History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Jazz: The First 100 Years (with Audio CD)

Average customer rating:

About Jazz
filled with valuable knowledge

Jazz: The First 100 Years (with Audio CD)
Henry Martin , and Keith Waters
Manufacturer: Schirmer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

2-CD Set for Martin/Waters' Jazz: The First 100 Years, 2nd

ASIN: 0534628044

Book Description

Explore the development of jazz music with JAZZ: THE FIRST 100 YEARS with accompanying audio CD! From its nineteenth-century roots in blues and ragtime, through swing and bebop, to fusion and contemporary jazz styles, this music text gives you a true feel for the vibrant, ever-changing sound of jazz. Learning is made easy with The Audio Jazz Primer CD that allows you to hear the key terms, basic music concepts, and jazz instruments discussed in the book. Key terms, topics for discussion, and the jazz basics appendix help you master difficult concepts.

Customer Reviews:

About Jazz.......2006-03-25

This is a great book. It is filling in the gaps of what I already know about jazz. It is also illustrated very well. B. Hall

filled with valuable knowledge.......2004-02-23

this book is an excellent source of information for anyone interested in not only tracing the history of jazz music, but also for anyone interested in learning the different movements, styles and influences of jazz music with sociopolitical and historical references. The CD is an asset to understanding the forms.

Water Crystal Healing: Music and Images to Restore Your Well-Being

Average customer rating:

It comes with 2 free CDs
Beyond belief
classic sounds magic pictures
Water Crystal Healing by Masaru Emoto

Water Crystal Healing: Music and Images to Restore Your Well-Being
Masaru Emoto
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1582701563

Book Description

For centuries, people have turned to classical music for its calming and relaxing effects. Internationally acclaimed water researcher Dr. Masaru Emoto has discovered why certain music has healing benefits: Music with the appropriate rhythm, tempo, tone, and melody can correct distorted frequencies within our cells, assisting our health and healing.

In this unique collection, Dr. Emoto presents music that he has found through his research to be beneficial for common physical and emotional imbalances. Listen to the musical pieces while enjoying Dr. Emoto's captivating water-crystal photographs. The possible benefits you may experience include decreased joint and back pain; improved function of the nervous, circulatory, lymphatic, and immune systems; and the release of negative emotions such as anxiety, self-pity, and depression. The combination of images, words, and music in Water Crystal Healing concentrates consciousness as never before, providing a unique experience for healing.

Customer Reviews:

It comes with 2 free CDs.......2007-08-01

I was so excited when I opened the book up and found 2 free CDs in the back. What a pleasant surprise :)
Greet Book!

Beyond belief.......2007-07-31

This book is wonderful, beyond belief. Such a great blessing!
Raises our consciousness level and shows us how to build a better
future. Thank you, Dr. Emoto for caring and sharing.

classic sounds magic pictures.......2007-05-12

be apple to hear the music corresponding the water cristal is a beautiful experience for meditation, and coming again in harmony or resonance with your self.

Water Crystal Healing by Masaru Emoto.......2006-12-03

A well done research to prove that we are all affected by vibrations every moment in our lives. Water being the most abundant substance on earth forms different crystals when subjected to different vibrations. Hence, the music compilations ( 2 CDs) accompanying this book provides the healing tool for those who listen with their ears while enjoying the dance of the crystals (photographs in the book) with their eyes. A well invested book!

Water Music (The Penguin Contemporary American Fiction Series)

Average customer rating:

Great First Novel
I am a new fan of Boyle
Not Exactly Handel...
This book rocks!
Sing me a river...

