Roadshow: Landscape With Drums: A Concert Tour by Motorcycle

Book Description

To celebrate their 30th anniversary, the band Rush embarked on their R30 world tour in the summer of 2004, playing 57 shows for more than half a million fans. Drummer Neil Peart traveled between shows on motorcycle, logging 21,000 miles through 19 countries on both sides of the Atlantic. Part behind-the-scenes memoir, part existential travelogue, this book chronicles Peart's journey in search of the perfect show, the perfect meal, the perfect road, and an elusive inner satisfaction that comes only with the recognition that the journey itself is the ultimate destination.

Customer Reviews:

Great read for Rush fans.......2007-09-28

Mom, when I grow up I want to be a musician - Well you know son, you can't do both.

I found it fun, informative, entertaining and reflexive. An excellent read for Rush fans that appreciate Neil's way to observe the world, his experiences and reflexions of being in 'the Limelight' while keeping his feet (and wheels) in the ground. He describes his job as "hitting things with sticks - big deal!" but since only mediocre men feel satisfied every day, keeps challenged to give the best show he can give. Fun anecdotes of how the band develops a strange relationship with fans through the years and how they recognize them and see them change, some others on how some fans can get disturbing. In any case, Neil is able to have a life among 'the mortals' and be recognized only occassionally during his motorcycle trips from city to city that he describes in ways that make you want to be in those places or appreciate those in which you've already been.

Good stuff!!!.......2007-09-28

Neil is a great writer. The story is great, just a narrative of a trip? No, Neil takes you there. He paints such a vivid picture, you'll feel like you are riding shotgun! This goes for the whole series. I think for being such a private dude, it's a cool way for the guy to share feelings, thought and philosophies. I don't feel like he was looking for pity, just an outlet. These books just might make a Rush fan out of you too, I warned ya!

Ah yes, another review by me. You're welcome........2007-09-16

Welcome to my wonderful second review ever. I have been practicing 2 to 3 hours a day on my reviewing skills. Drinking some protein shakes and eating lots of free range, organic, dolphin trained, tuna to bulk up.

Sadly, I haven't done any book reviews in my strenuous review regime. So, to get an idea on how to review a book, I read every single review for this book... Right...

I noticed two things. One, I agree with almost every review. The good and the bad. Ignore the stars my fellow reviewers give this book and just read a couple of good reviews and bad reviews and that's basically the book.

The second thing I noticed is something I thought every book reviewer should talk about but that not a single one did.

The book itself.

The books jacket has three very nice pictures on a nice glossy paper. There is also a nice little bit of writing inside the jacket about the book.

The actual cover of the book is of a grayish color with little raised ridges running down it. It also is an exact copy of the jacket itself. Well, if you replace all the colors with the grayish color. Get rid of the pictures. Take away a few lines of text and symbols. And they are EXACTLY the same.

Even though Amazon says this book weighs 1.4 lbs. I am going to have to go all out weatherman on this, and say it feels more like solid 1.8 lbs. More if you like reading on your back, holding the book over your head. I don't recommend reading it this way unless you have conditioned yourself for this task.

The font is easy to read but just a size too small for my tastes. But not a deal breaker. I can't help it if I am going blind and bald. It is very fine and precise with no smearing or runs of any sort in my copy. Although, there are some spelling errors here and there.

The paper is sturdy but not too thick. It has an off white, almost aged paper look to it. My hands are so calloused from my review training, that I cannot get a proper feel of the paper. I imagine it has a very slight rough texture to it though.

The book has a very understated musky odor. Only noticeable when I took a good honking sniff at close range. I could see this causing some discomfort to the sinuses if you were reading on your back, with the book over your head, and you passed out from the exertion. You might wake up with that smell in your nose which might be disconcerting.

At the beginning of every chapter is a little quote or joke. They are good sometimes. If you like to read a quick chapter before going to bed every night then you are out of luck with this here book. Unless you are some kind of freak speed reader. The chapters are sometimes quite long but lucky for you, they are broken up into subchapter type things.

Yeah, anyway, football is on and I hear my recliner calling me.

Neil, you "USED" to be my favorite drummer..............2007-09-14

Now your my favorite writer.........

I just finished three of your four books, and have gained alot of inspiration and insight. I'm planning to do a similar journey of my own, on a bike just like yours, with a journal on hand, from Orange County to the tip of Argentina. I'm saving your last book as reading material for the journey. When I finish the book Neil, I'm going to send you a copy. In the meantime, if I ever see you in person, I will simply smile and walk away. Thanks for everything. Love Drew

Fun read, but not mandatory for Rush fans.......2007-08-31

After reading all of Neil Peart's other travel books, I had a pretty good idea what to expect going into this book, and it neither disappointed nor surpassed my expectations. The title did seem to indicate that there would be more hard "Rush content" than his other books, but all told, I would estimate that about 20% of the book talks about the shows themselves, and the rest is devoted to Peart's travels between shows.

