The Practical Encyclopedia of Rocks & Minerals: How to Find, Identify, Collect and Maintain the World's best Specimens, with over 1000 Photographs and Artworks

Book Description

This is the ultimate photographic guide to the world of rocks and minerals, with a strong emphasis on how to build a diverse and colorful collection.

Customer Reviews:

Encyclopedia of Rocks and Minerals, a Review.......2007-03-21

I am the author of two books, "Collecting Fluorescent Minerals" and "The World of Fluorescent Minerals" and needed additional resources for non-fluorescent minerals. This book was nicely done - good illustrations, lots of variety, clearly written - but the information covering fluorescent minerals in this book was not very accurate. Every mineral collector needs several sources to get a good idea of what he or she has and this is one that I will continue to use. This should not be your only book, but it is worth having among your library.

The Book of Metal: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created

Average customer rating:

Totally rediculous junk !
Dont be mislead
Complete GARBAGE, full of insults, lies, errors, and non-METAL bands!
Krahp
filler

The Book of Metal: The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created
Chris Ingham
Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 156025419X

Book Description

This authoritative, finely researched volume is the definitive encyclopedia of metal music. It draws on acts relevant throughout the genre’s history from Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin through to current innovators such as Papa Roach, Cradle of Filth, Marilyn Manson, and Limp Bizkit. Bands from the genres of goth, death metal, thrash metal, glam and punk, such as the Sex Pistols, Nirvana, and Rancid, are also included. The bands are listed from each of the major subgenres as well as side genres. Nu-metal, hardcore, grindcore, industrial, and power metal all have their own sections in the book, complete with “genre traits” section and the names of bands that typify that sound. Illustrated throughout with the best color photography from the last 30 years of metal music and featuring 200 photos from the Metal Hammer archive, this is the most comprehensive encyclopedia of metal music ever created and the ultimate reference for fans of all metal music, worldwide.

Customer Reviews:

Totally rediculous junk !.......2007-08-09

I saw this book on sale, appropriately it wasn't even inside the store that sold it (it was in a stand outside), at an increadibly give away price of 2 Euros. Normally, that would have meant that I should have bought this thing blind. Knowning that anything in terms of Metal literature is always welcomed in my generally huge book collection. But, I took a look inside of this book, and was dismayed at what I was staring at.

This self-professed author claims to have written "The Most Comrehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created", already that title is so ludicrous that it isen't even funny anymore. Anyone who knows anything about Metal, will tell you that there must be literally thousands and thousands of Metal bands all over the world. To believe that any human being could possibly put them into one single book (or any number of books for that matter) is either totally ignorant, or just plain dumb.
Next, as others have mentioned, the bands portrayed here as being Metal bands are hardly that. If my memory service me right, then about 90% or more, where (Hard)Rock, or wanna be Metal bands, with a heavysided NU-Metal amount, most Metal fans wouldn't consider Nu-Metal to be real Metal in the first place.
Another laughable, as well as, down right deploring matter was how many times the author actually managed to contrive up information that is so plainly wrong that any 14 year old Metal fan will immediately spot it, upon first sight ! For example that Dio's Band ELF founded Rainbow. It was basically the other way around, since Ex-Deep Purple gituar legend Ritchie Blackmore asked Dio to join his new solo project Rainbow, that he founded after leaving Deep Purple. There are numerous other mistakes of this sort, that one has to ask whether the author was drunk, when he wrote this masterpiece!
Apart from being riddled with mistakes which shows the embarrasing lack of knowledge the author had, one really has to wonder how that person ever managed to sneak this one by the publisher! But presumably the publisher knew even less about the subject than the author, and the same must have been true of any editor(s), if there ever was one.

To make a long story short: Avoid this one at any cost (even at about 2 Euros = 2 Bucks) or else you'll be sorry, since this thing isen't even worth the paper that its written on !!!

Dont be mislead.......2007-08-04

Title: "The Most Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Metal Music Ever Created."

Pages: 256.

Enough said.

