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

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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.

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

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

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.

The New Grove Dictionary of Opera: 4 volumes

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From the realm of academe
I need to ask a queston..

The New Grove Dictionary of Opera: 4 volumes

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195221869

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Although not for every opera lover (or every opera lover's budget), this massive four-volume set--each volume coming in at around 1,300 pages--is indispensable for the opera educator, writer, or major fanatic. While in any encyclopedia the quality of writing and the critical viewpoint must of necessity be somewhat varied, the standards in the Grove series of reference works are always high and the level of usefulness enormous. Almost any opera that debuted before 1992 is to be found within these pages, making it especially useful in this age of obscure revivals; most singers of any note who had established careers before that date are also included. Although somewhat Anglocentric in its inclusions, this remains an invaluable reference work.

Book Description

Incorporating a decade of musicological research, the Dictionary is unsurpassed in its scope and quality, with contributions from over 1,300 of the world's leading critics and scholars. A remarkable 11,000 articles, all fully cross-referenced, create a work that has become established as the essential opera reference. Indeed, every aspect of this varied art form is covered: composers, conductors, directors, performers, librettists, literary sources, cities and countries, operatic historians, and opera genres and terminology. BLOver 1800 operas are discussed from the late 16th century Florentine Camerata, through the great 18th and 19th century operas, to contemporary works such as the minimalist theatre pieces of Philip Glass BLThe lives and careers of over 2900 composers are discussed in depth, with entries containing critical assessments as well as discussion of their individual careers and major achievements BLProfiles of every singer who has made a significant contribution to opera are included, from Francesco Rasi in the 1600s to Luciano Pavarotti in the 1990s BLTwo unrivaled indices of character names and arias make it the most useful and user-friendly opera dictionary available BLIllustrated throughout with rare photographs, reproductions of original posters, set and costume designs, and scenes from recent performances

Customer Reviews:

From the realm of academe.......2000-12-06

The short & sweet of it: this four-volume set is the most comprehensive collection of information about composers, librettists, major singers, and of course, *operas* I have ever encountered. Not for the faint of heart or the casual fan. Within, you will find such goodies as: historical information (place/date of debut, librettist, commissioned by..., compositional style/process, reaction of the public, etc.), role names + voice part, historical photographs, extensive plot summaries, musical examples, orchestration, and a musicological commentary on the opera, most often in the context of the composer's larger body of works. But the best is yet to come, my friends - each entry includes a comprehensive bibliographical listing of major studies done on each opera, composer, singer, or librettist. A great place to start when researching a role, studying for a test, or preparing for a paper.

The only weakness in this volume is that one only reads of aria titles. If you are looking for an aria to sing, or in-depth information on a particular aria, you may not find a lot of reference to it here. But, the book will provide much context for your study, and this volume will point you toward a plethora of valuable resources regarding your aria.

Who should own this book: the scholar, the enthusiast, and the serious performer.

I need to ask a queston.........1999-03-30

Do you have the new Grove Dictionary of Opera in paperback? I cannot find anywhere to ask a question. Thanks

American Sideshow: An Encyclopedia of History's Most Wondrous and Curiously Strange Performers

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Go ahead and STARE!
Good book
Absolutely Fabulous & Entertaining!
American Sideshow
Compelling encyclopedia of fascinating people, more context would have been great

American Sideshow: An Encyclopedia of History's Most Wondrous and Curiously Strange Performers
Marc Hartzman
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1585424412

Book Description

A fascinating look into the history of the American sideshow and its performers. Learn what's real, what's fake, and what's just downright bizarre.

You've probably heard of Tom Thumb. The Elephant Man. Chang and Eng, the original Siamese twins. But what about Eli Bowen, the legless acrobat? Myrtle Corbin, the four-legged woman? Or Prince Randian, the human torso? All these and more were stars during the heyday of the American sideshow, from 1840 to 1950. American Sideshow chronicles the lives of truly amazing performers, examining these brave and extraordinary curiosities, not just as sideshow attractions, but as people, delving into the lives they led and how they were able to triumph over their abnormalities.

American Sideshow discusses the rise and fall of the original sideshows and their subsequent replacement by today's self-made freaks. With the progress of modern medicine, the physical abnormalities are disappearing, either through treatment or prevention; and, ironically, those same technological advancements now make it possible to change our bodies at will. It's amazing how easy it is to have your tongue forked, horns surgically implanted, or your earlobes removed. There are also modern-day giants, fire-eaters, fire-breathers, sword-swallowers, glass-eaters, human blockheads, and, oh, so much more.

These fascinating personalities are celebrated through intimate biographies paired with stunning photographs. Approximately 200 performers from the past 160 years are featured, giving readers a comprehensive and sometimes astonishing view of the history of the American sideshow.

