The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)

Book Description

"I have no wish to play the pontificating fool, pretending that I've suddenly come up with the answers to all life's questions. Quite that contrary, I began this book as an exploration, an exercise in self-questing. In other words, I wanted to find out, as I looked back at a long and complicated life, with many twists and turns, how well I've done at measuring up to the values I myself have set."
—Sidney Poitier

In this luminous memoir, a true American icon looks back on his celebrated life and career. His body of work is arguably the most morally significant in cinematic history, and the power and influence of that work are indicative of the character of the man behind the many storied roles. Sidney Poitier here explores these elements of character and personal values to take his own measure—as a man, as a husband and a father, and as an actor.

Poitier credits his parents and his childhood on tiny Cat Island in the Bahamas for equipping him with the unflinching sense of right and wrong and of self-worth that he has never surrendered and that have dramatically shaped his world. "In the kind of place where I grew up," recalls Poitier, "what's coming at you is the sound of the sea and the smell of the wind and momma's voice and the voice of your dad and the craziness of your brothers and sisters...and that's it." Without television, radio, and material distractions to obscure what matters most, he could enjoy the simple things, endure the long commitments, and find true meaning in his life.

Poitier was uncompromising as he pursued a personal and public life that would honor his upbringing and the invaluable legacy of his parents. Just a few years after his introduction to indoor plumbing and the automobile, Poitier broke racial barrier after racial barrier to launch a pioneering acting career. Committed to the notion that what one does for a living articulates to who one is, Poitier played only forceful and affecting characters who said something positive, useful, and lasting about the human condition.

Here is Poitier's own introspective look at what has informed his performances and his life. Poitier explores the nature of sacrifice and commitment, price and humility, rage and forgiveness, and paying the price for artistic integrity. What emerges is a picture of a man in the face of limits—his own and the world's. A triumph of the spirit, The Measure of a Man captures the essential Poitier.

Customer Reviews:

Nice man, wandering story..........2007-10-04

I had to force myself to finish this book, simply because I didn't want to waste my money by leaving it when I was tempted to. It was interesting to realize that an actor whose work I had appreciated came from such a spare beginning, but by halfway through the book, the continuous wandering asides and disclaimers of the author so overwhelmed the narrative that I could barely tolerate it. It seems to me that the story could have been told to greater effect with half the words!

****LOVED IT****.......2007-09-24

Kept me interested...I really enjoyed this book...I couldn't put the book down until I finished reading it!!!!

MEASURE OF A MAN does not measure up.......2007-09-21

Wow, a book about Sidney Poitier. An outstanding actor with a book that just does not give him true justice. The reading tends to be dry and lacks substance. His life struggles could have been the story of any man or woman, black or white. The writing and editing are weak in some sections.

You should rent or buy one of Poitier's movies instead. His movie roles show his true skills.

SPIRITUAL "Of, Relating to, Consisting of, or Affecting the Spirit" MERRIAM-WEBSTER.......2007-08-30

I've always been smitten with Poitier's voice--his diction and control on film, the flow of his words as they travel in and around ideas during interviews--so I read THE MEASURE OF A MAN with an ear for his voice. I wondered, Is it translatable to print? It is, but that means allowing Poitier's thoughts to meander until they find their point, and that his thoughts are less formulated (or formal) and more "in his own words," than they might be if they were written by a biographer. (I read just enough "You know?"s "You hear me when I tell you?"s and "You follow?"s to feel like he was talking to me, but not too many to be annoyed.) I read to imagine what it might be like to have a conversation with Poitier. The book reinforced what I already knew--I'd be as intimidated as heck--but it also gave me the courage to think I'd be able to speak my mind.

As an editor, I read Poitier's book because I wanted to know how he defines a "spiritual" autobiography. Is it a I-Was-A-Sinner-But-I-Found-Jesus-And-Now-I'm-Saved chronology? Is it about how Christianity or another faith influenced his life? Neither. Poitier examines the people, events, circumstances, beliefs, and so on, which have related to, consisted of, or affected his "spirit," and, in doing so, he writes about childhood experiences in the Bahamas, his changing perceptions of his parents, how he adapts to living in the United States, his approach to acting and filmmaking, and his attitude toward fatherhood. He also shares a debate a friend and he had about the Basic Truth of Nature, a debate worth every second of reading it takes to get to.

Is THE MEASURE OF A MAN going to satisfy readers interested only in Poitier's film career? No, but I urge them to read it anyway, if for no other reason than to find out how his "spirit" influenced the films he starred in.