First a quick note about the tone of the book itself, since so many other reviews seem to hit on this. As with pretty much everything else he's ever written, Peart makes no bones about the fact that he isn't thrilled interacting with rabid fans. But he's also honest about the fact that he has a hard time talking to people in general, even going so far in this book to say that he thinks Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson are better friends to him than he has been to them. Pretty straightforward stuff. And to be fair, the negative interactions he describes here are with "fans" who can probably best described as nut-jobs. Even after reading this book, I still come away with the feeling that if I was ever to come across Neil, a simple "thanks for all the great music" would probably be met positively enough.

As for the content itself, the behind-the-scenes glimpses are great, as were Neil's views on Alex's legal battles, and his views on the State of Florida in general (no spoilers here, but it was pretty funny stuff). 400+ pages of motorcyle rides does get a bit tedious after a while though, and I found myself wishing that there was more technical info and anecdotes about the various concerts on the 2004 tour.

To an extent, this book does serve as a prelude to the "Snakes and Arrows" album, insofar as Neil describes in a bit more detail the various back-road church signs that inspired his work on that album. But are you missing anything from the album experience if you don't read the book? Probably not.

Overall, this was an enjoyable enough read, as it does provide some insight into the mind behind Rush's lyrics. But I wouldn't consider it as indispensible as "Travelling Music" is to describing the band's history.

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

Average customer rating:

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.

Average customer rating:

Good for fans of Photography and Music
An intimate collection
Spectacular Photos!
Beautiful Photographs from a master, however unfinished
Classical?

Annie Leibovitz: American Music

Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375505075
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Amazon.com

It looks like a gorgeous nostalgia trip to judge by the cover image alone. The photo is of an old school record player that lies unplugged, a white label test-pressing waiting on the turntable, while a band of paper wrapped around the cover announces the title in ye olde woodblock-looking type, American Music. A reading of the small type on the back cover reveals the image to be the very record and turntable left in Elvis Presley's bedroom the day he died, and the mind reels, thinking about whether the King listened to this record on that day or not, and who are the Stamps, anyway? An excellent selection of musician portraits interspersed with crumbly wooden jook joints and wide open fields in the South, American Music covers a wide gamut of jazz, blues, punk, country, hip-hop, rock and roll, folk and gospel musicians. And while most of the pictures were shot between 1999 and 2002, some go back to the early 1970s, when Leibovitz first became Rolling Stone magazine's chief photographer. Some of the artists are very well-known (Michael Stipe, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan) and some of them are not (Jessie Mae Hemphill, Other Turner, Carlos Coy). Leibovitz really has a way of relaxing her performers, and this is a great part of her gift. Even when the pictures are so posed as to be ridiculous (like, what's Michael Stipe doing on that bedbug-ridden mattress—-the guy's a billionaire?), she catches her subjects at their most "real." They are lost in their music, or just doing some "real person" thing (look, there is Beck in his car—does Beck really drive his own car?). The presentation may be a little hokey, but this book is sure to please most any music fan. --Mike McGonigal

Book Description

The impulse to do AMERICAN MUSIC, writes famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, “came from a desire to return to my original subject and look at it with a mature eye. Bring my experience to it…make it a real American tapestry.” Her ambitious idea became AMERICAN MUSIC, a stunning collection of photographs of the musicians, places and people that enrich the landscape of American music.

As Rolling Stone’s chief photographer for over thirteen years, Leibovitz created a legendary body of work. Her portraits of some of the world’s most talented musicians capture more than the performer, they convey the art of making music. For AMERICAN MUSIC, Leibovitz traveled across the country to juke joints in the Mississippi Delta, honkytonks in Texas, and jazz clubs in New Orleans “to take pictures in places that mean something.” In her signature style, she shares stunning portraits of American greats -- B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Beck, Bob Dylan, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, S teve Earle, Ryan Adams, Miles Davis, Etta James, Pete Seeger, Emmylou Harris, Tom Waits, The Dixie Chicks, Dr. Dre, The Roots and many more.

AMERICAN MUSIC includes a commentary about the American Music project by Leibovitz, short essays by musicians Patti Smith, Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle, Mos Def, Ryan Adams, and Beck as well as biographical sketches of all the musicians.

Customer Reviews:

Good for fans of Photography and Music.......2007-01-28

If you love the blues, or love photography this is a great book. While not specific to just Blues musicians this book just makes me think of good old delta blues. The prints in this book shine like they were hand printed by Annie herself. Theres a heart and soul driving this book from begining to end.
This is a more personal project for Annie Leibovitz and so doenst allway have her studio style inside.
That does not mean that each photograph is not amazing for they are, but some are a smaller more
candid world that Annie Leibotiz is capturing.

