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

Book Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century

Average customer rating:

its a classic
history

Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century

Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

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

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 0393925625

Book Description

The ideal companion to A History of Western Music, Seventh Edition, the two-volume Norton Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, includes 172 historically significant scores, 71 of them new to this edition, with a strengthened emphasis on twentieth-century music. Revised and enlivened commentaries closely examine the scores to clarify their historical significance, and professional recordings of all works in the anthology are included on CDs, many in dynamic new performances.

Customer Reviews:

its a classic.......2007-03-13

this is vol 2 of the 2 classic texts for studying the history of european music. These are a must have for the serious student of music

history.......2006-02-27

I had to buy this new volume for my last history class. I'm a tad bit pist that I had to spend so much but it is indeed alot better and more indept.

Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century (6 CDs)

Average customer rating:

Great CD collection

Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century (6 CDs)

Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Music | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

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

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

ASIN: 0393106098

Book Description

The Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music includes professional recordings (many brand new) of all works in the anthology on two six-CD sets, of which this is volume 2.

Customer Reviews:

Great CD collection.......2007-05-10

These CDs are great, i can appreciate them more however, through my music class.

Library Of Piano Classics (Library of Series)

Average customer rating:

A book worth having, but be wary.
PIANISSIMO!
Good Book of Piano Classics
great compilation of the 'classics'
Excellent Book

Library Of Piano Classics (Library of Series)
Music Sales Corporation
Manufacturer: Amsco Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0825611113
Release Date: 1987-12-31

Product Description

A compendium of the world's most loved music. True to the spirit of the great composers, this volume fills the needs of students and teachers. Over 100 works including Schubert s Moment Musicale, Chopin s Minute Waltz, and Beethoven s Rondo a Cappriccio.

Customer Reviews:

A book worth having, but be wary........2006-11-29

Library of Piano Classics is without a doubt a volume worth owning. A good variety of composers are represented, and the music ranges from Brahms's "Hungarian Dance" easy to Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody" difficult.

Be ware, however. I've found countless misprints in the music. In many cases, dynamic markings are missing, and in some instances, the notes themselves are incorrect. That's pretty bad.

Still, a good book of music overall.

PIANISSIMO!.......2005-10-03

THIS BOOK EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS! It's 351 beautifully printed pages of classics I have always loved playing as well as new ones I'm coming to enjoy.

The plastic ring binding makes for easy page-turning and seems like it will last forever.

Excellent value in all respects.

Good Book of Piano Classics.......2005-09-21

An excellent book of piano classics. Well worth having for anyone who plays from the intermediate level or higher.

great compilation of the 'classics'.......2005-05-03

I bought this book because I was tired of buying one book by one composer just to learn one song. I really love how the spiral bound book stays OPEN. NO need for clips to hold the pages down.

The songs are the real versions, and are not simplified for easy playing. The difficulty level is hard to rate because of the vast variety of songs.

This book also makes an excellent gift for someone who has a piano. I bought this for my aunt who hasn't played piano in years, but she remembered these classics and was easily able to pick them up again!!

Excellent Book.......2004-03-14

I've enjoyed playing this book for the past 10 years. I believe this is an essential book to have for any accomplished or even novice pianist. I got it as a gift when i was in my 3rd year of piano and i've loved it ever since then (I'm now preparing for my level 10 practical exam) . It's really helped me develop my sight reading skills. And i've spent hours a day playing these songs for fun. And the format (comb binding) of the book is great because you don't have to worry about the book closing while you're trying to play the pieces.

Cabaret Berlin: Revue, Kabarett And Film Music Between The Wars

Average customer rating:

Cabaret Berlin: Revue, Kabarett And Film Music Between The Wars
edel classics
Manufacturer: edel CLASSICS GmbH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 3937406166
Release Date: 2005-05-15

Book Description

Gorgeous, archival photographs of shows and architecture combined with authentic recordings bring the roaring twenties in Berlin to life. From Kurt Tucholsky to Marlene Dietrich: authors, composers and performers present an intimate view to a riotously comic and tragic era. Music CDs: No cultural history would be complete without the hit songs composed by Ralph Benatzky, Werner Richard Heymann, Friedrich Hollaender, Rudolf Nelson, and Mischa Spoliansky; presented here on four CDs with wonderful archival recordings of Marlene Dietrich, Curt Bois, The Comedian Harmonists, Trude Hesterberg and Margo Lion.

