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Customer Reviews:

One of the best on Bowie.......2005-08-12

There are a number of Bowie bios, or "me-and-David-Bowie" volumes around, but few really good. The Brixton-born star has always been careful not to expose his past, and not to turn down rumours; many books about him get stuck in the sensational. Tremlett's book is one of the best, perhaps *the* best Bowie biography I've read, and for a number of reasons.
The writer knew Bowie long before he became a star and did hours of interviews with him around 1970. Years later, at the point when Bowie broke with MainMan, Tremlett became an insider again in a crucial phase. He makes good use of this material to interpret Bowie's winding road from half-esoteric post-hippie and "artist without a niche" to a million-selling teen idol (some of the best pages are about Bowie and his friend/rival Marc Bolan, who in some sense cleared the way for Bowie to become Ziggy Stardust).
While he's clearly an admirer of Bowie's artistic genius and sometimes good sense, he doesn't lose sight of his occcasional ruthlessness and manipulation of the media. He's also enough of a literary man to do some useful interpretation of Bowie's lyrics.

The book is very good on the business side of rock'n'roll. Tremlett goes through the phases of Bowie's career, explains settlements, discusses the incomes, royalties, credits and the sometime lack of a steering hand on the budget. He's also got an excellent sense of the absurdity of rock life, as when Bowie makes the first Ziggy tour of the USA, playing to half-filled venues but living it up like a star - at the command of his manager Tony DeFries, of course. The financial straps were all with the record company, so Bowie and the band had almost no money in their own pockets. By the time they reached L.A. and checked into a top-notch hotel, everyone had learnt the trick: you could get whatever you wnated just as long as you could say "pass it to the RCA". Bowie and trhe guys made limo trips around L.A. rather than going anywhere by bus or cab, because when you're in a limo, you never have to pay in cash.
Some of the material on the MainMan business side is of course from Tony Zanetta's "Stardust" but Tremlett buttresses it with his own analysis. His account of the economy of Bowie's 1980s tours is a bit guesswork but very useful and also shows that he's under no obligations to Bowie.

It should be said that we don't learn much about Bowie in private after the mid-seventies, but this is because the star has wanted it that way. About four fifths of this book deal with the decade 1966-76, and after Bowie has returned to Europe and began his "Berlin" phase - in reality, he made his home in Switzerland already before recording "Low" - he's almost impossible to follow on a private plan; there's no one to ask, and the guy himself gives no in-depth interviews anymore (and in most people's books, the sventies were his classic years). The book takes a nuanced, amused, and sharp look at Bowie's career.

Observations from the "Brink".......2004-03-13

He's a rock chameleon, a musical star who has acquired and shed all sorts of onstage personas -- Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, and the Thin White Duke among them. George Tremlett's biography "David Bowie: Living on the Brink" doesn't reveal much that's new, but he does manage to give a new spin to Bowie's story.

Author George Tremlett first encountered David Bowie (born David Jones) in the 1970s, as the talented young musician was blossoming into what would be a long and fruitful career. He chronicles Bowie's troubled family (including a family history of schizophrenia), Bowie being taken under the wing of Kenneth Pitt, his marriage to wild child Angela Bowie, and a colorful career that never failed to fascinate.

Most biographers either trash or glorify the people they are writing about. George Tremlett really does neither. Not for long, anyway. On one hand, he analyzes song lyrics, quibbles on Bowie's sexuality and sometimes makes excuses for dumb stunts. On the other, he is quite willing to chronicle Bowie's flaws -- his sometime insensitivity, coldness and weirdness. Bowie's complexity seems to fascinate Tremlett.

His writing is a hodgepodge of the conversational, the distant and professional, and his own experiences. It's a bit uneven, but it works. Most of the information is gleaned from other books; Tremlett gives it a slightly new outlook, refuting some rumors and questioning others. Thankfully, he does not try to spin up his conversations with Bowie into a friendship, as many rock journalists do.

Those looking for a trashy read will be sated by anecdotes like Bowie's two lovers (one male, one female) arguing over him, and the glitz, seediness and glamour of 1970s London. But Tremlett also covers a side of Bowie that you don't see often: the businessman. He tackles the complicated world of agents, music deals, bestselling records and everything that fills in the gaps. And he makes it clear that Bowie is not just an excellent musician, but a capable businessman as well.

Sometimes conversational, sometimes distant and professional, "David Bowie: Living on the Brink" is a nice solid read about the Man Who Fell To Earth. Recommended for fans of classic rock'n'roll, and Bowie himself.

Excellent for Bowie fans.......2002-10-07

Tremlett recycles the best bits from older, trashier bios, and adds his own, substantial pre-Ziggy interview material. His presentation is clear, concise, and buttressed by a detailed chronology and annotated bibliography, and his record critiques are fair if overly focused on lyrics. There's enough name-dropping and 70's hedonism for smut grazers, and plenty of financial analysis for those interested in rock's corporate machine. But there are weak points: Tremlett runs through the last two decades with no enthusiasm or insider knowledge, there's no index or discography, and the photo section isn't anything special.