Water Music (The Penguin Contemporary American Fiction Series)
T.C. Boyle , and James R. Kincaid
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140065504

Book Description

T.C. Boyle's riotous first novel—now in a new edition for its 25th anniversary

Twenty five years ago, T.C. Boyle published his first novel, Water Music—a funny, bawdy, extremely entertaining novel of imaginative and stylistic fancy that announced to the world Boyle's tremendous gifts as a storyteller. Set in the late eighteenth century, Water Music follows the wild adventures of Ned Rise, thief and whoremaster, and Mungo Park, a Scottish explorer, through London's seamy gutters and Scotland's scenic highlands—to their grand meeting in the heart of darkest Africa. There they join forces and wend their hilarious way to the source of the Niger. BACKCOVER: “Ribald, hilarious, exotic—an engrossing flight of the literary imagination.”
—Los Angeles Times

“Water Music does for fiction what Raiders of the Lost Ark did for film. . . . Boyle is an adept plotter, a crazed humorist, and a fierce describer.”
—The Boston Globe

“High comic fiction . . . Boyle is a writer of considerable talent. He pulls off his most implausible inventions with wit, a perfect sense of timing, and his considerable linguistic gifts.”
—The Washington Post

Customer Reviews:

Great First Novel.......2007-09-01

T. C. Boyle's novel, Water Music, is an amazing mix of Dickens, Heller, and Burroughs. It is a globetrotting epic of a novel that juxtaposes the lives of two wildly different characters in late 18th/early 19th century England and Africa. Mungo Park is a less than intrepid explorer who has been tasked with finding the source of the Niger River. Ned Rise is a pornographer, graverobber, and purveyor of fine caviar.

While Park hobnobs with the London elite, propelled to fame by lurid tales of a purportedly successful expedition to Africa, Rise rots in Newgate Prison. In 1805 both men went to Africa, Park as an explorer returning for one last glorious expedition, Rise as a convict. When they finally meet on an expedition intended to map the full course of the Niger River, they run into one of Park's old enemies, and this amazing story of love, sex, war, and mayhem races to an amazing conclusion.

T. C. Boyle's first book of fiction, The Descent of Man, was released in 1979 to critical acclaim. Water Music was released two years later after three years of writing. Talk Talk, Boyle's 18th book and 11th novel was released by Viking in 2006. Boyle holds a Ph.D in 19th century British literature from the University of Iowa, and teaches English at the University of Southern California.

Water Music is an excellent novel, the product of a consummate storyteller whose fluid, confident prose leaps from the page. Boyle's characters are rich and compelling, even the secondary ones. Johnson, Park's guide, was a slave sent from Africa to Carolina who became a valet to a wealthy Englishman in London, and finally was condemned to be a convict back in Africa. The only fee he demanded for his services as a guide was a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare.

In the world of Water Music, Johnson is fairly ordinary, for it is a zany world of fateful meetings, crimes of passion, and star-crossed lovers. That world is hard to leave.

Water Music is both a great story and a scathing critique of British Imperialism, and Boyles' fantastic semi-fictional Africa is a place well worth exploring. Much like the Niger River that is so central to its plot, this book twists and turns through palaces and slums, Bedouin camps and Scottish villages, but Boyle's critique of Park's missions as a "geographical missionary" never lets up.

Boyle's diction and plotting is reminiscent of another writer whose novels were both entertaining and full of social commentary, Charles Dickens, but Boyle largely avoids long passages in which nothing happens that plague Dickens' longer works. Unfortunately, Water Music drags a bit towards the end.

For readers that want to be engrossed in a truly great story, a story that is both fantastic and factual, Water Music is a great selection.

I am a new fan of Boyle.......2007-03-09

This was the first book I have read by T.C. Boyle but it will certainly not be the last. I would have never expected a semi-historical account of the exploration of the Niger River to be so entertaining. An excellent read.

