Reviews (2)

A New Study of Beethoven
The work of great artists is inexhaustible. In Beethoven's case, his music remains a stunning achievement. His achievement as a composer, together with the nature of his character, his deafness, his thwarted love affairs, and his relationships to his musical predecessors and successors, has led to a fascination with him and to a literature that is likely to be written and rewritten as long as people listen to his music. As is Beethoven's music, and is is history, Beethoven's life and character, and the means by which one is to understand them, are open to a multitude of approaches.

In his Preface, Cooper writes (at x) that "surprisingly little is known for certain about Beethoven." He points out that some studies, such as Maynard Solomon's fine biography that appeared shortly before Cooper's own, featured a psychoanalytical approach to Beethoven that attempted a fuller explanation of Beethoven's character than those that had been attempted by other writers at the cost of questionable psychological theory and speculation in the face of a scarcity of evidence. Cooper endeavors to write a biography that holds closer to the known facts about Beethoven's life and to emphasize those facts that may shed life on his activities as a composer.

Cooper also spends a great deal of his book analysing the music itself. There are lengthy accounts of the origins of the symphonies, concertos, quartets, sonatas,songs, masses, of Fidelio, of the folksongs and other parts of Beethoven's output. There are generous musical analyses and quotations. I was particularly impressed with Cooper's attention to some of Beethoven's work that is not as well known as it deserves to be, such as the Opus 7 piano sonata, the Creatures of Prometheus Ballet, and the oratorio, Christ on the Mount of Olives. These works are analyzed insightfully and lovingly.

As Cooper acknowledges, his study is perhaps less detailed than is Solomon's on Beethoven's life. His book does, however, offer its own perspective on Beethoven. Broadly speaking, Cooper is more sympathetic to certain aspects of Beethoven's actions than has been the case with many other writers. Unlike Solomon, Cooper takes Beethoven's side, for the most, part, in his dispute with his sister-in-law over the custody of Karl, Beethoven's nephew. Also, he disputes Solomon's account that Beethoven frequented prostitutes. In both these matters, I am not sure that Cooper has the better of the evidence. The portrayal endeavors to see Beethoven favorably without making him something different than a human being with fallibilities.

I also found interesting Cooper's discussion of Beethoven's religious views. Beethoven's views on such matters, as is the case with the views of any thinking person on these matters, were highly personal and difficult for a third party, such as a biographer writing 250 years after the fact, to ascertain and expound. Cooper acknowledges that Beethoven was not for most of his life a practicing Christian but finds him a devout believer in God as the source of human morality. Solomon's account emphasizes more Beethoven's predilection towards the Enlightenment. A difficult question, and I suspect that Beethoven had components of both views in him.

Too many recent biographers feel a need to deprecate their subjects. This is definitely not Cooper's approach to Beethoven. (For that matter, it was not Solomon's approach either.) Cooper writes of Beethoven that "despite much sniping from twentieth-century critics, his reputation as a giant among composers remains intact as we enter the twenty-first century." (Preface x)

This book is not hero-worship but it presents an inspiring and historically plausible account of a composer and a man who is worthy to be revered for his vision, attainments and character. This book will be treasured by those who love Beethoven's music. May it encourage the reader to become acquainted or reaquainted with these works of the human spirit.

Filling a gap
As a Beethoven fan I was initially attracted to the cover of this book, until I discovered its contents. The amount and quality of information is outstanding and Barry Cooper doesn't spare any words to guide us through the life, creative process and personality of this incredible composer. In a nutshell, a book not to be missed by any classical music enthusiast. ... Read more

Book Description

Wonderfully intimate biography by Beethoven’s pupil, secretary and factotum. Extensively annotated by Beethoven scholar Donald MacArdle, it not only offers Schindler’s personal view of the composer’s music, personality, deafness, irascible behavior, etc.—but incorporates 100 years of subsequentresearch. Revised third edition. Editor’s Notes. Introduction. 7 illustrations.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

Beethoven as Schindler Knew Him
Schindler met Beethoven in 1814, when Beethoven was 44 and the author was an impressionable 19 year old. Schindler became an almost constant companion of the composer, and was witness to a number of fascinating occurrences that no other biographer, such as Ries, had access to. Schindler gives us examples of Beethoven's strongly emotional nature, in such a way that I felt I could have recognized the composer should I have passed by him on abusy street. Inclusion of this information is what made this biography most appealing to me. One of my favourite sections is an appendix entitled "Beethoven's Daily Routine" which describes, among other things, how Beethoven would count out 60 beans for his cup of coffee.

