The Vices of Integrity: E.H. Carr 1892-1982

Book Description

Edward Hallett Carr is renowned as the historian of Soviet Russia, biographer of The Romantic Exiles, founder of the 'realist' approach to the study of International Relations and author of the classic What is History? In this, his definitive biography, Jonathan Haslam paints a compelling portrait of a man torn between a vicarious identification with the romance of revolution and the ruthless realism of his own intellectual formation.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best!.......2007-10-02

Very few biographies do exist about Ed. Carr. This biography by Haslam is definitely the best. Haslam himself being a student of Carr could not have made a better tribute to his and many other 'realists' teacher.

I agree!.......2004-01-15

I thought j haslam's review of his own book below was inspiring and has it has changed my life. I bow to his high-tech genius. please don't remove it.

errors on your review page.......2002-02-07

I am the author. You have listed my name as a reviewer! Please remove it as a reviewer. It looks ridiculous.

uhh.........2001-10-23

Is the previous reviewer the same person as the author or simply his chance namesake?

This book changed my life!.......2001-04-11

The hardest thing about Haslam's study is deciding what to praise first. Haslam draws on his incomparable understanding of Soviet diplomatic history to produce a simply faultless, and certainly definitive, biography. The analysis is endlessly provocative, the conclusions definitive. I bow before his genius.

Unlimited nastiness.(Review) (book review) : An article from: New Criterion

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Unlimited nastiness.(Review) (book review) : An article from: New Criterion
David Pryce-Jones
Manufacturer: Foundation for Cultural Review
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from New Criterion, published by Foundation for Cultural Review on December 1, 1999. The length of the article is 2282 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: Unlimited nastiness.(Review) (book review)
Author: David Pryce-Jones
Publication: New Criterion (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 1999
Publisher: Foundation for Cultural Review
Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Page: 68

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The Vices of Integrity: E.H. Carr, 1892-1982

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The Vices of Integrity: E.H. Carr, 1892-1982
Jonathan Haslam
Manufacturer: Verso Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RBKV3S

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Horn of the Hunter

Bridging the gap between Hemingway and Capstick we had Ruark.

A SAFARI STORY WITH SOME ASTUTE OBSERVATIONS

from another bwana

BEST BOOK About an African Hunting Safari

Horn of the Hunter: The Story of an African Hunt
R. Ruark
Manufacturer: Safari Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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Robert Ruark's Africa

Green Hills of Africa

Something of Value

The Old Man and the Boy

Death in the Long Grass

ASIN: 1571570233

Book Description

The story of the author and his wife's two-month safari in East Africa in the 1950s. Ruark's philosophies are intertwined in the hunting stories to make unforgettable reading.

Customer Reviews:

Horn of the Hunter.......2007-03-09

I loved his stories of Africa! The book took me back to a better time when being on safari meant you could be killed by very dangerous animals or reptiles but humans were not quite as high up the list in the danger catalogue.

Bridging the gap between Hemingway and Capstick we had Ruark........2007-01-01

"Horn Of The Hunter" is one of the best stories about African hunting and wildlife that has ever been penned. (My Opinion) Robert Ruark may have written between the two era's of Hemingway and Capstick, but when it comes to writing about Africa he took a backseat to neither of them and if you have read my other reviews you know that I have nothing but praise for them both.

Ruark takes us on safari with him and his wife Virginia. The copyright is 1952 and though I couldn't find a definite time for the safari it was during the post WW II era. It is reasonable to assume that it would have been a short time prior to the copyright. He describes in great detail the African wilderness and wildlife along with the discomforts of insect bites and muddy river bottoms. Traveling through the Tanganyika wilderness in a Land Rover called Jessica with a professional hunter named Harry Selby, Ruark takes us with him on a grand adventure.

Unlike many prominent writers Ruark not only tells of his successes, but his failures as well. Throughout the text Selby compares Ruark's marksmanship with a lady client named Harriet Maytag and Ruark's responses to his comments add depth and humor to the text. There are some spectacular long range shots taken, but there are also some clean misses at both long and short range. He admits his fear of Cape Buffalo and tells us of his love for wing shooting. He talks of Selby who is as sqeamish with snakes as a teenage girl, but is the living portrait of abosolute courage when following up wounded and dangerous animals.

