. But so many fascinating and illuminating events in his life- and the corresponding psychology of the man that had to produce most of them- were summed up in sentences and paragraphs, where they could have and probably should have bloomed into pages and chapters. Again, as a singer I couldn't stop reading about his perception of various operatic roles and his performances of them, and how events in his life were put to use by him in them. But as a man, who has had failed relationships before for reasons both related and unrelated to being a performing artist, he had to tell me more than he just grew apart from both of his wives over time to keep me interested. (I have to admit though, the story of his young son seeing him do an ELIJAH with symphony orchestra soon after he and his wife's divorce, and the child, overwhelmed with pride, love and grief over his absence yelled to him, "Why won't you come home?", broke my heart.) In other words, one of the overarching themes of the book, along with his love of music, his love of women that is not out of control but is almost as powerful, and the obvious subtitle of his rise out of the farm to the houses of Paris, La Scala, Covent Garden, Vienna, and of course the Met, is one that seems to be unstated but equally there. And that for me was unsettling: his unwillingness in life still to subject himself completely to the revealing of the actual architecture of his soul, in both its beauty and ugliness, to gain a greater wisdom and understanding of who he has been and still, with the same voice he had in 1975 or not, singularly is. To some degree he hides his truest self behind the music and career that has revealed him. God only knows what roles he took early on in his career and the perofmance and rehearsal habits that over many years could have built up and contributed to his unexpected vocal trauma in the eighties. We'll never know. God only knows what kind of husband he must have been during the traumatic times he talks about, and during his rise to success beforehand, and if there were any affairs with any of the many great sopranos and mezzos he has workes with. We'll really- unless his ex-wives, God help us, decide to write tell-all books- never know. And God only knows what other personalities within each of his wives he had to contend with before the divorces, as very often women without a recognizable talent that their families would support (or the world would forgive their strange issues for) are attracted to men with similiar issues but an unkillable talent and spirit to match, and find themselves overtaken with envy instead of unconditional love when the honeymoon is over. God only knows which of all his many operatic roles performed he secretly relates to the most. The effect the above forces alone can have on an artist's self-expression, and his emotional/spiritual/professional life, is the stuff of legend. And regardless of what National Enquirer thinking may lead us to believe about their validity, they are extremely important parts of an artist's life story, if it is to be told. He in large part left them out, in such a way as to say to me that they and their implications are known by him implicitly, but left out purposely.

Sherrill I'm sure tried his best to keep it from sounding like a tell-all, Hollywood dish-the-dirt biography that wouldn't be worth a damn. AMERICAN ARIA doesn't devolve into that at any time, as far as I'm concerned. But he took too much of his Verdian baritone personality out of it, and played it too safe when speaking of his personal emotional issues the difficult and unexpectedly joyous moments in his development and professional life, and the dramas they- as they do to all of us- made out of his existence. And of course, how he overcame them all to create, WITH them (and his craftsmanship), as opposed to vice versa, the superstardom and honorable life he has lived...

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American Aria: From Farm Boy to Opera Star
Sherrill; McGovern, Dennis Milnes
Manufacturer: Schirmer Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8XO2O

Book Description

Jacob Frank survived four Nazi concentration camps, including Dachau and the little-known Lipowa Labor Camp in Lublin, Poland. The SS randomly chose him to head a 450-man tailor operation at Lipowa, which put him in contact with such notorious SS officers as Himmler, Eichmann, Goeth, and Globocnik. He made leather coats, uniforms, and personal apparel for these and other Nazis, and Frank's stories about these events are both fascinating and chilling.

Because he was an eyewitness to major Nazi operations and atrocities and had intimate knowledge of beatings, torture, and murder, Frank testified in the war crimes trials of Lipowa commandant Wolfgang Mohwinkel and other SS officers in Hamburg in 1973. Frank's account of his imprisonment in Lipowa details how factories operated within the labor camp system, the construction of the Majdanek death camp, and how he learned of mass shootings in nearby villages. The sole survivor of his sixty-four-member family, Frank provides the only firsthand account in English of Lublin and the destruction of its Jewish quarter, which was one of Poland's major ghettos. Amid the horrors and everyday minutiae of life under the Nazis, he reflects on the role of faith, the will to live, and the temptation of suicide. Frank and Lewis discuss survivor guilt, Jewish identity, the psychology of victims and perpetrators, and the role of memory.

