Involuntary Journey To Siberia

Book Description

Amalrik gives a rigorously exact, dispassionate account of his experiences as a nonconformist intellectual in Soviet Russia, including his imprisonment, trial, and exile to Siberia, on a charge of "parasitism." Translated by Manya Harari and Max Hayward; Introduction by Max Hayward.

Customer Reviews:

A Voluntary Read.......2004-11-27

There is much written of the Siberian exiles during the time of Stalin and the famous Gulags. This book takes us two generations forward from the time of Stalin. Although the Great Terror is now resigned to the history books, Amalrik writes effectively about the communist society of his era. The rigidness and intolerance still exists. Moscovites cannot trust their neighbours. The bureaucracy is everywhere. Paranoia is the rule of thumb.

The book contains wit and tongue and cheek irony. In becoming a victim of the system, Amalrik also becomes an observer. The secret police who are almost apologetic at what they must do. The forlorn hopelessness and inefficiencies of the Siberian collective farms are things that legends are made of. And, of course, those individuals who can't for a moment help themselves because of their devotion to Vodka give a human face to the drama.

Because the book is not one that ends in tragedy, Amalrik can afford to approach the topic in a less than heavy handed manner. The book is a life experience and well worth the time. Historically, it has its merits too, as another testament to the decay and inevitable dissolution of the Soviet and commninist society.

The book is fairly short and a quick read as well.

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Involuntary Journey To Siberia
Andrei Amalrik
Manufacturer: Readers Union
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QRE2KG

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Involuntary Journey To Siberia

Manufacturer: Readers Union
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HUIYSI

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INVOLUNTARY JOURNEY TO SIBERIA
Andrei Amalrik
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJMCO4

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Involuntary Journey to Siberia
Andrei Amalrik
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJGIXU

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Involuntary Journey to Siberia
Andrei Amalrik
Manufacturer: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8S5GY

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Involuntary Journey to Siberia.

Manufacturer: 0
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ICHOL8

Book Description

The amazing life of the explorer who first mapped the West and forever changed nineteenth-century America

The career of John Charles Frémont (1813-90) celebrates and ties together the full breadth of American expansionism from its eighteenth-century origins through its culmination in the Gilded Age. Tom Chaffin's important new biography demonstrates Frémont's vital importance to the history of American empire, and his role in shattering long-held myths about the ecology and habitability of the American West.

As the most celebrated American explorer and mapper of his time, Frémont stood at the center of the vast federal project of Western exploration and conquest. His expeditions between 1838 and 1854 captured the public's imagination, inspired Americans to accept their nation's destiny as a vast continental empire, and earned him his enduring sobriquet, the Pathfinder.

But Frémont was more than an explorer. Chaffin's dramatic narrative includes Frémont's varied experiences as an entrepreneur, abolitionist, Civil War general, husband to the remarkable Jessie Benton Frémont, two-time Republican presidential candidate, and Gilded Age aristocrat.

Chaffin brings to life the personal and political experiences of a remarkable American whose saga offers compelling insight into the conflicts, tensions, and contradictions at the core of America's lust for empire and its conquest of the trans-Missouri West.

Customer Reviews:

very worthwhile biography.......2006-02-17

John Fremont was (in some aspects) the Alexander Hamilton of the mid-19th century. That may seem like a strange comparison, but they had one very strong similarity.... you either loved them or you hated them. Both were seen as larger than life and aroused strong emotions throughout the country.

There are some pretty significant differences between the two - Fremont was world-renowed explorer of the American Wild West - while Hamilton was a bona fide finacial genius (which Fremont definitely was not!). Hamilton died too young and became somewhat of a martyr and his reputation has grown. Fremont may have lived a little too long and scandal soiled and diminished his reputation.

Now to Chaffin's wonderful biography on Fremont: What a great/interesting read! The characters are much larger than life John Fremont, Thomas Hart Benton (His father-in-law), General Stockton (Who helped win California fo America) and of course Fremont's exploring buddy Kit Carson.