Complete GARBAGE, full of insults, lies, errors, and non-METAL bands!.......2007-07-10

Unlike other frustrated reviewers such as myself, I find no need into "thorough explanations" of why this book is filled with nonsense from beginning to end. I threw this out within two hours of it arriving in my mailbox. Literally speaking, today's 12-year-old girl with almost no knowledge of hard rock could have probably put together a similair list to what this book tries (and fails) to force down people's throats. Fortunately, most heavy rock fans hold such a strong passion for what they love that this won't even matter.

1. First and foremost. Once I see bands like Blink 182 (perhaps the biggest laugh of this entire book), Hole, Everclear, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, and so on (bands that are in no way METAL) in a book entitled "the most complete enclyclopedia of METAL music ever created", I know this was going to be not only an insult, but a bewilderment of how whoever wrote this book was paid for this piece of work? The Beatles, Stones, and Badfinger had a lot of heavier rock tunes themselves, I would have rather seen those guys get a mention over Hole or Everclear?

Tons of errors and inaccuracies in the very few interesting bits I did read. Somebody below pointed out several of them, one more I can add is in the WASP history where it mentioned Steve Riley as being on the first WASP record. He was not, though he did tour for the first WASP record.

Many metal legends (ie. Manowar comes to mind, who have been around since '78) aren't even mentioned, or others are given VERY SMALL sidebar shows while nu-metal buffoons like Slipknot, Korn, Coal Chamber, and slews of others are given a whole page (sometimes two, with photos).

This was terrible. I do not even know how this was released. Do not waste your time reading this book. It is terrible, full of lies, and I am beginning to think this 'list' is maybe just a big joke or parody?

Krahp.......2007-06-27

I thumbed through this in a bookstore. Garbage. If you want a metal book probably the best I've seen (and own) are Sound of the Beast for generalized sutff, and Lords of Chaos for BM. Honestly, I've never come across a perfect or "comprehensive, definitive guide" that these metal encyclopedia books claim. But this one is one of the worst. As other reviewers pointed out the author seems to have no idea what metal actually is. Blink 182? Errrr right..... next.

filler.......2007-05-14

missed alot of good bands. somewhat incomplete, otherwise, ok reference book on metal bands.

Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia

Average customer rating:

Entertaining, informative, but not definitive yet
Less Than Definitive
If you appreciate (or are interested in) Mr. Dylan's art...
A more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide
Great Reference Material

Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia
Oliver Trager
Manufacturer: Billboard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0823079740

Book Description

The most encyclopedic sourcebook on one of the 20th century's most important artists, Keys to the Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia completely chronicles this music icon's recorded work. Discussions of all of his officially released albums and collaborative efforts, including year of release, record company, serial number information for all formats (LP, CD, and cassette), track list, musicians, and descriptive analysis of its place in Dylan's career are provided. In addition, it offers critical and historically detailed entries on each of the songs that Dylan has recorded or performed in more than four decades of touring, including composer information, and the album on which the song appeared. Completing this reference are detailed biographical sketches of more than 100 musicians, songwriters, and other individuals associated with Dylan, and a selected list of films in which he has been involved.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining, informative, but not definitive yet.......2005-08-31

Oliver Trager's "Keys To The Rain" is far from the "definitive" Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. As another reader notes, there are errors including some he didn't mention that I'll add here: The original September 1974 New York recording of "If You See Her, Say Hello," re-recorded in Minneapolis for its release on "Blood On The Tracks," was not included on "Biograph" (Trager may be confusing it with "You're A Big Girl Now"), but on "The Bootleg Series, Volume 1-3." Trager also claims Dylan's 1984 "Real Live" failed to make the charts. Not so. It failed to make the top 100, but it did have a brief, albeit dim, blaze of glory in the Billboard Top 200. There are other errors, most of them fairly minor, but their cumulative effect makes one question Trager's reliability too often.