Customer Reviews:

Go ahead and STARE!.......2007-08-28

In the Old days the "freaks" didn't have the talk show circuit, they had very few options given to them to make money. If you were born deformed you could either shut yourself up in your house, or join the circus. Back then there wasn't any political correctness, if you had giant growths on your face you were "the ugliest woman", if you weighed over 400 pounds you were the "jolliest fattest person alive" It was all about exploiting your abnormalities to the fullest. It is human nature to be curious about those among us that are different, even shocking in appearance. We try not to stare in public, so when these shows came around it was our opportunity to get an eyeful and not feel guilty. Many times these performers were sold as children by their parents, because it was good money and it got rid of the burden the sideshows became permanent homes for the "orphans". These days disorders and diseases like gigantism, Ichthyosis (alligator skin), even conjoined twins have treatments or solutions for recovery. A lot of the thalidomide babies are grown up and have moved onto normal lives, dwarfism has its own community and they want to be seen as more than an oddity.
This book gives us a rare insight to all the people, big or small, who put themselves on display for entertainment purposes. It's laid out in a certain timeline, with each performer getting a mini biography and a picture; it was fascinating to learn about their origins and what happened to them after the sideshow life. I thought it was interesting that men who were cross dressers were billed as hermaphrodites dressing up one half man one half women, and males who had parasitic twins were made to have that "twin" a female no matter what. Many owners hyped up their performers, blatantly lying to the public to give them more of an exotic feel. Two albino black men with dreadlocks were Albanian goat men. Even a famous "Chinese" dwarf, was rumored to be a Jewish guy dressed up.
The book is really informative; I was glued to it for days. The only thing I have to complain about has nothing to do with the book itself, but rather the state of "sideshows" today. Now it's mostly about "Human Marvels" or "self made freaks" and less about physical deformities. The Modern section was FULL of tattooed, sword swallowing, pierced, bug eaters. To me that's just not entertaining, if you go and choose to become a "freak" I really don't care about seeing you. I went and saw the Jim Rose Circus when it came through town in the early 90's, and I wasn't impressed by what I saw.

Good book.......2007-06-17

There were some good information and some pictures in this book, however, I felt they covered so many performers that there wasn't enough information about those who were covered. Still a good read.

Absolutely Fabulous & Entertaining!.......2007-05-25

"The dazzling real lives of the bearded ladies, the dog faced boys, the camel girl, the lobster boy, the frog boy, the lizard man and all the other strange carnival and sideshow performers."

American Sideshow.......2006-10-10

Great sideshow book!

This book covers more performers and has more photos than any of my
other sideshow books. Hartzman shows us who these performers are, not
just as freaks, but as people. He gets into their lives, their loves,
and their triumphs. Light humor and a casual style make the book very
readable and enjoyable. Turn to any page and you'll read something
amazing - something to tell people at work about the next day.

I read another reviewer's comment below who said Hartzman stated
too many sideshow claims as fact, but he clearly stated in the
beginning of the book that giants' and midgets' heights, fat peoples'
weights, and other "facts" were often exaggerated. This way he didn't
have to say it every time he mentions a height or weight, which
would've gotten repetitive. This reviewer also wished he cited his
sources, which he clearly did in his bibliography.

Get this book! It's American history at its most fascinating.

Compelling encyclopedia of fascinating people, more context would have been great.......2006-07-11

This book makes fascinating reading. It's mainly done in an encyclopedia style, with entries for many, many people who chose to exhibit their unusual features or talents. The author obviously feel strongly that they have a right to do so, and shows much caring and respect for them. I really liked how he followed their lives all the way through if he could find the information, so they were presented as people and not just shows.

However, I would have really liked a little more context with the listing---more information about sideshows in general and more perspective on the listings. I did like the sidebars here and there, but it would have been great to read more about life in general for all the performers--what it was like to travel with a sideshow, what the people watching the shows acted like, etc.

I also found the humor inserted in almost every listing a little forced, and not in keeping with the general respectful tone of the book. There were lots of little puns and silly jokes, which didn't add much and were a distraction.

I found the last section of the book, about present day shows and performers, to not really fit with the rest of the book. These performers almost all just do odd and bizarre things, as opposed to having odd and bizarre things thrust upon them. I think it's a very different thing to CHOOSE to be odd and bizarre as opposed to making the best of a life where you already are.

It sounds like I liked this book much less than I did. I really did find it an interesting and caring survey of a group of people political correctness often prefers not to talk about. It's ironic that this same attitude probably keeps many people on public assistance, instead of making them extremely rich as many of these performers became!

Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America, 2 volumes

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A Lifetime of Research on Vaudeville -
A Trans-Atlantic view
Outstanding vaudeville history
The Best Vaudeville Book Ever
Vaudeville - Brought Back to Life

Vaudeville, Old and New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America, 2 volumes
Frank Cullen , Florence Hackman , and Donald McNeilly
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0415938538

Book Description

This is a one-of-a-kind reference work to the history of vaudeville, performance art, burlesque, revue, and comic opera. Author Frank Cullen has done deep research, including archival work and personal interviews, to uncover the rich history of this American art form. Most of the artists profiled here are not examined in other reference books. This will be a must-have for students of theater history and performance art, and also for anyone interested in the cultural history of America.