By preserving Frank's Yiddish-English diction, the book makes the bold step of documenting the survivor's authentic voice, rather than creating a sterilized account in corrected English. The book is also highly unique in survivor literature because it include Frank and Lewis' discussions, showing the interactions between survivor and listener and how the layers of memory were peeled back.

Customer Reviews:

Himmler's Jewish Tailor.......2001-04-21

I was disappointed in the way that the book was written. It was hard for me to stay interested because they just jumped from one thing too another and some things that you had already read were repeated.

A very valuable and moving insight into the Holocaust.......2000-06-21

Jacob Frank speaks with a voice that comes from an ever distant time and place. He grew up in Poland, in a Jewish Society that was almost totally destroyed during the Holocaust. Out of the sixty four members of his family in Poland, Jacob Frank is the only one that survived. The only physical remnant of his entire family that still exists is a single photograph of Jacob Frank and his wife Dora. Mr. Frank carefully sewed the photograph into his clothing, and kept it hidden during nearly six years of survival in concentration camps and prisons in Poland and Germany. He wanted always to remember his wife and family; and to keep their image in his mind and heart. The poignant photograph of Jacob and Dora Frank is included in the book. With great courage Jacob Frank tried to protect his family and to help other people in the concentration camps, but he was trapped in a nightmare world where life had little or no value. There was not much that he could do to protect himself, or anyone else. Jacob Frank was valuable to the Nazis, because of his great skill as a master tailor. They needed him to make uniforms and suits. Because of his forced duties as a tailor, Mr. Frank often came into close contact with some of the leading Nazis; including Heinrich Himmler and Adolf Eichmann. He felt intense fear when he was in their presence, and sometimes he could not bear to look directly at their faces. He could only see shadows of evil when he glanced at them. As one who was there and survived, he speaks with a deep and unique insight into the Holocaust. He helps us to understand what really happened; and the men capable of carrying out a plan of genocide on a huge scale. He helps us to understand the great tragedy of entire families being murdered and lost forever. The witness and memory of Jacob Frank provide a valuable service to the world. His important book sheds light on a time of great darkness, and helps to stand guard against any future Holocaust.

Himmler's Jewish Tailor:The Story of Holocaust Survivor.......2000-05-05

I loved the book...I hated the book. What can I say? It's a wonderful story about a terrible time. From the time I picked up the book I found it difficult to put down. Knowing that Mr. Frank is indeed a survivor, I needed to get to the part where he was safe. I especially liked the way author Mark Lewis presented the very essence of Mr. Frank by not altering his accent, his syntax. The question and answer format was interesting. Not too many questions, rather, enough to help clarify certain points.

As the story begins, Jacob Frank a youth full of hope and dreams embarks on his journey. Who could imagine that choices, decisions made at such a tender age would so dramatically impact his life? As the years pass, the hope, the ambition, the joy of this wonderful young man is slowly, systematically robbed from him. It is a story too horrible to imagine yet Jacob Frank recalls every detail. He describes these events with simple details-not so dramatic as to be unbelievable. The idea of the Holocaust is unbelievable, unfathomable. Thankfully, for survivors like Mr. Frank, the world will know the horrible truth.

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Himmler's Jewish Tailor : The Story of Holocaust Survivor Jacob Frank (Religion, Theology and the Holocaust Ser.)
Jacob; Lewis, Mark Frank
Manufacturer: Syracuse University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLWC42

Average customer rating:
Himmler's Jewish Tailor: The Story of Holocaust Survivor Jacob Frank (Religion, Theology and the Holocaust)
Jacob Frank
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MUF9DG

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