Ruark's delightful humor is on nearly every page as he describes various bits of unorthodox lore. Such as painting a juvinile baboon with flourescent paint to frighten off the band or Selby's advice to him to survive a buffalo stampede by shooting one of them and climbing on top of it to avoid being trampled.

When I finished reading this story I was as sad to see it end as Ruark was to leave Africa.

All in all this is a readers delight and will be a treasured gem in any hunters library.

A SAFARI STORY WITH SOME ASTUTE OBSERVATIONS.......2005-10-17

This book is the rousing and interesting story of writer Robert Ruark's two month Safari into the wilds of Africa. This was done in the 1950's and he was accompanied by his wife who also hunted by his side. Gritty and often frightening descriptions of the chase and the kill are acompanied by astute observations on the Africa of that time. He had strong opinions of many of the African tribes. Some he praised highly and others he condemned and he explains why. If you are wrapped in the fog of political correctness don't bother to read this. If you want an unvarnished, honest, very interesting tale, by all means, buy this outstanding book.

from another bwana.......2004-01-08

you know how they say''anticipation is sweeter than the possession'' thats what happened with me.Before buying this book I'have read the other reviwes,with no disrespect to other readers, but I think they have over done it a little.I am a long time big game hunter,what I found what is missing in this book is a thru heart of an hunter. The horn was there, but not the hunter. After reading the book, I remember more of the memsaabs hair care than the hunting adventures.I felt ,for Mr Ruark the shooting part of the safari was the most booring bit.Well that is his styl and I respect him
I just wanted to share my thoughts with rest of my bwana brothers.Still a good reading.Especially to know the great character of Mr. Selby.

BEST BOOK About an African Hunting Safari.......2003-10-17

This is by far and away the BEST book I've ever read about a hunting safari in Africa. Ruark and his writing are in a class by himself. ALL the other books about him like Use Enough Gun were published after his untimely death. NONE of them compare. They are collections of articles and/or very short stories (some fiction) that collectively don't hold a candle to Horn of the Hunter. His writing makes you feel like you are beside him sharing his experiences. You will not regret buying this book. Simply the best!!

Horn of the Hunter - The Story of an African Safari

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Horn of the Hunter - The Story of an African Safari

Manufacturer: Safari Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H7HDL0

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The great American novel
The Great American Novel of the 20th Century!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Strong characters and detailed descriptions of Ky people

Hunter's Horn
Harriette Simpson Arnow
Manufacturer: Michigan State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Domestic Life | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 087013437X

Customer Reviews:

The great American novel.......2006-04-20

If you've never read Harriette Arnow, or only know her through The Dollmaker, you'll be shocked at how stunning this novel is. Beautiful written, with some of the most complex and moving characters in literature.

The Great American Novel of the 20th Century!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2002-03-26

Set in rural Kentucky around WWII, this book is so good, it should replace Huckelberry Finn as "the great american novel". It is a shame that it isn't better known, but unfortunately Arnow-Simpson is thought of as a regional writer. This is a very deep book, but it also has some very funny parts. Her description of pre-consumerism country life is very detailed and insightful. She saw how the world was changing, and captured a piece of it that is now long gone. I'm not even an hunting type, and I wanted to go out and get a couple of hounds after reading this. Better even than The Dollmaker, and not half as sad. Highly Recommended!