However, Schindler is not a transparent witness. Rather, he feels compelled to "protect" Beethoven from "his many enemies", for whom there is no historical basis. A sense of Schindler acting as guardian comes through strongly in the writing. The most striking example of this attitude is Schindler's description of the meeting between Beethoven and Rossini, a meeting which historically never took place!

Fortunately, this excellent Dover edition is thoroughly annotated - there are as many editor's notes as there are pages in the text! I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading a contemporary account of the life of the great composer, and who would enjoy witnessing the profound effect that he had on at least one of his associates. ... Read more

Book Description

Barbara Bush is certainly among the most popular First Ladies ever to live in the White House. Politics aside, people worldwide have come to admire her wit, her candor and compassion, as well as her unswerving devotion to her husband and children.

In her memoir, Mrs. Bush for the first time gives readers a very private look at a life lived in the public eye for more than twenty-five years. She begins with a compelling portrait of her early years, including: growing up in Rye, New York, and meeting George Bush; life as a young bride and mother, moving far away from home to West Texas; and the almost unbearable pain of losing a child.

With contemporary American history as the backdrop, Mrs. Bush remembers the shock of learning that her fiancé has been shot down in the Pacific during World War II; the disbelief when a black friend is refused service in a Southern restaurant in the 1950s; and the fear when she is caught in the middle of a student protest march in the 1960s.

She recounts her years in public life, from first moving to Washington when George Bush was elected to Congress; to her experience living in New York as the wife of the Ambassador to the United Nations and in China as wife of the U.S. envoy. She talks candidly about the ups and downs of three presidential campaigns and describes her role as the wife of the Vice President, culminating in the climactic White House years.

Drawing upon excerpts from her diary, which she has compiled for more than thirty years, Mrs. Bush takes us behind the scenes of the Persian Gulf conflict and the end of the Cold War. She talks about both the Bushes' struggle to overcome Graves' disease and how she faced the controversy that erupted at Wellesley College before her commencement speech.

Through the friendships she developed over the years with world leaders and their spouses, we meet and get to know the Gorbachevs, the Thatchers, the Mitterrands, the Mubaraks, and many others. And she tells us why she threw so much of her energy and compassion behind the important cause of making more Americans literate.

This memoir includes hundreds of the funny, often self-deprecating, and occasionally touching anecdotes for which Mrs. Bush is well known: surprising a rat while swimming in the White House pool; accidentally stomping on Boris Yeltsin's foot under the table during a state dinner; wearing a $29 pair of shoes for her husband's inaugural ball.

She also talks about the disappointments of the 1992 presidential campaign and the joys of rediscovering private life, including driving and cooking again for the first time in twelve years.

This is a warm and funny memoir that will charm Mrs. Bush's millions of admirers and earn her many more. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Takes you around the world while meeting famous people.
This is a great book. You truly see what it is like to live in the political world. Barbara Bush uses humor and moving stories to show what her life was like in China, New York, Washington, D.C., and Texas. Her positive atitude towards people is truly encouraging. I look up to her.

I choose to love it!
I was 18 when Bush ran for office in 1988 and that was my first election to vote in. Needless to say, I voted for George Bush. I only wish I would have paid closer attention to his presidency then, because all dignity, grace, and respect left the White House with Barbara and he. Barbara Bush tells the story about a good life with no apologies. Everyone strives for the American dream, but few people enjoy it once they possess it. As a mother of three now, myself, I can appreciate her willingness to love and support her husband and family. I appreciate that she is a self realized person in her own right and was never threatened by, nor felt she had to compete with her husband's success. I loved being introduced to "Bar's" George Bush. Here is a loving husband, devoted father and grandfather, and a decent human being. Most of all, I appreciate the words she repeats several times in her book... "In life, we can choose to love what we do or hate it, I choose to love it" This book is very inspiring and should certainly pull the reader out of any depression or slump he may find himself in.

