Creating Powerful Radio: Getting, Keeping and Growing Audiences News, Talk, Information & Personality Broadcast, HD, Satellite & Internet

Book Description

The book I wish someone had given me
David G. Hall
VP/Programming CBS Radio
KNX & KFWB Los Angeles

Filled with the essential tricks of the trade that take an entire career to learn
Lee Harris
1010 WINS/ New York

Now Ive got the help I need to find and develop hit talent.
David Gleason
Vice President of Programming
Univision Radio

For Managers, Programmers and Talent

* GROW AUDIENCES - Increase your ratings! LifeStage Demographics: Know your audience and how they listen.

* PROGRAMMING Build exciting programming - even on dull news days - with proven techniques to guide programmers and talent to the next level of performance.

* PERSONALITY Identify winning talent. Develop strong air personalities. Learn to manage high ego talent and motivate your staff to do their best.

* TALK Secrets to improve your show. Learn powerful radio interview techniques and ways to make the talk win big.

* INFORMATION Break down the walls between news and entertainment radio. Creative methods to easily write and deliver complex, detailed stories or issues using the multi-version method.

* PROMOTIONS Learn methods to spread the word about your station and write powerful copy for more effective promos and commercials

* AIRCHECKING A comprehensive step-by-step guide to show prep and effective airchecking.

Valerie Geller is an internationally acclaimed broadcast consultant working with stations that emphasize news, talk, information and personality radio.

Customer Reviews:

Creating Powerful Radio by Valerie Gellar.......2007-08-01

This book is a must have for anybody working in the broadcasting industry. I keep mine by my bedside and read snippets of it everyday and as a result my work is sooooooooo much better and my figures are up cos Valerie gives you all the tricks and tools of the trade you will ever need. If you are new to the industry or even if you have been in the industry for a while, this book is a must have cos it will show you ways of finding new ideas, staying on top of the game and it will stop you from going stale. it's a powerful radio bible that all educational & broadcasting institutions should encourage students & staff to read.

Eno Eruotor
Broadcast Journalist
BBC Radio Manchester

Don't seek a job without it!.......2007-06-21

Creating Powerful Radio is a must-read/must-live-by for anyone who wants to succeed in art of talk radio. I live and breathe the spirit and direction of Valerie Geller's dead-on insight every day with my own show, and in programming each of the stations and networks I have directed. When I interview job candidates, I *always* ask if they have read Creating Powerful Radio, AND the companion producer's workbook. If the answer is 'no,' I will kindly ask them to come back and have a chat when they have. What Valerie shares between the covers of these books is a critical road map to understanding how to build a relationship with listeners and avoid the pitfalls that so many talk show hosts suffer from. Do you want to be a WINNER in talk radio? You're taking an important step in that direction when you not only read Creating Powerful Radio, but when you live, eat, drink, sleep and personify the concepts Ms. Geller has so generously shared for creative, entertaining people to be at the top of their game!

John McMullen
Chief Programming Officer
GAYBC Radio Network

As usual Valerie Geller hits it out of the park!.......2007-06-09

Valerie Geller has a gift for breaking down the basics of broadcasting. While being on the radio seems like it is an easy task, Valerie Geller explains very important techniques for helping the beginner all the way up to the most seasoned pro. It is a way to think about radio as a larger medium, how to use the airways as a canvas, as an art. I highly recommend this and all of Valerie's books to anyone interested in radio broadcasting. These books should be in all broadcast schools and radio stations, no matter how large the radio station is. We all need reminding of how to create powerful radio.

"Powerful" is the operative word.......2007-06-05

"Creating Powerful Radio" is the most comprehensive work I have read on how to win in radio, and a potent weapon in any radio broadcaster's arsenal. It is well written and brimming with practical, real-world ideas that are easy to understand and implement. Its wisdom spans the nut-and-bolts to profound critical thinking rarely encountered in business today. For anyone who works, or aspires to work, in today's competitive radio landscape, Geller's essential intellingence should be required reading; if I had known in the late-1960s what I know now from reading "Creating Powerful Radio," KFRC in San Francisco would probably still be a top 40 station with a 30-share.

WOW!.......2007-05-18

Not only have I heard Valerie speak, I'd follow her around with a tape recorder if I were you!!! This book and the workbook are the best! I would recommend this to the beginner as well as the seasoned radio personality!! Way to go Valerie!
Denise Pagano
WXXQ-Rockford's Country Q98.5
Morning show/Music Director

The Art Spirit: Notes, Articles, Fragments of Letters and Talks to Students, Bearing on the Concept and Technique of Picture Making, the Study of Art Generally, and on Appreciation (Icon Editions)

Average customer rating:

Every painter should own this book.
An Art Spirit for Everyone
Excellent
"Art," before commercialism took over.
an eternal favorite

The Art Spirit: Notes, Articles, Fragments of Letters and Talks to Students, Bearing on the Concept and Technique of Picture Making, the Study of Art Generally, and on Appreciation (Icon Editions)
Robert Henri , Robert Henri , and Margery Ryerson (Editor)
Manufacturer: Westview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Art & Fear

ASIN: 0064301389

Book Description

In this book are the essential beliefs and theories of a great teacher and American artist, Robert Henri. While it embodies the entire system of his teaching, with much technical advice and critical comment for the student, it also contains inspiration for those to whom the happiness to be found through all the arts is important.