Chaffin tells a tale that is so odd that it must be true. The tales of Fremont's four main explorations is straight out of a Hollywood movie. We follow Fremont up mountains, across rivers, through deserts - we see how they faced extreme starvation and how some members were forced to turn to canabalism (ouch!).

Chaffin presents Fremont with warts and all - there is mention of his affairs, his conceit, his insubortination, his shameless self-promotion and his many financial blunders. While Chaffin does not apologize for Fremonts faults he also chooses not to dwell on these aspects.

So why only four stars? There are some minor flow problems (for me) I found that the section on the war for California to be far too long, and the sections on Fremont's role in the Civil War and his ill fated Presidential campaign to be far too short. However, a significant amount of the book concentrates on Fremont's explorations.... which is exactly why I give a full recommendation.

A great book.......2004-09-02

I loved this book--an inspiring story that conveys the excitment of the exploration of the west. Author includes historical background so Fremonts actions are placed in the context of the time. Very readable--almost like a novel. The one drawback are the maps of Fremonts explorations. They are merely sketch maps without any location detail--I would have liked to have seen more detailed cartography with, perhaps, landforms included. Many (most) place names in the book are not shown on the maps. I kept my atlas at hand while reading, but many place names have changed. I strongly recommend.

Good, but..........2004-03-03

A good book, rich in historical detail, but...wow, the copyediting is bad. It's enough that it's really hard to read the book. I hope they can fix the copyediting problems if they reprint the book or bring it out in paperback.

Fremont's California.......2003-10-03

For an old native Californian I never had a clear picture of the Americanos revolt against the Mexicans except for the Sonoma uprising at General Vallejo's headquarters where the Bear Republic flag was raised. This book gives a comprehensive picture of the tumult in California and how the various American and Mexican forces interacted. It gives an excellent description as to what California was like with an estimated population of 15,000. This book now gives me a greater feeling of the Fremont history for the country roads and off-named places that I have traveled throughout California over many decades of my lifetime. I did not know that Fremont was French and we are not accenting his name properly. I wonder whether 150 years ago his name was pronounced properly. The city of Fremont perhaps should take note of the accent mark.

Pathfinder: John Charles Fremont and the Course of American Empire.(Book Review) : An article from: The Historian

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Pathfinder: John Charles Fremont and the Course of American Empire.(Book Review) : An article from: The Historian
James H., III O'Donnell
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000B9DU2U
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Historian, published by Thomson Gale on March 22, 2005. The length of the article is 544 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: Pathfinder: John Charles Fremont and the Course of American Empire.(Book Review)
Author: James H., III O'Donnell
Publication: The Historian (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 22, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 67 Issue: 1 Page: 109(1)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Product Description

This vital report covers thousands of companies in hundreds of industries with historical year R&D budget and current year R&D-to-sales ratios and R&D-to-gross margin ratios as well as current and next year budget forecasts and growth rates. Use it to track competition, set and justify R&D budgets, plan new ventures and develop new products. Includes industry and R&D budget rankings. Bought by high tech firms, research labs, universities and Federal agencies.

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R&D Ratios & Budgets - 2006 edition
Schonfeld & Associates Inc.
Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Research | Education | Science | Subjects | Books

Methodology & Statistics | Experiments, Instruments & Measurement | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1932024352

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R&D Ratios & Budgets 2007

Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Perfect Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1932024441

Product Description

The comprehensive annual report by Schonfeld & Associates, Inc. covers over 5,000 companies and 280 industries with information on 2006 R&D budgets, 2007 R&D to sales ratios and R&D to gross margin ratios, as well as 2007 and 2008 budgets and growth rate forecasts. Use it to track competition, set and justify R&D budgets, screen potential acquisitions, sell the laboratory and technology markets or plan new ventures and develop new products. Includes industry and R&D spender rankings.