An intimate collection.......2005-08-08

I just saw this exhibit at our MoMA, and the work is outstanding. Some of the images are color, some black and white. There are a number of styles and artists, ranging from the very famous to those unknown outside of their small communities. The point is that these are images of musicians--it's that simple.

Sometimes, Liebovitz's work is witty, sometimes it is unflinching in its honest portrayal. There is vulnerability in the subjects of her black and whites because they are so close, often just the face of the subject. To term them "ugly" is simply wrong. It is rare to see behind the artifice of celebrity images and see performers without makeup and with their skin texture and pores visible. Some of the photos are taken in people's homes, or backstage rather than on a set. This lends considerably to the intimacy and honesty that she is trying to convey.

If you want shots of your favorite singer looking oh so pretty, go to their PR person. This is a serious body of work from a renowned photographer. It blends both her celebrity work with her own private interests in portrait photography for non-commercial audiences.

Spectacular Photos!.......2005-08-02

The catalog is gorgeous, the photographs are indeed spectacular. While the written entries were wonderful, they were too few and left me wanting more. I guess that's a good thing!

Beautiful Photographs from a master, however unfinished.......2004-11-17

In response to another review on this site, clearly if you think the book has "poor aesthetic quality" You know nothing of photography or art for that matter.
The people in this book are beautifully portrayed in silver and in color. Clearly the photographs were taken over a number of years, which shows the scope of the project.
The only thing that I find wrong with this project is that it may be unfinished. The book is called American Music. Cleary that is why there are mainly blues, rock and roll and hip, country/folk and hip hop artists. Obviosly everyone would like to see their favorite artists in the book and have the ones they dislike removed. I however feel that this is the artists choice, and we have to live with it. If Leibovits decides to put out a 'Part II' it would do all of us a favor.
The only reason why I don't give this a 5 out of 5 stars is that most of the photographs don't grab you by the face and demand your attention. The ones that grab me the most are the artists I folllow, so perhaps there is something in that. Some measure of knowlegde that must accompany the photographs. Buy the book anyways...and listen to more blues albums. I didn't check this review for spelling, HA!

Classical?.......2004-04-07

OK, think for a minute what it means deep down to chronical AMERICAN music.
That would be music that comes from the Delta and from Chicago and spread from there as essential Blues, Jazz, Rock and Roll and later forms of Pop. Classical came to us from Europe, what these artists represent are the outcome of truly American born music. I'm staggered that anyone would not make that connection..
And yes, we know that some may find Iggy Pop "ugly", but American Music isn't all about chicks that look like Britney Spears..

Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story

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Klosterman=Hipster Jerk
It's Only Rock and Roll
Hilarious...
This is a great book IF.....
Snooze

Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story
Chuck Klosterman
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743264452

Book Description

For 6,557 miles, Chuck Klosterman thought about dying. He drove a rental car from New York to Rhode Island to Georgia to Mississippi to Iowa to Minneapolis to Fargo to Seattle, and he chased death and rock 'n' roll all the way. Within the span of twenty-one days, Chuck had three relationships end -- one by choice, one by chance, and one by exhaustion. He snorted cocaine in a graveyard. He walked a half-mile through a bean field. A man in Dickinson, North Dakota, explained to him why we have fewer windmills than we used to. He listened to the KISS solo albums and the Rod Stewart box set. At one point, poisonous snakes became involved. The road is hard. From the Chelsea Hotel to the swampland where Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane went down to the site where Kurt Cobain blew his head off, Chuck explored every brand of rock star demise. He wanted to know why the greatest career move any musician can make is to stop breathing...and what this means for the rest of us.

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Customer Reviews:

Klosterman=Hipster Jerk.......2007-09-18

I picked up this book after reading "Fargo Rock City", and I was still undecided about Klosterman as an author. This book cemented my opinion that Chuck Klosterman is an idiot. This book has nothing to do with the title, or even the supposed subject of the book.

This is supposedly about Klosterman's journey to places where famous rock stars died. He goes to these places, but his reaction everytime is the same. He doesn't care, he's unimpressed, he'd rather think, talk, and write about himself.

What this book shoud really be called is "I'm a Hipster Jerk Who Sucks With Women", because that is what you get. 275 pages of Klosterman explaining how he has three women, but can't decide between them, all the while talking about how he hates his life, and ripping on any band that has ever had anything good said about them (and proclaiming that Motley Crue is the best band ever). Don't waste your time unless you like guys who sound like eighth graders who think they know everything about everything.