Customer Reviews:

Every painter should own this book........2007-03-10

George Bellows, Edward Hopper, Patrick Henry Bruce, Stuart Davis, Rockwell Kent, Guy DuBois, Alfred Maurer, Carl Sprinchorn and countless others studied with Henri and went on to do great work. There are too many for this to be simply coincidence. The "Art Spirit" is the closest thing we can get to the Kool-Aid that flowed in Henri's classroom. One can glean quite a bit from the pages of this book. It is both practical and inspirational. I have to say that it can be a bit frustrating not being able to see anything or ask a question, but its much better than nothing (thank you Ms. Ryerson!). Buy a copy and read it.

An Art Spirit for Everyone.......2007-01-08

The Art Spirit. Now there's a bold title. The implication is not only that there is such a specifically identifiable thing as an "art spirit", but also that the author, painter, and teacher, Robert Henri knows these specifics; a bold implication indeed. The difficulty (wherein lies the boldness) whenever one attaches the word spirit -or spiritual- to anything, there are, of course, as many understandings or perceptions of that word as there are hearers and readers of that word. This may exist to no greater degree and appear no more obvious than in the world of visual arts. Henri himself acknowledges this, writing in the forward, "...the opinions are presented more as paintings are hung on a wall, to be looked at at will and to be taken for what they are worth. If they have a suggestive value and stimulate to independent thought, they will attain the object of their presentation..." And later, "There is no idea that anyone should agree with any of the comments or that anyone should follow the advice given. If they irritate to activity in quite a different direction, it will be just as well." Although he embraces this free thinking, to-each-his-own, take what you will from it approach, it is merely one of the specific personality characteristics evidenced in the Art Spirit. Henri intends to show there is an "art spirit", and it is the province of every human being.
This is the crux of the issue for Henri, his point of departure from other artist/writers, and the chief value of this book: The Art Spirit is attainable by anyone, can be exhibited by everyone.
Other works on the subject tend to be either the less specific, more nebulous notions where we are expected to buy the fancy explanations and just accept that there is something spiritual, or of the spirit, going on here, or the very specific, artist-only oriented varieties. For example, consider Mandarin's grid "composition" series and his writing about them. While his theosophically induced explanations may help some to a degree of understanding, we are essentially left to take his word for what we are supposed to be seeing in the canvas. In his "Concerning the Spiritual in Art", although Kandinsky presages Henri -discussing psycho-emotional, expressive, and contemplative states of artists out in the real world and before the canvas- he ultimately leaves it with the artist, not really taking it out of the studio and into the factory, construction site, or office cubicle as Henri does. Whereas Kandinsky seems to digress at times into a sort of "how -to" instruction guide for defining and placing spiritual elements into a picture, Henri takes it further, defining his Art Spirit, then setting about showing us how to tell when it's present. This every-man definition is offered at the very beginning of his book:
"Art when really understood is the province of every human being.
It is simply a question of doing things, anything, well. It is not an outside, extra thing.
When the artist is alive in any person, whatever his kind of work may be, he becomes an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature. He becomes interesting to other people. He disturbs, upsets, enlightens, and he opens ways for a better understanding. Where those who are not artists are trying to close the book, he opens it, shows there are still more pages possible.
The world would stagnate without him, and the world would be beautiful with him; for he is interesting to himself and he is interesting to others. He does not have to be a painter or sculptor to be an artist. He can work in any medium. He simply has to find the gain in the work itself, not outside it."
Henri then spends two hundred and forty five more pages illuminating and reiterating how one is -or can be- an inventive, searching, daring, self-expressing creature; how to live life to the fullest. The Art Spirit manifests itself in the appreciation of the non-material things in life; in the "true student" who self-educates and explores feelings, meanings, who contemplates, who really sees, who learns to express "who is you"; in what comes from the external world and inside you; in the full enjoyment in the living of life; in doing a thing well ... anything.
Henri accomplishes a difficult task here; a book with specific and important information for the artist, yet within that structure filled with insight and compelling ideas for the non-artist. One is urged to make a full reading, since quite often both are mingled in the same sentence or statement. For example, a non-painter might be tempted to skip the ten-page section on brush strokes (pg. 62-72), seeing no need for it. The unfortunate reader would then miss out on many little gems of insight and information. What is a brushstroke but a purposeful committed action by an artist? So then, consider the message in these statements when you substitute the word "stroke" with "action" or even "attitude" (parenthetical insertions are mine ):
"Strokes carry a message whether you will it or not. The stroke is just like the artist (person) at the time he makes it. All the certainties, all the uncertainties, all the bigness of his spirit and all the littleness are in it."

"There are more strokes which laugh, and there are more strokes which bind laughter, which freeze the face into a set immoveable grimace."