Despite the faults, this is still an entertaining and informative read with lots of background on the recordings and, more significantly, the songs, including those that Dylan only performed in concert. Yes, it is reasonable to argue that it wasn't necessary to provide two pages on the careers of Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini simply because Dylan covered their legendary "Moon River" at a handful of concerts (and if other sources are correct, Dylan only performed it once upon hearing of the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan). But I find these facts to be the main appeal of Trager's book. There are similar biographical details provided for everyone from Mel Tillis (whose "Detroit City" is another hit and run cover from the Never Ending Tour) and Charles Gates Dawes, vice president to Calvin Coolidge and co-author of "It's All In The Game," another chestnut Dylan dug out two decades ago in concert. And, of course, there are pages on less surprising figures, including Woody Guthrie, Blind Willie McTell, Johnny Cash, and Leonard Cohen. The result is that this book is almost a mini-history of popular music as much as it is about Dylan, but I find it contributes to a greater appreciation for Dylan's impressive range of musical styles and influences. On the other hand, a ridiculous amount of space is given to a biography of Catfish Hunter, the baseball player who was the subject of the most inconsequential outtake from the 1976 "Desire" album.

Trager's unpretentious style is refreshing, though, especially in contrast to those who write about Dylan and his songs as though the man was already dead and buried instead of alive, kicking, and as brilliant as ever.

Hopefully, Trager or someone at the publisher's office will pay attention to the complaints provided by the readers, and eliminate the errors in future editions. With a little work, Trager's book may one day live up to its title. It's still worthwhile overall, but Clinton Heylin would have gotten more of the facts straight.

Brian W. Fairbanks

Less Than Definitive.......2005-04-01

Keys to the Rain is undoubtedly a valuable guide to Bob Dylan's recorded output. The book is well-researched and written in a straightforward, accessible style.
Unfortuntately, the book has numerous flaws that make it an often frustrating read. The factual errors include the following: the author states that The Basement Tapes' version of "Million Dollar Bash" is "notable for Dylan's use of the harmonica" when there is no harmonica on the track; the version of "Spanish Is the Loving Tongue" that appeared as the B-side single of "Watching the River Flow" is not the same version that was released on the Dylan lp; "Step It Up and Go" is from the album Good As I Been to You, not World Gone Wrong; and "Down Along the Cove" is erroneously listed as being included on The Band's re-release of Rock of Ages.
Numerous errors in dates dot the book. There is a wonderful photo of Dylan and two youngsters (page 602) that is dated 1966 but comes from much earlier (either 1962 or 1963).
There is one particularly egregious misquotation of Dylan's words, as the phrase "Truth is shadowy" in the World Gone Wrong liner notes becomes "Truth is a shadow" in the book, which changes the phrase's meaning.
Trager writes in the introduction that "unreleased outtakes" and "unreleased material from The Basement Tapes are not included." Yet he includes songs never released by Dylan but recorded and released by other artists (which the author should have explained in the too-brief introduction). There really is no reason for Trager not to have included these songs, since he includes all songs Dylan has played in concert (both original songs and cover versions), and he includes unnecessarily long biographies of the authors of said covers. So the reader gets pages and pages on songwriters such as Sammy Cahn, Merle Travis, Lefty Frizzell and Donnie Fritts (to name a few), but nothing on such great unreleased Dylan songs as "I'm Not There," All-American Boy," "Goodbye Holly" and "Yonder Comes Sin." The author says that "these omissions were made for reasons of space," but surely he could have cut back on his discussion of other artists in a Bob Dylan encyclopedia and made room for all of Dylan's original songs, officially released or not. Nor is there anything on great covers recorded by Dylan in the studio but not released (such as "Freedom for the Stallion"). Including these songs would then have truly earned the book the title of definitive.

If you appreciate (or are interested in) Mr. Dylan's art..........2005-01-06

I've got Trager's 1997 book--The American Book of the Dead: The Definitive Grateful Dead Encyclopedia--and have plucked it off my shelf numerous times. I'll be doing the same with his latest effort, this Dylan encyclopedia. It is interesting that with all the Dylan books out there, it took until 2004 for something like this to appear. For the hardcore aficionado, this will be similar to Krogsgaard's Positively Bob Dylan and Heylin's Stolen Moments (as far as its usefulness), but to the casual observer it's a chance to get to know the songs Dylan has chosen to record and perform--not to mention biographical info. Photos throughout, and enough details in its 700-plus pages to keep one busy throughout 2005 (and 2006 and 2007, etc.) It's not dry either, I'd say Trager has a fondness and apprecation for the music.