It's Only Rock and Roll.......2007-09-07

I got this book because it was recommended by a friend, and I have to tell you, it was one great recommendation. I could not put this book down. Chuck Klosterman (a writer for "Spin" magazine) sets off on a cross-country road trip following the pathways of rock and roll death. From the site where Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane crashed to Kurt Cobain's hometown to the site where more than 90 Great White fans died in club inferno, Klosterman's journey is like taking a road trip with your best college friend, playing your favorite tunes and discussing why you love rock music, as well as endlessly analyzing your (all too often) failed relationships, and just seeing what America has to offer.

Klosterman is funny, engaging, witty, and a slightly more upbeat version of Dave Eggers (for those of you who loved his book, "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius"). Or maybe he's a slightly more melancholy Dave Eggers...you read the book and decide for yourself. A lot of Klosterman's journey focuses on three relationships, which distracts somewhat from the main rock and roll focus. Still, Klosterman has a great writing style and a depth of music knowledge that are an unbeatable combination. His music tastes may not agree with your own, but with 600 CDs piled into his car for this road trip, you're sure to find something about which you will agree with Klosterman. Despite the morbid theme for this road trip, I assure you, you won't soon forget the journey.

Hilarious..........2007-09-06

I found this book absolutely hysterical! Like another reviewer said, you need to be a part of Klosterman's narrow audience in order to really "get" the humor. For instance, there is a part in the book where he relates each of his ex-girlfriends to a member of KISS. This makes sense completely if you are a KISS fan or are at least vaguely familiar with the members, but makes no sense if you aren't.

If you're a music fan who interprets the entire world through guitar-shaped goggles, Klosterman is for you.

This is a great book IF............2007-07-05

So far I've read two books by Chuck Klosterman: "Fargo Rock City"; this one. And I've noticed that while his books get generally good ratings, here on Amazon, that some reviewers rate them really low. I think there is a reason for this: Chuck writes to a kind of narrow audience, and you're either part of that audience or you're not.

To best understand Chuck Klosterman's books you need to be a male Hard Rock fan, born between roughly 1952 and 1978. You also need to have some high school sports experience, maybe played basketball, football, baseball, hockey, or ran track. And you also need to be a bit of a nerd, at least in the eyes of women, so that you've had some rough dating experiences.

If you fit the mold, Chuck Klosterman is your humorist. I really had to laugh at his humorous take on high school football coaches; the life advice that he got from the old bar patron in Montana; his troubles with the women that he has dated; and the way that he can question and even make fun of the music that it is still obvious that he loves so much.

So if you've never been that much of a smoothy in your relationships with women; have played sports, and been a sports fan, but can still laugh a little at what goes on in the world of sports; and KISS, Def Leppard, Led Zeppelin, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam still mean a lot to you, Chuck Klosterman is a genius humorist, and you will totally get what he's talking about. If these conditions don't apply to you, I'm not sure how well you will receive these books.

Another thing, maybe by the blurb on the back of the book jacket, you think this book is about Chuck Klosterman's pilgrimages to Rock N Roll death sites, like: the site of the Buddy Holly crash; Graceland where Elvis died; Kurt Cobain's suicide house; and whatnot... And while he mentions visiting these sites, to write an article for his employer at the time, the Rock magazine Spin, the incidents in this book are more about his journeys between the Rock N Roll death sites, and rememberences of his youth that come back to him during the long drives. So the stories are more about ex-high school/college girlfriends; ex-young adulthood girlfriends; crazy waiters/waitresses; bartenders and bar patrons; motel employees; gas station attendants met along the way; and the memories of school sports; school newspapers; and other things from the past. Then there are the musings on national monuments: "Why does anyone care about seeing the Washington Memorial?"; and wondering about the happenings in tourist towns: "Would you ever come to a Minnesota, lakeside tourist town thinking that you were going to find handmade, Tiawannese silk fabrics, yet this town of 1,500 has three stores that sell that. Imagine that?"

Hope this helps ya'll evaluate whether you want to read them or not.

Snooze.......2007-06-21

"My thoughts are unoriginal," Chuck Klosterman states on page 73 (hardback). That was my conclusion by page 3.

Affecting a Kerouacesque randomness with Bangsian hipness, Klosterman grinds through a passionless, pretentious diary in which nothing of significance occurs. It's possible to write about nothing but oneself (Burroughs sure could) but a unique voice and a lifetime of living, not to mention serious literary skill, is required to pull it off. Not Klosterman. Well, I never cared much for the stuff in Spin, but at least that material, however slight and evanscent, is edited; this book, however, just runs and runs ... like a forgotten motel room faucet.

Oh, yay.