R & D Ratios & Budgets (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

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R & D Ratios & Budgets (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1932024018

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R & D Ratios & Budgets (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1932024093

'R and D Ratios and Budgets (1998 Edition)

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'R and D Ratios and Budgets (1998 Edition)
Schonfeld , Schonenfeld , and Associates
Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Public Finance | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Debt & Deficits | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 187833963X

R & D Ratios & Budgets: Historical and Forecasted R&D Budgets and Ratios (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

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R & D Ratios & Budgets: Historical and Forecasted R&D Budgets and Ratios (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1878339907

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R & D Ratios & Budgets (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1878339818

R & D Ratios & Budgets, 1992: Historical and Forecasted R & D Budgets and Ration Covering the Period 1986-1993 (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

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R & D Ratios & Budgets, 1992: Historical and Forecasted R & D Budgets and Ration Covering the Period 1986-1993 (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Assoc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1878339168

R & D Ratios & Budgets: Historical and Forecasted R & D Budgets and Ratios Covering the Period 1993-2000 (R and D Ratios and Budgets)

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R & D Ratios & Budgets: Historical and Forecasted R & D Budgets and Ratios Covering the Period 1993-2000 (R and D Ratios and Budgets)
Schonfeld & Associates
Manufacturer: Schonfeld & Associates, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1878339729

Book Description

The increasing cost of gunsmithing services has caused enthusiasts to perform minor repairs, refinishing, and deep cleaning on their own firearms. This updated edition shows how to easily diassemble and reassemble centerfire rifles and the correct tools needed. Sixty-six popular guns are taken apart and individually photographed. The cross reference index identifies more than 400 similar or identical rifle patterns that also follow these disassembly and reassembly directions. It covers the Argentine Mauser to Marlin Model 9 to Russian AK-47 to US M-1 Garand to Winchester Model 1894.

Customer Reviews:

Review of Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly.......2007-01-29

This book is very good at step-by step instructions. The pictures are well taken of the actual part you are working on. There could be more model numbers to go over, but the ones they have are very good. The author is exerienced in gun repair and it shows up in the "tip" portion of every model. I think a list of specialty tools would benifit the author in this book, since each model of firearm needs at least one special tool. Not all, but most. Listing those would benifit the less experienced gunsmith. Thank you

An Indespensable Tool!.......2003-03-30

This book and all the others in the series are invaluable to the professional gunsmith, firearms hobbiest, or the casual gun owner who just likes to "see how things work" but can't always quite remember whether this little spring went in here, or over there.

Not easy to use........2003-02-15

This book is an excellent guide for disassembly. It is worthless as a guide for reassembly. There are no step-by-step instructions for reassembling a firearm. At best, the book assumes that reassembly is the reversal of the steps involved in disassembly. This is not necessarily so. I would not recommend this book to a hobbyist.

I had to have this book for work otherwise I wouldn't.......2002-12-30

Since I am a Gunsmith and deal with a variety of firearms I bought this book for disassembly/assembly instructions.

This book is almost 23 years old and in sore need of updating. It does not even cover the new S&W auto pistols, Glock series of Handguns, or the Heckler & Koch (HK) MP 5 submachine gun. All of these are in wide use by law enforcement. Further the Mossberg 500/590 isn't cover either. Duh! It is the only shotgun to pass the mil spec test and is in wide use by cops.

Unless you just have to have it for work wait for an updated version that covers firearms developed and in use by law enforcement in the last 23 years

If you can't field strip it, you shouldn't own it........2002-11-09

If you cannot field strip a weapon you really have no business owning it. I bought the volume on automatic pistols and I was not disappointed. For most of my life I was a revolver man and I stayed away from automatics because I didn't understand them- and I was convinved that they were unreliable. When I bought my first Model 1911 (which has NEVER jammed on me) it didn't have a field manual, so I bought this book. It didn't take long before I was field stripping and reassembling blind-folded. I feel confident that I could do the same with any automatic even loosely based on John Browning's designs. I might have trouble with German designs like the Luger or Broom handle Mauser, but after studying this book I feel sure that I could eventually master them too.