Strong characters and detailed descriptions of Ky people.......1998-03-09

This book captures the spirit, character, and complexities of the mountain people of eastern Kentucky better than any other I have read. The individuals are simple, strong-willed, and proud like many of the people I grew up with. The descriptions of the landscape are detailed, accurate, and compelling as I remember them. For anyone interested in a better understanding of the depth of human character explained in a very readable way, this is a terrific book

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Hunters Horn

Manufacturer: The Macmillan Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H1N4BE

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The Fantastic Universe Omnibus
Hans Stefan Santesson
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ALL6A2

Introduction to Statistics (Design of Experiments Course, 1)

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Introduction to Statistics (Design of Experiments Course, 1)
J. Stuart Hunter
Manufacturer: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JLKGMW

Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Guilty Pleasures #1 Greg Horn Variant Cover

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Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Guilty Pleasures #1 Greg Horn Variant Cover
Laurell K. Hamilton
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
ASIN: B000QX1TC4

Product Description

In a world where Vampires, Zombies and Werewolves have been declared legal citizens of the United States, Anita Blake is an 'animator' - a profession that involves raising the dead for mourning relatives. But Anita is also known as a fearsome hunter of criminal vampires, and she's often employed to investigate cases that are far too much for conventional police. But as Anita gains the attention of the vampire masters of her hometown of St. Louis, she also risks revealing an intriguing secret about herself - the source of her unusual strength and power. Anita is apprehensive about being approached by a vampire to investigate a series of gruesome murders - after all, she¿d rather have nothing to do with anything baring fangs. But a bachelorette party at the 'Guilty Pleasures' nightclub brings her into contact with a whole group of vampires - including one who won't take 'no' for an answer. But with her weapons and holy items checked at the door, can Anita withstand his power?

THE BIG BOOK OF FAVORITE (Favourite) DOG STORIES: Lassie Come Home; Blood Will Tell; One Minute Longer; Mind Reading Dog; The Dog of Pompeii; Pat'tidge Dog; Gulliver the Great; Red Wull; Dog Story; For the Love of a Man; Snapshot of a Dog; A Hunter's Horn

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THE BIG BOOK OF FAVORITE (Favourite) DOG STORIES: Lassie Come Home; Blood Will Tell; One Minute Longer; Mind Reading Dog; The Dog of Pompeii; Pat'tidge Dog; Gulliver the Great; Red Wull; Dog Story; For the Love of a Man; Snapshot of a Dog; A Hunter's Horn
Florence (editor) (Eric Knight; Don Marquis; Albert Payson Terhune; John Steinbeck; Louis Untermeyer; Jim Kjelgaard; Walter A. Dyer; Alfred Ollivant; Ludwig Bemelmans; Jack London; James Thurber; Billy C. Clark; John Muir; Ruth Elizabeth Tanner) Peterson
Manufacturer: Platt and Munk
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HV69NO

Charley Reynolds - Soldier, Hunter, Scout and Guide - 1978 Limited Edition

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Charley Reynolds - Soldier, Hunter, Scout and Guide - 1978 Limited Edition
John E. Remsburg , George J. Remsburg , and Charley Reynolds
Manufacturer: J.M. Carroll Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UA2MF6

Elements of Experimental Design and Analysis (Design of Experiments Course, 2)

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Elements of Experimental Design and Analysis (Design of Experiments Course, 2)
J. Stuart Hunter
Manufacturer: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JLJYIE

Book Description

Early in the book the students encounter fundamental tax concepts such as basis, case-method, and accrual-method accounting; depreciation; and gain from the sale of property. Later chapters apply these principles in more difficult settings. This organization allows students to develop their understanding of key concepts in simple settings, and then to review and reinforce these concepts. Contains a large number of purposely brief problems and textual notes on tax policy, progressive taxation, preferences for capital gains, the exclusion of gifts and bequests from income, the taxation of life insurance, and the relevance of state law determinations to federal tax disputes.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Textbooks Around.......2000-01-05

Professors Gunn and Ward have produced one of the best textbooks for any area of the law. The cases are tightly edited, and the narrative makes complex rules easily understandable. This is worth reading for anyone interested in tax -- it explains basic and complicated concepts equally well.

Federal Income Tax: Doctrine, Structure and Policy-Text, Cases, Problems (Michie Contemporary Legal Education Series)

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Federal Income Tax: Doctrine, Structure and Policy-Text, Cases, Problems (Michie Contemporary Legal Education Series)
Joseph M. Dodge , J. Clifton Fleming , and Deborah A. Geier
Manufacturer: Lexis Law Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Taxation | Law | Subjects | Books

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Federal Income Taxation, a Law Student's Guide to the Leading Cases and Concepts (Concepts and Insights Series)

ASIN: 0327012560

Book Description

This casebook has a Teacher's Manual (available only to faculty, directly from the Publisher).