Customer Reviews:

A Lifetime of Research on Vaudeville -.......2007-04-05

This is from my review published in "In The Groove" Magazine - April 2007
Frank Cullen LOVES Vaudeville in all it's forms, whether it's the baggy pants comics of burlesque, the "specialty acts" like strongman or eccentric dancers who graced the stages of New York and around the circuits in the 1920s, or the singers who went on to make some of the most popular records of their day. This passion is obvious in the recent publication of the huge two-volume 1300-page compilation Vaudeville Old & New: An Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America (Routledge). Now in his 70s, Cullen saw his first Laurel & Hardy film at the age of nine and was hooked. (Yes, Laurel and Hardy both appeared on the vaudeville stage early in their careers and Cullen devotes six pages to them.). He started reading and watching and listening in his high school years and had a brief acting career as well. In the mid-1980s he formed the American Vaudeville Museum in CT and began publishing the quarterly Vaudeville Times (which I mentioned here last year). Now relocated to New Mexico, Cullen has put his energies into this fascinating book. The peak years for "Vaudeville" were 1905-1925, with over 2,000 theaters around the US. As many as 50,000 performers were in the business during that period. Obviously, not all are in the book but a good mix of the known and the "lesser known" are here. Record collectors will recognize many of them. There are the recording Bakers (Belle, Josephine and Phil) as well as the Smiths (Mamie, Bessie and Kate). Other recording artists covered in much detail include, Eddie Cantor, Sissle & Blake and Moran & Mack. The performers are listed alphabetical from A (Abbott a& Costello) to Z (Zetts Weekly, a rival to Variety, published in 1921). There are sections devoted to each of the "circuits" and the impresarios as well. Photos of the performers and sheet music covers are on many pages. In fact, you'll find a lot of performers who you've only known from sheet music covers. The very handy Bibliography and a 30-page Index, make the book even more useful. Whether you start from the beginning and read it straight through, or use to look up an artist you found on a recording, you'll find this book a great resource. It's a tribute to the hard work and passion of the author. Highly recommended!

Steve Ramm "Anything Phonographic"

A Trans-Atlantic view.......2006-12-01

All that you could ever want to know about vaudeville is contained in a monumental two-volume work, Vaudeville Old and New: an Encyclopedia of Variety Performers. It surpasses anything previously written about the American equivalent of British music hall and will stand as the major reference work on the subject for many years to come.

Given its scope, there are entries about entertainers whose names will mean nothing to the average British reader. But that is more than offset by the comprehensiveness the authors bring to all they touch. It is fascinating, for instance, to get an American take on British artistes who became big stars in the U.S., the likes of Vesta Victoria and Alice Lloyd. We learn more about such top-liners as Al Jolson and Danny Kaye and find the answers to all manner of questions. What was so special about Fanny Brice? What brought Sid Caesar's career to a halt? And who knew that the distinguished commentator, Walter Winchell, started out in vaudeville?

The books' essays about burlesque and music hall are as good as you'll likely to get and the fine writing evinces some deft and delicate touches: a description of Beatrice Lillie, for instance, is as "a treasured English tea-rose with thorns" is spot on. The "new" in the title is no false promise. The encyclopedia is bang up-to-date with entries on Britain's Chris Simmons, for example.

The extensive knowledge and deep love of vaudeville by the author, Frank Cullen [working with Florence Hackman and Donald McNeilly], shine through in each of these tomes' 1,300 magnificent pages.

Richard Anthony Baker

Outstanding vaudeville history.......2006-11-19

A monumental and definitive encyclopadia by an outstanding theater historian. This tome is everything you wanted to know about vaudeville and its performers. It is destined to become the bible for historians and researchers of early American popular theater.

Frank Cullen's knowledge and articulation of the facts of vaudeville, old and new, is a welcome and needed addition to a genre sadly overlooked by the public. Vaudeville was America's first national pasttime and laid the foundation for the world of entertainment in our contenporary culture.

Nicely laid out, easy to read, ample photographs and humor make the two-volume set a must for libraries, archives and theater buffs, or anyone who has an interest in American social history.