Books.......2007-08-21

I purchased this book for my daughter and she loved it!
She is a teacher and plans to teach this story in her English class fall 2007.
A great story with a great moral.

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (20 Volume Set

Average customer rating:

Nothing better...period
Don't believe that you are getting 20 books.
dumbed down
The definitive dictionary of music and musicians
The standard reference - deservedly

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (20 Volume Set
George Grove , and Stanle Sadie
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Harvard Dictionary of Music: Fourth Edition (Harvard University Press Reference Library)

ASIN: 1561591742

Amazon.com

This is the big one -- 20 thick volumes packed full of information on musical history, composers, artists and more. It carries a big price tag, but it's an invaluable aid for the serious student or writer. Grove has several other dictionaries, opera and jazz among them, but if you can only handle one, this is the one to get. This text refers to the 20 Volume edition of this title.

Book Description

Now available in a deluxe paperback edition, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is the world's greatest music encyclopedia. This unique 20-volume set is packed with over 18,000 pages of information on the history and development of music, instruments, musical forms and terms, musical cities and institutions, and, above all, thousands of eminent composers and performers. The text is fully illustrated with photographs, drawings and musical examples, and all major articles include extensive bibliographies. Entries on composers are accompanied by detailed lists of compositions, which, for example, list the precise instrumentation required for many compositions. These acclaimed worklists alone are a valuable resource for today's musician. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians includes: BL Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance music--insights on composers as well as new appraisals of theorists, philosophers, and chroniclers. It explores early musical rites, forms, styles and genres, and the social and historical forces that shaped the music of these eras BL Composers--the first aim of Music and Musicians is to tell you virtually everything you will want to know about the people who have been writing music, from ancient times onwards BL Ethnomusicology--discover Polynesian chants, Uzbek teahouse ensembles, Xhosa wedding songs, cowboy laments, modern protest songs, and other manifestations of non-western and folk music BL Forms and genres--harmony, counterpoint, rhythm and melody--the basic materials of music. Symphony, opera, cantata, concerto, motet, oratorio and sonata--these and other genres are surveyed historically and their repertoires outlined BL Performers--Music and Musicians covers influential figures from the world of popular music, jazz and opera; it explores the lives of patrons and poets, novelists and scientists, dancers and instrument makers, everyone whose work influences music BL Places and institutions--travel from London to Vienna, Dresden to Osaka, Paris to Pittsburgh. Explore top musical arenas such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Covent Garden

Customer Reviews:

Nothing better...period.......2006-04-04

Despite the fact many have tried to "pretend" there are other dictionarys/encyclopedias that are better than The Groves, there simply are not. Sure, The Groves is not cheap, however, if you are looking for a quality work, it will never be cheap. So, whether you are a person with degrees in Music History, or someone who just wants to have information readily available on music/musicians, this is the only way to go.

Don't believe that you are getting 20 books........2004-02-29

Although the announcement makes you think that maybe yo will be getting 20 books for a song, you will be singing a different tune when it arrives. You will get one (yes, 1) volume selected apparently at random. I got volume 13.

dumbed down.......2002-05-02

Four stars for what has been carried over from the 1980 version, zero stars for what has been appended to it. We can't entirely blame the dictionary for the poor quality of most of these additions. The dictionary depends on a large pool of contributors, most of whom hold academic positions, and our academies are beset with insufficiently acknowledged problems.

One problem is the graduate-school analogue of what in secondary schools has been called "grade inflation". We might call it "degree inflation". Unqualified candidates are routinely pushed through graduate school; mediocre minds are awarded doctorates and assume faculty positions. This is partly the result of a misguided egalitarianism and partly the result of a quid-pro-quo cronyism. In any case, it is self-perpetuating and self-proliferating. It manifests itself here most obviously in rambling pseudo-intellectual essays on such empty buzzwords as "postmodernism".

Another problem is commercialization. It manifests itself here most obviously in vacuous and clumsily written (and randomly strewn with rock journalism cliches) extended accounts of various pop music figures, such as, for example, Bob Dylan and David Bowie. (Both Bob Dylan and David Bowie have composed interesting song lyrics and are worthy subjects for popular culture historians, but neither have any particular MUSICAL significance.)

The definitive dictionary of music and musicians.......1999-09-13

One could never hope for a 'compleat' dictionary of music and musicians any more than one could hope for hope for a 'compleat'library of knowledge in one publication. But, just as the Encycopeadia Britannica has come to be seen the most comprehensive summary available of knowledge generally, so has Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians come to be seen as the ultimate summary of information available about music and musicians.