Federal income taxation of domestic and foreign business transactions: Text, cases, and problems (Contemporary legal education series)

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Federal income taxation of domestic and foreign business transactions: Text, cases, and problems (Contemporary legal education series)
Samuel C Thompson
Manufacturer: Bobbs-Merrill Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Taxation | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0672840758

Teacher's Manual to Accompany Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation

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Teacher's Manual to Accompany Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation
Alan Gunn , and Larry D. Ward
Manufacturer: West Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0314233687

Product Description

Fourth Edition, 270 pages

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Product Description

Fifth Edition, 307 pages

1991 Supplement to Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation (American Casebook Series)

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1991 Supplement to Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation (American Casebook Series)
Alan Gunn , and Larry D. Ward
Manufacturer: West Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Taxation | Law | Subjects | Books

American Casebook | Series | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0314845933

Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation

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Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation
Alan Gunn
Manufacturer: West Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTQAD8

Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation (American Casebook Series)

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Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation (American Casebook Series)
Alan; Ward, Larry D. Gunn
Manufacturer: West Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

American Casebook | Series | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OTPDMC

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Cases, Text and Problems on Federal Income Taxation (American Casebook Series)
Larry D. WardAlan Gunn
Manufacturer: West Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

American Casebook | Series | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OTQR9K

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Terrific Value

Excellent, but ...

A 'must' for any avid train collector

O'Briens Collecting Toy Trains

A Treasure Trove of Information for Toy Train Collectors

O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains: Identification and Value Guide (O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains)

Manufacturer: Krause Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Toys | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Model Trains | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Standard Catalog Of Lionel Trains 1900-1942 (Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains 1900-1942)

Standard Catalog of Lionel 1945-1969 (Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains 1945-1969)

Warman's Lionel Train Field Guide: Values And Identification (Warman's Field Guides)

Standard Catalog of Lionel Train Sets 1945-1969

Classic Toy Trains (Motorbooks Classic)

ASIN: 0896893049

Book Description

For the first time in full color, O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains has photos and listings of the leading brands of toy trains - Lionel (prewar and postwar), American Flyer, Ives, AMT, Kusan, Buddy L, Marx, Plasticville and Unique. Get the big picture of the hobby more than 100,000 train collectors enjoy. You'll find:

1,200 color photos as visual reference Locomotives, rolling stock and accessories Updated pricing throughout 6,000+ listings

David Doyle is a well-respected toy train expert who lives in Memphis, Tenn. His books include Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains, 1900-1942; Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains, 1945-1969 and Warman's Lionel Trains Field Guide.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific Value.......2007-05-07

This book is very helpful tool to determine values and identification of collectible model trains. There are numerous good quality pictures and a very complete listing of models. Valuation of trains are in line with other publications. Very good reference for a collector or a model train dealer.

Excellent, but ..........2006-07-20

The 6th edition is much improved over previous editions, especially with more and clearer pictures. It does have two faults -- almost nothing on pre-war American Flyer accessories (neither did previous editions) and seems to have left out Marx 3/16 scale tinplate cars, a very popular catagory, and which was included in previous editions.

A 'must' for any avid train collector.......2006-07-07

For the first time in full color, the updated 6th edition of O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains pairs photos of the leading brands with listings of collectible pieces and their values. Over a thousand such photos provide visual reference to updated prices of over 6,000 train listings, organized handily by maker name for quick reference. David Doyle is a renowned toy expert who has produced catalogs of Lionel trains before: O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains expands to other makers, includes color sidebars of data and information, and is a 'must' for any avid train collector.

O'Briens Collecting Toy Trains.......2006-07-02

This book is worth 10 times the money,It has valuable pictures and price guides for various makes and models.It also has accessories with price guide. I would recomend this book to anyone who collects model trains.