The Best Vaudeville Book Ever.......2006-11-10

Frank Cullen, longtime publisher and head writer of the Vaudeville Times magazine, has finally published his 2 volume biographical encyclopedia of vaudeville. For those who don't know, vaudeville was the main form of live entertainment in America from 1880 to 1930 and it continued even as late at the 1960s. This book carefully catalogues who was who in vaudeville, tells the major reason they became famous or were important, and offers biographies and descriptions of everything connected with the subject.
Along with the work of Professor Anthony Slide, these tomes by Frank Cullen constitute the most important documentation of this major form of American popular culture. Vaudeville is rapidly being forgotten today as its participants die off and younger audiences cannot even recognize the term. Cullen's work honors the performers and offers invaluable insights into what the experience was like.
The book is well written and, like vaudeville itself, immensely entertaining, whether you are reading about familiar stars such as Al Jolson or the completely forgotten ones such as the great Eddie Leonard. There is nothing to complain about in this effort-- if you want to know all about vaudeville, this is the magnum opus. It is lavishly illustrated and has about it that aura of love and care that comes when a writer is totally engrossed in his subject matter and approaches it with honesty, integrity and admiration.
Of course I have to tell you that I am biased because I'm in the book. I once was in "the show business" in vaudeville and there are only a few of us still alive who made it into the Cullen opus. But those of us who are left can assure you, dear reader, that all those vaudevillians who are encapsulated within would be proud of this book. It costs a good bit but it's got everything you need to know about a subject that once was close to the hearts of so many Americans. What's really fun is watching old movies on Turner, admiring the work of stars such as Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, or Trixie Friganza, and then keeping these volumes by your bed to look up the bios! Of course at my age that passes for high adventure! So, thanks, Frank, and good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are. If you know the meaning of that last phrase you'll love this book. If you don't you should read it anyway.

Vaudeville - Brought Back to Life.......2006-10-25

This massive two volume work is without a doubt the greatest tribute to vaudeville and its performers ever written. It brings back to life an important aspect of show business that has almost been forgotten.

In this book you relive the lives and stories of a group of hard working entertainers, many of whom went on to give birth to the motion pictures, radio, and television industries. Most of the stars of the years between 1925 and 1960 got their start in vaudeville.

You won't read this book in one night, but it could provide a thousand nights of some of the greatest entertainment you've ever experienced.

If you love show business and all of it's aspects, then you will absolutely love this masterful work. It may just be what is needed to help resurrect the spirit of a long deceased tradition.

The New Harvard Dictionary of Music (Harvard University Press Reference Library)

Average customer rating:

Spare Copy
The Finest Music Dictionary
Outstanding musical reference
A Very Helpful Material
Excellent Choice

The New Harvard Dictionary of Music (Harvard University Press Reference Library)

Manufacturer: Belknap Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0674615255

Book Description

THIS EDITION HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A NEWER 2003 EDITION

This classic reference work is simply the best one-volume music dictionary available today. Its nearly 6,000 entries, written by more than 70 top musicologists, are consistently lucid and based on recent scholarship. The New Harvard Dictionary of Music contains among its riches superb articles on music of the 20th century, including jazz, rock, and mixed media as well as twelve-tone, serial, and aleatory music; comprehensive articles on the music of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Near East; entries on all the styles and forms in Western art music; and descriptions of instruments enriched by historical background. Short entries for quick reference--definitions and identifications--alternate with encyclopedia-length articles written by experts in each field. More than 220 drawings and 250 musical examples enhance the text.

Combining authoritative scholarship with concise, lively prose, The New Harvard Dictionary of Music is the essential guide for musicians, students, and everyone who listens to music.

Customer Reviews:

Spare Copy.......2004-06-12

This is just one outstanding reference book. The best you can get.
If anyone has a spare copy they do not want, and want to give away you can email me at musikrite@hotmail.com
I am a post grad student, and the cost of books is becoming prohibitive.

The Finest Music Dictionary.......2002-01-06

I got this book as a present from my flute teacher, and was a bit skeptical of what i could get from a music dictionary, but now i understand. I love this dictionary, sometimes i just pull it out of my shelf and open it to a rondom page to see what new music terms i can learn. i reccomend it to all musicans and even to some non-musicans who are interested in music.

Outstanding musical reference.......2001-01-26

This is absolutely the finest music dictionary that I have used. It is concise in its definitions, and very useful with the information presented. Whenever I need to look just what exactly "Die Zauberflote" is, I often find myself reading on and on and on for pleasure. This is absolutely the only dictionary that I've ever found myself captivated by. I definitely recommend this fine musical reference.

A Very Helpful Material.......2001-01-21

I recieved this book as a christmas present from a family member. Upon looking through it I found just how helpful it really is. I plan on getting a career in music education, and although I have been studying music for about 6 years, there is material in the book that I did not know. It is excellent if you need more information, or just want to know more about music and music theory. I have not looked at the older version, but am sure that it is possibly just as informative as this one is. However, I strongly feel this is a good peice of work, and very educative for people like myself who just want to know more.

Excellent Choice.......2000-12-22

This is a great reference book. This is just as good as any of them. It happens to be just a little less expensive than the Oxford Edition and you still get the same results. The explanations are very easy to understand and the dictionary explains in detail whatever it is you want to be informed about. A great buy that will last forever.

