Thoughts of a Money Lender

Thoughts of a Money Lender
Average customer rating:

I can recommend this book, an enjoyable no-nonsense read.

Thoughts of a Money Lender
John Carlshausen
Manufacturer: Vantage Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Budgeting & Money Management | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0533125243

Customer Reviews:

I can recommend this book, an enjoyable no-nonsense read........1999-10-23

A very enjoyable & rewarding read. As the author states, this a no-nonsense practical book for the everyday businessman (not just for the high flyers). Great advice for success - without the big price tag.

2001 Electronic ZIP-Area Code Directory Standard Edition : Fully Searchable Database on CD-ROM of all US ZIP Codes and Area Codes
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2001 Electronic ZIP-Area Code Directory Standard Edition : Fully Searchable Database on CD-ROM of all US ZIP Codes and Area Codes
Office TimeSavers
Manufacturer: Office TimeSavers, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

General | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Directories | Catalogs & Directories | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1930242069

Book Description

Office TimeSavers produces the best ZIP code and area code database on CD-ROM for use with Windows 95/98. This CD-ROM has been designed to be used logically and intuitively with easy-to-read fonts and layouts to quickly provide you with all the answers. This fully searchable database allows you search by ZIP code, city name, telephone area code, or by time zone. All records have been updated with all the scheduled changes for year 2001 for both ZIP Codes and telephone area codes.

Book Description

It is night and Edmund is all alone. His mother is gone. His sister has disappeared. Edmund has no one, except for a dark and mysterious stranger who follows him through the cold and shadowy city with offers of help. But who is this stranger who gives Edmund refuge? He has a mission of his own and he needs Edmund, but he tells him nothing of his purpose. Yet the stranger is Edmund's only hope of discovering the dark secrets that surround the disappearance of his family...

Customer Reviews:

I am a sixth grader.......2007-03-06

The Man Who Was Poe
By Avi

4 stars

I am a sixth grader. The Man Who Was Poe is a good book, but not one of my favorites. My favorite all-time books are The Spiderwick Chronicles, but I read those a long time ago. The best book I read recently is Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke.

The Man Who Was Poe is a good mystery. I am a fan of Edgar Allen Poe, and I like this story because it is similar to a kind of story he would write. I recommend you read some Poe stories before you read this so you get the idea of what I mean. My favorite Poe stories are The Black Cat, The Masque of Red Death, The Fall of the House of Usher and The Telltale Heart.

The main characters in The Man Who Was Poe are a man named Augustus Dupin and an eleven-year old boy named Edmund. Mr. Dupin is a mysterious character that is a heavy drinker and writes in his journal a lot. He runs into Edmund at a time when the boy is in serious need of help and has no one else to turn to. Augustus Dupin is a very interesting character and his relationship to Edmund makes the story fascinating.

My favorite part in the book is when Mr. Dupin reveals his true identity. Edmund wasn't stunned; he just wanted Dupin to keep his promise to help him. One of the reasons that The Man Who Was Poe isn't one of my favorite books is because it is a little bit predictable. I suspected Dupin's true identity from very early in the book.

I recommend this book for Poe lovers or mystery seekers.

4 stars for Edmund; none for Poe.......2006-08-17

The main reason I read this book (actually, I listened to it on cd), is because Edgar Allan Poe, both the man and his writings, has always intrigued me. I have read many books featuring Poe as a character and have enjoyed most of them. However, the character of Poe in this book is extremely unlikable and tiresome. I felt very sorry for Edmund, who, after all, was only eleven, and had only Poe to depend on. I don't think anyone familiar with Poe would expect him to be affable and cheery, but this portrayal of Poe made him so unappealing that it really affected my enjoyment of the story. Poor Edmund; half the time Poe couldn't seem to remember who Edmund was. When he did remember, he was more concerned with how Edmund's plight could become a Poe story than with actually helping Edmund. I know he was suffering from alcoholism, but I still wanted him to redeem himself in some way. He was one of the most self-absorbed characters I ever remember reading about.

On the plus side, the mystery is interesting and the book is well written. The narrator on the cd version did a nice job. People who have no knowledge or interest in Poe may well enjoy this story more than I did. I only hope the real Edgar Allan Poe had more positive qualities than the one in this book did.