The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Revolvers (Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly)

Average customer rating:

the gun digest book of firearms assembly/disassembly revolvers

The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Revolvers (Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly)
J. B. Wood
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Firearms & Weapons | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0873419235

Customer Reviews:

the gun digest book of firearms assembly/disassembly revolvers.......2007-06-27

this book supplyed us with all the information we needed. the works of the police positive colt pistol

The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: Shotguns (Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: Part 5 Shotguns)

Average customer rating:

Amazon Book Purchase
This is a keeper!
Good Shotgun reading
The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly
"magnum" opus

The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: Shotguns (Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: Part 5 Shotguns)
J. B. Wood
Manufacturer: DBI Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

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

ASIN: 0910676119

Book Description

Shotgun owners will learn to carefully and successfully disassemble and reassemble popular shotguns for routine maintenance, cleaning, and barrel changing by using this indispensable updated reference. Wood's book series on firearms disassembly and reassembly, the only series available, has been an essential and comprehensive reference for firearms enthusiasts for many years.

A total of 59 popular shotgun models are reviewed, including thirteen additional models since the last edition. More than 250 shotgun variants that are mechanically similar to those pictured are also covered.

Includes field stripping basics and a thorough explanation of all key take down and reassembly steps for each model. Each step is clearly photographed and includes easy to understand instructions. An index allows readers to quickly find specific models and cross reference mechanically similar variants.

• Covers assembly/disassembly of 59 popular shotgun models, plus more than 250 mechanically similar variants
• Lists field stripping basics and key take down and reassembly steps
• More than 1,500 large, clear photos and illustrations accompany the detailed instructions

Customer Reviews:

Amazon Book Purchase.......2007-05-24

A good little book with a lot of information at a very good price.

This is a keeper!.......2006-03-26

This book along with, "The Gun Digest Book of Exploded Gun Drawings" was given as a gift to my son who, with his brother, is a novice hunter, with a beginning interest in gunsmithing. They have acquired a number of shot guns and rifles and found this book matched their needs exactly. They found this book fascinating and were so excited. Clear, helpful, detailed and would appear to be valuable for both the beginner and serious firearm enthusiasts. They have put it to practical use - so easy to use! These books have not been relegated to the library or reference shelf yet and as reluctant as I am to say it, they remain in the bathroom, so are read and reviewed almost daily and I don't see that changing anytime soon. They can't say enough good things about the book -
THIS IS A KEEPER!

Good Shotgun reading.......2005-10-07

Yet another good reading for the beginner, or for someone who specifically onws one of the shotguns in the book. As I have said in another review, I would like to see Gun Digest publish another volume with newer production shotguns in addition to this book. All in all, very good, worth reading.

The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly.......2005-09-25

This reference book contained the information I was looking for and will be a book that I can rely on for many years. The only problem I found was that some pages were almost to dark to see breakdown components. A better breakdown sequence would be helpful. All in all the book was helpful and I was able to realize the problem I was having in reassembling a Winchester Automatic 12ga, shotgun.

"magnum" opus.......2004-10-18

There are a LOT of shotguns described in this book. If you need a bench reference on how to disassemble a BROAD variety of guns this is the book for you. A non-gunsmith myself, I would have prefered something with more tips/tricks or theory that would allow more expression for my own mechanical aptitudes, hopefully resulting in the better functioning of my shotgun. This is not the book for the discussion of why your gun does not feed consistently, nor why you use so many barrel seals. Instead this is more of a no frills, paint by the numbers, race through taking apart and putting together a myriad number of dissimilar models (with an index of other guns that are similar, or variants) that cover the entire spectrum of shotgunnery. I gave it five stars because the pictures are quite clear and if you are stuck half way through the reassembly of an unusual shotgun, your answer may well be in here.

Gun Digest Book Of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Pt. II Revolvers 2nd Ed.

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Gun Digest Book Of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Pt. II Revolvers 2nd Ed.
J.B. Wood
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000NOUWGU

Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly, Part 2

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Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly, Part 2

Manufacturer: DBI Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0695813161

Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly-Disassembly: Rimfire Rifles

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Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly-Disassembly: Rimfire Rifles
J. B. Wood
Manufacturer: Follett Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly: Automatic Pistols (Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly)

ASIN: 0695814192

Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly - Disassembly : Pt. II: Revolvers

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Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly - Disassembly : Pt. II: Revolvers
J. B. Wood
Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J35KPI

Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly. Part 4: Centerfire Rifles (288p)

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Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly. Part 4: Centerfire Rifles (288p)
Jay Barclay Wood
Manufacturer: Wilcox & Follett Book Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Kit homes have been around for nearly a century, but they've gained popularity in recent years thanks to fresh new designs and consumers looking for more affordable housing options in an expensive real estate market. A kit home -- even more do-it-yourself friendly than the average prefab home -- arrives mostly preassembled and requires less time and labor to put into place.