Musical Instrument Makers of New York: A Directory of the Eighteenth-And Nineteenth-Century Urban Craftsmen (Annotated Reference Tools in Music)

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Musical Instrument Makers of New York: A Directory of the Eighteenth-And Nineteenth-Century Urban Craftsmen (Annotated Reference Tools in Music)
Nancy Groce
Manufacturer: Pendragon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0918728975

The New Penguin Opera Guide (Penguin Reference Books)

Average customer rating:

Let me help clarify...
An also-ran in a competitive and rich market
It IS the best, but...
Wonderful

The New Penguin Opera Guide (Penguin Reference Books)

Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140514759

Book Description

Here is the fully revised and updated edition of the most comprehensive single-volume opera encyclopedia ever published in paperback. Through hundreds of meticulously researched articles, The New Penguin Opera Guide brings to life nearly 2,000 operatic works by some 850 composers. From perennial favorites like Mozart and Wagner to contemporary composers like Adès and Reich, each article-written by a leading expert in the field-outlines the composer's operatic career and assesses his contribution to the genre. Every significant work has its own entry, with information about the libretto, duration, cast and orchestra, background, plot, and musical highlights. In addition to up-to-date bibliographic material on notable editions and publishers, selected recordings are featured to guide readers toward the best available versions.

Customer Reviews:

Let me help clarify..........2007-06-15

Unfortunately, many readers of the below review dated January 16, 2004 will be somewhat more confused than helped. Let me try to clarify the situation for the prospective buyer. (But, if you're specifically seeking a book to serve as an INTRODUCTION to "opera," feel free to skip ahead to my postscript at the bottom!)

"The NEW Penguin Opera Guide" (renamed from its original, 1993 incarnation, "The Viking Opera Guide") is really not in the same category as the other, "also ran" books alluded to in that other review (e.g., Phil Goulding's, Fred Plotkin's, and Denis Forman's books). None of those other books are truly so comprehensive (in their coverage of, SPECIFICALLY, operas and composers) that they merit the label "encyclopedic."

Only TWO books on opera are actually THAT comprehensive (i.e., covering approximately 2000 operas and many hundreds of composers) that they are actually unqualified "encyclopedias," not merely run-of-the-mill "opera books." Those two books are: (1) "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera" (4-volume set covering not only operas and composers but also operatic terminology, performers, venues, and much else); and (2) "The NEW Penguin Opera Guide" (or, better still, its original, 1993 incarnation as "The Viking Opera Guide"), which covers primarily operas and their composers (and not that much else).

If you're seeking a single, fully comprehensive reference on (specifically) operas and their composers, and if you can't afford (or house!) the enormous, four-volume "New Grove," then your only remaining decision is whether to buy this (circa-2001 softcover) "NEW Penguin Opera Guide" or its original, 1993 version ("The Viking Opera Guide"). The latter is, in my opinion, much better than the former. Not only is the text of the "Viking" MUCH darker and easier to read than that of the "New Penguin," but also the "Viking" covers significantly more "old and obscure" composers/operas than does the "New Penguin" (which, in its own right, does cover certain "recent" composers/operas not included in the 1993 "Viking").

Moreover, the "Viking" has MANY more ILLUSTRATIONS than does the "New Penguin." (Note: essentially NONE of the illustrations were carried over from the "Viking" to the "New Penguin." Thus, the illustrations are totally different in either edition. Essentially all the illustrations in both books are "good," but there's a lot MORE of 'em in the "Viking" than the "New Penguin.")

The vast majority of the articles that are included in the "New Penguin" were merely copied (essentially verbatim) from the "Viking." But, I repeat, there are "exclusive inclusions and omissions" of certain articles in EITHER edition, with the "Viking" ending up the overall winner in that regard, in my opinion (I'm somewhat more interested in the "old" obscure composers/operas than the "modern" obscure composers/operas!).

If you can't find a used copy of the 1993 "Viking" at an affordable price, then the "New Penguin" should seem "close enough" to satisfy the majority of readers seeking a "comprehensive encyclopedia" of (specifically) operas and composers.

Finally, don't be led astray by several other (so-called) "Penguin" opera-guide editions that have appeared since 1995. If you purchase any "Penguin" opera guide without the word "New" in its title, you'll be getting merely an abridgement of the complete "encyclopedia."

P.S: If you're not seeking an "encyclopedia" of opera but rather an "introduction," then do consider the various OTHER kinds of (non-encyclopedic) "opera" books, including those by the aforementioned Fred Plotkin and Phil Goulding (not to mention "Opera for Dummies" by David Pogue and Scott Speck; or the colorfully delightful "Opera" by Alan Riding and Leslie Dunton-Downer). Most such books could be borrowed via public libraries till you're sure which one(s) you'd really like to own.

An also-ran in a competitive and rich market.......2004-01-17

This work, like a pro athlete on an off-day, turns out to be less than its glorious pedigree would suggest. It's okay, but nothing great. It's stuck in the in the no-man's land of opera guides for beginners and opera guides for long-time opera lovers, and as a consequence it will satisfy neither.

If you are new to opera, this book is a little bit too much, I feel. And if you've done a lot of reading about opera and/or listening to opera, this book won't have much new for you. To be honest, I was really disappointed.