Average customer rating:

Write All These Down: Essays on Music
Joseph Kerman
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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

Entertainment | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0520213777

Book Description

If one name stands out among musicologists writing today, that name is Joseph Kerman. Eminent, wide-ranging, and wonderfully readable, Kerman's writing on musicology, opera, Beethoven, and Elizabethan music has informed and inspired an extensive audience both in America and abroad.
There is much to interest both the general reader and the musicologist in this collection of twenty essays. Included are several notable pleas addressed by Kerman to his professional colleagues in an effort to get them to adopt a more critical orientation for their work. Other essays range from a moving account of William Byrd as a spokesman for the beleaguered Elizabethan Catholic minority to a discerning analysis of Beethoven's well-known obsession with the key of C minor. The controversial tenets of Kerman's classic Opera as Drama (1956) are reaffirmed in essays on Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, Tristan und Isolde, Ernani and I Lombardi.
Kerman's legacy to a younger generation is here, too: in an exemplary writing style, he offers challenging models for a humane and historically informed music criticism. An added gem is the Preface, which provides an intellectual and anecdotal road map of the place of the essays in Kerman's academic and public expeditions.
Joseph Kerman has been at the very center of musicology for almost four decades. This overview of his work will be warmly received and greatly valued.

Black Beauty, White Heat: A Pictorial History of Classic Jazz 1920-1950

Average customer rating:

Indispensable!

Black Beauty, White Heat: A Pictorial History of Classic Jazz 1920-1950
Frank Driggs , and Harris Lewine
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

The Jazz Image: Masters of Jazz Photography

ASIN: 030680672X

Customer Reviews:

Indispensable!.......2004-12-11

A must have for any Jazz fan! This book is an outstanding compilation of early Jazz pictures. Ideal to have on your coffee table!

Average customer rating:

Great for ALL ages!
Not suitable for young children
Nutcracker Lover
A book they will remember
Fascinating, for every season

Nutcracker
Maurice Sendak
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0517586592
Release Date: 1991-10-08

Book Description

In Nutcracker, the premier children's book illustrator of our time adds his own magic to a story that has long enchanted children and grown-ups alike. Maurice Sendak created this illustrated version of Hoffmann's wonderful tale, basing his illustrations on the sets and costumes he designed for a dance production staged by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Great for ALL ages!.......2006-12-30

When I was a child I had this book , as well as two audio tape versions of the story. ( one read by Claire Bloom, the other by Christopher Plummer, both are great!) If you go to see the ballet without knowing the backstory it doesn't make much sense.
I also totally disagree that the book ( and the audio versions for that matter) are only good for older children and adults. While the language may be more complex than some story books there is no reason why a young child can't understand it. If parents expose their children to more sophisticated language then they learn it. Toomany books, cds, tv shows etc... talk down to children! If a child is never exposed to language then they can't learn it. My mother and father never talked down or baby talked to me, and exposed me to a wide variety of books, when I was 2 I said "I presume...." in answer to a question my mother asked me. LOL :-)
Just a though.

Not suitable for young children.......2005-12-27

My daughter loves the Nutcracker ballet and I thought it would be good for her to know the full story behind it (I had never heard it myself). The previous reviews and comments on the beautiful illustrations led me to believe this would be a great choice for my 5 year old daughter.

The illustrations are very similar in style to those in Where the Wild Things Are. If you don't like that book, you won't like the illustrations in this one. Also be aware that this is NOT a picture book. There is a very high ratio of text to illustrations.
I also feel the text is inappropriate for young children. The actual story is very dark and the language, while beautiful, is above the vocabulary and experience of most young children. ( "These intrepid and magnificently uniformed troops, consisting of gardeners, Tyroleans, Tunguses, barbers, harlequins, cupids, lions, and tigers, and monkeys, fought with coolness, courage, and perseverance. With their Spartan bravery, this elite regiment would have wrested the victory from the enemy, had not a daring mouse captain leaped into the fray and bitten the head off one of the Chinese emperors, who in falling crushed two Tunguses and a monkey." p32)

I WOULD recommend this book for older children.

Nutcracker Lover.......2005-10-02

Excellent book and an all time favorite for Christmas or any time...............The needed companion for the ballet !