Kit Homes Modern explains everything homeowners need to know about this low cost/high design alternative, offering a comprehensive look at the full range of modern kit homes currently on the market. A brief, entertaining history on the origin and evolution of kit homes, including how they differ from mobile homes, is followed by a visual, behind-the-scenes tour of the creation of a kit home -- from the architect's drawing board to the factory floor to its final destination.

Kit Homes Modern will raise the potential homeowner's comfort level and provide a vivid and precise understanding of the structural and interior features of the kit home and the many options available. Tips and hints on buying and installing a kit home tell homeowners exactly what to expect and show them how to avoid costly pitfalls and mistakes. And an exhaustive resource section provides up-to-date references on manufacturers, architects, consumer websites, consultants, and contractors who specialize in kit homes.

GCSE German (Longman Exam Practice Kits)

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GCSE German (Longman Exam Practice Kits)
Alex Reich , and Alasdair McKeane
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

A-Level British and European Modern History (Longman Exam Practice Kits)

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A-Level British and European Modern History (Longman Exam Practice Kits)
Edward Townley
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0582312450

GCSE French (Longman Exam Practice Kits)

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GCSE French (Longman Exam Practice Kits)
John Conner , Alasdair McKeane , and John Connor
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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GCSE French (Longman Exam Practice Kits)
John Conner , Alasdair McKeane , and John Connor
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Study Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0582357888

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Kit Homes Modern
Ima Ebong
Manufacturer: Collins Design
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEV75Y

A Level French (Longman Exam Practice Kits)

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A Level French (Longman Exam Practice Kits)
John Connor , and Alasdair McKeane
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Study & Teaching | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Study Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0582357829

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Mom, sex is NO big deal!: Becoming your daughter's ally in developing a healthy sexual identity
Sharon Hersh
Manufacturer: Shaw
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sex Instruction | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Women's Issues | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

"Mom, everyone else does!": Becoming Your Daughter's Ally in Responding to Peer Pressure to Drink, Smoke, and Use Drugs

"Mom, I Hate My Life!": Becoming Your Daughter's Ally Through the Emotional Ups and Downs of Adolescence (A Hand-in-Hand Book)

Mom, I Feel Fat: Becoming Your Daughter's Ally in Developing a Healthy Body Image

Bravehearts: Unlocking the Courage to Love with Abandon

Preparing Your Daughter for Every Woman's Battle: Creative Conversations about Sexual and Emotional Integrity (The Every Man Series)

ASIN: 0877882029
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Book Description

“But Mom, it’s not the same as when you were a teenager….”

Your daughter is right. Never before have teenage girls been so inundated with the idea that sex is a natural part of teenage relationships. The media, the Internet, and your daughter’s peers reinforce this myth daily. In fact, the majority of teenage girls will experiment with sex. And never before has the price tag of teen sexual behavior been so high–disease, depression, and a distorted view of self.

This is a book of hope and empowerment.

The good news is that you can use the challenges your daughter faces today as catalysts to help her develop a sacred view of sex and of herself. Your daughter will make critical decisions during her adolescence and those decisions will have lifelong consequences. But you, as a mother, can have enormous influence over your daughter if you are prepared. “Mom, Sex Is NO Big Deal!” will arm you with information and strategies to help your daughter arrive at a place of wholeness as she makes decisions about how she will behave sexually during the most vulnerable period of her life.

Average customer rating:

Missing the point

Goldsheld

Not Enough Piano

This book is shallow and depressing.

Stupid and self-indulgent but has some good info

Piano Lessons: Music, Love, and True Adventures
Noah Adams
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Piano | Instruments & Performers | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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Body and Soul

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ASIN: 0385318219
Release Date: 1997-03-10

Amazon.com

The difference between the piano lessons Noah Adams took and the ones most of us took was that he was 51, not 7, and -- lucky Noah -- his mother didn't make him practice. This is not only a delightful account of his twelve-month nose-to-the-grindstone attempt to learn to play the $11,000 Steinway he bought on a whim, but also the story of his many-year process of falling in love with music and its history.