Enough complaining. It's a perfectly sound, perfectly correct, perfectly sturdy guide. But too many other products are better. For beginning opera fan, read the Amazon.com reviews of Phil Goulding's "A Ticket to the Opera," the "Opera for Dummies" book, and Fred Plotkin's "Opera 101." For more advanced buffs, check out the reviews for Denis Forman's "A Night at the Opera." The multiple reviews will give you a good idea if one of those books would work for you.

It IS the best, but..........2003-05-13

On the back of "The New Penguin Opera Guide", it quotes an endorsement from the Boston Globe--"...The best one-volume opera guide...". This is absolutely the truth! I haven't seen another one volume opera guide that doesn't shamefacedly pale before this one! It covers composers and operas the others don't even get close to. It also includes information that is really valuable to a dedicated opera nut like me, such as premier places and dates, the name of the publishers and whether a full score or only a vocal score has been published, and a list of recordings.

Does all this praise mean I don't have any gripes? Far from it! Some of my complaints may reflect my own operatic interests, but others really are flaws. My thing is late romantic opera, so I can only comment on areas that I know.

First of all, while they've wisely chosen a wide range of experts to write the descriptions of the composers and operas in question, some composers are treated with much greater sympathy than others of a similar historical importance. For instance, most of the German expressionists make out quite well. Zemlinsky (who's one of my favorite composers)is reviewed by Antony Beaumont, who not only knows about Zemlinsky (he's written an excellent biography), but completed the orchestration of his final opera! You could hardly expect Beaumont to say "'Konig Kandaules' sucks!" On the other hand, it's hard to find a single verismo composer, Puccini excepted, for whom the guide has much sympathy...Giordano "lacks resoursefulness and inventiveness". Mascagni's creative impetus was "short-breathed and lacked continuity". Zandonai showed "dangerous signs of repeating himself". Montemezzi was a "relatively minor, conservative composer", who's later works are "disappointing...unassuming, and unadverterous". You get the idea. The guide also gives far more weight to modernist and recent works than their performance histories seem to justify, while neglecting important works by expressionist, verismo, and American romantic composers. Alfano's "Cyrano de Bergerac", which has two available recordings, and upcoming productions starring Roberto Alagna and Placido Domingo, doesn't have an entry. Neither do the operas of American composers Victor Herbert or Deems Taylor, though they were of some historical importance, and Taylor's works were popular successes. Henry K. Hadley, who's "Cleopatra's Night" was successful at the Met, isn't even included in the book. It also lacks a meaningful table of contents.

These things aside, this is a must have title for the serious opera fan. The CD-rom version of this book has even more information as well as some sound samples and more pictures.

Wonderful.......2002-10-12

Years ago, I found a copy of "The Viking Opera Guide" on the shelves of a large bookstore. I was astonished by how superior it was to every other opera book I'd ever seen. I looked at the back and was discouraged by the price: .... But the book was so great I would have bought it anyhow, except the book was not in very good condition and I'm a stickler on that point. So I investigated a little further, and quickly discovered that the book was out of print! Why on earth, I wondered, since it was so obviously superior to any other book its size in print?

At any rate, I decided not to buy it, thinking that it was so good that another edition must be forthcoming. I waited a couple months to no avail. I broke down and decided to buy the soiled copy in the bookstore if it was still there. No such luck!

Now this "New Penguin Opera Guide" comes out, which is an abridgement of the original. I looked it over in a bookstore and saw immediately that it was just wonderful, albeit missing at least a third of the entries in the original Viking book. Nevertheless, at the level of my interest (complete works of Handel and Janacek, for example, but not some of the more obscure opera composers), it seemed to fulfil my craving for the original Viking book. So I bought it and I am greatly satisfied with it.

Still, my curiosity about the original Viking book remains. I searched Amazon for used copies. Imagine my dismay when I saw that the cheapest used example now goes for [price]! It is a collector's item priced considerably higher than its original price! So you can still get the original Viking in the used book market, but if the cost exceeds your means, this "New Penguin Opera Guide" is a worthy paperback substitute. It is a heavy volume printed on high quality paper and loaded with B&W photographs. It far exceeds its predecessor, "The Penguin Opera Guide" published in 1995. That also is an abridgement of the Viking, but it only contains about 25% of the original text and is printed on light-weight, poor quality paper. Nevertheless, what there is of the text of that edition is worthy, and it is light and small enough to stick it away on a trip to the opera. Not so this New edition, which is way too heavy and big to hide away in your coat pocket. For just browsing at home, I reiterate: it is wonderful -- until and if the original Viking is reprinted in its entirety.

Average customer rating:

The Most Desirable Edition of This Book

A must for musicians and lovers of music out there!

The New Oxford Companion to Music: Volume 1: A-J Volume 2: L-Z

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Oxford Companion to Music

ASIN: 0193113163

Book Description

This complete encyclopedia encompasses music of all kinds from ancient times to the present day. Written by a team of 90 expert contributors, these 6,600 articles cover composers, and individual works; musical instruments; opera; music of different countries; Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque,
Classical, Romantic, Jazz, and popular music; definitions of musical terms; rudiments and theory of music; and standard forms and genres.