The question now is: when will 'Grove' follow the Encyclopaedia Britannica and reach out to a wider audience via CD-ROM and Internet on-line services? For this reviewer: the sooner the better

Ian Bowie

The standard reference - deservedly.......1998-09-27

Discursive and authoritative, the one failing is the lack of convenient text search. When available on CD-ROM with that capability, it will be an ideal reference.

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

Average customer rating:

Offensive to jazz fans!
Friendly conversation over coffee
5th try.
Very good, but not great
Blue Like Jazz

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
Donald Miller
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0785263705

Book Description

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.

Customer Reviews:

Offensive to jazz fans!.......2007-09-30

Donald Miller, I'd like you to take out the sheet music of Mood Indigo, which I'm sure you've studied extensively, and show me where it doesn't resolve--I think that harmonically it's one of the perfect all time pieces of music, and it resolves better than a lot.

Maybe he's talking about free jazz or bop or post bop or modal jazz or something, but I'm not sure he actually knows what those terms mean. It sounds to me like he's heard a couple of jazz songs at some point and decided that this makes him an expert. Yeah, man, he was turned on to this stuff by Tony, his beat poet buddy, man. Oh, that is so hip!

But even if you're saying on a technical level that jazz music, in some of its more far-flung explorations, abandons established notions of harmony, melody, rhythm and tonality, it can always be explained. You can always notate it, analyze it, study it, and explain it. You can break it down to vibrations traveling through the air and you can know exactly what those vibrations are doing.

You can't do that with Christian spiritual notions, because they're based on assertions of faith that require you to abandon the desire for statements of fact to be proved. It's cute, Donald Miller, for you to say that you're just not interested anymore in the intellectual/theological aspects of Christianity, but it's stupid and ignorant for you to use jazz as a point of comparison. Jazz musicians know exactly what they're doing and they can explain it to you in minute detail, and yes, they could write it down if they wanted to. It's not just getting up in front of people and blowing some BS through your instrument. That's what YOU are doing in your spirituality. Jazz music requires training, education, rigorous practice and relentless creativity. What you do requires a huge capacity for BS and evasive, circular arguments. Guess which one I respect more.

Any jazz solo can be studied note for note, analyzed, and explained. And the person who performed that solo can you tell what choices they made at every point and why, and they can base that on established musical concepts. Once you get to that point, it isn't mysterious anymore, but it is beautiful and special in a way that your unfounded, frightened faith can never be.

Friendly conversation over coffee.......2007-09-25

I don't read a lot of "spirituality" themed books because after a few chapters I feel like the author is trying to convince the reader that his views are right and the reader's are all wrong. This was given to me as a gift and I really did enjoy it. The author didn't seem so much as if he was throwing up his thoughts on you as the reader, but more talking to you about them in a coffee shop conversation. I'm a decently fast reader, but I took some time with this one, reading and re-reading passages and often whole chapters so as to really chew on what the author had to say. The author has a lot to say but says it in a digestible form. Not once did I feel like he was talking over my head. I rarely purchase books for myself unless the book strikes a personal chord with me and I know I will want to read the book several times over; however, I'm glad to play hostess to this book on my shelf.

5th try........2007-09-13

I am on about my 5th try to finish this book. It is hard for me to make it past the first chapter.

I agree that in some ways his approach can be entertaining and "honest," but that does not make it edifying.

I think Miller is sadly confused with many of the vital doctrines of Christianity. Yes I know the word doctrine has come to have some rather poor connotations, yet there is truth Christianity is defined by. I'm not even talking doctrines that are usually debated.

Miller seems to make no importance of sin, and I am still hard pressed to know how serious he is when he says boys usually begin sinning when they are 10, and girls when they are 23. Has he ever even seen a child?

Miller tells of a time when he had a "slot machine god" where he would just screw up, pray, and hope for something good. Though he admits this was wrong, It seems like he is still playing the same slots. Now he is just taking his confusion and using culture he adapts it to the things that he says "make no sense."

Yes, Christians need to be relevant, but we are more importantly to live as new creations, people of a heavenly culture. We are not supposed to ascribe our culture to God, we are to ascribe ourselves to Him.

Anyone confused about this I recommend (lovingly) to read the book of Romans, and if you can't commit to the whole book chapters 6,7, and 8.

Very good, but not great.......2007-09-03

This book was highly recommended by several of my friends and I particularly liked the idea of reading up on "Christian Spirituality". This book had several funny stories in it, and also a few others that were really touching and made you think.