A book they will remember.......2004-09-23

This book is beautiful! I received the first edition as a Christmas gift as a child. I cherished it, reading it over and over again. Sendak's illustrations and Hoffman's engaging story are still vivid in my memory. I bought two copies of this re-issue, one for my 3-year-old son and one for my 4-year-old niece. This is what all children's books should aspire to. A wonderful gift for any child.

Fascinating, for every season.......1997-06-10

This book was a gift to my family when I was a child - I loved it then, and enjoy it more every time I re-read. The story is more than just the plot for a ballet. There is a lot of background, description, and insight included, and they do a lot to make the book fantastic. What elevates this work to magnificent is the artwork done by Sendak. It is lush, detailed, and beautiful. I can't say enough about the quality of this book, and urge everyone to find their own copy. This is not just a Christmas story, but a wonderful parable for every season

Average customer rating:

Best VH reference book ever
Flawed but fun
Light on sleaze, heavy on music
Worst book I've ever read.
What's not to like???

Van Halen 101
Abel Sanchez
Manufacturer: Author House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1420878867

Book Description

After more than two years of writing and a lifetime of research as a VH fan, author Abel Sanchez has meticulously crafted a most excellent comprehensive guide to the amazing history, music, impact and influence of the Mighty Van Halen. VH 101 clocks in at 398 pages and comes in a handy 6x9 format. From the birth of the VH brothers to their days paying dues on the Sunset Strip, through their three distinct eras and all the way up to the recent 2004 Tour this book covers it all in painstaking detail. Written in a fun, raw, laid back style which reflects the band's classic approach to rock. If you're a fan of Van Halen and guitar this book is a must own. If you're someone who's looking to learn all about VH there's no better place to start than right here. If it's dirt you seek please save your money and look elsewhere. The author has far too much respect for all the band members and their loved ones to stoop that low.

What truly sets 101 apart is the closing chapter, "Tribute," which contains an extraordinary celebration of Edward Van Halen's life and career by over a hundred of the world's greatest musicians who personally stepped forward to pay their respects to this legend and recent cancer survivor. Without further ado here's a tiny sampling of the many luminaries who were kind enough to step up and share their thoughts, memories and experiences with EVH during this once-in-a-lifetime project: The late great "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, Allan Holdsworth, Ginger Baker, Jennifer Batten, Jason Becker, Adrian Belew, John 5, Bela Fleck, Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert, Trey Gunn, James Hetfield, Steve Howe, B.B. King, Kerry King, Dr. Know, Wayne Kramer, Robby Krieger, Albert Lee, Tony Levin, Steve Lukather, Frank Marino, John McLaughlin, Ted Nugent, Jas Obrecht, Henry Rollins, Jim Root, Joe Satriani, Michael Schenker, Alex Skolknick, Mark Tremonti, Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde and Neil "The Zloz" Zlozower.

Fans will also find plenty of commentary peppered throughout the rest of the book from such greats as: Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Slash, Ritchie Blackmore, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Billy Gibbons, Gene Simmons, Kirk Hammett, Dave Mustaine, Joe Perry, Rory Gallagher, Tom Morello, George Lynch, Mick Mars, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Leslie West, Eric Johnson, Frank Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Jake E. Lee, Billy Corgan, Daron Malakian, Mike Mushok, Hartley Peavey and many more.

Customer Reviews:

Best VH reference book ever.......2007-09-20

Sorry haters but this is hands down the best VH reference book ever writtten. Even the notoriously stiff Rock HOF approved. Why wouldn't they seeing as how we're guided through an accurate fun unique journey surgically detailing the entire life, career and catalog of this legendary American rock institution. Considering the incredible depth, width and breadth of this group's legacy that's no small feat. Somehow Sanchez makes it look easy. Learn everything from how the group formed and Eddie's influences to how he built his guitars and achieved that famous brown sound. Want to know what other musical minds think of Eddie? Check out the tribute inside 101. It contains page after page of top flight players openly discussing EVH. Zakk Wylde, Joe Satriani, Allan Holdsworth, James Hetfield and BB King are just a handful of the monster names who for the first time anywhere gave us their honest uncensored opinion of Van Halen.