"(There are) bad strokes which are bad because a brush (a method) or a condition of paint (situation) were chosen which could not render them."

While Henri plays to both artist and non-artist audiences, it is at these times when he addresses the artist more directly he more closely aligns himself with Kandinsky. Both men bring their great passion for the subject into their text in their strong, clear, and pleasing voice. Kandinsky, sounding alternately-yet only slightly more- poetic here, technical there; Henri with a bit more enthusiasm. They share the same territory on many issues, such as the shape, direction, and function of line, intention of every stroke, careful planning followed by exuberant expression and more. Yet, while they may travel the same road, they do not share the same vehicle. There is an important distinction in each man's approach to spirituality, or the art spirit. For Kandinsky, there is a spirit world out there, and a spiritually inspired painter can -and should- find ways to represent both that indwelling spirit and that exterior spirit world to which we are all connected. Henri says (when) we search the external world with appreciation and wonder, and we search within ourselves, and when we become more self-expressing creatures, we have the art spirit...we are the art spirit. Kandinsky believes only non-objective images can reveal the spiritual, Henri says it matters not what you paint but how you paint it-compelled by the spirit. So while Kandinsky can use the "psychic effect" (pg. 24) of color to manipulate the viewer's emotional state toward a comprehension of the spiritual, Henri says the artist's mark itself can manifest the Art Spirit. While, in both cases it takes a more or less purposeful opening up to the notion of the spirit, for Henri it is not trying to grasp the spirit and record it, it is about internalizing and building the spirit inside ourselves, and our resulting expressions will, by definition, represent the Spirit. And it is possible for all of us.
The long quote above (from pg. 5) is written exactly as printed in the fifth edition printing not only as expository text, but as a means of illustrating Henri's bright, clear and energetic voice that runs throughout this book. The subtitle for The Art Spirit reads, "notes, articles, fragments of letters and talks to students, bearing on the concept and technique of picture making, the study of art in general, and on appreciation," and that is exactly how it reads. Much of this is due to Henri's considerable gift of communication, and the balance is credited to the physical layout of the book. There are no chapters, even very few headings to sections, lending itself very well to opening to any page and beginning to read. At times, a lecture, or perhaps advice to a single student goes on for five, six, seven pages. Other times, pages are divided into two or three sections, or set up in individual sentences which concern the same subject, yet stand on their own. The resulting effect is the feeling of being in the very classroom of Professor Henri. There are also considerable instances of repetition here, albeit in subtle variations. The index, however, is usefully repetitious as well, helping to differentiate between those subtleties when one may be in need of a specific quote or reference.
The last thirty pages are exact notes taken by Margery Ryerson, a Henri student who eventually compiled the notes, fragments, etc.(in the revised edition, she is credited as Editor). This is an excellent addition to the book. Reading Henri's comments and insights in her necessarily abbreviated, note-taking style provides fresh psychological weight to the reality of Henri's classroom.
One area of disappointment concerns the photograph illustrations of Henri and his work. In the fifth edition, the plates are in black and white. Although understandable at the time of inclusion (1930), they do not allow for close comparison with Henri's ideas and techniques about painting elaborated in the text. The real disappointment is to find that the current edition available from booksellers has not updated to colorplates, but jettisoned the pictures entirely, save for the full color cover.
I recommend The Art Spirit to anyone involved in the creative process. It is a must have, particularly for those times when one may be experiencing a creative burnout, or to shake off the cobwebs. I am recommending The Art Spirit to non-artists as well -anyone who is looking for a little spark, a little positive push toward self-actualization.
For the artist, I am not recommending The Art Spirit over the Kandinsky classic; I see Henri's work as more of a continuation, or a rounding out of what Kandinsky started years before. Artists and aspiring art appreciators must read both if there is to be any hope of understanding

Excellent.......2006-10-20

If you are an artist, have an interest in art or even just like to read thought provoking quotes then you could do a lot worse than have this on your shelf. The book is collection of conversations, thoughts, writings. There isn't much of a structure to it - more a random collection although the index helps somewhat. It lends itself to just opening the book at a random page and reading whats there. It contains one salient point after the other on the how's, whys and wherefores of painting, drawing and sculpture. This book should be on every artists shelf.

"Art," before commercialism took over........2006-09-13

Finally a review of art, for the sake of art, without becoming cluttered by commercial concerns. Paint color, composition, line...The book is written as a painting with no particular beginning, middle, or end. It needs to be absorbed as a whole to fully appreciate its contents. The pedantic English can tire but it does not subtract from the freshness of the message and the pleasure it provides to every student of art.

an eternal favorite.......2006-02-04

"There are moments in our lives, there are moments in a day, when we seem to see beyond the usual. Such are the moments of our greatest happiness. Such are the moments of our greatest wisdom. If one could but recall his vision by some sort of sign. It was in this hope that the arts were invented. Sign-posts on the way to what may be. Sign-posts toward greater knowledge." Robert Henri

Twenty two years ago when I discovered this book I could not have imagined the impact it would continue to have on my life. Robert Henri speaks of both the technical side of art and the art experience. I have re-read this book, a little bit at a time, many times over the years and have found something new to appreciate each time.