Scott Marshall
author of Restless Pilgrim: The Spiritual Journey of Bob Dylan (with Marcia Ford, Relevant Books, 2002)

A more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide .......2005-01-04

Another Bob Dylan book? Yes, and what makes Keys To The Rain: The Definitive Bob Dylan Encyclopedia a more 'definitive' encyclopedic guide than others is its descriptions of all 44 of his officially released albums including collaborative efforts, entries on over 700 songs he's recorded or performed over the length of his career, and biographical sketches of all musicians, songwriters and others associated with any of his projects, including film. And if that isn't enough... entries include track lists, musician lists, critical analysis, serial number info for all formats including cassette, and background history. It doesn't get any better - or more 'definitive' - than this.

Great Reference Material.......2004-10-15

Absolute must for all those who consider rock and roll "art", and Dylan the ultimate "artist" of the genre. A quick glance will provide such useful info that "Blonde on Blonde" was recorded in Nashville, using primarily studio musicians. Consider that the next time you listen to "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands", and its haunting refrain. Only problem is that in a few years it will be out of date. Sadly, a compilation of Dylan's work will only be complete when Dylan retires which, gratefully, he shows no signs of doing anytime soon.

Average customer rating:

Nothing Else is Worth Knowing
An Ultimate Music Box
Valiant effort but not perfect.
Best coffee table book ever? One of them!
YES!!!

Rock and Roll Year By Year
Luke Crampton , and Dafydd Rees
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0756613345

Book Description

Tracing the development of cinema from the first experiments of Edison to the global film industry of the 21st century, this bestselling annual is the definitive chronology of the movies. Packed with key events and facts from the history of film, Cinema Year by Year is an informative and fascinating reference for movie lovers.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Else is Worth Knowing.......2005-01-09

I just got this book and let me just say that the words inside are some of the finest ever put between two covers. It's all so informative. So much so that one may think that it is perhaps, too informative, but I doubt it. It's perfect. You'll find some of the most obscure and some of the most well-known facts, on the same page. Incredible.

The main thing I like about this book, is that it's much different from these types of timeline books. Rather than saying "this happened, then this happened", it does that and provides much more information by giving background stories of many of the artists, and also providing a lot about the impact the person or band had. Also, it's great how the devotes entire pages to show the significance of some important events in rock history. This does a lot to show why some of the greatest bands of all time are considered some of the greatest band of all time. So after reading this, you'll never wonder why again. The bold type really helps out too, if you're looking for someone imparticular. Also if you're a Beatles fan, the only thing you're not likely to find out is how many times they went to the bathroom each week. So, in short this is the rock n' roll book I've seen and I highly recommend it. Anything not in here probably isn't worth knowing.

An Ultimate Music Box.......2004-11-20

I fell in love with this book from the very first time that i put my eyes on this page of amazon, but, on that time it had a limited edition and it was sould out. I`ve waited more than 3 months for him to arrive but then it was impossible... One day, by hazard i found it on Fnac in Portugal, it was the only one of it`s kind so i bought it imediately and must tell you that it is really music to your ears to read this amazing book. It is the best book i`ve ever seen about music and i have more than five encyclopedias about the subject so believe it when i say that this book really entertains you with the good and consistent information, the beautiful pictures about the artists, the design, the uk and us charts and much more... From Elvis to Abba, from Eminen to Norah Jones, from Sinead O`Connor to Alanis, from Celine to Mariah, from The Who to Nirvana, from Notorious BIG to Massive Attack, from The Ronnettes to Take That, from Brenda Lee and Janis Joplin to Britney Spears and Christina it really has it all !!!