A Treasure Trove of Information for Toy Train Collectors.......2000-02-09

This 5th edition, 448 page volume contains a wealth of information, updated with the latest prices. It contains over 6,000 listings and more than 2,200 photos, mostly black and white (plus a 16 page full color section containing very large, sharp photos). In addition to the complete listings, it provides background information on each manufacturer. Topics range from American Flyer to Lionel, to Marx and Tootsietoy. A number of pages cover "miscellaneous" makers. Every item bears prices for up to 3 grades of condition. A must for toy train collectors!

Collecting Toy Trains: An Identification & Value Guide, No. 4 (O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains)

Average customer rating:

Very informative

Collecting Toy Trains: An Identification & Value Guide, No. 4 (O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains)

Manufacturer: Books Americana
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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

Model Trains | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains: Identification and Value Guide (O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains)

ASIN: 0896891208

Customer Reviews:

Very informative.......1999-10-09

Helps a collector get a better understanding in the identification process and the approximate value of toy trains. This will allow the person to know what they are purchasing and/or bidding on. I have volume 3 and just ordered volume 4. A must for beginners.

Collecting Toy Trains: An Identification & Value Guide, No. 3 (O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains)

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Collecting Toy Trains: An Identification & Value Guide, No. 3 (O'Brien's Collecting Toy Trains)
Richard O'Brien
Manufacturer: Books Americana
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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

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

Model Trains | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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

Collecting Toy Trains: Identification and Value Guide

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Collecting Toy Trains: Identification and Value Guide
Richard O'Brien
Manufacturer: Pub: Krause Publicationsk Iola, Wi, 1997.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OMEUQY

Book Description

For quilt historians, pattern collectors, and creative quilters, this book offers Penny Square quilts and embroidery patterns that tell stories or offer insight into the spirit of the quiltmaker. Create your own bit of history with the simple art of a Penny Square. AUTHORBIO: Willa is a native of Buffalo, NY and has a passion for quilting and teaching. She began teaching quilting for community education and quilt guilds. During the early 1990s, Willa was invited to teach at National Quilt conferenc in Columbus, IN, Bellegrave Plantation, VI, and Paducah, KY. Willa Bee Studio was formed in 1991 as a vehicle to share her collection of authentic 1900 Penny Square Patterns.

Customer Reviews:

Good Information.......1999-12-11

As a clinically licensed Marriage & Family Therapist who has worked in a state agency for over 26 years with hard to handle youth, and also maintained a private psychotherapy practice for over 18 years, I must say that this is a VERY GOOD book. In over 20 years of teaching a weekly 2 hour parenting class I have seen many "parenting guides" come and go, and I'm not usually impressed by most of them. Many of the books simply reinforce parents need for emotionally leveraging the child into compliance. Short term looks great, long term BIG PRICETAGS. . .(like the kids won't come home for Christmas holidays, when they are 25 years old. . .etc) I think that too many of the "guides" teach parents to be RIGHT rather than CLOSE. In contrast to that position, the information contained in "What Kids Need to Succeed" is not only VERY pertinent to interacting with youth, but provides a basic outline of what needs are important to address with children/youth to help support them toward responsible, independent adulthood. I believe that the suggestions are sound in terms of being research based and from my experience certainly do yield great results. The approach is proactive and constructive, which is very reflective of what current research indicates works best. The conceptual foundation of encouragement and empowerment is (IMHO) the ONLY way to help children/youth INTEGRATE constructive, growth enhancing principles, rather than just reacting to demanding adults who require compliance. I liked the book a lot and will be adding it to the 4 other manuals that I use in teaching parenting skills. I would guess some parents will resist this approach because it requires them to give up trying to control and dominant the child and replace it with mentoring, friendship and alliance. . . All in all I really appreciate this book and it is required reading in all my classes now.