While I find less and less time in my life for my artwork, I am able to enjoy beauty and clarity in all of it's everyday forms. The trick is to remember to capture it in your mind. When I feel I have lost the ability to appreciate everyday beauty, I pick up this book. It never fails to rejuvinate my mind and inspire me.

Fine Art of Small Talk, The: HOW TO START A CONVERSATION, KEEP IT GOING, BUILD NETWORKING SKILLS -- AND LEAVE A POSITIVE IMPRESSION!

Average customer rating:

The Fine Art of Small Talk
Not much there
This tape really helped
Good, but not great
Great Book

Fine Art of Small Talk, The: HOW TO START A CONVERSATION, KEEP IT GOING, BUILD NETWORKING SKILLS -- AND LEAVE A POSITIVE IMPRESSION!
Debra Fine
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Communications | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Pocket Guide to Making Successful Small Talk : How to Talk to Anyone Anytime Anywhere About Anything
How To Start A Conversation And Make Friends
How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships
Conversationally Speaking : Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness
How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less

ASIN: 1401302262

Book Description

Nationally recognized communication expert Debra Fine reveals the techniques and strategies anyone can use to make small talkin any situation Do you spend an abnormal amount of time hiding out in the bathroom or hanging out at the buffet table at social gatherings? Does the thought of striking up a conversation with a stranger make your stomach do flip-flops? Do you sit nervously through job interviews waiting for the other person to speak? Are you a Nervous Ned or Nellie when it comes to networking? Then its time you mastered The Fine Art of Small Talk. With practical advice and conversation cheat sheets, The Fine Art of Small Talk will help you learn to feel more comfortable in any type of social situation, from lunch with the boss to an association event to a cocktail party where you dont know a soul.

Customer Reviews:

The Fine Art of Small Talk.......2007-05-14

this is a great training and useful to all who are either fearful of speaking to other people in general or as debra described herself for people who just do not know how to move conversations along.

Not much there.......2007-04-18

A slim book with a lot of white space. Wish I had read the book over a cappuccino at a local bookstore rather than actually buying it.

This tape really helped.......2007-01-31

I'm sorry to see so many bad reviews, so I'm taking my first step into cyberspace reviews. I can't speak for the book, but the tape made a real difference in my life. I was painfully shy as a child and teenager and had no clue how to interact with groups until I started teaching myself by observing others at college. I'd gotten better by my mid-20s, but I still dreaded parties where I knew no one or other social gatherings. My attitude was, "I hate small talk, give me something 'real' to talk about."
When I was hired as an executive director of a nonprofit in my mid-30s, I realized I had to teach myself how to work a reception and represent my organization comfortably and competently. This tape gave me the tips I needed, like: Walking in taking responsibility for making others feel comfortable puts you in a better mindset. And seek out the other people who are standing alone -- they'll appreciate you saving them, as they are probably as uncomfortable as you. So - give this a chance.

Good, but not great.......2007-01-03

A little bit boring to read, 'cause it repeats itself a lot

Great Book.......2006-08-24

This books gives great tips and suggestions on how to start conversations. It even give you sample ice breakers. Good book to have and keep around to refresh your small talk skills.

Average customer rating:

Jackie Mason helps you learn to talk Jewish the Yiddish way
How to Talk Jewish
Can we talk????
OY A KLUG!
Lexicography that is witty and wise

How to Talk Jewish
Jackie Mason , and Ira Berkow
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312072368

Book Description

Jackie Mason has built his Tony Award-winning career out of the culture and language of Jewish people, so who better to instruct the unindoctrinated in the joys of Yiddish? How to Talk Jewish, a guide to 100 Yiddish words, phrases, and expressions, includes pronunciations, definitions, and examples of usage, along with Jackie's incomparable wit. Is your blind date haimish? Uh oh. A zhlub, worse. A doctor? The naches are almost inexpressible! Jackie Mason brings all the vivacity, spunk, and chutzpah of Yiddish to the tongues of the less fortunate. Don't be a meshugenner, buy it already!

Customer Reviews:

Jackie Mason helps you learn to talk Jewish the Yiddish way.......2007-02-06

I wanted to learn some common Yiddish sayings. So I bought Jackie Masons' book titled: "How to Talk Jewish". It is an enjoyable book complete with Yiddish sayings and a taste of Jewish life as only Jackie Mason can tell it.

How to Talk Jewish.......2006-03-03

Not as good as I had hoped. He explains a lot of Yiddish phrases that are not commonly used. The commonly used expressions were not defined as well as I could have defined them myself.

Can we talk????.......2003-04-09

Quintessential Jackie! Hilarious! A must-have in a Jewish humor library. May I also recommend a nifty, gezunta book I received as a gift and fell in love with? "A Little joy, A Little Oy" -- if Jackie's a main course Joy, Oy is one amazing antipasto.