Not Exactly Handel..........2007-01-30

A note to the putative reader who is not already enraptured by Boyle and his writings (as many of the reviewers here are), it's going to take a bit of getting used to, to put it mildly. Boyle comes at you full throttle from the first chapter with his, at first, somewhat, disorienting take on Mungo Park and his journeys. What may hold you back from continuing with the book is its nonpareil emetic effect. As other reviewers have asserted you will need an unabridged dictionary of the normal sort, but also, it wouldn't hurt you to have a medical dictionary as well to cover all the diseases, infestations, degenerations, suppurations etc. to which our mortal coils are heir, not only the diseases that might afflict one in the African wasteland, but (perhaps) even more so, in Eighteenth Century London itself, where the streets reeked of excrement. You may be tempted by this onrush of man's inhumanity to man topped off my other critters' inhumanity to him (It is no accident that Boyle begins the book with a quote from Burns' "To A Louse".) to give up on the book in disgust, as I very nearly did. This would be a very serious mistake, gentle reader, because somewhere along the way, I'm not exactly sure where it happened for me, the book becomes VERY, VERY funny. You begin to notice how the chapter headings resemble titles or lines from your favourite books or poems. It is no mere sop to the book's title to say that you actually begin to FLOW along with the ribaldry, bawdiness, humanity, inhumanity and literary retakes - I, purposefully, do not call them send-ups because I don't think that's what Boyle's about here - of your favourite works. Rather, these constitute a rethinking of what your favourite works perhaps left out, in a very comic mode, yes, but also, it will strike you, in a very realistic manner as well. All this you will see typified toward the end of the book in Park's absurdly whitewashed account of what you know all too well to be a perfectly mad, afflicted, disease and disaster ridden affair. I think I knew I was immune to the gruesomeness of the book and more in key with its music, so to speak, when I merely chuckled when one of the explorers on the second voyage went mad and tore off the end of a four foot parasitic worm nestled in a vein of his leg, which he very well knew would kill said worm, causing gangrene and death. His body is unceremoniously dumped over the boat shortly thereafter.

No doubt, ahem, deeper things are at play here. But I'm not writing a dissertation. Water Music is fun, fluent, fissiparous. I'll just quote here from one of the more reflective passages:

"A year is nothing: a feather in the breeze, a breath of air. Turn around and it's gone. Ice, bud, leaf, twig. Geese on the pond, stubble in the field. Three hundred sixty-five mornings, three hundred sixty-five nights. Minor lacerations, a sprained ankle, runny nose, the death of a distant relative. There's a squirrel in the attic, a tree down in a storm. The clock in the hallway cranks round seven hundred and thirty times. Windows are raised, shades drawn, dishes, cups and spoons dirtied and scrubbed, dirtied and scrubbed. Thunder hits the hills like a mallet, snow climbs the fenceposts, sunlight burnishes the windows like copper. A year. One of how many: fifty? Sixty? The days chew away at it, insidious." P.187

So please read this book before the days gnaw you down.

This book rocks!.......2006-08-03

I think it may be the best of all Boyle's books. It's a little long, but (with the exception of a few unneccesary detours) it definitely holds your interest from beginning to end. Few authors have the talent to mix comedy and tragedy like T.C. Boyle, and "Water Music" is Exhibit A.

Sing me a river..........2005-03-09

Water Music by TC Boyle is about the songs of life. There are several melodious ways to get through life; rise above your less than ideal beginnings, navigate unknown territory, or spend your whole life waiting. Boyle brilliantly succeeds in portraying these lifestyles with his main characters and does it in a way that is darkly humorous and never dull. The reader will snigger their way through this uniquely creative tale.Outstanding!

Essential Jazz: The First 100 Years (with CD-ROM)

Average customer rating:

Comprehensive

Essential Jazz: The First 100 Years (with CD-ROM)
Henry Martin , and Keith Waters
Manufacturer: Schirmer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0534638104

Book Description

A complete jazz course at one unbeatable price, ESSENTIAL JAZZ, THE FIRST 100 YEARS and its complete listening package explores the development of jazz from its nineteenth-century roots in ragtime and blues, through swing and bebop, to fusion and contemporary jazz styles. Unique in its up-to-date coverage, ESSENTIAL JAZZ devotes a full third of its length to performers of the 1960s to the present day. Extensive, accessible Listening Guides tie the history of jazz music directly to the CD selections, giving newcomers and aficionados alike a true feel for the vibrant, ever-changing sound of jazz. Free with every book, two CDs include all the musical examples from the text, as well as an "Audio Jazz Primer" that allow you to hear the key terms, basic music concepts, and jazz instruments discussed in the book.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive.......2006-11-07

Expensive. I purchased this book as a text for an undergrad class at ASU. Very comprehensive. If it was not required for the class, I would not have paid this price.