However, there were a few times where Miller decided to go on a tangent about Republicans and how heartless and selfish they were and how churches are puppets for the Republican party (i.e. Ch.12, titled "Churches"). It just really left a bad taste in my mouth which is why I didn't give this 5 stars. I wanted to read a book with anecdotes about Christian Spirituality and not get randomly bombarded by irrational and irrelevant political speech that was aimed at bashing Republicans.

I really hope this wasn't the main motivation for him becoming an advocate for Christian Spirituality or else this book will really lose a lot of credibility in my opinion. It's not because I am a Republican (because I'm actually a Libertarian), it's because political slamming is completely out of place in the book and is really in poor taste considering this meant to be about Christianity and not George W. Bush.

Blue Like Jazz.......2007-08-28

In the book, Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller seeks to address Christian spirituality in a nonreligious manner. He relies on experience rather than obscure religious doctrine to convey spiritual truths relating to life, God, community, friendship, love, and the like. In the way Miller relates stories and anecdotes the book is reminiscent of a memoir, but unlike many memoirs Miller's stories have a point and teach a lesson. He does not write simply to entertain, but also to teach and inform.

Miller was born in Houston, Texas, and left at the age of twenty-one to travel around the country until he ran out of money in Portland, Oregon, where he now lives. He published his first book, Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance, in 2000. Two years later he published Blue Like Jazz. He continues to write books and also teaches a class at Summit College outside Toronto.

Miller's perspective is refreshing and convincing. Even when he writes about the importance of giving to charity or going to church he avoids coming across as preachy and condescending by backing up his beliefs with personal anecdotes and experience. Instead of relying on Bible verses or well-known evangelists and ministers, he quotes Christian friends and hometown ministers. He expresses the same truths Christianity and other religions present by drawing on rich personal experiences and memories to show the reader his views.

Miller opens the book by saying that in order to love and appreciate something you must sometimes first see someone else loving it. Miller attempts and succeeds at showing the reader how important the words he writes are to him. The philosophies he presents are ones that he has lived by. While Miller writes specifically to a Christian audience, this is a book that cuts across specific religions to appeal to anyone who believes in a higher power.

Average customer rating:

The Literature of Music Bibliography
D. W. Krummel
Manufacturer: Fallen Leaf Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Publishing & Books | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0914913212

Book Description

In tracing the history of writings on music printing and publishing, this book discusses the theory of music bibliography. It examines such major topics as historical surveys of music printing and musical commerce and property; and surveys specific subjects ranging from type-specimen books to patent registrations, from the history of music libraries to bibliophilic editions.

Indigo Dreams: Relaxation and Stress Management Bedtime Stories for Children, Improve Sleep, Manage Stress and Anxiety (Indigo Dreams)

Average customer rating:

Great CD
Great for my 3 yr old!!
Soothing and relaxing for little ones
A nice cd
Great for 4 year olds and 30 year olds!

Indigo Dreams: Relaxation and Stress Management Bedtime Stories for Children, Improve Sleep, Manage Stress and Anxiety (Indigo Dreams)
Lori Lite
Manufacturer: Lori Lite
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Teens | Subjects | Books

Self-Esteem | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Stress Management | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Dreams | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Meditation | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Accessories:

ASIN: 0970863349
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

Book Description Indigo Dreams is a 60 minute CD/audio book designed to entertain your child while introducing them to relaxation/meditation techniques. Four unique stories introduce breathing, visualizations, muscular relaxation and affirmations. Children follow the characters along as they learn to manage their own stress, anxiety and energy with A Boy and a Bear, The Affirmation Web, A Boy and a Turtle and The Goodnight Caterpillar spoken by a female narrator.

Indigo Dreams offers shorter stories for shorter attention spans and beginners.

The narration is accompanied by healing sounds of crickets, gentle breezes and forest animals. An additional music sound track is included to further enhance your child's relaxation experience.

The Affirmation Web A Believe in Yourself Adventure Voted "Book of the Month" by The IAM Foundation

Affirmations or positive statements build self-esteem and empower children to be the best they can be. Children follow a girl and her animal friends as they weave The Affirmation Web. They learn to believe in themselves while replacing negative messages with positive self talk. Children love this feel good story and the positive effect it has on their lives. Show children just how special life can be. Feel good!

A Boy and a Bear The Children's Relaxation Story

Breathing for relaxation and wellness is a basic technique practiced by cultures throughout the world. Children love to follow A Boy and a Bear as they experience diaphragmatic/belly breathing. This self calming technique can be used anytime, anywhere. This easy, yet powerful stress management tool can offset the effects stress is having on today's children. Many children are classified as being hyperactive. Empower your child by teaching them to ground themselves and manage their own energy. Let's breathe!