Flashback!.......2006-08-01

I read this book when I was in middle school (I'm 25 now!), and I remeber LOVING it. I want to go back and read it again just to see if I still find it entertaining. Any kids out there thinking of picking up this book, please do! And look into the real works by Edgar Allen Poe, America's greatest author, although know that this book is 100% fiction.

Okay.......2006-04-02

Reading this book in English class last semester was great. Avi did a great job with showing what she thought of Edgar Allen Poe. The book is a real page turner. I was suprised at how it ended. The only problem I had was when it was revealed who kidnapped Sis and what happended to Auntie. It was a little confusing.

Penny Lane

Avi Has Done It Again!.......2006-03-30

I read this book when I had finished reading Crispin - by AVI. I found Avi a great writer, and read this book. It was amazing! I couldn't put it down for a second! It drew you in and left you in Edmunds place. Edmunds mother, sister, and aunt are all missing! Mr. Dupin helps hime, but he is a bit twisted. I reccomend this book to all!

Average customer rating:

The Man Who Was Poe
Avi
Manufacturer: Perfection Learning Prebound
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0780702298

Average customer rating:

Best mystery ever

Man Who Was Poe
Avi
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

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

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0613829840

Customer Reviews:

Best mystery ever.......2005-05-13

Edmund and Sis are alone. Their aunt has been gone for two days. Starving, Edmund goes to a local pub for food. Upon returning to his dreary Providence apartment, he finds that Sis is gone. Desperate, Edmund turns to anybody who can help. The only person who agrees to help is a stranger named Dupin. Who is Dupin? Can he be trusted? Where is Sis? Aunt? Read The Man Who Was Poe, by Avi to find out.

I liked this book because it's a combination of a murder mystery and a horror. I also liked this book because, living in Rhode Island, I can relate to it, having been to many of the places mentioned in this book. If you like a good thrill, this is the book for you!

Average customer rating:

Bloch doing what Bloch does best

Bogey Men

Manufacturer: Pyramid Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1115008390

Product Description

Weird Tales

Customer Reviews:

Bloch doing what Bloch does best.......2005-03-28

Which is writing excellent stories. This 1963 anthology gathers together ten stories, several of which will be well known to Bloch's fans, and a short biographical essay on the author himself by Sam Moskowitz. The ten tales show Bloch's range to good effect. A Matter of Life is a crime/suspense story of a rather unique door-to-door salesman. The Model Bride is a gotcha horror short short, while Broomstick Ride is a "science-fiction" piece about space travellers investigating a planet where magic appears to be quite real. Memo to a Movie Maker is Bloch doing comedy as only he can. The Thinking Cap has a struggling writer gifted with a unique idea generator and The Shoes is a prime example of Bloch's ability to come up with a brilliant twist ending. The Man Who Collected Poe is a story about just that, and was adapted by the author for the horror anthology film Torture Garden (Jack Palance and Peter Cushing starred in that particular story). Bloch obviously drew upon his personal experience with fandom, not to mention his legendary correspondence with H.P. Lovecraft, for The Ghost Writer, which is another excellent story. The Man Who Murdered Tomorrow closes out the piece, and a more fitting finale could not be offered. Any fan of horror, suspense, crime, or science-fiction should immediately search out the stories of Robert Bloch, for he was one of the greats of the 20th century and he should never be forgotten. Highest recommedation.

DANGER: Run from the Hangman; Reunion with Terror; The Dream; Set up for Murder; Motive for Murder; Mystery of the Master Safe Cracker; Dead Man in the Water; One of the Dead; Hand Upon the Waters; Possibility of Evil; Woman Who Wouldn't Stay Dead

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DANGER: Run from the Hangman; Reunion with Terror; The Dream; Set up for Murder; Motive for Murder; Mystery of the Master Safe Cracker; Dead Man in the Water; One of the Dead; Hand Upon the Waters; Possibility of Evil; Woman Who Wouldn't Stay Dead
Saturday Evening Post (editors) (Geoffred Household; Martha Albrand; Agatha Christie; Richard Stern; Robert Standish; Philip Wylie; William Wood; William Faulkner; Shirley Jackson; Gerald Kersh; Edgar Allan Poe)
Manufacturer: Curtis Books with Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GVZFI0

Average customer rating:

Man Who Called Himself Poe
Sam Moskowitz
Manufacturer: DOUBLEDAY & CO INC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TXKCNI

Average customer rating:

Awesome

The Man Who Called Himself Poe,
Samuel, Comp. Moskowitz
Manufacturer: DoubleDay
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0385085370

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2000-05-05

This is a great book for the true Poe lover.