A Musical Journey: From the Great Wall of China to the Water Towns of Jiangnan

Average customer rating:

Beautiful!
A fact filled book & beautiful CD
great music and drawings!

A Musical Journey: From the Great Wall of China to the Water Towns of Jiangnan
liow kah Joon , and Kah Joon Liow
Manufacturer: SilkRoads Networks Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0973349212

Book Description

**Chosen as an American Booksellers Association autumn 2004 Book Sense Children's Pick!** A Musical Journey is a new children's book that takes young readers on a musical tour that celebrates the diversity of China's land and its people. This beautifully illustrated book is both educational and entertaining. The CD of folk songs that comes with the book includes 12 musical themes that correspond to the fact filled text. A Musical Journey is a trip the reader/listener will enjoy taking many times over. The musical selections are fun for all; the text is suggested for children age 6 and over. -- Nanci Carlson, President FCC-AZ Chapter & Newsletter Co-editor

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful!.......2006-05-28

We love this book! Not only was the book thoughtfully written, the painting were beautiful, and the characters in this books were so cute. We really appreciate the CD that accompanies the book. The music that comes with the book makes reading it a joy, and a fun expereince for the children. We learn a lot about China through this book, thank you!

A fact filled book & beautiful CD.......2005-10-09

You and your child will be guided throught this amazing book with Ming & Kim who are also dressed in costumes of minority tribes through out the Peoples' Republic of China. This is how the book breaks down. Each page also has it's very own music track. The music is absolutely beautiful and is unlike any Chinese music cd that we own! The more we listen to this cd we really love it! My daughter actually requests to hear certain songs, our favorite has sounds like running horses!

CD -
Great Wall of China - The Chinese Dragon
The book and music speaks of how on Chinese New Year there is a big dragon dance to celebrate the New Year. It talks about how Chinese drums & cymbals give you a feeling of happiness. " This Asian adaptation of music that is played during festive occasions".

Silk Road
It's music has foot bells and a tambourine in this original composition.

Inner Mongolia
This track is suppose to make you feel like you are racing across the plains on horseback and uses traditional Mongolain music with a horse head fiddle. ( It's doesn't look like a horse head at all. Imagine a square guitar with a long neck and curved handle like a cane).

XinJiang
This track has an instrument called a Rawap and is suppose to convay a young Uyghur girl dancing during a festive occasion. there is a small drawing of what a Rawap looks like as well as other instruments in other songs.

Tibet
This track has banjo, Tibetan drums and a bamboo flute and is supposed to make you think of children celebrating.

Sichuan
This melody is an updated folk music and it has a Bawu which is a type of Chinese clarinet.

Guizhou
" Maioa people relay messages, including expressions of friendship and love, to each other through song. These songs echo through the mountain ranges. A Miao girl plays the Lusheng" instrument.

Guilin
This track features a copper drum in the background and is suppose to take you to a woman who is picking tea leaves in the spring morning sun.

Yunnan
" The bamboo dance is a popular dance among the minority tribes of Yunnan. Dances move deftly between bamboo poles accompanied by the rhythmic beats of copper and wooden drums".

Dongbei
The main instrucments in this track are Chinese drums, cymbols, erhu and banhu. This track is known as Yang Ge and is played in parades during festive celebrations where thousands of people line up to watch the parades.

Central Plains
The bamboo flute in this track imitates a singing bird and also includes an instrument called a Pipa. It is suppose to make you think a grandfather laying under a big shade tree playing his flute while his grandson chases a small bird around the tree.

Jiangnan
This track is a new version of a 200-year-old Jiangnan folk song called Jasmine Flower. The song uses the Erhu which is kinda like a violin and the Pipa. Jasmine flowers are small and white and have the sweetest scent. You are suppose to imagine sitting in a boat on the canal in Zhouzhuang.

The information in this book is unbelieveable and combined with the cd makes this set a must have for anyone who loves China! Defiantely worth adding to your home library!

great music and drawings!.......2004-09-09

This book has great colorful pictures for kids and is written in a way that kids will find it interesting. It's hard to cram so many years of Chinese history into a short children's book but the author has done a good job of hitting the interesting high points. The accompanying CD has some wonderful original compositions. This is a welcome addition to the library of children's books on China.