Book Description

Piano Lessons is Noah Adams's delightful and moving chronicle of his fifty-second year--a year already filled with long, fast workdays and too little spare time--as he answers at last a lifelong call: to learn to play the piano.  The twelve monthly chapters span from January--when after decades of growing affection for keyboard artists and artisans he finally plunges in and buys a piano--through December, when as a surprise Christmas present for his wife he dresses in a tuxedo and, in flickering candlelight, snow falling outside the windows, he attempts their favorite piece of music, a difficult third-year composition he's been struggling with in secret to get to this very moment.

Among the up-tempo triumphs and unexpected setbacks, Noah Adams interweaves the rich history and folklore that surround the piano.  And along the way, set between the ragtime rhythms and boogie-woogie beats, there are encounters with--and insights from--masters of the keyboard, from Glenn Gould and Leon Fleisher ("I was a bit embarrassed," he writes; "telling Leon Fleisher about my ambitions for piano lessons is like telling Julia Child about plans to make toast in the morning") to Dr. John and Tori Amos.

As a storyteller, Noah Adams has perfect pitch.  In the foreground here, like a familiar melody, are the challenges of learning a complex new skill as an adult, when enthusiasm meets the necessary repetition of tedious scales at the end of a twelve-hour workday.  Lingering in the background, like a subtle bass line, are the quiet concerns of how we spend our time and how our priorities shift as we proceed through life.  For Piano Lessons is really an adventure story filled with obstacles to overcome and grand leaps forward, eccentric geniuses and quiet moments of pre-dawn practice, as Noah Adams travels across country and keyboard, pursuing his dream and keeping the rhythm.

Customer Reviews:

Missing the point.......2007-09-08

It's been years since I read this book, but I have fond memories of it and dropped in here trying to relocate it again. I have to laugh at those who have given this book such harsh reviews with their literal impressions, and I'm very much in agreement with the others, like Bron Mitchell here, who enjoyed it for the right reasons. This is not necessarily about piano. It is about struggling to fulfill a passion in the face of your limitations. About confronting your fears and inadequacies, in the bravest attempt you can muster, given your amateur talents and spare time.

I don't play piano, but I've been struggling for years to play my swing violin in much the same way Noah Adams approached his music. I thoroughly enjoyed the side trips and distractions and intermittent and yet consistent efforts to pursue the unrelenting dream.

For those who play professionally, and for others who come by music easily with talent to spare, his struggles may seem frustrating and self-indulgent. But I would simply say to them, do they have a powerful dream to develop another talent that they may not be so blessed to possess? For example, have they ever wanted to build a boat and sail it to some far off destination? Or play professional baseball? Or be a comedian onstage? Paint a masterpiece? What would it be like to take on your dream, whatever that may be, regardless of your current profession? If you can't imagine putting yourself out there bravely to take it on, then you won't appreciate the subtle, comic travails of this author. And your own life will be much less interesting for it. Cut the brave souls some slack for they know the enjoyment and challenge of really living and appreciating life.

I wholeheartedly recommend the book to any amateur adventurer out there. It is very similar to another book I thoroughly enjoyed and laughed out loud at called "Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod" by Gary Paulsen.

Goldsheld.......2007-05-02

I think it is misleading that some have written very poor reviews of "Piano Lessons" by Noah Adams. They say the book does not have enough material about how to play the piano, or that he does not have enough patience to learn to play, and the book minimizes how much hard work it takes to play.