You almost have to feel sorry for these few trolls who come on here spewing garbage. Bet most of them didnt even read it. Actually the majority of the negative reviews seem to come from the same source. The ultimate sign of bonafide lameness. True fans know better so it's all good. Anyone interested in a more classic approach to the rock bio pick up the new Everybody Wants Some by Ian Christe. It's good too.

Van Halen 2007!

Flawed but fun.......2007-08-20

It is very, very obvious that this book was written by a smitten fan-boy. It showers Van Halen with the most ridiculously reverent, absurdly awestruck praise you will ever find. The author repeatedly and unrelentingly pounds the reader with hyperbolic descriptions of Ed's guitar prowess. Reading this, you'd think that Eddie Van Halen was the Messiah and that being a guitar god is the Only Thing That Matters on earth.

The author either is a mall-rat, slacker, fan-boy ... or tries very hard to sound like one. He uses "dude" and "baby" at least as frequently as he uses "Eddie" or "Dave". Maybe he imagines the average Van Halen fan to be a stereotypical Beavis-&-Butthead metal-head, and just wants to sound like "one of the guys". But it sounds ridiculous.

Yet despite all of this, this book is actually quite charming. Van Halen fans will not mind the lavish praise of one of the undoubted greatest rock bands of all time. In fact, fans will appreciate the passionate, detailed (but how accurate?) descriptions of the rise and rise of Van Halen - from rebellious school beginnings, through the glam club scene, to triumph on a global scale. It certainly brought me nostaligically back to the 80s, when Van Halen provided the soundtrack to much of my youth. For a trip down memory lane like this, you'll find an enthusiastic fan-boy is not necessarily bad company.

You can tell that this is a work of love on the part of the author. He painstakingly invited a Who's Who of hard rock to submit their own personal tributes to EVH - a monumental feat in itself. The author also goes to great lengths in researching production details, sales figures and various bits of trivia about each of the albums.

Yes, a lot of the text is the author's own subjective opinions on topics such as EVH's place in the history of rock etc. But if you buy this book, you are probably a fan already - and reading the views of a fellow (if rather over-zealous) fan on your mutual favorite band is suprisingly enjoyable. With subjective comments, you will find parts where you disagree. Sammy fans will note with some discomfort the author's unabashed preference for Dave. The author also makes little effort to hide his adoration of Metallica, and how he feels they later overshadowed Van Halen. But these become points for fans to contemplate or discuss, and really don't detract from the enjoyment of reading this book.

So overall, this book does have its flaws. It is often amateurish in its writing, over-opininated in many areas, and sickeningly over-the-top in its hero-worhip of the band (and EVH in particular). But despite all this (maybe even because of it), it becomes a weirdly entertaining book to read for any fan of Van Halen. Yes, it's not a cheap book to buy - but at least I think I got a good dose of fun, laughs and nostalgia from a fellow fan-boy.

Light on sleaze, heavy on music.......2007-08-20

One of only a handful of books christened "Recommended Reading" by the Rock Hall of Fame on Van Halen's Inductee Profile at the Official RARHOF website. That glowing endorsement led to my grabbing a copy and I haven't put it down since. By ignoring the sleaze and focusing all their energy on the group, the music and of course captain Eddie the writer managed to chronicle and document everything you want and need to know about Van Halen in the form of this easy breezy book. A true labor of love that really speaks to you. The crown jewel was the living breathing tribute comprised of a V.I.P. list of musicians who turned up to celebrate Van Halen beating cancer. Each artist was afforded more than ample room to wax philosophical on Eddie's life, music, guitar skills, influence and career achievements.
Get it or your collection won't be complete.

Worst book I've ever read........2007-07-30

The back of the book says "No BS, no hype - just the facts". Ha! What a load of BS! This entire book is nothing more than a bunch of excerpts taken from various magazines over the years combined with the author's opinions and speculation. Terrible, just terrible!

Not only that, but the author constantly refers to the reader as dude and baby. Every time a sentence would end in baby, I'd want to punch the wall!

Also, every time the word "because" should be used, the author uses the word "cuz". Makes me want to vomit!

And, if I ever in my entire life read again about how EVH can "play his d*ck off", it will be too soon. I don't have to be constantly told throughout the book that EVH can play the guitar, or that the other "cats" in VH can play their instruments. Obviously, anyone purchasing this book already knows that fact.