Average customer rating:

Not a Serious Bone in His Body
Playing With The Prince Of Puke
Walking on Waters
Memorabilia
John Waters Rules!

Crackpot: The Obsessions of John Waters
John Waters
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0394755340
Release Date: 1987-09-12

Book Description

This hilarious collection of essays by the offbeat writer and director is a treat for fans of the "Pope of Trash" and the perfect introduction for those who have not yet discovered his eccentric charms.

Customer Reviews:

Not a Serious Bone in His Body.......2004-05-20

First, let me say that this book should have more universal appeal than do his movies. We all know that his movies are just too gross for some people to stomach, but there's nothing here that any adult reader should find offensive. If you enjoy homorous writing, a la Woody Allen, Steve Martin, Joe Queenan, David Sedaris, etc., you should find this little volume right up your alley.

Waters displays an acerbic, eccentric, but highly insightful comic sensibility. There are fifteen short pieces here, which first appeared in various magazines during the mid '80s, primarily NATIONAL LAMPOON (When it was still funny) and AMERICAN FILM.

The book opens with a bang, in one of the funniest pieces, "John Waters tour of L.A." Needless to say, this is not the L.A Chamber of Commerce "official guide." He takes us to some of the seamier sights, including the spot on Hollywood Boulevard where you can catch "the legless, one-armed white guy who break-dances on the street for horrified families as they stroll up the Walk of Fame." He also offers some timely,timeless advice for when you're driving around L.A: "Never look at pedestrians; they're the sad faces of L.A., the ones who had their licenses revoked for driving while impaired."

There really aren't too many weak entries in the collection. He does go a bit over the top in his rhapsodizing of Pia Zadora, perhaps, in an article devoted to that queen of glitz, but one comes to expect "over the top" from Waters. Who would want it any other way? He's also very much the exaggerator when it comes to his likes, "Puff Piece (100 Things I Love)and his dislikes: "Hatchet Piece (100 Things I Hate)." Amongst the things he most admires are Supermarket Tabloids: "Then I gazed at the great LAS VEGAS SUN wire-photo of a giant ostrich, escaped from a zoo chasing a totally bewildered middle-aged woman down the street. Every time I see her horrified expression, the creative juices start to flow." Not content with this passing mention, he writes an entire article entitled WHY I LOVE THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER as a paean to that fine bastion of journalistic integrity.

Some of Waters' images do convey a bit more of the "so banal it's hysterical" quality of his movies, as when he conjures up "a fancy Santa," in a piece called WHY I LOVE CHRISTMAS.
"Why hasn't Bloomingdales or Tiffany's tried a fancy Santa? Deathly pale, this never-too-thin-or-too-rich Kris Kringle, dressed in head-to-toe unstructured, oversize Armani, could pose on a throne, bored and elegant, and every so often deign to let a rich little brat sit NEAR his lap before dismissing his wishes with a condescending 'Oh darling, you dont REALLY want that, do you?" I mean, really, wouldn't you just love to have John Waters' private phone number and be able to shoot the breeze with him about popular culture? No!! you say? Well then this book's not for you. However, if you enjoy mordant, biting wit, and a breezy, conversational style of writing, this book is definitely for you. It was sent me by a friend. I'm going to be sending a few copies out to other friends now. Who knows, maybe we could start a John Waters cult?

BEK

Playing With The Prince Of Puke.......2001-06-06

This is the book that piqued my intrest in John Waters over ten years ago before I could even be called a teenager.

For a man with such a reputation for being "filthy, perverse, trashy, etc., etc., etc.", this book ggives the reader a delightful gllimpse into his bouyant and often child like mind. Whether raving over meeting with Pia Zadora, listing the events of a truly hellish day, or giving a guided tour of Los Angeles as only he can, he guides the reader along in a cheerful skip, full of bounce and frolick.