Trite, trite, trite.......1999-03-16

This is a "Hallmark meets child development" sort of book. It's got lots of "paradigms" and concepts drawn (haphazardly, it would seem) from serious knowledge about the subject, but it's served up in a pretty simplistic way. The world it hearkens to seems more like a gated community than any real city I know. And the folksy, sometimes chummily evangelical, prose style is often clumsy and occasionally downright silly.

a very inspiring book on such an important subject.......1999-02-26

This is one of those books that makes you keep telling yourself, I knew that. What makes it so fabulous is that it puts all those things you know are right together in a very useful format. Just looking through it renews your confidence that you can do something to make a difference to children.

Amazon.com

As often happens with biographies written from a personal point of view, this book tells us more about the author than the subject. Ayke Agus was born in strife-torn Indonesia, the oldest child in a large, authoritarian, repressive family. Musically very gifted, she studied both violin and piano and was exhibited from an early age as her country's most promising violin prodigy. Her mother was a great admirer of Jascha Heifetz; little Ayke grew up listening to his records and made him her musical and personal idol. She escaped her restrictive life by going to America to study, and eventually entered Heifetz's master class at the University of Southern California. He quickly pressed her into service as class pianist; soon, she became his personal accompanist and increasingly indispensable companion. This is the story of their symbiotic love-hate relationship, which lasted until his death 15 years later. During that time, she found out that her idol had feet of clay and never forgave him for it.

There is a certain fascination in discovering the weaknesses and foibles of famous people. Yet this portrait of the great Jascha Heifetz is not really a "warts and all" account, but rather one that's "all warts." It depicts him as demanding, controlling, manipulative, tyrannical, sadistic, inflexible, narrow-minded, suspicious, reclusive, and, as his health declined, increasingly erratic, unpredictable, and irrational. When Agus met him, he had already retired from the stage, but still played chamber music privately with friends and students, and he did not stop playing for himself until almost the end. He poured a lot of energy into his master class. According to Agus's sometimes enlightening, sometimes primitive description, Heifetz's manner of teaching--he had no method--was intensely concentrated, but unremittingly, often unrealistically, demanding and despotic, pedagogically and personally.

But it's his relationship with the author herself that naturally takes center stage. Heifetz very soon added musical and domestic duties to her services until Agus spent virtually all her time at his beck and call, finally doing everything for him, even after she got married and became a mother, from running his household to administering his eye drops. She claims it was entirely due to her coaxing and assistance that he resumed work on his unfinished transcriptions. In return, he taught her a lot about making, performing, and arranging music. They exchanged stories about their lives, and she felt a bond in their both having grown up as prodigies (to whom he developed a lifelong aversion). Agus concludes that, like her, Heifetz was exploited by his parents, but unlike her, he was spoiled as well, and she speculates that this made him "a superannuated, insecure, and immature child," unable to form lasting relationships, craving but alienating friends. She discreetly avoids discussing his marital and family life. Not surprisingly, the sections about herself are written with the most natural immediacy; elsewhere, her style is often clumsy, with forced American colloquialisms, shallow pseudo-philosophical reflections, and pseudo-psychological analyses. There is a note of condescension, almost of contempt, in the way she portrays her tarnished idol, while underlining her own self-sacrificing loyalty, which she calls "putting up with him."

As he got older, Heifetz became profoundly depressive. He underwent a serious shoulder operation and suffered many increasingly dangerous falls. An intensely private person, he lived alone even when his health was failing, and Ayke Agus apparently took it upon herself to cope with all his problems. The reader wonders: should she not have informed his children of his condition before the final crisis? And why did she stay with him when his demands became ever more unreasonable, his behavior more abusive? She says she was held captive by her early, incurable hero-worship of the man and the artist, and by the music they made together. Yet her account reads like an act of catharsis, if not revenge. --Edith Eisler

Book Description

For the last 15 years of Jascha Heifetz's life, Ayke Agus was his closest companion. She came to him as a violin student in his master class at the University of Southern California, but he singled her out when he heard her play the piano. She became his private accompanist and ultimately his assistant and confidante. A sensitive and astute observer, Agus takes up where previous biographers left off; her book is a loving yet unblinking portrait of an aging master by his disciple.