Great insight on a cloudy past!.......2000-07-11

It helps when you have interviewed a rock legend before he earned his fame, success, power, and wealth. George Tremlett got into rather lengthy interview with Bowie in Ken Pitt's apartment. This is where George gets much of his information of Bowie's early days, and of about up to 1970. I believe after this personal interview, George became a huge fan of David's. Which, for the reader, is not a good thing. Tremlett seems to make up unbelievable excuses for some of the most obscene things Bowie has ever done. For instance, when Bowie gave his infamous Nazi salute on a train. Tremlett likes to explain that it was misunderstanded as a Nazi salute when Bowie was actually waving to all of his adoring fans. Now, as a devoted Bowie I would like to believe this garbage, but my intelligence asks: Then why did Bowie move to Berlin and visit Hitler's bunker so often? Tremlett also seems to think that Bowie was never gay. The infamous interview in which Bowie was quoted as saying he was gay was probably invented by Tony DeFries. (Which is most likely true.) But then Tremlett goes on to say that Bowie never had a male sex partner and merely "experimented". Who knows what George means by that. My point is that Tremlett is nothing more than adoring fan trying to make excuses for Bowie's faults in life. He seems to be more interested in making excuses then to sharing detailed insight on Bowie's true nature.

David Bowie Living on The Brink.......2000-02-26

David Bowie: Living on The Brink was a fascinating insight into the man, David Bowie. It openned with how the author knew David, and how they got along. That was a little boring because you want to know about David, not the writter, but once you get passed this the book levels out. You get to understand David's history, who he was, and how his parents and relitives shapped his life. The book writes of his relationship with his father and the ever faithful Kenneth Pit. It highlights Bowie's unpredictable and always charismatic character. The book fervently discusses finance managment as well. It also writes of David's other talents in art and how music was not his first choice. From David's early years- through scattered lovers, sexual, religious, and personality explorations we get to know David Bowie. This is a really good book, and if you are a David Bowie fan, as I have just recently found myself thrown head first into then you will enjoy it. I mean it's Bowie, where could you go wrong!

Book Description

presents au thentic Scandinavian recipes from appetizers to desserts combining the culinary traditions of all five Scandinavian countries. Line drawings and proverbs in both the native language and the English translation add to its charm. Includes traditional Scandinavian Christmas recipes and is fully indexed. the book has lay-flat binding and plastic coating to render it impervious to the sticky fingers of impatient cooks!

Customer Reviews:

Authentic.......2001-12-12

I purchased this book in the United States to complement my native Scandinavian cookbooks. It is truely excellent! The recipes are authentic, the necessary ingredients are only modified where necessary to their American counterparts and even my Finnish husband agrees this book is as good or better than anything purchased in our home countries. In addition, it is easy to understand. I have made many dishes for the first time using these recipes and I highly recommend this collection as being authentic and well selected.

Very highly recommended and requested by Swedish friends is Swedish Rye Bread.

She who never cooks, cooked with this one........1999-06-20

I never cook, but as a treat for my Danish-American husband, I tried some of these recipes. They were not only delicious, but the recipes were perfect. Measurements, timing, and ingredients were exact. These delicious, hearty recipes were a delightful departure from steak and potatoes. Especially good is the sweet and sour red cabbage and the prune/apple stuffed pork.

The Dictionary Of Popular Yiddish Words, Phrases And Proverbs

Average customer rating:

A very helpful resource
very limited vocabulary with no prounciation assistance
A rich, warm and thoroughly researched compendium for anyone

The Dictionary Of Popular Yiddish Words, Phrases And Proverbs
Fred Kogos
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0806518855
Release Date: 1997-01-01

Customer Reviews:

A very helpful resource.......2000-06-30

Having grown up in the southern part of Austria in an environment in which Yiddish words were frequently integrated into our everyday German, through this dictionary I was finally able to learn and figure out what all these words actually meant. There's also a small pronunciation guide included, but it can help tremendously if you know at least some German to better understand Yiddish. For my part, I didn't have a problem at all with pronunciation of the Yiddish words. You'll also find 1001 Yiddish proverbs with English translations in this dictionary, and it's fun to go through these mostly one liners. I find this dictionary extensive enough to research and learn at least some basic Yiddish as it also features short sentences. It's a lot of fun to read through it, but it's also very interesting, and everybody interested in languages as well as every fiction and nonfiction writer should have this dictionary, ... it's the best resource on this subject that I've found so far.

very limited vocabulary with no prounciation assistance.......1999-08-09

We would consider it generous to award this book one star. 1) We have never before seen a dictionary which did not offer assistance with pronounciation. 2) We have been unable to locate many words in common usage. (Perhaps the most common, Chanukah.) Perhaps we were expecting another Leo Rosten. We were very disappointed.