I was hoping for something more in line with Motley Crue's "The Dirt", but this isn't even close. The band doesn't appear to have been involved at all with the writing of this book. It's nothing but regurgitated magazine articles filled with a bunch of fluff by the author.

Stay away from this book! You probably won't learn anything you don't already know. And, if you're like me, you will walk away extremely irritated at the juvenile manner in which this book is written. Hopefully the band will do a proper biography sometime in the future and give us something better than this poor excuse for a book.

What's not to like???.......2006-12-09

Invested in what has to be the most intense look at my favorite band and picker yet. Its unreal the monster amount of information you get to go along with an Eddie tribute made up of a laundry list of the greatest pickers from yesterday and today talking about THE greatest picker.
Throw in a dazzling Zlozower front cover, a million quotes from all kinds of A-List musicians and chilling Brian May opening salvo...
what the hell's not to like?

Beats me as to what some of these self professed critics lurking around here are thinking because its hard to imagine any tried and true fan not loving this to death. These critics are probably the same bitter souls who ceremoniously, dubiously and unfairly slammed the Van Halen Early Years dvd of a few years ago on this site for not digging into the band's personal lives and things like that. Their agenda is sad.

Van Halen 101 impresses in a huge way. Where most show their dedication by creating a website or fanzine, and in all fairness just about anyone can do that, Sanchez crafted a book displaying a dedication, knowledge, humor and level headedness rarely found in the superfan.

After receiving the new guitar world with Van Halen on the cover and watching the attached dvd containing a new Eddie interview I went back and reread this book and realized it read just like Eddie talks. During the interview he kept saying 'cat' and 'insane'... or stuff like 'thats the sh&t'. This is the exact same way 101 was written. Lots of dude, cat, insane and so on. They definitely got inside of and channeled their subject.
Now that Van Halen has been voted into the Rock Hall I'm loving and appreciating this even more. There is some concern regarding the selection of Eddie's son as their new bass player but we have got to have faith the guy knows what he's doing. Keeping my fingers crossed for a summer reunion tour where I can hopefully get this signed because that front cover is begging for an autograph.

The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz 1930-1945

Average customer rating:

An incredibly informative mess
Monumental accomplishment
Spot-on survey of Swing Era
Excellent reference book
Not bad

The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz 1930-1945
Gunther Schuller
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Textbook Binding

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 019504312X

Book Description

Here is the book jazz lovers have eagerly awaited, the second volume of Gunther Schuller's monumental The History of Jazz. When the first volume, Early Jazz, appeared two decades ago, it immediately established itself as one of the seminal works on American music. Nat Hentoff called it "a
remarkable breakthrough in musical analysis of jazz," and Frank Conroy, in The New York Times Book Review, praised it as "definitive.... A remarkable book by any standard...unparalleled in the literature of jazz." It has been universally recognized as the basic musical analysis of jazz from its
beginnings until 1933.
The Swing Era focuses on that extraordinary period in American musical history--1933 to 1945--when jazz was synonymous with America's popular music, its social dances and musical entertainment. The book's thorough scholarship, critical perceptions, and great love and respect for jazz puts this
well-remembered era of American music into new and revealing perspective. It examines how the arrangements of Fletcher Henderson and Eddie Sauter--whom Schuller equates with Richard Strauss as "a master of harmonic modulation"--contributed to Benny Goodman's finest work...how Duke Ellington used
the highly individualistic trombone trio of Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Juan Tizol, and Lawrence Brown to enrich his elegant compositions...how Billie Holiday developed her horn-like instrumental approach to singing...and how the seminal compositions and arrangements of the long-forgotten John Nesbitt
helped shape Swing Era styles through their influence on Gene Gifford and the famous Casa Loma Orchestra. Schuller also provides serious reappraisals of such often neglected jazz figures as Cab Calloway, Henry "Red" Allen, Horace Henderson, Pee Wee Russell, and Joe Mooney.
Much of the book's focus is on the famous swing bands of the time, which were the essence of the Swing Era. There are the great black bands--Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Earl Hines, Andy Kirk, and the often superb but little known "territory bands"--and popular white bands like
Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsie, Artie Shaw, and Woody Herman, plus the first serious critical assessment of that most famous of Swing Era bandleaders, Glenn Miller. There are incisive portraits of the great musical soloists--such as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Bunny Berigan,
and Jack Teagarden--and such singers as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Helen Forest.