Average customer rating:

Pass the sick bag, Mabel
Inspiring Audrey style
the pictures are wonderful, the writing horrible
The photos are superb, AND...
A perfect book about a perfect lady

Audrey Style
Pamela Clarke Keogh , and Hubert de Givenchy
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060193298

Amazon.com

In 1953, When Audrey Hepburn burst onto the screen in Roman Holiday, she forever changed the international ideal of elegance, grace, and beauty. Suddenly, glamour and even sexiness seemed attainable for women everywhere; Audrey was uncommonly beautiful, but she was real--hers was a look anyone could aim for, but few could pull off as effortlessly or effectively. By mixing a few classic elements of "Audrey style"--the little black dress, ballet flats with slim capri pants, bold hats and sunglasses--suburban housewives became more Hollywood than Hoboken in an instant.

Here author Pamela Clarke Keogh introduces us to the woman behind the clothes, using words from friends, fellow actors, and designers who dressed her to paint a picture of a truly remarkable woman. A humanitarian, artist, friend, and above all, survivor, Audrey inspired women and men alike to approach life with spirit, grace, and simplicity. The nearly 100 color and black-and-white photographs, paired with original sketches from such fashion luminaries as Givenchy, Manolo Blahnik, and Vera Wang, show that Audrey was much more than a beautiful, well-dressed personality; her courage and individuality come shining through in every page. --Leah Ball

Book Description

Everyone, it seems, is a fan of Audrey's. She was Gigi, a princess, Holly Golightly, a nun, Maid Marian, even an angel. And we believed her in every role. But Audrey Hepburn was also one of the most admired and emulated women of the twentieth century, who encouraged women to discover and highlight their own strength. By example, she not only changed the way women dress--she forever altered the way they viewed themselves.

But Audrey Hepburn's beauty was more than skin deep. "You know the Audrey you saw onscreen? Audrey was like that in real life, only a million times better," says designer Jeffrey Banks. For the first time, this style biography reveals the details--fashion and otherwise--that contributed so greatly to Audrey's appeal. Drawing on original interviews with Hubert de Givenchy, Gregory Peck, Nancy Reagan, Doris Brynner, and Audrey Wilder, as well as reminiscences of professional friends like Steven Spielberg, Ralph Lauren, noted Hollywood photographer Bob Willoughby, Steven Meisel, and Kevyn Aucoin, Audrey Style brings the Audrey her family and friends loved to life.

With more than ninety color and black-and-white photographs, many of which have never before been published, and original designer sketches from Edith Head, Hubert de Givenchy, Vera Wang, Manolo Blahnik, Alexander McQueen, and others, Audrey Style gives measure to the grace, humor, intelligence, generosity, and inimitable fashion sense that was Audrey Hepburn.

Customer Reviews:

Pass the sick bag, Mabel.......2007-06-22

Even though I'm definitely an AH fan, I thought that the author went overboard with praise for Miss Hepburn's personal qualities. No doubt AH herself would be embarassed to read all this fawning and adulation.

This book attempts to combine into one an AH biography and an analysis of her fashion style. Unfortunately, both fall short. The only worthwhile text was the introduction by Hubert de Givenchy.

Inspiring Audrey style.......2005-11-16

I think Audrey Hepburn will be eternally remembered not only as one of the kindest and most generous women that has ever volunteered for Unicef, but to us women as a timeless, most graceful role model of style. She's the perfect embodiment of the adagio that in elegance less is more. Her streamlined, understated style that yet made one of the biggest statements in fashion history continues to be an inspiration to us women of the 21st century despite the forty years that separate us from "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Clarke Keogh's book captures Audrey's spirit like no other. It is beautifully illustrated and there are contributions from Hubert de Givenchy, Ralph Lauren or Gregory Peck, among other people who generously share with us souvenirs of this angel of grace that they had the chance to meet in person. Her wardrobe and makeup are meticulously reviewed and this book will prove an invaluable tool and source of inspiration for all those women who want to bring more elegance and refinement into their lives. One of the best assets in your style bookcase and one that you will gladly pass down to generations of graceful women to come.

the pictures are wonderful, the writing horrible.......2005-10-16

If they reprinted this without any words, it would get 5 stars.

Random examples of the writing:

"'Oh, they were fated to meet,' says Connie, curiously choosing the exact same words used to describe Audrey's friendship with Givenchy." (Like OMG! Someone said Audrey was _fated_ to meet Givenchy! And someone else said she was _fated_ to meet another person!)

"... she intones with the well-bred vowels of a Farmington girl, with some of her old boss, Diana Vreeland, thrown in for emphasis."

Pamela Clarke Keogh comes off like an untalented high school student in a creative writing class. You know the sort, under the impression that bludgeoning the reader with random vignettes and a morass of clauses is "descriptive."

And don't get me started on the over-the-top hagiographic nature of this book. Look, I love Audrey as much as the next person. Probably more. But how many quotes like "and she couldn't have been sweeter! So gracious! Beyond gracious! Heavenly!" do we need? There's such a thing as praising so much it becomes meaningless.