But the goal of this book is not to teach one to play piano. It is to trace an adult's foray into piano playing. Mr. Adams chose to begin by using a book rather than hiring a teacher. Though hiring a teacher would be a far better way to begin, by reading his story one can learn a great deal. Because he didn't just hire a teacher, we learn about all his travels through piano educational techniques and materials. We learn of Denise Kahn who teaches adults on the upper west side of Manhattan- this in fact is how I found Denise, through this book- and she is a superb teacher. We read of the Van Der Lindes piano camp for adults. Mistakenly I tried to locate them in NY rather than Vermont, so I was not successful. But I did learn of Bruce Potterton's Summerkeys program in Maine, from Denise, and spent a very valuable week there. The progress one can make in an intensive week in the summer is powerful, and will reinforce your desire to continue studying. Finally, the material with Ned Phoenix makes clear how good used instruments can be, often superior to new ones, even if they need a rebuild. I in fact, bought a used Kranich and Bach for $400. The tone is wonderful and it holds a tuning real well. It is worth around $2,000.

If you want to learn HOW to play piano i.e. technique, buy other books. If you want to read about lots of ways adults can learn piano and supplement their private lessons, and read a book with feeling that will encourage you to practice and truly learn to play well, then I highly recommend Piano Lessons.

Not Enough Piano .......2007-01-10

I was instantly intrigued by this book. I was disappointed that of the 242 pages, it take until page 181 for him to decide to even play Traumerei for his wife.

Quite frankly, this book is filled with self indulgant nonsense. If Adams had stuck to the idea of writing a book about just learning piano , it would have been fine. Instead he meanders onto subjects such buying boats and taking trips. What does any of that crap have to do with playing piano?

I think Noah Adam's experience is very indicative of the "I want everything now with little work" philosophy that pervades our country. I have very little doubt that the exquisite Steinway he bought has either been sold or is gathering dust. What a shame.

This book is shallow and depressing........2006-05-23

Two things about this book are depressing. First, the author has no patience or self-discipline, and thus cannot possibly learn to play piano well. So why does he go on this "quest" to obtain an expensive piano? The real reason, which goes unsaid but runs as a sad subtext through the book, is that it is easy for the author, who has money, to spend that money on a piano, and the satisfaction of owning the piano serves him as a substitute for the satisfaction that would be gained from learning to play it. The second reason this book is depressing is a quality that this book happens to share with countless "personal journey" memoirs that are coming out these days. It is that the author does not have the discipline, education or interest to write a serious work of non-fiction about pianos, piano manufacture or piano playing, and so turns to the much abused memoir format to squeeze a book out of what are, ultimately, mundane experiences, shallow insights and personal challenges that are ultimately abandoned.

Stupid and self-indulgent but has some good info.......2006-02-04

Yes, the story of this book is indeed shallow and self-indulgent, and those who really practice music and who spend years mastering an instrument will have nothing but well-deserved derision for the story of a guy who wants to learn to play the piano but doesn't want to put much effort into studying it. That really is the red thread running through the book: his attempts to learn the piano using instant methods such as a computer program and tapes and books from a guy who will teach you how to play by ear. And even the idea of a week-long piano camp smacks of an attempt to cram a bunch of knowledge in rather than doing what is necessary: playing day in and day out and getting better over a period of years.

When he finally plays Traumerei at the end he makes it pretty clear that he didn't really play it very well and missed lots of notes and screwed up on parts, which isn't very surprising. But again, rather than taking the time to do it right (God forbid he should put too much effort into learning music), he'd rather just crank out anything that passes as Traumerei and call himself accomplished. I have a feeling that when his wife was crying at the end it wasn't because of the touchingness of the concert that he performed for her, but rather her tears were tears of agony and pain over the aural trainwreck that was being forced upon her, a pile of musical debris that was once a majestic and beautiful piece of music.

So why do I give this nonsense a full three stars? Because there is some good information in it about musicians and pianists and performing. He did interviews with various pianists and it is fun and interesting to read about them and what they say. The small bit he said about Scott Joplin has very much improved my playing of the Entertainer, for example. Nothing in this book that comes from the author's own mind or experience is the least bit intersting, but the information he brings in from others is quite worthwhile.

Piano Lessons Music, Love & True Adventures

Average customer rating:

Piano Lessons Music, Love & True Adventures
Adams Noah
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LCILQC

Average customer rating:

Piano Lessons: Music, Love, & True Adventures
Noah Adams
Manufacturer: Delacorte Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O89LDU

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