Customer Reviews:

The Most Desirable Edition of This Book.......2005-01-17

I've been comparing The New Oxford Companion to Music, ed. Denis Arnold (1983; 2 volumes, 2,017 pages) with the latest edition: The Oxford Companion to Music, ed. Alison Latham (2002; 1,434 pages). In the estimable series of Oxford Companions you can usually expect the new edition to supersede and replace the old one. In this case, however, it's not that simple. A glance at the above reveals that the new edition, in one volume, is some 583 pages shorter than the preceding edition, in two volumes. Losing almost 600 pages of 2,000 represents a very substantial loss of material.

Moreover, when we examine the two editions, we discover that the 1983 edition is lavishly, indeed beautifully, illustrated ("1,100 halftone illustrations and line drawings, 405 music examples"). None of the illustrations are in color, but there is an abundance of well-chosen, functional, illuminating photos, portraits, paintings, manuscripts, figures, line drawings, plates, tables, musical examples. The new edition of 2002, alas, has virtually eschewed illustration: almost all of the illustrations of the 1983 edition have been scrapped. We get a comparative handful of musical examples and figures, but just about everything else has been eliminated; even the greatest composers aren't represented by a single likeness, whereas in the 1983 edition even lesser composers get a photo or portrait. If for example you want to understand what an accordion is, there is no substitute for a picture of one. The 1983 edition has a 4-page entry on "accordion," with photos of four different types (including a musician playing one), plus 2 explanatory diagrams. The 2002 edition has a page-length entry with no illustrative material at all. I find this a significant loss, a significant cheapening of the book, and a significant diminution in the pleasure of using it. It's revealing that Alison Latham, the 2002 editor, refers to the "wealth of illustrative material" as one of the assets of Denis Arnold's 1983 edition, but makes no mention of the fact that she has thrown out almost all of it.

But that's not all. If for example we look up "organ" in the 1983 edition, we find a truly comprehensive 20-page entry, with 20 illustrations (plates, figures, tables, drawings, photos). In the 2002 edition we find a 6-page entry with 8 figures; this represents a radical abridgment of the earlier article.

Could "organ" be an unhappy fluke? No, unfortunately it's not. I looked up "trumpet," "violin," and "piano," and found the same result in each case: a truly drastic loss of material, both text and illustration, in the new edition.

If you look up any of the hundred standard repertory operas in the 1983 edition, you find the basic facts about composer, librettist, and premiere, plus a synopsis of the action, and often an apt illustration and "Further Reading" suggestions. If you look up any of the same operas in the 2002 edition, you find a very short entry (Carmen, for example, gets three lines; Tristan und Isolde gets two lines) giving the basic facts about composer, librettist, premiere--no synopsis, no illustration, no reading list.

So you can see why the 2002 edition of this book was received with reservation, indeed with downright disappointment, by those who were familiar with the 1983 edition. Why would Oxford UP have made such Draconian changes? Well, the governing perception seems to have been that the 1983 edition, lavishly illustrated and in two volumes, had outgrown its purpose and over-reached its market. Evidently many found the two-volume format cumbersome and too expensive. The 2002 edition, by eliminating almost all of the illustrations and reducing the size to a single volume, has cheapened and abridged the book, rendered it much less attractive, and in many areas reduced its usefulness, but has made it handier and more affordable.

Does the 2002 edition have no redeeming qualities, then, but cheapness and one-volume convenience? Indeed it does have its virtues. For one, it's up-to-date. A blurb on its dustcover breathlessly claims, "Now, thirty years after the last edition, this invaluable companion is back in a completely new edition"--a barefaced falsehood: the period between the two editions was 19 years, not 30. But the new edition benefits from the scholarship of the last two decades; many new and updated articles ("over 1,000 new entries") reflect the perspective of 2002. Many articles conclude with mini-bibliographies (in both editions), and these are inevitably more current and useful in the 2002 edition.

Perhaps the most valuable feature of the new edition is the inclusion for the first time of entries not just for composers but for distinguished performing musicians. In the 1983 (and earlier) edition, there were no entries for conductors, singers, instrumentalists. In the 2002 edition you'll find entries for Toscanini, Walter, Furtwangler, Caruso, Melba, Ponselle, Melchior, Flagstad, Callas, Heifetz, Casals, Artur Rubinstein, Horowitz, Segovia, Dennis Brain, and many others. This change was overdue and certainly enhances the usefulness of the book. Many of the "over 1,000 new entries" in the 2002 edition are in this category. "Space limitations have restricted these [entries] to artists who are no longer alive and who had significant influence on composition or performance." These entries are also limited to classical musicians.

In some cases the perspective of 2002 has warranted an expanded version of a composer entry in the 1983 edition. For example, Orff, Moussorgsky, and Scriabin all get expanded treatments (but lose their portraits) in the new edition.