Lillian & Joe Moses

OY A KLUG!.......2002-02-06

Only a meshuggener would not find this book entertaining and informative. Then again, probably only meshuggeners would want to READ shtick like this. Too bad Jackie didn't record this for the blind and the goyim; LISTENING to his spiel would just make this so much more of a mecheieha. If only that gantseh macher Webster had had Jackie as his editor -- oy!

Lexicography that is witty and wise.......2001-02-04

This is a smart little book of 93 Yiddish words and expressions that are defined, illuminated, and used-in-a-sentence by comic and philosopher Mason. In his Introduction, a thoughtful essay on Yiddish, he asserts that although he born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1934, he grew up in a one hundred percent Yiddish-speaking world ("I didn't know that anybody in this country spoke English until I was old enough to go to the movies.") His family moved back to New York before he was five.

This little book contains a wealth of Masonisms. Jackie Mason used to have run-ins with censors and others. He reserves the right to be both self-deprecating and insulting. Jews, gentiles, politics, marriage, family, ethnicity, money, power, and God himself - all are up for grabs. There are a lot of funny stories. In addition, he has an understanding of the Yiddish language that he is happy to share. (Harry Truman was haimish - accessible, natural - FDR was not. Colorful explanation is provided.) He offers a theory of chicken soup that links it -successfully - to most of the world's cuisines. He is never dull. Mason: "It seems that in English that you have to prove that you're not emotional in order to have class." He posits his sociolinguistic theory (which you've heard if you've seen or heard his stage show) that the more emotional the speech - content and structure - the more "low class" the speaker. He defends emotionality. He loves Yiddish, and in fact the language (black English, specifically) of any people engaged in a battle of wits to survive.

Book Description

Explore the Passionate Power of Words

A whispered term of endearment, a flirtatious phrase, a secret suggestion, a cry of passion--words can be the most intimate gift that lovers share. This guide to their sensual power invites us to explore the erotic potential in verbal communication, as sexuality counselor and seminar leader Bonnie Gabriel shows how words can arouse desire, reveal and fulfill fantasies, and infuse lovemaking with romance and fire.

Based on Gabriel's popular workshops, this frankly provocative and warmly encouraging book is designed for both singles and couples: to help singles navigate the the shoals of attraction, budding intimacy, and safe sex; and to inspire couples to chrage longtime romances with new creative expressions of love and ardor through explicit examples, sample fantasy scripts, "naughty" games, and techniques for nurturing and sexual healing. And for those who feel too shy or fearful to express passions and yearnings, Gabriel offers guidance, support, and inspiration to help them give full voice to their desires.

Discover how words can deepen intimacy, heighten sensuality, intensify eroticism, and fulfill your every fantasy when you master The Fine Art of Erotic Talk.

Customer Reviews:

nice.......2007-09-05

I throughly enjoyed this book and it opened my eyes to the simplicity of this art.

LAME.......2006-03-07

Do not buy this book. Unless you need to be able to laugh about your inability to "talk dirty" with your partner. This book was a complete and total waste of time and money.

Tell it like it is!.......2002-10-23

I admire this author's willingness to explore the taboo subject of dirty talk, no matter how embarrassing and finicky it may seem to some people. I found myself nodding in agreement at society's timid approach to verbal stimulation during intimacy. The Fine Art of Erotic Talk is a great beginner's guidebook on how to express yourself verbally in bed. I was duly impressed with this book.

Great for beginners........1999-07-10

This book gives a very good starting point for couples who are new at erotic talk. Those readers who have already tried this form of communication should probably pass on this selection. It's definitely a beginner's manual.

If you're a verbal type, this book's for you!.......1999-04-06

I think the author could probably get me off just by talking to me. What a wonderful thing that is!

Before I got to this book, I was initiated into the realm of auditory pleasure through phone sex with women I'd met in chat rooms. That went shockingly well for me. It taught me a lot about honesty.

Book Description

A sweeping, anecdotal account of the great sounds and voices of radio–and how it became a bonding agent for a generation of American youth

When television became the next big thing in broadcast entertainment, everyone figured video would kill the radio star–and radio, period. But radio came roaring back with a whole new concept. The war was over, the baby boom was on, the country was in clover, and a bold new beat was giving the syrupy songs of yesteryear a run for their money. Add transistors, 45 rpm records, and a young man named Elvis to the mix, and the result was the perfect storm that rocked, rolled, and reinvented radio.

Visionary entrepreneurs like Todd Storz pioneered the Top 40 concept, which united a generation. But it took trendsetting “disc jockeys” like Alan Freed, Murray the K, Wolfman Jack, Cousin Brucie, and their fast-talking, too-cool-for-school counterparts across the land to turn time, temperature, and the same irresistible hit tunes played again and again into the ubiquitous sound track of the fifties and sixties. The Top 40 sound broke through racial barriers, galvanized coming-of-age kids (and scandalized their perplexed parents), and provided the insistent, inescapable backbeat for times that were a-changin’.