Valiant effort but not perfect........2004-02-24

This is probably the best book of its type to date. But it is not without it's problems. The first is that both of its authors are British. Hence it skews to the right of the Atlantic. Not that I don't feel myself, that British Rock has produced some of the best acts of all time, but for instance there are more entries on and photos of Gary Glitter than Alice Cooper. Gary Glitter? This is just one example. Some one in a review here mentioned the happy inclusion of Yes. If you look through the entries for that band you'll find at least Two mistakes saying that Fragile was their third album, (it was the fourth) and that Owner of a Lonely Heart is from Big Generator (it wasn't). This may seem like nitpicking but these are just the equivalent of what might be found on one page. It makes one wonder how many more of the presented "facts" are not trustworthy? You expect more from music critics on the voting board of the Rock & roll Hall of Fame. In the end though it's a valiant effort they undertook, and I'm glad I bought the book. It could/should have been a five star book though.

Best coffee table book ever? One of them!.......2004-01-31

This book is a "wow"! I've never seen such a huge volume of information categorized year by year in such detail. What is impressive about this book is how it is able to bridge the gaps between the generations and make them seemingly come togther (Beatles reference!) to make Rock 'n Roll seem like a continuing saga. I dislike most 90s music (and 00s music), seeing it as crass, rude, commerical, lacking heart, overly vulgar and shocking. I hate the fact that Eminem has to share a spot with other great artists from the past, but maybe that's the whole point of rock 'n roll. Our parents didn't like our music and THEIR parents didn't like their music and so on. You can see the controversy brewing in rock from the time it began. But rock is more than just controversy. Artists and genres of all stripes get the billing here. Some see rock as chart oriented, so there's a chronological listing of each #1 for the US and the UK charts, but also gives ample coverage to artists who mainly stayed off the charts but were nonetheless hugely influential. Rock is inherently chaotic but what I love about this book is it brings order out of chaos. From todays preteens and teens to 20somethings and 30something GenXers to Baby Boomers and even graying 60-something beat generationers will all want to spent hours leafing through this fun and informative book. Rock on!

YES!!!.......2004-01-07

ANY ROCK & ROLL HISTORY IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART THAT REFERENCES "YES", PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED BANDS OF ALL TIME. LISTEN TO THE VIRTUOSO MUSICIANSHIP AND CREATIVITY ON THEIR "TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS" FROM 1974 OR "CLOSE THE THE EDGE" FROM 1972. HOW THESE ALBUMS WERE OVERLOOKED IN ROLLING STONE'S (MAGAZINE) RECENT ISSUE LISTING THEIR TOP 500 ALBUMS OF ALL TIME IS BEYOND ME. ALSO, BE CAREFUL READING THIS BOOK IN BED....IF YOU BEGIN TO FALL ASLEEP, THE BOOK WILL KNOCK YOU OUT IF IT HITS YOU IN THE HEAD. THIS GIVES LITERAL MEANING TO THE TERM "HEAVY READING". ANYWAY, PLEASE ENJOY.

The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Revised and Updated for the 21st Century)

Average customer rating:

Amazing book
Not Encyclopedic
Great Book!
Rock n' Roll
A disappointment

The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll (Revised and Updated for the 21st Century)
Holly George-Warren , Patricia Romanowski , and Jon Pareles
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743201205
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Book Description

Completely updated with new entries and extensive revisions of the previous 1,800, The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia Of Rock & Roll is the authoritative volume on the world's music makers -- from the one-hit wonders to the megastars.

In 1983, Rolling Stone Press introduced its first Rock & Roll Encyclopedia. Almost two decades later, it has become the premier guide to the history of rock & roll, and has been selected by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum as its official source of information. Giving full coverage to all aspects of the rock scene, it tells the story of rock & roll in a clear and easy reference format, including complete discographies, personnel changes for every band, and backstage information like date and place of birth, from Elvis Presley to Eminem.