A rich, warm and thoroughly researched compendium for anyone.......1999-06-05

These three books in one are wonderful and have kept me intrigued and learning for over a year now. There's always a new word or phrase to learn or a joke to laugh at, again and again. I give this book to friends who are just beginning the study and appreciation of Yiddish.

Proverbs from the North: Words of Wisdom from the Vikings (Proverb Series)

Average customer rating:

Wisdom worth more than gold
Three Stories

Proverbs from the North: Words of Wisdom from the Vikings (Proverb Series)

Manufacturer: Penfield Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Scandinavian | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1572160225

Book Description

Selma Lagerlof is one of Sweden's best-loved storytellers. In 1909 she became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature. In these stories, Lagerlof adapts stories from the bard Snorri Sturlason's "Heimskringla," focusing on the women characters.

Customer Reviews:

Wisdom worth more than gold.......2000-11-20

Illustrated with engravings of Viking artifacts.

Silent and thoughtful should a warrior be, and bold on the battlefield; cheerful and content should every man be, until he meets his death.

This verse, and the others in this book, come from the Hávámál, a compilation of Old Norse poems that offers the reader a variety of practical advice, rules of conduct, and words of wisdom. Said to be given by Odin, Father of the Norse Gods, they represent a clear picture of the heroic ethics, home life and warrior code of the Viking Period (c790 AD-c1070 AD).

Seek swiftness from a ship, protection from a shield, cuts from a sword kisses from a maiden.

Although the words Hávámál are attributed to Odin, there is no mention of life after death, of religious belief, or of faith in gods. The advice is very practical and applies to the everyday life of the "average" Viking.

With half a loaf and a cup of ale, I have found many a friend.

Friendship is another important aspect of the Hávámál. A man often placed his life in the hands of his comrades, and he needed to be certain of their loyalty. Therefore, gold was not given to the son to inherit, but spent freely by friends. The penalty for betrayal was death, and vengeance was the noble course of action. Wisdom is worth more than gold or an unknown path.

Ultimately, these proverbs paint a picture of the ideal Viking: he must be open, friendly and generous; he must be wise - but not too wise - he must keep his wits about him and be ready for a fight; he must hold honor high and be loyal to his friends and kin. In short, he must be the perfect hero.

Three Stories.......2000-11-02

Selma Lagerlöf's stories of Scandinavian royalty in Queens at Kungahälla retain some of the Viking flavor of Icelandic bard Snorri Sturlason's Heimskringla (1230), which provided the historical basis for them. In "Astrid" and "Sigrid Storräde," a princess and a queen from the still-pagan land of Sweden join with kings from a Christianized Norway at Kungahälla-a site on the coast of western Sweden where the countries negotiated peace, often through marriage. The women are strong-willed, but the men are strong of faith; the drama Lagerlöf imagines between them reveals her romantic fascination with this conflict. "The Silver Mine" is a later work, and centers on the extravagant 18th-century King Gustav III. On a visit to a small town, this king learns how the parish has come to value peace of mind over material wealth.

Book Description

101 proverbs from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland. Hand calligraphied.

Customer Reviews:

101 Scandinavian Proverbs.......2000-11-20

This award-winning, beautiful little book includes 101 Scandinavian proverbs designed in calligraphy. Printed on ivory acid-free paper, the ink used is blue and rust, colors favored by Scandinavian folk artists.

Scandinavian Proverbs won first place in the trade book division of a contest sponsored by the Chicago Women in Publishing Association.

Julie Jensen McDonald, the author, writes that the hours she spent in libraries to compile the book were "more like picking wild strawberries than serious research."

"That which is loved is always beautiful." -Norwegian

"God did not create hurry." -Finnish

"The twigs are rarely better than the trunk." -Icelandic

"Don't sail out farther than you can row back." -Danish

"A life without love is like a year without summer." -Swedish

Julie Jensen McDonald is the author of ten published books. Her mother's parents emigrated from Denmark in the 1880s, and her father came from Denmark when he was nineteen. Mrs. McDonald is also the author of the Penfield Press book, Definitely Danish: Denmark and Danish Americans.

Calligrapher Esther Faske, M.F.A. graduate of the University of Iowa, designed the book. The proverbs are reproduced in her calligraphic style. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Average customer rating:
Scandinavian Proverbs

Manufacturer: Penfield Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0941016269

Average customer rating:
Proverbia septentrionalia: 900 Balto-Finnic proverb types with Russian, Baltic, German and Scandinavian parallels (FF communications)
Matti Kuusi
Manufacturer: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 9514104927

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