Customer Reviews:

An incredibly informative mess.......2007-03-15

Where to begin? Schuller wants to talk about everything - he doesn't want to miss a single band. It's not like Vol. 1 - Early Jazz where he aims and fires. Here everything is scattershot, all over the place. And two ideas come back over and over in a kind of subconscious fashion: one, the idea that riffing is a sign of knee-jerk, insufficently compositional thinking; two, that innovation in Jazz is connected to being "ahead of one's time". If I had lots of time on my hands, I'd catalog these recurrences - Oxford University Press, you're supposed to catch these things! For all of his knowledge, Schuller is insufficiently scholarly - the chapter on Basie is absurd in its criticisms of Basie for not being a compositional thinker like Ellington. I hate to get all racial, but it seems like Schuller doesn't appreciate many of the blacker aspects of Black music. And it's fine that Schuller didn't do all of his own transcriptions - but he should've at least approved them all. Bobby Stark's solo showing up next to a passionate discussion of Red Allen's solo on Henderson's King Porter Stomp gave that one away...

What did I learn from this book? Well...it made me go out and check out Bob Crosby's band more. The section on Horace Henderson was really informative. The book is filled with great things, but even on the level of basic syntax and sentence structure there are so many problems. Just to pick out one of many tortured phrases - Page 253:"I am referring to the curious fact that Basie's music is rarely memorable thematically ( nor is it in terms of timbre or color ). Nor is it WHAT? In speech, we'd understand: "memorable" . But this is supposed to be a History...how hard would it have been to bring this all in line?

If it weren't the only book of its kind...but it is. Someday there'll be more, and we'll be able to appreciate the good things about this one, and forget about the anomalies and longeurs. I hope I'll be around to see that day.

Monumental accomplishment.......2004-11-28

To get some idea of the achievement between these pages, just stop to think that Gunther Schuller listened to some 30,000 recordings, famous and obscure, from the period between 1930 and 1945, in chronological order for each band or performer. It took him fourteen years.

Now you might think after all that that he would emerge with brain so fuzzy, ears so buzzed, that he could not write intelligently about the music, so submerged had he been for so long. But au contraire--this is the most lucid, the best anthology of any jazz era I've ever seen. No one could argue it isn't the most comprehensive. Schuller analyzes bands big and small, famous and unknown, national and "territory."

Some of his opinions go against the critically-accepted grain, which seems to have ruffled a few other reviewers here, but his point of the survey, I think, was to go beyong "lazy, complacent listening" and evaluate each work afresh. So we have a Count Basie orchestra that, while indisputably fine, isn't quite the jazz sin qua non that it's often held out to be. As Schuller points out--accurately, I think--Basie's band was a triumph because of the magnificent soloists, but frankly the arrangements were often uninspired and formulaic, the tunes undistinguished, the colors and contrasts minimized. This made me realize why I never liked other midwestern territory bands as much as the Count's: they generally didn't have the soloists, and without stellar soloists (and not just "good" soloists) it's hard to sustain interest in riffs and themes which quickly become routine. This may upset the apple cart with some people, but I think Schuller is on the money.

Similar, his assessment of Benny Goodman is generally spot-on, though I think I like some of the band's soloists more than he does and give them more credit than he does. However, he is mostly evaluating BG's studio recordings, and that band was far better live. (All bands are better in front of a live audience, of course, but the difference with BG's 30s group is truly stunning.) But Babe Russin was quite the fine understated tenor soloist, Chris Griffin was very underappreciated on trumpet (as was earlier Goodman trumpeter Nate Kazebier--hope I'm spelling that right). Jess Stacy is one of the unsung heroes of swing piano, especially as an accompanist (some of his best comping is on the 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert). Schuller basically ignores these sidemen. Even Ziggy Elman gets the short shrift, with a focus on his schlocky popular stuff instead of some of his logically-constructed solos. But I guess, even with 30,000 recordings under your belt, some performances are bound to escape your notice.

Schuller's chapter on Ellington could itself be a course at a university. You could indeed buy the book just for this section and play through all the recordings mentioned and come away far more knowledgeable about Duke, about jazz, and about music and composition in general. Discussing Schuller's take on Ellington is beyond the scope of this review, save to say it makes for pages and pages of fascinating reading.