A Boy and a Turtle The Children's Visualization Story

Visualization is an effective technique widely used for achieving sports goals, creating success and attaining wellness. Now children can follow A Boy and a Turtle as they fill their bodies with the colors of the rainbow. Colorful imagery quiets the mind and relaxes the body. Parents as well as children enjoy falling asleep while playing in the field of colors. Some children are sensitive to energy and can often use it for healing. Enhance your child's abilities to feel and see energy. Relax with colors!

The Goodnight Caterpillar The Ultimate Bedtime Story

Muscular Relaxation is essential to a good nights sleep. Children follow The Goodnight Caterpillar as they learn to unwind, relax and see things more clearly. This easy, gentle exercise relaxes muscles throughout the body as anxiety and tension slip away. Children and parents will fall asleep more easily and experience a deeper peaceful night's sleep. Sweet dreams!

The 4 stories found on Indigo Dreams are also available in book format. The Goodnight Caterpillar, A Boy and a Bear, The Affirmation Web and A Boy and a Turtle.

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2007-09-30

I bought this CD for use as a relaxation activity in an early childhood classroom for 3 to 5 year old children and it's wonderful. If I could give it more stars, it would have 10! This would be great for your child to listen to at night to help them wind down for bedtime, or in the afternoon for a rest time activity, and it's great for the classroom. I highly recommend it.

Great for my 3 yr old!!.......2007-09-25

I have an especially bright but anxious 3 1/2 yr old. I wasn't sure whe was going to take to this cd even after I listened to it. But she LOVES it and goes to sleep every night listening to it! I think it gives her something other than monsters to think about as she is falling asleep. We have been nightmare free wince we got it a week ago!!! I am thinking of making a copy for my 9 month old to listen to in our room as well.. the voice is so soothing and maybe she will like it as too!

Soothing and relaxing for little ones.......2007-09-23

I love these cd's. I got this for my 5yr old because he is highly sensitive. After the daily stresses of (to him) loud noise, ugly smells, crowed class rooms, this cd helped him make it through kindergarden. And now he's enjoying first grade. I don't know what I would of done without Indigo Dreams.

A nice cd.......2007-09-08

My kids and I have listened to this, and it's very relaxing. My 4-yr-old son and 8-yr-old daughter have both been fairly wiggle-free during listening. It's a nice wind-down at the end of the day. Sometimes the speaker seems a little too slow-talking for me, but when I just relax and calm down, it doesn't bug me as much. I very much enjoy relaxation and visualization techniques, and am happy to pass along the benefits to my kids.

Great for 4 year olds and 30 year olds!.......2007-06-22

I bought this for my 4-year-old daughter who is high-spirited and has a hard time settling down at night. She loves this. We keep the CD on "repeat" through the night. That way if she wakes up, she just listens to the CD and it puts her back to sleep. No need to come to Mom and Dad's room! Yay! It's also the only meditation CD that I enjoy, for myself.

The Ultimate Fake Book: C Edition (Fake Book Series)

Average customer rating:

Insufficient information
Too much of a good thing?
Great book
Ultimate ?
Piano Man is two thirds of a page long

The Ultimate Fake Book: C Edition (Fake Book Series)

Manufacturer: Hal Leonard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0793529395

Product Description

This fake book is a cornerstone for many musicians' libraries. With over 1200 songs in all styles of music, this third edition has been updated to include even more great songs and recent hits. From jazz standards to Broadway blockbusters and country classics to pop chart-toppers, this book has the songs you're looking for all in one convenient collection. It is comb-bound with locked tabs to ensure long-lasting durability. Songs include: Alfie All the Things You Are Always And So It Goes Autumn in New York Beauty and the Beast Brazil Blue Skies Body and Soul Call Me Irresponsible Can't Help Falling in Love Candy Caravan Change the World Cry Me a River Duke of Earl Easter Parade Edelweiss Endless Love Everyday A Foggy Day Friends in Low Places Georgia on My Mind Heart and Soul Here's That Rainy Day How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky) I Love Paris I Shot the Sheriff I'm Always Chasing Rainbows I've Got the World on a String The Impossible Dream Isn't It Romantic? It's Only a Paper Moon The Lady Is a Tramp Lazy River Let's Fall in Love Love Is Here to Stay Makin' Whoopee! Memory Mona Lisa Moon River Moonlight in Vermont My Funny Valentine My Heart Will Go On Oh, Pretty Woman Operator Piano Man Precious and Few Release Me Roxanne Satin Doll Small World Somewhere Out There Sophisticated Lady Speak Softly, Love (Love Theme from 'The Godfather') Splish Splash ...