Since the last edition, the music scene has exploded in every area, from boy-bands to hip-hop, electronica to indie rock. Here, the Encyclopedia explores them all -- 'NSync, Notorious B.I.G., Ricky Martin, Radiohead, Britney Spears, Blink-182, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Portishead, Fatboy Slim, Fiona Apple, Lil' Kim, Limp Bizkit, Oasis, Outkast, Yo La Tengo, TLC, and many, many more. The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Third Edition includes all the facts, phenomena, and flukes that make up the history of rock. Accompanying the biographical and discographical information on the nearly 2,000 artists included in this edition are incisive essays that reveal the performers' musical influences, first breaks, and critical and commercial hits and misses, as well as evaluations of their place in rock history. Filled with hundreds of historical photos, The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia is more than just a reference book, it is the bible of rock & roll.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing book.......2007-09-10

I cant believe people didnt like this book, then again everyone has an opinion. I thought this book was very well done and well written. Im a bit confused about the book though. It does say Rock n Roll but clearly has country acts, a few metal bands, and alot of bands who shouldnt even be in the book. As a lover of all music, I didn't mind the entrees though. I was on a 3 hour trip home and I read the book all the way home. It does pass alot of time and covers alot of ground. Its a great read for music lovers and i'm really glad I bought this book. I cant wait for the Fourth edition to come out, this book ends at 2000.

Not Encyclopedic.......2007-08-22

Oxford's says an encyclopedia is a book which covers all branches of knowledge, or a book which covers one subject comprehensively. The decisions as to which entries to leave out, and which to add, reduce the value of the volume to any researcher or aficionado of Rock and Roll history. Simply put, this book is not an encyclopedia of anything. The articles are interesting, granted, and thus I give this book 3 stars. But you'll have to look elsewhere if you want an encyclopedia of rock and roll.

Great Book!.......2007-08-13

This was purchased for my husband as a gift. He loves it! He told me that he refers to it on almost a daily basis.

Rock n' Roll.......2007-02-19

Excellent edition, this was a gift and my music lover friend doesn't put it down.

A disappointment.......2006-10-19

This is clearly not the success they would like it to be. it is very incomplete and patchy. Some artists are covered too succintly and some should not be included in a rock encyclopedia. If you need one reference work, this is clearly not it. This is probably due to the direction that RS magazine has taken over the last decade or so. While it was indispensable reading it has become hopeless and out of touch. I really used to read it but the quality of the writing has gone down the drain and this is reflected here. It is surprising since the early editions of their album guide were quite fantastic.

Rocket Man: The Encyclopedia of Elton John

Average customer rating:

BEST BOOK OUT THERE ON ELTON JOHN
There's A Mistake
Rock on rocket man
Rock on rocket man
Not Too Bad

Rocket Man: The Encyclopedia of Elton John
Claude Bernardin , and Tom Stanton
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0313297002

Book Description

Grammy winner for "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from Disney's 1994 blockbuster movie The Lion King, Elton John is a musician that has transcended generations. Since his U.S. debut 25 years ago, E.J. has had a top-40 hit every year. This first reference dedicated to the legendary singer/songwriter, who has been enchanting fans for nearly three decades, contains hundreds of anecdotes on people, places, and things related to his career. It includes a behind-the-scenes look at every album, a comprehensive list of all songs written or recorded (dozens never released), and the most extensive look ever at E.J.'s pre-career life. Well researched, the volume's rich detail offers a gold mine of Elton John trivia gathered by one of the artist's premier historians and the editor of the international Elton John fan magazine East End Lights. Fans and popular music buffs will enjoy the comprehensive treatment on this 25th anniversary of Elton John's U.S. debut. There are four sections to this encyclopedia: Elton A-Z, featuring explanations, details, and anecdotes related to aspects of his career and life, with entries on celebrity friends, important places, and a wide variety of other topics; Albums, giving a chrononlogical, behind-the-scenes look at his more than 35 albums up to and including 1995's Made in England; Performances, listing his concert tours year by year, highlighting major performances such as John Lennon's final stage appearance in a 1974 show, a 1979 concert in Russia, and a little-publicized 1992 tribute; and Songs, listing alphabetically more than 500 songs recorded or written by Elton John.

Customer Reviews:

BEST BOOK OUT THERE ON ELTON JOHN.......2005-09-07

Dates,songs,eras in Elton's career;it's all here.

The author who did research on this book,Claude Bernardin,did an outstanding job.His research was relentless.

I prefer this book to many others because it is an encyclopedia type book and facts are easily found.

Alot of information on unreleased songs, which is my favorite part of the book.