Along with rock-and-roll music came the attitude that would literally change the “voice” of radio forever, via the likes of raconteur Jean Shepherd, who captivated his loyal following of “Night People”; the inimitable Bob Fass, whose groundbreaking Radio Unnameable inaugurated the anything-goes free-form style that would come to define the alternative frontier of FM; and a small-time Top 40 deejay who would ultimately find national fame as a political talk-show host named Rush Limbaugh.

From Hunter Hancock, who pushed beyond the limits of 1950s racial segregation with rhythm and blues and hepcat patter, to Howard Stern, who blew through all the limits with a blue streak of outrageous on-air antics; from the heyday of summer songs that united carefree listeners to the latter days of political talk that divides contentious callers; from the haze of classic rock to the latest craze in hip-hop, Something in the Air chronicles the extraordinary evolution of the unique and timeless medium that captured our hearts and minds, shook up our souls, tuned in–and turned on–our consciousness, and went from being written off to rewriting the rules of pop culture.

Customer Reviews:

An Absorbing and Enlightening Page-Turner, with Few Errors.......2007-09-30

I had to read this book twice. The first time I started with the Jean Shepherd section, then skipped around. After I made it through all the pages, I didn't want the book to be over, so I read it from beginning to end. That is how absorbing Something in the Air is; Fisher has put together fascinating strings of anecdotes and facts, well-cemented with narrative and a bit of his own opinion, and given us the evolution of radio as experienced by listeners, station owners, management, deejays, and other air personalities, and he's shown us all the angles--legal, commercial, esthetic, and ethical.

The book won't please everyone, and anyone who reads it is going to say "What about ____?" and "Why didn't he tell the story of _____?" The answer to that is, of course, that everything wouldn't fit into the book. Having written quite a bit on radio history, I can tell you that Fisher's research and interviews probably left him with half again as much material as he put into the book. That's always the burden of the competent author: what do put in and what do I leave out?

As other reviewers have pointed out, there are a few errors here and there. I won't dwell on those; the book is so valuable that they are of little consequence. It would be nice if the author posted an errata sheet at his blog, though.

And I have to say that the story of the WOR I, Libertine hoax that Jean Shepherd and Ian Ballantine perpetrated, aided and abetted by Theodore Sturgeon's ghost-writing, is worth the price of the book on its own. And there are other anecdotes that equal that one.

Fisher might have overdone some of the topics, falling at the feet of radio "gods," for instance. But I was pleased to see that he didn't harp on Don Imus or Howard Stern to please readers, nor did he haul out other celebrities the way some overly self-conscious writers feel obligated to do when writing about the famous.

Did I mention how good the writing is? Good enough to keep you turning the pages. Fisher is a good stylist. He also has a journeyman technique, as illustrated by the fascinating build-up to Rush Limbaugh's triumph. Among other things.

There's nothing more to say, other than this book does for radio what Michael Korda's Another Life did for book publishing.
--Mike

Absolutely riveting.......2007-08-27

This is less a review and more an enthusiastic recommendation. As a Brit, many of the presenters' names in this book (apart from, say, Stern and Limbaugh) meant little to me but I still found this book absolutely unputdownable. This is testament to a) my radio "geekiness" and - more importantly - b) Marc Fisher's skills as a writer, historian and storyteller. A fascinating history of radio in the US with many a good story tucked away in the endnotes. Highly recommended.

what an amazing book.......2007-07-24

Everyone should read this compelling book by Marc Fisher. It brilliantly uses radio to tell the story of Americans in the last several decades. Funny, powerful, commanding, and lyrical, Fisher is a beautiful storyteller.

This one's for the radio geeks.......2007-07-08

For anyone who's interested in the history & future of radio,look no further-Marc Fisher has written the ultimate history of the medium-Definitely worth your time & money.

All Hail Rock 'n Roll!.......2007-06-20

Simply stated, "Something in the Air" is the best book on Radio I've ever read. Congratulations to Marc Fisher on a wonderful skip through time without a single trip. Excelsior!"

Peter Cavanaugh

wildwednesday.com

Comprehension Through Conversation: The Power of Purposeful Talk in the Reading Workshop

Average customer rating:

A great guide for accountable talk!

Comprehension Through Conversation: The Power of Purposeful Talk in the Reading Workshop
Maria Nichols
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reading | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Professional Development | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning
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Literacy Lessons: Designed for Individuals, Part One: Why? When? and How?

ASIN: 0325007934

Book Description

Introduction

Appendix
References
Index

Customer Reviews:

A great guide for accountable talk!.......2007-07-23

I'm an elementary teacher who has seen firsthand the power of getting kids to talk about their reading and thinking. This book shows you how to do just that! It was affirming for me to see that what I have been doing in the classroom was the right thing to do. This book is a great guide to harnessing the power of accountable talk for truly powerful instruction. I highly recommend it.