Customer Reviews:

Insufficient information.......2007-09-02

Was interested but not being able to see what it actually consists of (view inside) I passed it by and spent $$$ at a brick and mortar store where I could look at what I was purchasing.

Don't need a lot but not being a pro musician I have no idea what is actually in a fake book.

This is the net folks, not a brick an mortar, wake up if you want to sell to me.

Too much of a good thing?.......2007-02-24

I have been playing tunes from this book almost every day since I received it several weeks ago and have only scratched the surface. It has a great selection of songs from the various genres and eras. Lot's of fun stuff. About the only bad things I can say about it are that the book is so big that I am a little worried that the plastic music stand on my keyboard will break off if I really start rocking out and that the comb binding is a little difficult to deal with. The pages tend to jam when you turn them. As far as the tunes go, this is a great collection, one that I look forward to exploring further.

Great book.......2007-02-17

A must have. Plenty of songs to refer to if ever needed. Buy it.

Ultimate ?.......2007-01-10

Well maybe not THE ULTIMATE, but very good selection of oldies, movie theme songs, even turn of the century fun stuff... Having a ball with this one...

Piano Man is two thirds of a page long.......2006-07-10

In Billy Joel Complete Vol. I, Piano Man is five full pages long. In the Ultimate Fake Book, it's about two thirds of a page. Similarly, the sheet music for Webber's All I Ask of You is five full pages, but exactly one page in the Ultimate Fake Book. The Titanic Love Theme is one page in this fake book. I find the comb binding to be strong, and the print large enough and clear and everything is neat and accurate as far as I can tell. I am having SO MUCH FUN playing songs out of this fake book, I can't believe it!!! I'm almost giddy with delight -- I can't believe I'm playing some of these songs that I always wanted to be able to play!!!

Jazz Styles: History and Analysis (9th Edition)

Average customer rating:

FORCED TO BUY FOR JAZZ HISTORY
This book connects the dots...
not for jazz scholars alone

Jazz Styles: History and Analysis (9th Edition)
Mark C. Gridley
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0131931156

Customer Reviews:

FORCED TO BUY FOR JAZZ HISTORY.......2007-07-26

This was required for my jazz history class at Sacramento City College (MUFHL 315 - online). It was 125.00 at the college book (packaged along with some worthless CD's). It is not laid out like a normal textbook. At the beginning, it doesn't have a chapter outline or learning objectives. At the end of each chapter, all you have is a sorry summery that doesn't cover any of what the author is trying to say within the chapter. THIS IS THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER BEEN FORCED TO BUY FOR A CLASS. I am tired people publishing the results of their graduate work as TEXTBOOKS and ripping off poor undeserving student. Reading this book is like watching paint dry.

This book connects the dots..........2006-02-13

I had begun to get serious about immersing myself in Jazz. A little dive around the corner was showing excellent Jazz groups and I had to take the opportunity to discover this great art form. My daughter lent me a textbook she had from college.

I immediately picked it up and for several hours was scanning it backwards and forwards. I kept referencing all the artists and songs I had heard of all my life and this book very handily made the connections. It's loaded with clear and concise and insightful teaching aids.

I can now understand much better the overall experience and history of jazz. The technical parts are still quite overwhelming, but the author's writing is very articulate and non-judgmental. I've rarely seen a more learning friendly book. As I started to mention, you can start anywhere you want in this book and just take what you can handle.

not for jazz scholars alone.......2005-12-20

It has been nearly 30 years since Mark Gridley's first edition of Jazz Styles appeared, and no other treatment of jazz styles comes close to his careful analysis of how jazz has been made since its inception. It is a work of great and serious scholarship, an invaluable resource for students of the genre. Yet, Jazz Styles is also an enjoyable and entertaining companion for anyone who wants to become a more perceptive listener to jazz. The Listening Guides are useful even for those 'veteran'
jazz fans familiar with the works described. Gridley will take you to ever-deeper levels of appreciation for jazz in all its varieties.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful selection of music
A good introductory text
You Will Find It More and More Interesting
comprehensive history of Western music

Listen: Brief
Joseph Kerman , and Gary Tomlinson
Manufacturer: Bedford/St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0312401159

Book Description

With its superb recording package and innovative listening charts, this landmark text teaches students how to listen to music better than any other. Listen makes music approachable by placing it in its cultural context with lavish illustrations, timelines, and maps. Equipped with a free Study Guide CD-ROM, the new edition is more accessible than ever, offering additional help in focused listening and in music fundamentals.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful selection of music.......2007-02-01

Bought this at a university bookstore some years ago (6 CDs). Wonderful selection of music (and some accompanying paintings) from early music like chant to the weird modern experimental art stuff.