Finally, I will be voting for another George Bush next month!

A Beautiful Mind
After reading this book, I was reminded of Richard Nixon's famous remark; "there's a woman who knows how to hate!" I've never seen a person (outside of her own son, G.W.,) with a more deceptive public persona. Maybe Kitty Kelly will one day take a crack at writing a more true to life portrayal of this hateful harridan.

A Warm and Interesting Look
After reading this book, her husband's second book, and finally her second memoir, I did have a profound respect for her dignity, love for her family, and stamina. This book was an easy read and was absolutely fascinating to go along on exotic trips and learning about the side kick's day to day existence as wife to President. The book made me admire the Bush's as a couple more, the love for their kids and each other, and their principles, even if I did not agree with all of the latter.

Uneven book by a nice lady
It was interesting to learn more about Barbara Bush and her life. In particular I enjoyed to read about her younger days. This was something I hadn't heard much about before, and I thought it was nice to read about her family and friends, and not the least about how she met her husband George Bush. There was so much I didn't know, and the pages turned quickly.

I also enjoyed the end of the book. It was great to learn more about how she experienced the Gulf War and, in the end, the loss in the final president election that her husband was a part of. In this part, I found what I felt was missing in the middle part of the book: I felt she was more open about what she thought about people and situations than she was when it came to the Vice President and President years. It's natural to think that she couldn't be so open about what she thought about political leaders and situations during that period. I find that understandable, but it made this part of 'A Memoir' duller to read than the rest of book.

Even so, I liked Barbara Bush, because she seemed like a nice lady. ... Read more

Book Description

Few composers even begin to approach Beethoven's pervasive presence in modern Western culture, from the concert hall to the comic strip. Edited by a cultural historian and a music theorist, Beethoven and His World gathers eminent scholars from several disciplines who collectively speak to the range of Beethoven's importance and of our perennial fascination with him.

The contributors address Beethoven's musical works and their cultural contexts. Reinhold Brinkmann explores the post-revolutionary context of Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony, while Lewis Lockwood establishes a typology of heroism in works like Fidelio. Elaine Sisman, Nicholas Marston, and Glenn Stanley discuss issues of temporality, memory, and voice in works at the threshold of Beethoven's late style, such as An die Ferne Geliebte, the Cello Sonata op. 102, no. 1, and the somewhat later Piano Sonata op. 109. Peering behind the scenes into Beethoven's workshop, Tilman Skowroneck explains how the young Beethoven chose his pianos, and William Kinderman shows Beethoven in the process of sketching and revising his compositions.

The volume concludes with four essays engaging the broader question of reception of Beethoven's impact on his world and ours. Christopher Gibbs' study of Beethoven's funeral and its aftermath features documentary material appearing in English for the first time; art historian Alessandra Comini offers an illustrated discussion of Beethoven's ubiquitous and iconic frown; Sanna Pederson takes up the theme of masculinity in critical representations of Beethoven; and Leon Botstein examines the aesthetics and politics of hearing extramusical narratives and plots in Beethoven's music.