The photos are superb, AND..........2005-01-10

It's putting the quirky details together that makes this book more revealing than the standard saccharin drenched puff piece.

For example, Hepburn is quoted as saying that she wears a size 8 1/2 shoe, while the author clearly states later in the book that Hepburn wore a size ten.

Her mother's quotes, if accurate, provide convincing evidence that the Baroness Von Heemstra was more than a little jealous of her far more beautiful daughter.

The author's claim that Audrey "didn't eat during times of stress" directly contradicts close friends Audrey Wilder and Doris Brynner, who claimed that Hepburn loved to eat. As for her staying so thin due to malnutrition that "permanently altered her metabolism", this is unlikely. According to the author, Hepburn speaks of gaining twenty pounds early in her career. Other bios confirm this. Perhaps in later years Hepburn simply watched what she ate.

According to the author, Hepburn washed her hair every four or five days. She SMOKED. Whew, draw your OWN conclusions about that one!

I've found Robert Wolders a bit creepy ever since I read about him in "Queenie", a superb biography of Merle Oberon. From Merle to Audrey to Shirlee Fonda; this guy clearly has a THING for wealthy, older glamour girls. He's always described as an actor/businessman. Hmmmmmmm.

An additional strength of this book is its focus on her personal fashion philosophy--not just her association with Givenchy.

Audrey Hepburn is my absolute favorite and always will be. She had many lessons to teach; not only about beauty and elegance, but also about tolerance, grace and kindness. No star of today can compare.

PS-I'm just tucking into the Barry Paris book, which is FAR more in depth. I recommend following Audrey Style with this one if you haven't already read it.

A perfect book about a perfect lady.......2004-06-08

I really like this book-it really shows what an absolutely beautiful lady she was-she certainly was very sensual and sexy.She knew how to project herself without going overboard-
the lady had class and it really showed.There aren't any actresses like Audrey anymore-I really miss her.

Amazon.com

Seinlanguage could easily be subtitled The World According to Jerry. First published in 1993, when Seinfeld the sitcom was establishing itself as the funniest half-hour on television, this is a collection of Jerry's musings on everything from relationships to shushing in movie theatres. Observational comedy may have reached epidemic proportions recently, but Jerry Seinfeld was, and is, the master of his domain.

"I will never understand why they cook on TV. I can't smell it. Can't eat it. Can't taste it. The end of the show they hold it up to the camera, 'Well, here it is. You can't have any. Thanks for watching. Goodbye.'"

Eons hence, scholars may ponder the mysteries of this book in the same way that they now ponder the fragments of Heraclitus. Until then, Seinlanguage will continue to provide guaranteed chuckles in a neat and tidy package. Kind of like Jerry himself. --Simon Leake

Book Description

Seinfeld. For more than 33 million viewers, the Emmy Award-winning television show has become a Thursday night ritual. Even though the show has ended, Jerry Seinfeld's distinct brand of humor can still be yours.

In his #1 New York Times bestselling book, SeinLanguage, Jerry Seinfeld has captured on the page his views on topics ranging from Raisinettes to relationships, from childhood to cop shows, and from parents to power suits. This must-have book for all fans--and who isn't a fan?--remains available in both paperback and hardcover.

Customer Reviews:

Humorous, Not Hilarious.......2007-08-13

This book was funny. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but definitely humorous. Some of the bits were a little out-of-date (for example, VCRs and cassettes aren't really the most common modes of media now), but I appreciated the lack of crude humor. Seinlanguage is a quick and humorous read.

Wholesome Humor.......2007-05-22

Living in Asia I found myself involved with a beautiful girlfriend who was much too young for me, of legal age, but a little embarrassing, and too much like a daughter. This book was the only thing I could find to improve her English. This book is a lot better than Cosmo amd other women's magazines, with their monthly instructions on how a girl can be better in bed. Those were the only other things she was willing to read. I can only wonder if Jerry had young girls like her in mind when he wrote this book. Thanks Jerr! But she still dumped me for another guy.

Good.......2007-05-12

not as good as I spectect to me. But it is Seinfeld it cant be bad anyways.

Mostly Garnered from the Seinfeld Show Monologues.......2007-04-25

This collection mostly consists of monologues that you see in the opening sequence of most of the Seinfeld episodes (about half). I finished this book in about 2 hours. It is a very enjoyable read even knowing many of the punchlines. Seinfeld is kind of a "cleaned-up" version of Lewis Black and he likes to focus on the ironic. He presents some small tidbits about growing up such as his father's sign business and perhaps a full biography would be a worthwhile project.

I give this book 4 and a half stars and might have rated it higher had it been longer and included more new material.