A good introductory text.......2002-07-19

I have had this book prescribed as a textbook for a music history and theory course. This is a good book for such a purpose, it covers much. (This review is on the third edition).

Unit I has 5 chapters covering the fundamentals of musical theory. Sound, time, pitch, structure, form and style. Unit II is a 4-chapter overview of early music, starting with the Middle Ages. Unit III covers the 18th century in 6 chapters, starting with Late Baroque. Unit IV focuses on the 19th century, starting with Beethoven and finishing with the Late Romantics in 5 chapters.

Unit V: The Twentieth Century, was my favourite section. The prelude chapter discusses the concepts of music and modernism. The next chapter covers the early 20th century, then there is a chapter on alternatives to modernism, and the fourth chapter covers the late 20the century. Chapter 24 focuses on music in America: Jazz.

The book is organised around listening samples. These are available on a set of a 6 accompanying CDs. I liked the samples chosen. The late 20th century chapter, for example, discussed works by Ligeti, Berio, Varese, Cage, Crumb, Leon, Gubaidulina and Reich.

An alternative to "Listen" is Music: An appreciation" by Roger Kamien. It seems to me to have a bit more on artistic context, whilst at the same time covering more topics at slightly more depth.

However, "Listen" is well organised (always a good sign), and richly illustrated. Historical events are touched upon, and there is some reference to other art forms in context with the music of the time. I would recommend it as an introductory text even if you don't need to read it for school. Of course a book like this can cover topics only to a limited depth.

You Will Find It More and More Interesting.......2000-08-29

With the accompanied 6 CDs, Joseph Kerman has written one of the most interesting and comprehensive introductory music text. Not so much a memory-and-fact type of textbook, Kerman's uncanny ability to describe music experience has made this a success. Students do not need musicianship prerequisite to read this book. From ancient to modern, the book gives a broad overview of some of the masterpieces with insights and explanations. Excellent reading. (Note: The 6 CD set mentioned in this review is sold separately, and is not included in the price of the book. -Ed.)

comprehensive history of Western music.......2000-05-28

This book makes learning about music interesting and fun. It begins talking about basic structures of music (rhythm, harmony, tonality, etc.) but mostly follows the history of recorded music starting from the Middle Ages through Baroque to Jazz. It does a good job relating the development of music to other artistic developments of the time, like painting and architecture. With the CD you can listen right along and learn a lot of interesting things about music a novice like me had never thought about before.

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

Average customer rating:

any impressario, non-performer, non-musician, lacks credibility
Music For The Brain?
Very interesting
Absolutely perfect marriage of music, psychology, and neurology
not written for a musician

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession
Daniel J. Levitin
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Neuropsychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Acoustics & Sound | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0525949690

Book Description

A fascinating exploration of the relationship between music and the mind—and the role of melodies in shaping our lives

Whether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life—even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last be- coming clear, thanks to revolutionary neuroscience and the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. Both a cutting-edge study and a tribute to the beauty of music itself, This Is Your Brain on Music unravels a host of mysteries that affect everything from pop culture to our understanding of human nature, including:
• Are our musical preferences shaped in utero?
• Is there a cutoff point for acquiring new tastes in music?
• What do PET scans and MRIs reveal about the brain's response to music?
• Is musical pleasure different from other kinds of pleasure?

This Is Your Brain on Music explores cultures in which singing is considered an essential human function, patients who have a rare disorder that prevents them from making sense of music, and scientists studying why two people may not have the same definition of pitch. At every turn, this provocative work unlocks deep secrets about how nature and nurture forge a uniquely human obsession. BACKCOVER: “I know Dan to have a deep musical knowledge and strong intellect combined with a warm spirit and a big heart. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of popular music . . . He is a fine writer and has the ability to make difficult concepts very clear.”
—STEVIE WONDER

Customer Reviews:

any impressario, non-performer, non-musician, lacks credibility.......2007-10-03

For a musicican, for one trained as a musician, this is a heady intellectual book. However, it often misses the point - entirely, aesthetically, and in practical terms. For instance, a piece practiced a 1000 times, according to the author, should be peerless. Obviously, this is not true. The native talent of the performer is paramount, and, most of all, the piece may be practiced WRONGLY 1000 times, of which, as a non-performer, the author is clearly unaware. The author also almost completely ignores the influence and insight of professional classical performers. The author is an administrator and impressario of rock and probably rap bands. The author has no training in musicology, and probably never talked to a musicologist. I admire the intent, but there are no breakthroughs here in understanding, or enjoying music, and no great insights into music's magic.