Bringing together varied and fresh approaches to the West's most celebrated composer, this collection of essays provides music lovers with an enriched understanding of Beethoven--as man, musician, and phenomenon. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Engaging essays about a complex man
Given the range and breadth of Western music, it is astonishing how often we fall back on the work of this German dude from the late 18th, early 19th century. Many people who find Western art music a snore have Beethoven records in their collection, and the complex mythology that has grown up around the composer and his works barely accounts for how often his works are played. This book, which grew out of a festival of Beethoven's works, provides some really fascinating material. My three favorite essays explored Beethoven and the concept of masculinity (he's typically considered a "masculine" composer for complex reasons), the reason for Beethoven's "scowl" (I won't give it away, but it's amazing), and a long thoughtful reflection on how Beethoven's image was shaped by his death in Vienna, and the public response to that event. If you want a standard bio of LvB, there are plenty of good ones out there. These essays give some non-standard perspectives on the most revered composer in Western culture, and may help you understand why people feel that way about him. ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition of the candid and controversial biography of George W. Bush offers an incisive look at Bush’s questionable military history, disastrous business ventures, and the issues surrounding the 2000 presidential election. New essays and illustrations add to this book on the deeds and misdeeds of President of George W. Bush. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Hatfield Died for this Information
Released by Soft Skull Press in 1999 before the 2000 presidential elections, J.H. Hatfield's "Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an America President," presents a comprehensive piece on three generations of Bush family interaction with America and the surrounding environment.

Hatfield asked George W. repeatedly for an interview before he released this book, but was turned down time and time again by the 43rd president of the United States. During Hatfield's years of investigation for this book, he interviewed many close friends and relatives of George W. Bush who revealed many deep and hidden secrets not revealed through the mainstream media; also, Hatfield used an unnamed source to provide information presented in the piece.

Hatfield, who is now dead by means of suicide, brought a lot of heat on George W. Bush during his 2000 presidential campaign with the release of this book; and thus, released a storm of criticism upon himself. By bringing to light the fact of George W. Bush's problems with alcohol and his disputed use of cocaine, the author Hatfield wrote about the best and worst sides of three generations of Bush family.

Beginning with the history of grandfather Prescott Bush, the writer lays out a historical perspective that could of easily caused an insidious demise to the family's reputation. The war veteran and 41st president George H. W. Bush, who left his mark on the oil rush, and son George Bush's controversial past and new found reform.

The piece is a hard and sometimes slow read and there are numerous facts and figures brought up in the piece which gives the reader a whole view of how the family worked through it's rough spots, and triumphed in successes. The book is easily defined as a political history of a family with massive influence on the United States of America, and their actions and reactions to the surrounding environment.

Although the read has it's slow spots and down points, Hatfield's piece is one of the few biographies burned at publishing, and for this, the book is necessary for future generations.

The truth is out there - probably
I put off reading this book for a long time, thanks to the questions we all had about Hatfield's integrity and the credibility of his charges against the Accidental President. This newly updated and better-annotated edition put these concerns to rest, and although it's not the best Bush biography I've read thus far, it deserves far more respect than it's received from the mainstream media. For a book which Bush's supporters went to great lengths to prevent from ever being published, Hatfield shows a surprising lack of antagonism toward his subject for the most part. Molly Ivins' "Shrub," Mark Crispin Miller's "The Bush Dyslexicon" and Paul Begala's "Is Our Children Learning?" are all far more openly partisan (and better written), but Hatfield does provide information not available elsewhere about the youthful indiscretion that Bush and his allies have otherwise done a superb job of keeping buried.

Using straightforward accounts from the public record and those who know him, Hatfield illustrates such issues as Bush's obliviousness to racial segregation in his hometown, his indifference to his studies at Andover and Yale, his alcoholism, his spotty record in the Air National Guard, his questionable business dealings, and his performance as governor. Bush's actions and words speak for themselves throughout the book, and Hatfield shows little inclination to analyze them to death or to put an actively anti-Bush spin on them. In fact, he occasionally sounds pro-Bush, noting, for example, that he got off to a respectable start in the oil business after graduating from Harvard Business School. Some of the less flattering accounts, such as that of his "service" in the Air National Guard, have a necessarily vague and incomplete feel to them, mainly because there simply isn't a lot of reliable information available about that period of Bush's life. Hatfield is, however, able to provide a number of accounts of cocaine use and womanizing that stand in sharp contrast to the family-values image Bush's handlers have managed to convey to the public. If Hatfield's research failed to answer many questions about the extended adolescence Bush himself has always refused to discuss, he did succeed brilliantly in raising many questions that deserve to be addressed but haven't been thus far.