I recommend this book to all Elton John enthusiasts.

It is a book you must have in your library if you are a die hard Elton John fan.

There's A Mistake.......2004-01-05

While the book is a fun read with Elton facts in alphbetical order, this is a mistake in the book that has just bugged me for a while. The two authors, especially one of them, is known as a major Elton historian. Why then, did he make the mistake?. The error in question is this - In describing the "Honky Chateau" album, it was stated that "Rocket Man" and "Honky Cat", the two singles off the album, were Elton's first top 10 singles?. Uh, sorry, but wrong. 2 years prior to this record, "Your Song" was a top 10 hit on the Billboard single charts. How can such a big historian make that mistake?.

Rock on rocket man.......2001-06-19

Mr.Bernardin has shared his wealth of knowledge on the subject of Elton John in a clear, concise and enjoyable format. I highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to know the all of Elton.

Rock on rocket man.......2001-06-19

Mr.Bernardin has shared his wealth of knowledge on the subject of Elton John in a clear, concise and enjoyable format. I highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to know the all of Elton.

Not Too Bad.......2000-07-21

This book is okay, but not great. It isn't a biography, but rather a compilation of facts about people, events, and things in Elton's life in alphabetical order. It does however give some really good info on Elton.

Rock Garden Plants: A Color Encyclopedia

Average customer rating:

Very Beautiful Book
Seeing is believing

Rock Garden Plants: A Color Encyclopedia
Baldassare Mineo
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0881924326

Book Description

Baldassare Mineo is owner of Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery in Medford, Oregon, one of the world's great sources of plants for rock gardens. Mineo's own photographs are supplemented with many by the renowned horticulturist Fritz Kummert. This authoritative includes rare and unusual plants as well as proven, readily available garden performers.

Customer Reviews:

Very Beautiful Book.......2000-04-10

Clearly a work of long effort and love, this magnificent volume shows what'you've always wanted to grow in your rock garden'...including some very rare, very astonishing plants. The pics are truly beautiful and show the plants as well as the flowers. The only thing it seems to lack is a discussion of some of the finer points of culture of some of these gems, but then again this isn't purely a book about rock garden culture. For that, look for Linc Foster's Rock Gardening or Reginald Farrer's classic The English Rock Garden.

Seeing is believing.......2000-04-08

One of the most difficult parts of selecting rock garden plants is anticipating what they will look like in one's own rock garden. The pictures and descriptions in Baldassare Mineo's book are extraordinarily accurate, interesting and authoritative. We've seen Mineo's thrilling gardens and know that he understands his subject from the scree up! This book will become a classic.

The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock

Average customer rating:

Quite Good, and *Nearly* Definitive!

The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock

Manufacturer: flame tree publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1844517896

Product Description

This book takes its reader on a remarkable journey of discovery from the sounds of the early 20th century bluesman through the birth of rock & roll right up to present day.

Customer Reviews:

Quite Good, and *Nearly* Definitive!.......2007-08-12

I saw this book, in hardcover-form, in the 'bargain' section of a bookstore for $15.00. After leafing through it for awhile, I noticed that certain older bands that usually get shunted in books like these (The Fall), many of the more recent bands that I like (The White Stripes, The Libertines, The Kooks, The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand), and many (if not all) of the well-known and most critically beloved artists/bands of each era were all featured in this book. This 'Definitive Encyclopedia' seemed like it was pretty thorough, so I decided to buy it.

The most immediately apparent aspect of this book is that it is chock full of pictures on every page, whether it be of artists/bands or album covers. Then, one notices that the aptly named 'Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock' is not at all narrow in it's scope; don't expect this book to merely cover classic rock or modern rock...it's got artists and bands from the 50's up through the 2000s of rock, soul, pop, disco, punk, new wave, and the genres in-between! The book (with a forward by Elvis' guitarist Scotty Moore) is divided into eras and genres with an introduction and overview of the music for each ten-year span, as well as Roots, a section describing what movements and artists inspired rock n' roll. Key artists are prominently featured (like Elvis, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Clash, etc.), then the rest of the artists are listed A-Z with descriptions of varying lengths. Any other notable artists not covered with a description appear in a larger list at the end of the era's section. Afterwords, a list of one-hit wonders is given and many instruments prominent in various genres (rock, rock-synth/pop/funk/soul, blues/jazz, bluegrass/country/folk, and a others) are pictured and their development is described.