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The Man Who Was Poe
Avi
Manufacturer: Orchard Books (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

The Man Who Was Poe [UNABRIDGED CD] (Audiobook)

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The Man Who Was Poe [UNABRIDGED CD] (Audiobook)
Avi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 1428158448

Product Description

This dark, spooky tale of suspense is a superb way to introduce young adults to one of early Americas greatest writers. Masterfully imitating the macabre tone of Poes fiction, Avi spins a tale of a young boy who asks Edgar Allan Poe to help him escape a plot of murder, calculation, and deception.

MASTERPIECES OF SUSPENSE: Swindler's Luck; Miracle of the Fifteen Murderers; The Wooden Horse; Remember the Night; The Price of the Head; Fourth Man; Black Cat; Baby in the Icebox; Man Who Liked Dickens; Blackmail

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MASTERPIECES OF SUSPENSE: Swindler's Luck; Miracle of the Fifteen Murderers; The Wooden Horse; Remember the Night; The Price of the Head; Fourth Man; Black Cat; Baby in the Icebox; Man Who Liked Dickens; Blackmail
Rosamund (editor) (Ben Hecht; Eric Williams; Day Keene; John Russell; Edgar Allan Poe; James M. Cain; Evelyn Waugh; Allan Vaughan Elston) Morris
Manufacturer: Hart Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FMOXXI

National Civic Review, No. 1, Spring 2003: Innovating in the New Millennium: Lessons From the Local Level (J-B NCR Single Issue National Civic Review)
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National Civic Review, No. 1, Spring 2003: Innovating in the New Millennium: Lessons From the Local Level (J-B NCR Single Issue National Civic Review)

Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Nonprofit Organizations & Charities | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0787968714

Book Description

This issue confirms the National Civic League's continuing dedication to seek out the promising developments at the local level that can help reinvigorate our democracy. Articles celebrate the active role that citizens, in concert with local government officials and members of the private and nonprofit sectors, play in communities across the country. Contributors also highlight the potential impact of such local and state level civic engagement can have on national trends in political reform, particularly in the highly active area of campaign finance reform.

Case studies from the field include an analysis of the response to the Los Angeles disturbances a decade later that emphasizes the prominent role that grassroots organizations have had in crafting efforts to make changes there. The city manager of Chico, California, takes a searching look at the public hearing process and makes applicable suggestions for improving its efficacy as a tool for citizen involvement. Richard C. Harwood, founder and president of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, contributes a thoughtful essay on patriotism and the devotion we all need to bring to the public square as we take up our responsibilities for the common good.

Book Description

'The World's Easiest Pocket Guide' brand is filling a vacuum in the bookselling marketplace with an introductory level series on subjects affecting important lifestyle issues. Each product features a highly recognizable author writing on topics of his or her expertise. Shortly after leaving home or college, most young adults are unprepared for making practical life decisions and planning for their futures. Leading financial expert Larry Burkett has created this practical pocket guide to help young adults make sound financial decisions from the start. Filled with bite-sized chunks of trustworthy advice, readers will be better equipped to choose the right first job or career.

Amazon.com

Robert Joffrey took ballet from its lofty and often inaccessible perch and helped popularize it to a broad audience without once compromising the level of its art. His company was metamorphic, infusing its performances with both tradition and innovation, seriousness and wit, and highbrow and lowbrow, producing much of this century's most memorable dance. Anawalt's biography not only elegantly describes how the company developed but how it helped shape American dance.

Book Description

The Joffrey Ballet is a comprehensive history of the quintessential American dance troupe and a textured portrait of Robert Joffrey, the creative maverick who led and inspired it. Broadly researched, richly anecdotal, and elegantly written, The Joffrey Ballet probes the complex relationship that exists between a culture and its artists through the prism of this company's story.