Soft Selling in a Hard World: Plain Talk on the Art of Persuasion (2nd Edition-Revised & Updated)

Average customer rating:

Good Material but Dry Delivery
WOW! Wish I'd Had This 20 Years Ago Myself!
Make Life Easier on Yourself AND Make More Money
Distillation of Course Worth Thousands, a Real Gem
Finally an ethical book on the art of persuasion

Soft Selling in a Hard World: Plain Talk on the Art of Persuasion (2nd Edition-Revised & Updated)
Jerry Vass
Manufacturer: Running Press Book Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
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Decoding the BS of Business, Selling to Executives
Start with NO...The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don't Want You to Know

ASIN: 0762404019

Book Description

4 CD set of Soft Selling in a Hard World, second edition-revised and updated, paperback published by Running Press. Book is read by author, Jerry Vass. 3.7 hours long.

Customer Reviews:

Good Material but Dry Delivery.......2006-08-24

I purchased this program and others to review before deciding wich to use in a training program for my salesforce. I personaly enjoyed it, but do not feel it would be as widely excepted as other programs I reviewed. It requires more decipline to stick with it than other programs and I believe this is so because of the delivery or reading of the material. I am glad I listened to it but it did not make the cut for my training material.

WOW! Wish I'd Had This 20 Years Ago Myself!.......2006-08-10

Thank you Jerry for a no-non-sense aproach to the "art & science" of selling. I picked up the 4 cassette tape set on "Soft Selling in a Hard World" on Ebay and put the tape set away for 6 months. Unpackaged it the other day and have been kicking myself ever since. Powerful, easy to understand principles and systems, that make selling "fun for me again".

I've always loved people and the interaction I have with them. And I'm a pretty accomplished sales trainer as well. When I listened to Jerry's tapes, he put me "back in sales training school" for which I'm grateful.

Selling isn't rocket-science but it is a science. Do this...get this. The value of preparation comes through in Jerry's presentation. The 90-second close and Mission Statement sections have changed my approach to selling TV advertising, and selling is "really fun again".

Thank you Jerry. With the salespeople I manage, we'll be calling you for your in-depth Executive Training Program with our sales folks.

Make Life Easier on Yourself AND Make More Money.......2006-03-08

At first I didn't expect much from this book by Jerry Vass. In his introduction he wrote "This is a perfect book for the bathroom." Talk about 'soft selling.'

Soon you will realize that this book purely about a selling philosophy that is extremely practical. Myths, many of them, are debunked. The development of skills, not mere motivation, is the crux of this book. I especially liked the formula for establishing an effective mission statement. He discusses the various means of soft-probing, using supporting statements, and ultimately assuming the close with an oblique technical question. Every objection falls into one of seven categories which are handled differently. This is a great book. It would have been a super book had it been shorter and not so redundant at times. It would have been a super book had it been shorter and not so redundant at times.

Five Stars

Distillation of Course Worth Thousands, a Real Gem.......2004-04-29

I just took the executive sales training course that this book summarizes, essentially a "CEO to CEO" sales course but applicable at any level of direct sales, and I cannot say enough good things about the author, the book, or the training--my last twenty years literally passed before my eyes as I understood his key points: purchase decisions are made by individuals on an emotional "what's in it for me" basis, and then justified on a rational "what's in it for the organization" basis. Any sales effort that attempts to stress features and capabilities, as 99% of all of us have been doing, is destined to be lethargic and hit or miss.

The author and his team have a formula and it is a formula that is already working for me: listen instead of talk, solve instead of sell, and a few others that are only offered in the course not the book.

The author is devastating in critiquing what he calls "puffery", all those now meaningless phrases about "best in class" and so on.

Finally, the author is extremely effective in helping truly good executive sales people do a cost analysis that at its most brutal, makes it clear to the client that what they are buying or not buying now is costing them a great deal more than what you are offering as a solution to *their* problem, which in turn justifies your getting top dollar because the return on investment in your more expensive capability, with no hidden costs, is greater than the return on the cheaper or partial solutions.

I strongly recommend the book for a taste of how to do soft selling in a client-friendly manner, and I strongly recommend the three-day course which is where they walk you through the entire process of creating mission statements, benefits to the client, listening probes, and closing statements that pull it all together.

It will take more than one course to overcome 20 years of coming at it the wrong way, but if you are seriously interested in dramatically changing your tone, your approach, and your relationship with your best clients, start with this book and then go on to one of the courses.

This was, incidentally, as an executive, my first formal training since 1986--20 years ago, and as I finished it up, I could only wish someone had shown me this path ten years ago or before.

Finally an ethical book on the art of persuasion.......2004-02-16

As a professional salesman of 15 years I'm constantly searching for information to help me get an edge. The older I get the more I've realized that an "edge" in the sales world is simply building a firm understanding of and consistently applying the basics to the art of sales.

"Soft Welling in a Hard World" by Jerry Vass is a quick-read but filled with powerful, ethical and usable tactics designed to help you understand your buyers while gaining significant credibility in their eyes.

If you're like me you have a handful of dog-eared, highlighted gems that you keep on your night stand. Mr. Vass has earned a spot in the company of Frank Bettger, Dale Carnegie, Norman Vincent Peale and Napolian Hill.