El Stinko.......2007-04-12

This Seinfeld book really stinks. Some parts were funny and Seinfeld is indeed a funny guy, but this book was just El Stinko. He is much better as a stand up. He should write a narratives but this book of bits is just too irritating. You try to imagine his voice but it just doesn't come across. I get the feeling he didn't type one word of this book. If he did it would come across better.

The Queens of Burlesque: Vintage Photographs of the 1940s and 1950s (Schiffer Pictorial Essay)

Average customer rating:

A Time-Capsule of Burlesque
June Cleaver they ain't

The Queens of Burlesque: Vintage Photographs of the 1940s and 1950s (Schiffer Pictorial Essay)
Len Rothe
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764304496

Book Description

For the first time, stunning images of the women of the burlesque stage are gathered together in one great volume. In period photographs the timeless beauty of those exotic women who titillated, teased, and sometimes tortured their audiences is captured and celebrated. These memorable images make it clear that, when it comes to a beautiful body and a gorgeous face, tastes change very little. And just as in the past, the imagination is encouraged to run wild and ponder what might have been. This is a book to relax with and enjoy over and over again. Its rich, nostalgic view of a bygone era in American entertainment will please everyone, men and women alike. A "revealing" piece of Americana!

Customer Reviews:

A Time-Capsule of Burlesque.......2004-10-11

Marvelous collection of vintage photos assembled into a lovely coffee-table book. It's difficult to remember that most of these photos were taken a half century ago because the quality is so spectacular.

Suggested companion reading:
"The Bare Truth" - Len Rothe
"Gypsy" - Gypsy Rose Lee
"Minsky's Burlesque" - Morton Minsky
"My G-String Mother" - Erik Lee Preminger
"This Was Burlesque" - Ann Corio

June Cleaver they ain't.......2001-03-05

Mr.Rothe has lovingly put together the photographs of burlesque stars and forgotten performers that would have appeared in publicity packages, coming attractions posters,lobby cards, and advertisments fifty years ago. Not all of the women are conventionally beautiful, and their costumes would be considered less than risque by current standards. These are women that time and mainstream history have ignored.The exsistence of their images is important: for feminists, for people interested in the history of costume, for modern consumers of sex work, for those that think of Doris Day as being the penultimate 1950's woman. Enjoy this piece of work and contemplate where these lovely ladies are now...

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

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Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Planning Blended Worship: The Creative Mixture of Old and New

Average customer rating:

Excellent Theory and Practical Helps
A helpful look at worship in a postmodern world
Participation in Old and New
A Guide for Creative Worship Planning
Blending Contemporary and Traditional Worship

Planning Blended Worship: The Creative Mixture of Old and New
Robert Webber
Manufacturer: Abingdon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0687032237

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Theory and Practical Helps.......2007-03-20

Great book to rethink worship in your church. A good discussion starter and great resource.

A helpful look at worship in a postmodern world.......2001-10-03

Webber provides a useful way of looking at the integration of tradition and contempory worship formats as the church moves from modern to postmodern worldview.

Participation in Old and New.......2001-09-17

This book by Robert Webber was very insightful. Written for immediate application and practice by worship leaders, it was helpful in understanding true blended worship. Blended worship is more than singing both hymns and choruses, or having a band and a choir. Blended worship merges the rich tradition of the faith in its worship practices with contemporary culture. Webber effectively expounds the fourfold pattern of worship for today's church.

I was especially encouraged by the effectiveness of creating opportunities for participation throughout a service. So many elements of our worship allow the worshipper to be a passive recipient instead of an active participant. Much can be gained from the richness and depth of true blended worship which Webber not only talks about, but gives practical guidance for. Below I will list three thesis that I found useful from this text.

First, in the 1990's two forms of worship renewal, liturgical and contemporary merged into what is now called "blended worship." Blended worship is characterized by three concerns: "first, to be rooted in the biblical early church tradition; Second, to draw from the resources of the entire church; and third, a radical commitment to contemporary relevance (16)."

Second, in planning worship a distinction must be made between content, structure, and style. The content is unchanging. It is always about the triune God. The structure is the established fourfold pattern of Gathering, the Word, Thanksgiving and Dismissal, practiced since the early church. While the content and structure of worship remain fixed, the style is always changing. "There is no one style of worship that is suitable for all people always and everywhere (21)."

Third, as culture shifts from a modern to a post-modern paradigm, the style and approach to worship must shift as well. There is a renewed interest in the visual and experiential elements of worship. "In contemporary society the heart is reached through participation, and all approaches to worship - traditional, contemporary, or blended - need to learn how to achieve services characterized by immersed participation (29)."