Even for one who's unfamiliar with his films, this book is a light, quick read sure to entertain and provide laughs, crating a vivid and lovable image of the man known to so many as "The Prince Of Puke"

Walking on Waters.......2000-11-22

I laughed, I cried, it became a part of me. Take a look at ..... site regarding the first chapter of Crackpot. It is as wild as the book. Many of the links are gone, but many are still there. Loved this book.

Memorabilia.......2000-07-09

This collection of essays is one of the most compulsively readable, and re-readable, books I have ever owned. I was drawn to it, as you might expect, by my enjoyment of Waters' camp classics. But to be honest, I enjoy Waters the essayist at least as much, if not more, than Waters the filmmaker. Waters' films, and particularly Pecker, Serial Mom, and Hairspray, set the scene for the miscellany of obsessions which animate this book. Crackpot offers a comforting way to understand Waters' recent turn to a more conventional cinematic venue: these films are *also* celebrations of his passionate likes (and dislikes).

Waters writes a witty and acerbic prose, which conveys genuine passion for his obsessions, obsessions which include trials, the National Enquirer, Woody Allen's Interiors, dangerous candy, menthol cigarettes, and Christmas. His preferred methods seem to be the catalogue and the reminiscence: Waters' list of 101 things he hates, and 101 things he loves, are obsessive ruminations on the everyday, and Waters' methodical survey of his everyday touches gives new meaning to the sublime *and* the ridiculous. Most memorable to me, perhaps, is his LA Tour, a pre-OJ intinerary of murder, mayhem, and showbiz, and his loving tribute to the Enquirer. But his celebration of William Castle, or shame-faced coming out as a fan of avant garde, his ritualistic account of Christmas and his loving descriptions of his interests, home, and personal history all make for a case study of obsession that feels both candid and arch, in Waters' inimitable, and paradoxical way. If you read it once, you're going to read it again.

John Waters Rules!.......2000-04-30

This is absolutely the funniest book that ,Baltimore Bad Boy, John Waters has ever wrote! This book made me laugh out loud several times to the point that I'm sure my significant other may have harbored thoughts about having me committed.

101 Mississippi Delta Blues Cotton Picking Guitar Licks (Book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Fingerpicking Guitar Series)

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101 Mississippi Delta Blues Cotton Picking Guitar Licks (Book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Fingerpicking Guitar Series)
Larry McCabe
Manufacturer: Red Dog Music Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000OD4QT4

Product Description

This superb fingerpicking reference book features 101 authentic, traditional blues fingerstyle licks for guitar. The goldmine of licks is divided into the following categories: Four-beat licks; Eight-beat licks; Introductions and turnarounds. The licks are written in both standard notation and guitar tablature, and recorded at a moderate speed on the companion CD. This is not a method book for beginners, but a nice collection of licks for guitarists who have some fingerstyle ability and want to do some exploring. Another GREAT guitar book from Red Dog Music Books.

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Interesting and Thought Provoking
Poems + Pics

Water Music: Poems for Children
Jane Yolen
Manufacturer: Boyds Mills Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Photography | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1590782518

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and Thought Provoking.......2004-07-29

Reviewd by Robert Young, Lane ESD
For more reviews visit www.lane.k12.or.us/bookreview

Inspired by her son's photographs, Jane Yolen creates an interesting and thought-provoking series of poems about water in its many aspects. Her poems are rhythmic and fluently worded--grand examples for students of all ages. There is some variety in the types of poems included, but more would make this book even better. Most of the photographs are of a very high quality. This book has many examples of word usage as well as fluent writing, and it would be a good model for using pictures to inspire poetry.

Poems + Pics.......2001-06-03

This book is done in very similar format to Snow, Snow, also by Jason Stemple and Jane Yolen, although Snow, Snow holds together a little better due to the more constant nature of the pictures. However, this book is a little bit better geared for use in the classroom when discussing water, and its different forms.

CAN'T BY SATISFIED the Life and Times of Muddy Waters

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Chicago Blues and Mississippi Mud
Impressive Research
The Birth of the Chicago Blues.....
Well Documented Biography
A mix of good & bad traits.