So, what to do; which Companion to choose? My solution is obvious but perhaps not very helpful: if you love music and like good reference books, get both. I believe the Alison Latham 2002 edition should be viewed as an updated supplement to the more substantial and lavish 1983 edition, not as a replacement. Denis Arnold's 1983 two-volume edition was the first complete revision since the original 1938 Oxford Companion to Music, edited (and largely written) by Percy Scholes; it is not perfect, but I think it represents the high-water mark of the three editions. If you have only the spartan 2002 edition, be aware that you are missing much of value and beauty in the 1983 edition. (Unfortunately I'm not the only one who has noticed that the 2002 edition is no replacement for the 1983 edition: if you check prices for used copies of the 1983 edition in the USA, you'll find that they are high.) If you own both editions, you can enjoy the best of both worlds. If I could own only one, I'd keep the 1983.

A must for musicians and lovers of music out there!.......2001-02-28

This set of two books has everything. From Beethoven's Sonatas, to who was Beethoven, to what's a Sonata and many many others. Pumped up with 2000 pages of music knowlledge, this Encyclopedia of Music, is a must for every musician as well as anyone who is a lover of music. It's great and it certainly helped me for the preparations of my studies in the area of Music. I give it 5 stars, how could I do otherwise ?

Average customer rating:

Not Even Worth One Star
Even Dio's biases can't ruin the book
best heavy metal book ever period!
Outstanding book, show me the sign rattleheads
THE BEST HEAVY METAL/ HARD ROCK BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!

The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal
Daniel Bukszpan
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0760742189

Book Description

Headbangers rejoice, because this fantastically illustrated encyclopedia includes all things Metal, from influential bands such as Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly, Kiss, and Queen, to Mötley Crue, Black Sabbath (before Ozzy became a family sitcom star), Deep Purple, Twisted Sister, and Aerosmith, right up to Jane's Addiction, Las Cruces, Limp Bizkit, and today's most extreme death metal bands. Not a single sub-genre or band goes uncovered. Well-researched and fact-filled, the witty text befits the raucous bands that push musical-and all other-boundaries. From obscure groups like Armored Saint and Norway's Mayhem to pioneers Grand Funk Railroad and Iron Maiden to megastars like Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Lita Ford, Van Halen, Joan Jett, and Marilyn Manson, each entry contains vital statistics: a description of the band's history and sound; an essential discography; the most current, comprehensive, popular compilations; and much more. Special features cover such important details as "Metal Fashion" and the various metal genres. Def Leppard, Faith No More, Guns n' Roses, Judas Priest, Metallica, AC/DC, Nine-Inch Nails, Poison, Rage Against the Machine, and Japan's Loudness: all of the favorite (and not so favorite) adrenaline-pumped, bizarre bands that make heavy metal the unique form it is appear in all their glory.

Customer Reviews:

Not Even Worth One Star.......2007-06-29

At first glance, this looks like a great book to have if you're a metalhead. If you know anything at all about metal, you'll notice all of the misinformation and "facts" that seem to have come from out of left field. Interestingly, although lots of bands were left out, the author did manage to get his band into the book ... This guy obviously didn't do his research or was so full of himself that he figured he was right about everything. The only really great thing about this book is the color photographs.

Even Dio's biases can't ruin the book.......2006-12-17

Everyone who is a longtime metal fan will have thier own complaints about omissions that seem so unjust to them and I too have a few (Virgin Steele, Primus), but there are more surprising inclusions that make this book really fun to read (Exciter, Jag Panzer, Mr. Bungle, The Melvins). It seems, at least to me, that Dio is interjecting his own opinions a little much for my taste. Examples: Dio listed as the top Heavy Metal vocalist and Ozzy isn't in the top 10, Tony Iommi is in the top 10 guitarists while Randy Rhoads missing from the list, and the most essential Heavy Metal album is, according to the book, is Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" (featuring Dio, of course). And who has the crush on King's X anyway? They are o.k, I guess, but reading this you get the impression that they are the second coming of Sabbath or something.

best heavy metal book ever period!.......2006-10-21

This book has everything about metal music/bands, nuff said.

Outstanding book, show me the sign rattleheads.......2006-07-26

This book is every metal heads dream. It cover most of the major metal bands, and then some. With big bold pictures and excellent write ups, these guys did their research. This is a great book to have around to settle arguments, with info about the band and thier work. The best part, it wont break the bank buying it. So this book is good as a reference and as entertainment, you could spend hours paging through it, and don't forget to crank the metal as you read. There are many other books out there, but this is the best by far.

THE BEST HEAVY METAL/ HARD ROCK BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!.......2006-07-25

This really is the best book for heavy metal. There wasn't a single metal band I liked and couldn't find tons of info on in this book. I LUV IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It covers ALL of the subgeres of metal too!!!! Basicly: If you love metal you will love this!!!!!
It gives REALLY detailed info on each band. This is a book I would buy for $50, so at $14 you NEED to buy this!!!!!!!! I read it over and over because it's sooooo good!!!!!! This book is THE BEST book on metal ever!!!!!!!!!! It rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can stop reading this review and buy the book now.

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