Music For The Brain?.......2007-10-01

Certainly well documented and written for those in the know. It tends to be somewhat boring on some occations but you have to continue on the read to hear the music!

Very interesting.......2007-09-30

Being a musician, I was suprised at how little I actually knew about sound. The book was very interesting and well written. If you're at all curious about the phycology of sound, check out this book.

Absolutely perfect marriage of music, psychology, and neurology.......2007-09-13

This was an amazing read that I absolutely could not put down. This is exactly the book I have been waiting years for. It is written for people with a deep interest in both science and music; I believe that many "engineer/scientist by day and musician by night" types will love this book. Best of all, it does not require a deep understanding of music, psychology, or neurology (although one of Levitin's premises seems to be that we ALL have a deep understanding of music, whether we know it or not!)

Levitin starts out with a chapter or so on his background and music theory. As many reviewers have mentioned, the music theory presented here (and throughout the book) may not be new material for practicing musicians, but it does lay a good groundwork for many of the definitions and ideas that Levitin uses throughout the text.

Moving on to the rest of the book, Levitin has an interesting style that I found riveting. The book is not highly dense with ideas - it is not a textbook. It often takes several pages to come to a point. However, in these pages, Levitin is either giving historical information about how the current theories have come about, telling anecdotes related to the topic, or explaining laboratory results that have shed light on the topic.

Please do not misunderstand the intent of this book . . . it is not a thesis, a textbook, a journal article, etc. It should not be used as a primary source for information on any of the topics presented. And Levitin lays this out in the forward. This book is geared toward a much broader audience.

not written for a musician.......2007-09-07

Although i was personally quite disappointed with the book, I have given it a rating of 3 stars because it perhaps serves a role educating younger readers looking for a few interesting ideas or a general overview of music psychology.

As for me, I found myself skimming the pages as rapidly as possible, occasionally saying out loud in frustration, "Get to the point!" The few interesting ideas (such as that professional musicians tend to transfer activities from the right brain to the left) I had already picked up elsewhere.

I have nothing against the author. He seems friendly and nice enough, and has obviously spent a lot of time and effort researching the subject, coming to reasonable and well-supported positions. However, I do think a lot more (or better?) editing was called for, so that ideas were presented in a more organized way, and a lot of fluff and unnecessary repetition removed.

In summary, this could be an introduction to the subject if you have never thought about it before, but if you are a musician, and have thought at all about the psychology and evolution of music, even casually, and especially if you have kept up with the general media's coverage of new scientific research, this will not have anything to offer you. In addition, if you like writing to be dense with ideas and information (Oliver Sacks is a good example), this will be particularly frustrating.

Ten Little Fingers (Board Books for Babies)

Average customer rating:

Very cute book!
Loves It
Board Books
couold be better
Ten Little Fingers

Ten Little Fingers (Board Books for Babies)
Annie Kubler
Manufacturer: Child's Play International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Board Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0859536106

Product Description

This award winning series has been specifically designed for babies. A great introduction to books through well-known nursery songs and interactive text. By Annie Kubler. Ages: birth - 2 years Manufacturer: Marlon Creations

Customer Reviews:

Very cute book!.......2007-09-17

This is a very cute book! I'm 8 months pregnant and my husband has been reading this book to my belly for the past few months. The baby already loves it but i'm sure she'll love it even more when she can hold daddy's hands with her own 10 little fingers!

Loves It.......2007-08-27

My little absolutely loves these books. I have to read one or more of the everyday.

Board Books.......2007-06-08

Ten Little Fingers by Annie Kubler is one of a series of books that is a perfect fit for very little ones. The rhythm and rhyme draws their attention and the illustrations are big blobs of color, sharply delineated from each other. You can start with an infant who is old enough to focus and they will be enthralled by the colors. The size of the book is good for holding open with one hand as you hold the baby in the other arm.

couold be better.......2007-06-01

This is a finger play for babies and toddlers. I bought it to have at home for when my granddaughters visit. The book is cute enough, but there is just not "enough" meat to this book to justify a whole book for one finger play. I do like that the musical notes are provided, so that I can play the song on the piano. Just wish there were a couple other songs/finger plays.

Ten Little Fingers.......2007-05-14

The shipping fee is about same as the book price itself. That will end up about double price of a children book.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books