"[The Joffrey Ballet is] remarkable for its warmth and vigor, and for its blending of candor and judiciousness."—Jack Anderson, New York Times Book Review

"A milestone in dance writing. Few studies in the field will be able to match Sasha Anawalt's elegant style."—Anna Kisselgoff, New York Times

"Anawalt transforms years of meticulous research into a cliffhanger of a history."—Elizabeth Zimmer, dance editor, Village Voice

"[The Joffrey Ballet] is a meticulously detailed, well-documented history, juiced with a little gossip here and there . . . [and] a valuable sweeping look at this all-important troupe."—Sid Smith, Chicago Tribune Book Review

"[Anawalt's] approach is deeper and more satisfying than straightforward biography."—Marcia B. Siegel, Village Voice

Customer Reviews:

An engrossing history of a most important American dance co........1998-07-30

A fascinating, incredibly well-researched history of the Joffrey Ballet -- and its place in American dance. I myself had worked as an intern backstage there when I was younger, and I must say it really captured the company's spirit and the personalities of the major players, such as Mr. Joffrey and Gerald Arpino. Answalt has a knack for presenting the complexities of running a dance company in the US and for fairly examining the disputes between artists and board members that nearly destroyed the Joffrey. If I have any quibble at all, and it is small, it is that from time to time certain events are a little rushed and merit more detail. But that's a small problem, indeed.

The Joffrey Ballet: Robert Joffrey and the Making of an American Dance Company

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The Joffrey Ballet: Robert Joffrey and the Making of an American Dance Company
Sasha Anawalt
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OOT6HK

Book Description

Nurtured by his childhood on a Navajo reservation where visions were accepted as a natural part of reality, the late shaman-artist David Chethlahe Paladin created brilliant and evocative paintings that resonate between the physical world and the world of dreams. Here, for the first time, thirty-five full color plates of his paintings have been gathered together in book form. One of the first Native American painters to move beyond traditional themes and styles of painting, Paladin continued to draw inspiration and a rich, symbolic vocabulary from the creation stories that figure prominently in his paintings. Alive with Navajo, Pueblo, Huichol, and Egyptian deities; Aboriginal Dreamtime images; and mythological beings born of the imagination and lore of many ages and lands, Paladin's art has been praised for its exuberance, eclecticism, spirituality, and original use of symbols. Together, his prose and paintings illuminate a philosophy in which we are all creators and transformers when we respond with openness to our environment and our fellow beings.

Praised by critics and sought by collectors, the art of David Paladin (1926--1984) is rich with the symbolism of his native traditions.

Customer Reviews:

PAINTING THE DREAM by DAVID CHETHLAHE PALADIN.......2000-03-19

I was greatly moved by the life story, poems, and art of this remarkable person named David Chethlahe Paladin in "PAINTING THE DREAM".

Through his colorful life, suffering, and cultures; he brought me to an understanding of our inter-connectedness with one another and the universe.

It is relevant that we learn from his knowledge base, in order to live better, healthier, and a more harmonious exsistance. We must understand that there is so very much more for us to understand.

David opens up a window you have never looked through before.

No matter who you are, where you came from, your sorrows and joys of your life experience; there is no way that you can walk away- after reading this book and experiencing the essence of this exceptional human being- that you won't be positively inspired for the rest of your life.

A book of light and wisdom.......2000-03-15

I always come back to this book. It contains more than magnificient paintings. It contains wisdom, peace, light, dreams. An incredible perspective of life. Everything in this book is made with beauty: the words, the thoughts, the paintings, the stories. It opens our eyes to the world of the chamans. And, strangely, it also opens our eyes to our own inner world! Magnificient.

A book to make your blood vibrate.......1999-09-12

I bought this book after hearing Carolyn Myss's version of Paladin's story. I was surprised to read Paladin's version which is quite different; Myss seems to have invented some facts. All that aside, this a deeply moving book. You feel what it is to be a shaman, and visually it is beyond description. I wondered why a paperback was so expensive, and then I saw the 31 plates. I would be thrilled to have any of this art in my home. The back of the book says you can buy it. If I had the money I would. This is a stunning book for anyone interested in healing.

Book Description

Hero of the Republic is the biography of triple Medal of Honor winner, James Madison Cutts, Jr. A gallant officer on the staff of General Ambrose E. Burnside, Madison was court-martialed for looking at a woman undressing in a hotel, publicly disgraced, and sentenced to be dismissed from the service. President Lincoln, seeing treachery and jealousy in his court-martial, gave him a personal reprimand and sent him back to his unit with the Army of the Potomac. Determined to regain his honor or die trying, Madison distinguished himself at the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Petersburg to such a degree that he was universally acclaimed as a hero of the Republic. For conspicuous gallantry in battle, he was awarded a triple Medal of Honor.