The purpose of this book is to serve as a reference guide and a tool of exploration for a large majority of the critically acclaimed, popular, and beloved cult-favorite bands that EXIST! This may seem like an over-statement, but one of those three above qualifications applies to every band that is in here. There were very few favorite artists of mine that were not mentioned here, and usually this was only because they are perhaps too obscure to begin with (Le Tigre, Danielle Dax). The only more major band, that I know of, that is completely absent from this book is Oingo Boingo. Being that the band's lead vocalist Danny Elfman went on to do film scores and that Oingo Boingo had a few hits in the US, it is surprising that they appear nowhere in this book. Plus, in this book as well as countless others, the incorrect year of Keith Moon's birth is given (1947), while it is really 1946! But, these are only minor issues in a book that's otherwise comprehensive and fun to browse through. This book will not disappoint for what it is intended for, which is to learn about the history of rock and discover great music.

The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music: From Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues and Hip Hop to Classical, Country, Folk, World and More

Average customer rating:

The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music: From Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues and Hip Hop to Classical, Country, Folk, World and More
Paul du Noyer
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0823078698

Book Description

Music touches us all, from the dancing and rebellion of youth to the quiet contemplation of the older listener. Music provides the beat to the rhythm of our lives, introducing TV programs, selling advertisements, blasting out from market stalls or along the aisles of superstores.

The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music is the ultimate guide for anyone with a passing or a passionate interest in music. Authoritative, informative, accessible, and entertaining, the book conveys the spirit and substance of practically every type of music one might listen to, from rock, pop, jazz, folk, blues, hip-hop, reggae, and dance, to classical music, country, gospel, R&B, soul, soundtracks, musical theater, and world music.

Organized by genre, the book presents a concise introduction to each music form, listing its major exponents, offering a four-bar sample of its style, and provides information on major musicians, performers, composers, and songwriters - over 12,000 names in all - highlighting their main period of activity and cross-references to the relevant music style section.

Also included are three useful appendices. A short "Instruments" glossary covers all key instruments mentioned in the narrative, showing the reader which type of music each instrument is normally used in, with examples of its best or most rewarding use. "How to Read Music, the Basics" instructs the reader on how to read music, providing a simply understanding of the four bar examples of music offered with each major genre. The appendices contain a comprehensive bibliography as well.

Bringing the world of music to life are 800 colorful illustrations of musicians, instruments, album covers, music engravings, and more.

Whether passionate or casual listener, anyone interested in music will find The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music a must-have for both enjoyable reading as well as for reference.

Book Description

The best-selling illustrated rock reference book of all time offers the most complete guide available to rock 'n' roll past and present. "A better choice than The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock."--Library Journal "The best up-to-date rock encyclopedia."-- New York Times. Full-color photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Has the word "encyclopedia" lost all meaning?!.......2004-10-16

If you are looking for a concise and prolific guide to rock music and its performers, then look elsewhere! Although this book does deliver at times, with significant information on specific artists, it lacks in many areas. For example, they leave out dozens of important figures in this genre, or simply limit them to its "appendix," which offer unflattering "profiles" on more than half of the performers in this book. The appendix entries are almost meaningless, offering up nothing but a glimpse into the careers of big names like The Cult, Johnny Cash, Bauhaus, Les Paul, and Nirvana. There are also numerous mistakes, like wrong chart positions, birth dates, and album release dates. In addition to all this, the Harmony Illustrated "Encyclopedia" of Rock concentrates on UK acts more than their American counterparts, giving more in depth biographies on Hawkwind and Love, than legends like Chuck Berry and Sam Cooke. The reason I gave this two stars rather than just one is simply for its abundance of colour photos, separate singles and discography sections (better for quick reference), and for at least including the basics of rock 'n' roll. Other than that, this book does not live up to the discription on the back of its own jacket.

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