A Guide for Creative Worship Planning.......2001-09-16

In recent years we have witnessed a seismic shift from an emphasis on dynamic preaching (sermon-driven service) to dynamic music and worship (worship-driven service). Additionally we have seen the rise of contemporary worship in the life of the church. "Planning Blended Worship" by Robert Webber is a guide which helps congregational worship leaders plan worship in a create manner, mixing and blending the old and the new together.

Webber believes that effective worship can blend the traditional fourfold pattern of worship (gathering, word, table, and dismissal) with the free-flowing forms found in many churches today. He believes that blended worship is characterized by three concerns: "to be rooted in the biblical and early church traditions; to draw from the resources of the entire church; and a radical commitment to contemporary relevance" (1998:16). Each chapter includes helpful charts and diagrams and a concluding ?guideline? section allows the reader to personally work through the preceding material.

Blending Contemporary and Traditional Worship.......2001-08-08

If you are interested in how you can practically integrate contemporary worship elements with traditional worship forms and structures, Planning Blended Worship is for you. Webber is the guru of worship with a broad breadth of knowledge and insight. In Planning Blended Worship, Webber notes that Christians in America once sought the best preaching. Now they seek the best worship. Worship is the "center of the hourglass". "Everything the church does moves toward public worship and all its ministries proceed from worship" (1998:29). Webber argues that protestant worship renewal is moving in the direction of restoring the fourfold structure of gathering together, hearing the Word, responding with thanksgiving and being commissioned forth into the world (1998:15). He argues that blended worship is characterized by three primary concerns: to be rooted in biblical and early church traditions, to draw from the resources of the entire church and a commitment to contemporary relevance. Utilizing his excellent knowledge of traditional, biblical and contemporary worship practice and theology, Webber draws together numerous practical resources. Following Webber's practical planning guidelines, these resources when used creatively and with variation can make blended worship awesome.

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MUST HAVE for all fans
Simply Beautiful
Absolutely Beautiful!!!
THE KING...of not only POP....but MUSIC
beautiful

Dancing the Dream
Michael Jackson
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385422776
Release Date: 1992-06-01

Customer Reviews:

MUST HAVE for all fans.......2007-06-17

Dancing the dream is a glimpse into the soul of Michael Jackson. It's a must have for any fan. It gives you a MUCH MUCH MUCH better idea of who he is than his 'autobiography' Moonwalk (which was little more than a recounting of his career). This book shows you the idealistic, perhaps naive, and sometimes sappy core of Michael.

If you're looking for the world's best poetry or writings, this isn't it. But if you're looking for a glimpse of Michael Jackson's heart, if you want to escape the harsh realities of everyday life and indulge in the idealistic dreams of someone who genuinely looks for the good in the world, then this is the book for you.

Any time I'm feeling down, I can always pick up this book and read a few pages and it always makes me feel better :)

Simply Beautiful.......2007-03-16

After checking it out from the library, reading it twice, and not wanting to return it, I had to have my own copy, which I just received (used) from this site.

It is truly inspiring and I will undoubtedly read through it many times in the days and years to come when I'm feeling down and need a lift in my spirit.

Best 8 bucks I've spent in many moons.

Absolutely Beautiful!!!.......2005-07-18

This book is truly amazing and has so much insight on different things. You see Michael in a completely different light. It was almost like it was written directly for me. It had everything that i needed/wanted to hear, especially about trust and courage and even about the love of God. It was like it was direct advice to me personally. I like this book so much that i think anybody would enjoy it. It's so beautiful. You really get to see his pain and what's going on inside his head and i think if everyone read it, they would be like, "Wait, Michael Jackson wrote all of these?" He's so talented and i love him even more after reading this book. By the way, the pictures are great, i love them all!

THE KING...of not only POP....but MUSIC.......2005-07-15

Michael Jackson has always amazed and stunned us in more ways than one. His amazing vocal talent that no one compares to, his unbeatable dance moves that no one but himself can do, his some what hectic life style, and just his pure innocence and love for life has made the whole world crazy about him since the day he was born. No one has ever compared to Michael, no does compare to Michael, and I know for a fact that no one ever WILL compare to The KING, MICHEAL JACKSON. This book, like his first autobiography,MOONWALK, will leave you in tears. Before I read MOONWALK, I was not a fan of MJJ. After I finshed the book, I could feel i had changed. This book is no different. Michael means the world to me, and I know so many others who feel the same way too. Read DANCING THE DREAM and meet the REAL MAN IN THE MIRROR!!!

beautiful.......2005-05-02

I have learned so many things through this book,many wise thoughts that i wish everyone would come to realize and believe in. this book was so inspiring to me, that it gave me many ideas to contribute to my own book of poetry, out of things i learned through this book. I just wish that more people would not be afraid to speak their mind of the simple beauties and wisdom of life, because other people could learn from them. the things michael has said has literally changed my life, i would not be the person that i am today. and i am glad to pass on what i have learned.

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