The book's most famous accusation - that Bush was arrested for cocaine posession in 1972 and his father got the charges dropped - is more solidly supported than I'd been led to believe. Although Hatfield did fail to produce a source who was willing to confirm the story on the record, he names a number of sources who probably know the answer but - like Bush himself - refuse to confirm or deny it. Additionally, he provides three anonymous sources, not a lone Deep Throat as has been widely reported. The afterword does have a cloak-and-dagger feel to it all the same, and there are typographical and grammatical errors sprinkled throughout the narrative which have helped to make the book easy for Bush supporters to vilify.

But for all that, most of what Hatfield reports is well-annotated (in contrast to the original printing) and presented in a non-sensationalistic style. If Hatfield was not the ideal messenger, he at least provided us with an important collection of information that other journalists chose to gloss over or didn't have access to. As Mark Crispin Miller points out in his introduction, the Bush campaign's reaction to the book was just as telling in one sense as the book itself is. If it's inaccurate, why suppress it?

Celebrate your right to know. Whatever your politics, read the book and decide for yourself whether or not it's worth believing.

Not a bash, but rather, an investigation
When I heard of this book, I wondered why it was dropped from St. Martin's Press. Given the numerous books slandering Clinton, I figured this book was a slandering piece, and would be decried as nothing more than foolish slander, and naturally disappear in public interest. Instead, the book was pulled from the presses. Why? After reading this book, I found that not only does it not have the typical bash style of Moore or Franken, but it researches his past with accuracy and without humorous commentary - possibly so close to the truth that decrying it as nothing more than slander would be extremely difficult, and Karl Rove didn't want to spend time or lose face defending against it.

From the strange connections to Saudi Arabia to the forced policies of a governor, this book lays out the blueprint for what we are seeing today. Not only do I find the information frightening, but I find it to be on the mark. A man who stands for nothing but condemns everything, he is a dark man who does not deserve to be the president of a democracy.

A very good look at what's running the White House
The problem with writing a biography of George W. Bush is that it won't be nice. The details of his life leave no choice.

Fortunate Son puts all this on display. It shows a man who says the right things while doing whatever benefits him. The list of contradictions is as plain as day. Here are a few. In April of 1999 George blamed the film industry for desensitizing people to violence. Between 1983 and 1993 he was a paid director for Silver Screen Management. They arrange for investment in films. Twenty-one of the films they arranged financing for were R-rated. That was due to the violence they depicted. Arlington politico's passed legislation that allowed the Arlington Sports Facility Development Authority to seize land. It was turned over to the Rangers for development. As a minority owner of the team George was close to these people. As Governor he later pulled the teeth from those laws. His run for Governor was based on a platform of issues he misrepresented. His working existence is a series of shady business deals. His morality is rife with hypocrisy. The book is filled with examples of this.

Hatfield's research begs for more questions to be asked too. In 1978 George ran for the Congressional riding of Midland, Texas. It came out that 61% of his financial backing came from outside that riding. Most of it was from big business interests. Why? At that point George had nothing behind him (apart from the family name) to warrant that support. It was there though. The records prove it. It was revelations like this that got J. H. Hatfield in trouble with the upper echelon of the Republican Party (to say nothing of their supporters). He hadn't started out with intentions of discrediting Bush. If anything it was the opposite; his sympathetic writing style makes that clear. The book is well written. The information is concise. Hatfield doesn't condemn. He just reports the facts. He had avoided what he couldn't prove. His coverage of the (possible) fiasco during the Air Guard tenure had been sparse. There's no mention of the ties between the Bush and Hinckley families either. Hatfield would have found those. He left them alone though. It was only after attacks on his credibility that he did some more research. Then he found the details of the cocaine bust. It's hard to say how much more he'd have found had he lived. It's even harder to guess how much he would have proven. There seems to be plenty there.

Still, what he found was more than enough. It produced a very important book. Everyone should read it.