CAN'T BY SATISFIED the Life and Times of Muddy Waters
Robert Gordon
Manufacturer: Little Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B00008RWAP

Book Description

The epic, rollicking, up-and-down life of Muddy Waters, who went from Mississippi farmhand to musical legend, who invented electric blues and created the template for the rock-and-roll band and its wild lifestyle, is brought into sharp focus in this widely acclaimed biography. - A book praised equally for its stylishness, its richly entertaining narrative, and its impeccable scholarship. - As a filmmaker, Robert Gordon directed the PBS American Masters documentary Muddy Waters Can't Be Satisfied and the award-winning blues documentary All Day and All Night, featuring B. B. King and Rufus Thomas.

Customer Reviews:

Chicago Blues and Mississippi Mud.......2007-06-23

Combining life history with a social history of Chicago's blues scene of the late 1940s through early 80s, Gordon's book is a highly readable and carefully documented biography. He uses a great variety of published and unpublished sources as well as his own interviews with Muddy's family members, friends, and fellow musicians to provide an excellent understanding of Muddy Waters' contributions to Chicago's blues scene. Because this is a biography, the focus is necessarily on Waters' influences on other musicians. These contributions are important as the guitarist, singer, and songwriter had a huge impact on the music. Gordon demonstrates how some of the major influence that Muddy Waters had on the blues was through an indirect route -- via England. He vividly demonstrates how the music of Muddy Waters was a major inspiration for the British Blues-Rock music of the 1960s, showing, in turn, how this affected Muddy Waters' own career. This is an important part of the story, and its emphasis is very relevant to Muddy Waters' life history. However, I would have liked a bit more discussion of Muddy Waters' relationship to other blues players throughout his career. This information can be gleaned out of a reading of other blues musicians' biographies, so it's not necessarily a major problem with this fine book. In fact, the way this book sparks the reader's curiousity about other Chicago players may be another strength to this well-told story.

Impressive Research.......2006-12-29

Gordon did his homework in writing this book, and I was glad to see that he tried to grasp Muddy as a man, not just as a music icon or a stereotypical rags-to-riches story. I feel as though I was given a full look at Muddy Waters, warts and all.

The one problem I have with the book is the writing style. The endless grand similes were brutal; I found myself wincing at some of them. I suppose the self-indulgent, flowery style fits the idea of writing about an artistic subject, but the similes seemed like a crutch. "Show, don't tell" is one of a writer's best adages. Grand similes, to me, scream "shortcut." Like a rusty dagger thrust between two ribs, then twisted so that the oxidized edge of the blade could be felt grabbing flesh and grinding against moist bone, it bugged me.

That one criticism aside, I, as an amateur historian, author, and blues musician, applaud Mr. Gordon's efforts and highly recommend that you read this book to understand one of the key people in American music.

The Birth of the Chicago Blues............2006-02-07

From the first line to the last, Robert Gordon transports you back in time....to the birth of a legend, a culture and a way of life.
This book is absolute excellence. I very highly recommend it to the deep blues fan as well as the novice.

Well Documented Biography.......2005-04-14

How can one document the life of someone who spent the first 30+ years of his life as a poor, peasant cotton farmer? It's not easy to get a good biography on such an individual, but blues fans and historians have for years been tracking down information on the life of Muddy Waters for decades, and in this book that information is compiled in a well written, informative biography.

This book explores Muddy's life on the plantation, his early interest in music, his love life, his family life, his desire to become a famous blues musician, his travels, his successes and his failures.

The author is blunt. Obviously an admirer of Muddy Waters, the author does not hide the more shameful behavior of the great musician. Coming out of this book, I admire Muddy Waters as a musician and band leader. As a friend, a father, a husband, a person he is a disappointment.

A mix of good & bad traits........2005-03-24

Mr. Gordon's bio of Chicago Blues icon Muddy Waters (given name McKinley Morganfield) is a good narrative of a fascinating life that, unfortunately, falls short of the work the man deserved. Gordon fails to explore, and barely mentions, the impact of Waters' commercial success on the racial climate of the 60s & 70s.
The index is very weak, omitting several topics that appear in the text.
Gordon's work is entertaining, but serves mainly to demonstrate that a solid, scholarly biography of the great bluesman still remains to be written.

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