Schuller also manages to cut through the Artie Shaw mystique (more BS than mystique, he feels; Shaw, with his verbal fecundity and limited knowledge of European art, was able to snow some jazz and pop writers, but he's just no match for Schuller). And he makes the interesting observation that Glenn Miller played far more true swing than he is credited for (though it was hardly innovative or even often very exciting swing) and Tommy Dorsey played far less, sticking with the Chicago/Dixieland two-beat style long after it had gone out of favor, until about 1940 (!). A lot of Dorsey's music is actually very hokey--"Mickey Mouse"--yet he is usually taken more seriously as a swing musician than Miller.

On the subject of smaller bands and lesser-known leaders from this period, Schuller points out how underappreciated Cab Calloway, Erskine Hawkins and Jimmy Lunceford were, and how relatively overrated Lionel Hampton, Bunny Berrigan and Louis Armstrong (of this period; the innovative Armstrong of the 20s was covered in his Early Jazz book) were. Again, these views--backed up by extremely thorough analysis and stoic discussion, will ruffle a lot of feathers among emotional keepers of the flame, but I find his analysis to be rather spot-on. Also invaluable is his clear-headed discussion of Art Tatum's strengths and weaknesses.

The book is chock full of examples in music notation, and in some instances whole solos and passages are written out. That may scare off some who cannot read music, but it shouldn't. It will largely help to have the recordings in the CD player, ready to go, so the reader can follow along with the notation. And everyone will not follow every discussion of harmonies, scales and chord progressions--no matter. You don't have to understand everything to get a lot from this work, and repeated readings will benefit you as well. Just don't show it to anyone to whom jazz is a religion, and its players are holy priests; they won't appreciate some of Schuller's deconstructions.

Incidentally, Schuller is supposedly working on a volume III that deals with the bebop era and the development of "modern" jazz. (The first volume of this series dealt with pre-1930s jazz and is also a classic.) Considering how much time the present book required, I hope he lives long enough to finish this magnificent project.

Spot-on survey of Swing Era.......2004-08-10

Unlike a previous reviewer, I find Schuller's "biases" quite refreshing. He is unafraid to distinguish the outstanding from the merely imitative or blantantly commercial, whether in comparing bands or musicians or in pointing out the strong points and weak points of individual artists.

While not providing individual biographies, he does manage to put the music into a social/economic context and does better than any other writer in speaking frankly about the interplay between black and white artists during this era without prejudice on either side.

Excellent reference book.......2002-10-08

As far as I know it, this is the most comprehensive book on swing music available. Gunther Schuller is interested in music, not life histories, so biographical information on musicians is scarce. The music, on the other hand, is described and analyzed thoroughly, with great originality and enthousiasm, including information on cross-links, influences, analyses of arrangements, song structures and solos.
I don't believe anyone will read this book from the beginning to the end: each chapter is about a separate artist, and an overall history is lacking. Moreover, one really needs to be able to listen to the described music to enjoy the book, but this is also its strong point: one becomes really eager to listen to the jazz described, often with 'new ears' provided by the author. As a reference book and as a tool to explore jazz between 1930 and 1945 with, "the swing era" is unsurpassed.

Not bad.......2002-04-25

This book was used for a history of music class that I took at an Ivy League school. The reason it was chosen is that it is the most comprehensive work on the swing era in jazz. However, the book has a huge flaw: although there are tons of scores and technical details as well as personal accounts and anecdotes (to suit all types of readers), the author leaves his pronounced bias on everything. He is very passionate about swing music, it is obvious, but many of his descriptions and comparisons are practically worthless to the student of music. It sounds as if he was getting intoxicated by his own play with words.

I can't figure out who would be the ideal reader -- besides Schuller himself. Musicians would probably be annoyed by the author's strong and poorly supported opinions that fill the pages. People with no musical backgrounds would dislike it because it is too technical in many places (you lose a lot if you can't read notes and don't understand the lingo). The only redeeming quality is the sheer scope of the book, so it may be useful to a student taking a survey course on jazz/swing. Even in the last case, you will be frustrated by the lack of organization. You won't be able to figure out where a certain band played/originated (or it will take you an hour to find out) but he'll tell you how the glissando at the end of the third chorus of their most obscure song was more loaded with energy than Paganini's works combined.

In a nutshell: very comprehensive and yet very biased presentation of swing.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books