Customer Reviews:

poor.......2007-09-05

This is a poorly written Biography. More then half of the book is spent describing the author's upbringing and childhood...but who cares??? We didn't buy the book to read about Ayke Agus, we bought it to read about Heifetz.

multiple perspectives on Heifetz -- get the masterclass video.......2007-06-30

It's interesting to see reviewers critize this book as being too much about the author and not enough about Heifetz. These reviewers then go on to reveal more about themselves than about the book they are reviewing. If you are interested in Heifetz, and many people believe that he did transform violin performance, then -- assuming you have already listened to his music -- read the Sherry Kloss book, watch his masterclass videos, get the Axelrod book (and detour into the Axelrod story) and keep all this information in mind while you read The Accompanist's Tale. No one perspective can capture the complexity of this genius.

As far as Agus goes, here is her current appraisal of Heifetz, from her Web site:

"that stellar musician and tutor, Jascha Heifetz, whose musical beliefs, teachings and art of collaboration I have been privileged to enjoy... "

This is not a biography, this is a master class........2005-08-20

First, please dispel previous reviewers comments that too much of this book is about Ayke Agus. Her story is pretty much in one chapter. The rest is her first hand recollection of Heifetz in his last 15 years.

This is no boring biography. You can read that in Bakers. This is a fascinating book. Over a chapter is devoted to Heifetz's teaching methods. It is really interesting to read this part if you are a violinist.

There is no name-dropping. You won't read about Heifetz vs. this or that. This book is an intimate look at Heifetz the person as much as anything. It is not so much meant to be critical as simply to be fair. Heifetz is not painted in any moral terms so much as he is described as a real human being.

In fact, the book simply is very candid about a musician who may well have been the last of his kind. If you are interested in Heifetz, this is clearly a "must read".

Tugs at the Heart Strings.......2004-06-23

In 'Heifetz As I Knew Him', Ayke Agus reveals the man behind the instrument. Jascha Heifetz was undoubtedly the greatest violinist of the 20th Century, performing in theaters throughout the world and to audiences enraptured by the beauty of his musical gift. He shared this gift for more than 80 years, acquiring not only lasting esteem but also enduring friendships. Sadly, it was one of these friendships that was responsible for the abiding self-doubt that characterized his later years. As Agus writes on pages 90 to 94;

'In 1972, Leonard Bernstein argued against Heifetz's claim that the terms 'pop star' and 'intelligence' were not mutually exclusive. Their public feud made headlines around the world as Bernstein continued to invade the stages of performers such as Gary Glitter, Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart and the Sex Pistols, shouting to the audiences, "See? I'm right!" Unable to produce breathing, sentient evidence to the contrary, Heifetz had no choice but to concede defeat in May, 1979. Humiliated and disillusioned, he then fled into self-imposed exile. For the normally ebullient violinist, these were dark, discordant days, and in one of his poignant letters to me, sent from a neo-Kantian sanatorium in the Swiss Alps, Jascha wrote,

'Ayke... my life is now bereft of meaning... there is no pizzi to my cato... you know anyone who wants to buy a cheap fiddle?'

Needless to say, I was furious with Bernstein. He snapped up the violin before I'd even had a chance to make Jascha an offer.'

'Heifetz As I Knew Him' is a passionate tribute to an exceptional individual.

A Must Read for Violinists and Music Lovers!!!.......2003-06-18

This book was absolutely wonderful. I found it quite inspiring to read about who the man was behind the name Heifetz. It has made him more human in my mind, and ultimately more endearing. Before, I could not imagine that a person who played so close to perfection could be real. Agus does a fabulous job in giving us a glimpse of the "realness" of Heifetz.
I have ordered copies of this book for several of my friends already. I even talked about it in my graduation speech! What else can I say... it's just a great book!

Customer Reviews:

A pre WWII peek into a Balkan family.......2000-12-10

This book, while perhaps not of general interest, was fascinating to me, since my husband was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and was a distant relative of the author. The blindness of the participants to the events swirling around them in Europe was startling. Their concerns with business and success overrode any concern with the outside world. Marriage between cousins, uncles and nieces, was common emphasizing the clannishness of the Jewish population. This world ended with the commencement of WW II. The book definitely has a limited audience.

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