Hot Appeals or Burnt Offerings: Do's and Don'ts for Twenty-First Century Fundraising
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Hot Appeals or Burnt Offerings: Do's and Don'ts for Twenty-First Century Fundraising
Herschell Gordon Lewis
Manufacturer: Racom Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Marketing | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1933199075
Release Date: 2006-12-01

Product Description

It's a new century and with it a radically difference fundraising ambience from that of the kinder, gentler 1980s and 1990s. That world was certainly competitive; but the competition didn't include the World Wide Web and a welter of other forces--some positive, others sinister--competing for and weighing down on your loyal patrons. In this world of instant worldwide communication, the local library competes with the local symphony orchestra ... which competes with the local hospital, which competes with national hospitals ... which in turn compete with international organizations soliciting funds for helping the poor or eradicating diseases ... which in turn compete with the local library. In addition to greater immediacy and greater competition, there is the greater ability to target actual donors and potential donors. Add to this is another reality that hasn't changed: Donors have a finite amount of money approximately the same amount as in the pre-Internet, pre-World Wide Web days-- to contribute to all causes. Two words are operative here. First is Attention, because our best potential donors are the ones whose attention is most in play. They're the ones whose e-mail boxes are the most crowded. They're the ones most likely to be jaded by constant "We need help" messages from various nonprofit sources. They're the ones most likely to be courted by every competitor, whether library, orchestra, college, hospital, or major cause. And theirs is the attention most likely to be fragmented. The second operative word is Relevance. Those others out there, they aren't as relevant as we are. They don't offer as much personal recognition, which in turn means they don't offer as much personal satisfaction. So we turn on the psychological afterburners and go for emotional relevance. Otherwise, we're just one more lifeboat bobbing aimlessly in the roiling competitive seas. This is a deep-into-twenty-first century book, giving guidance to weatherin

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Do's and Don'ts of Fundraising
Joseph Johnson , Adrienne Johnson , and Suzanne Mayo-Theus
Manufacturer: Leathers Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Nonprofit Organizations & Charities | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Systems & Planning | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Raising Capital | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1585972630

Book Description

If you have ever had a burning desire to make an impact on your community but did not have the funds to make your project a reality, here's the help you need, a very practical "how-to" manual for securing funding.

It takes more than luck to raise money. The authors have worked as highly successful fundraisers for large international organizations and offer real-life experience and knowledge of financial procurement.

Book Description

In this delightful volume, Malachy McCourt takes readers on a surprising and emotional journey, centered around one of the most enduring songs in history. Exploring the mysteries of 'Danny Boy,' a song with roots in distant centuries, this tribute features commentary from such luminaries as Seamus Heaney, Liam Neeson, and the author's brother, Frank McCourt.

Customer Reviews:

Empty covers.......2004-02-10

This item (to call it a "book" would be an insult to books) has perhaps three pages of information about the history and substance of "Danny Boy". The remaining 138 pages are irrelevant Hamburger Helper. Save your $18.95 (or even your lower Amazon price) for something worth the money.

..though soft you tread above me.........2003-11-15

An excellent book by an excellent writer!McCourt has awaken the intrest in all of us to get to the bottom of what this song is all about.I think he has done it, and each time I hear it ,I will think of this book,and of what the song means to me.
Though there are numerous ideas about what the song means,who was it to and from etc.,he has shown that doesn't really matter.It is a song expressing deep love,and it can mean whatever the listener wants it to mean.I have dozens of versions and although they vary greatly I love them all.I am always happy to hear it by another singer whether a professional or just an ordinary person singing from the heart.
As to whether or not the words were written in Ireland by an Irishman;it doesn't matter in the least,it's a great Irish song.
When you stop and think about it,there's no way it could be anything else but Irish.Johnny Cash wrote "Forty Shades of Green" as he was flying over Ireland,a school teacher living in Ontario wrote "Maggie" to his lover,and if that isn't enough, the song "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" was written in America and had nothing at all to do with taking Kathleen back to Ireland,because she didn't come from there in the first place.
However;all these songs are Irish .What you have to remember is that there over 50 million Irish dispersed all over the world including about 4 million in Ireland.This book would be a great gift for anyone with a song in their heart and a twinkle in their eye for there's sure to be some Irish in their blood.