Rick Zaniboni
RE/MAX on the River
Newburyport, MA 01950

Jesus Freaks: DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs - Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, the Ultimate Jesus Freaks
Average customer rating:

Inspirational, Amazing, Worth every penny and every minute spent reading

inspiring, heartfelt stories...

Amazing, however....

Buy this Book now!

A message about tolerance

Jesus Freaks: DC Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs - Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus, the Ultimate Jesus Freaks
DC Talk
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Youth Ministry | Ministry & Church Leadership | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Inspirational | Protestantism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Jesus | Christianity | Religions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Sister Freaks: Stories of Women Who Gave Up Everything for God

ASIN: 1577780728

Amazon.com

Jesus Freaks by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, is a companion volume to dc Talk's album of the same name. It is a book for teenagers about martyrdom, containing dozens of profiles of figures ranging from Stephen, whose martyrdom is described in the Book of Acts, to "Anila and Perveen," two teenage Pakistani girls and Christian believers. In 1997, Perveen was killed for running away in order to avoid marrying a Muslim man; Anila was imprisoned for helping her friend escape. In an introduction to the book, Michael Tait explains its purpose: "In a world built on free will instead of God's will, we must be the Freaks. While we may not be called to martyr our lives, we must martyr our way of life. We must put our selfish ways to death and march to a different beat. Then the world will see Jesus." The book's design is hip and easy to read, and its summary of Christian persecutions that continue today is useful--and frightening.

Book Description

This Gold Medallion-nominated book opens the eyes of a new generation to the persecution of Christians around the world. Created by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, Jesus Freaks is a companion volume to dc Talk's album of the same name. It's a wake-up call to prayer and to lives of unashamed faith, offering stories of martyrs past and present. The book was written especially for teenagers, with:

-A hip and easy-to-read format
-Timeless Scripture
-Poignant quotes
-Dozens of profiles of martyred figures
-And more

A powerfully enlightening volume.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational, Amazing, Worth every penny and every minute spent reading.......2007-06-21

I have been in full-time Christian service for years and was inspired by this book to really live for Christ. It is absolutely amazing to see how God works in the lives of His people and how much faith He gives them. It is the most inspirational book I have ever read (except for the Bible, obviously :).

inspiring, heartfelt stories..........2007-06-18

would what you do for your faith? how much would you be willing to lose for your belief in Jesus? would you be willing to die to pronounce your beliefs? this book is filled with incredible stories about people who risked everything with calm and peace in their hearts and souls to pronounce their love of our Savior. Inspiring and an eye opener to horrific challenges Christians face in speaking their beliefs in certain parts of the world. Not a book to sit down and read straight through but to savor, maybe a story here, a story tomorrow. Feeling a bit insecure or persecuted about your faith? Sit down and read a few stories and you will be invigorated.

Amazing, however...........2006-11-04

I had first read this book when I was 14, and I remember being totally inspired by it. Fuelled by nostalgia, I decided to buy it and the whole Jesus Freak series, and I must say, it still had the same effect on me! Only one thing bothered me: I am Catholic, always was and always will be, and I found certain passages offensive, especially when dealing with our turbulent past. This book mentions Mary of Scotland's persecutions, horrible events, yet fails to mention Elizabeth's equally horrible persecutions. Surprisingly, it also seems that there are no modern Catholic martyrs, when in actual fact there are thousands! An inter-denominational approach would have been much wiser. Nevertheless, this book remains unique in its presentation of committed Christians who loved Christ so much, they were prepared to die for him, when many times, we wouldn't even publicly declare our commitment to him, for fear of being outcast or ridiculed. VOM and Dc Talk, good job, 4/5!

Buy this Book now!.......2006-10-23

I read this book for a book report and was amazed .This book is so inspirational it makes you think if you would be able to stand up for God and what you believe in. It makes you wont to be more obedient to him and praise him more. It also shows struggles that past Christians have gone through. It makes you realize that this is happening in real life and that here we are with freedom to speak about God while many people are being persecuted and even killed for their beliefs . If possible buy this book as soon as you can and trust me you won't regret it.
One story was about a boy named Roy Pontoh from Indonesia. He led a Christian camp for children and was trying to get all the children home but did not have enough transportation. Four men went to the next village to rent a bus. While they were gone, a Muslim mob in the village killed them. Roy and the children waited a long time for the bus but it never came. When they heard the mob approaching, they all hid. Many were found and killed. Roy was found and was clinging to a bible. He was in the middle of the mob and was told to renounce his God. He could only say "I am a soldier of Christ." The Muslim leader swung a sword at his stomach and it hit the Bible he was holding. The Bible flew into the crowd as the second blow sliced Roy's stomach open. His parents later found him dead in a ditch but were proud because their son stood firm for Christ to the very end.

A message about tolerance.......2006-10-23

While the stories in this book were moving, as any account of suffering would be, I found myself considering the irony that the editors and fans of this book are "bible-based" Christians, who exhibit little or no tolerance for other faith traditions. I would ask them to consider that narrow thinking--such as, there is only one way to God or only one way to interpret the bible--precipitates religious persecution and violence.

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