Pleasantly Surprised.......2003-07-31

We don't know why "Danny Boy" touches our hearts -- but it does. I was pleasantly surprised to have a chance to learn something about the lore that came together to help create the feeling whenever I hear this ballad. You may want to consider reading the novel Yours, Aiden (isbn 1403319898)as it too creates a stir within.

An entertaining, though relentlessly folksy, book.......2003-02-23

Beyond question, the melody variously known as "Danny Boy" or "Londonderry Air" is one of the great tunes of all time. Its measured rising and falling cadences would grace the catalog of Franz Schubert or any of the other great classical vocal composers.

Malachy McCourt, brother of novelist Frank McCourt (ANGELA'S ASHES) and a well-known writer and radio-TV luminary in his own right, has produced a curious little book of less than 95 pages about the famous tune and its well-known lyrics. His book is part history, part speculation, part myth and part personal editorial essay. And it is not free from touches of Irish blarney.

McCourt's findings may surprise --- and dismay --- many. The great tune, long since adopted as a kind of unofficial Irish national anthem, may not be of Irish origin. A folklorist named Jane Ross supposedly first noted it down around 1851. She reportedly heard it played by a blind fiddler, Jimmy McCurry, in Limavady, Londonderry --- but there is at least a possibility that the melody may have originated in Scotland. No one knows for sure. At least one respected musical scholar claims that the tune follows no known metric scheme for Irish folk music.

Many different sets of words were attached to the tune after its first publication in 1855 --- but those that have become indissolubly identified with it ("O Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling, from glen to glen and down the mountainside....") were written in 1910 by an English lawyer and song-lyric cobbler named Frederick E. Weatherly, who probably never set foot in Ireland. They were actually intended for a different tune, but when Weatherly's sister-in-law sent him some years later the familiar melody from her home in Australia, he saw that it was a perfect fit for his earlier verses. Thus an "Irish" classic was created from a melody that may be Scottish and words by an Englishman.

McCourt gives us this information straightforwardly enough, but he fleshes them out with a good deal of barely relevant material. It seems strange to arraign a book of 95 pages on charges of padding, but the complaint seems justified. McCourt solicited opinions about the song from Irish celebrities (including brother Frank) and speculates at length on such side issues as who is singing the song and to whom it is addressed (one possibility among several: it is the song of Danny Boy's gay lover!). The author's tone varies between straight historical writing and folksiness, including occasional cutesy use of "tis" and "t'was." McCourt also grinds a personal axe or two. He thinks ill of those Catholic dioceses that have banned the singing of "Danny Boy" at funerals because it is "secular."

There are some fascinating bits of trivia here, however. Victorians hesitated to refer to the song as Londonderry Air because, to their prudish ears, it sounded too much like "London derriere." Irish nationalists never use that title either, because they want no mention of London in the title. Wordsmith Weatherly was once in legal partnership with one of the sons of Charles Dickens. And another of Weatherly's lyrics was the popular "Roses of Picardy," set to music memorably by Haydn Wood. Wood studied under the composer Sir Charles Stanford, who quoted "Londonderry Air" in one of his Irish rhapsodies. Make of that what you will. This is a curious little book, entertaining in its quirky way but almost undone by its relentless folksiness. "Londonderry Air" remains a musical treasure, regardless of its origin.

--- Reviewed by Robert Finn

Save Your Money.......2002-07-03

This book was thrown together with little effort. It only has 100+ pages due to the double spacing and large type. Save your money for a better effort.

Book Description

A noted teller of the traditional tales of the Adirondacks and of Native peoples everywhere, Joseph Bruchac has performed throughout the world. That gift for narrative informs this revealing autobiography. Tracing his progression from a child in the Adirondacks to self-confessed "nature nut" to jock to acclaimed writer, Bruchac mines his own rich history and the wisdom from his Abenaki culture to teach life lessons. At the End of Ridge Road begins with a request that readers remove their watches in order to "live time" rather than be ruled by it, and from there explores, through Bruchac's own experiences, the enduring wisdom that native cultures from Africa to America have long known. Embracing "the circle as a way of seeing," learning a new way of understanding time, being a keeper rather than a user of Earth - these are some of the timeless truths in this powerful book.

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