Well researched and revealing
After reading all the claims that this book used questionable sources and shoddy research, I almost wrote it off. But after actually reading it, I realized that nothing could be further from the truth. This book is not (unlike most liberally leaning books on the Bush dynasty) a biased and desperate slam on the president. The sources are certainly not "crackpot websites" as one reviewer claimed, and the book was not dropped by its first publisher because it was innacurate (it was dropped from political pressure from the bush administration).
I find it kind of funny that all of these such claims are accompanied by NO comments which would actually indicate that these reviewers even read the book (and then go on to make claims such as 'liberals will love this because they love anything that bashes the president).
I'm not what I would call a liberal. I'm certainly not a democrat. But I will admit I think Bush is a terrible president. This book helped to cement my dislike for the man.
This is not slander. It even portrays him in a positive light at times. It questions the claims of Bush detractors as well as supporters. It's thorough and (at least in its narrative, you can argue about the facts presented) for the most part unbiased (even though its hard to remain completely objective when you're talking about a man who publicly mocked a woman he just sentenced to death...)
The sources I checked up on were authentic. In the end, its a damning portrayal of our president. Anyone who is even remotely curious as to what kind of insanity is running through our commander-in-cheif's head owes it to themselves to read through this book.
In all truth, if you're a Bush supporter, you probably will have few problems with alot of what's revealed in this book. A friend of mine (who is a hard-core bush enthusiast) read the book, and his response (for the most part) was "so what?" But then again, he and I have a very different set of moral and political beliefs, and my response to the book was certainly different.
Take it for what it is. It's a biography. If you support him, you should know more about him. If you don't, this book will give you a few more reasons not to. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (22)

A must have for Lucy fans!
This book is an absolute must have for fans of Lucille Ball and her sitcoms. A lot of books have been written about her amazing life, but what about her remarkable career on televison for 5 decades? Finally, someone has decided to put on paper the one thing that made Lucy who she was: her work. Lucy thrived on work, and it shows in the outcome. Her work is what she is mostly remembered by, although some ignorant people choose to remember her by her personal life. This book chronicles all of Lucy's shows, from her first and most infamous show, I Love Lucy, in 1951, to her final show in 1986, Life With Lucy, plus all of her guest appearences on other TV, talk, game, and variety shows. The life Lucille Ball led was remarkable, but the legacy she left behind in her work is even more phenomenal. This book will let you look at that legacy and see what made Lucy the hilarious comideinne that she was.It also includes quotes form Lucy herself, her co-workers, her family and friends, and even some of her fans. This is a must for any one loves Lucille Ball and her work as much as I do!

A MUST for anyone who Loves Lucy.
If you love Lucy, like Lucy, or just admire Lucy. You must get this book. It tells all about her career on television. The great tidbits of information on all of the shows is incredible. Information that could only be told by people on the sets. It's amazing that the author Geoffrey Mark Fidelman could get all of this information from so many people behind the scenes. It is all put down in an easy to read format. You read each episode and follow along in your mind, remembering when you first saw the show. You can actually feel the development of the show, as well as the people involved, as you cruise from episode to episode. There is only three things left to say. GET THIS BOOK.

Exhaustive Reference
Detailed analyses of every episode of Lucille Ball's four sitcoms, plus an examination of every television appearance she ever made from 1947 through her death. Snippets of interviews give a fascinating glimpse into a lost era of television.

My only complaint is that author displays a creepy and disgustingly sexual interest in Miss Ball. She is lucious, voluptuous, gorgeous, stunning, beautiful, feminine, entrancing, enticing, etc., etc., etc. ad nauseam. Surely most of us think of "I Love Lucy" and "The Lucy Show" as comedies, not pornography, and we have no interest in being told the details of the author's obsession.

Whew...
What a worker she was. Great info. Nice, easy to read. Must have for Lucy fans.

Excellent Lucy book!
If you want a great Lucy reference book, this book is the greatest! The only problem I have is the author is a bit judgemental in his opinions. Other than that, the book is great! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Celtics Rule
I think that this book is good for those who are fans of the Boston Celtics and that of the NBA. This book is a biography; it has a little bit of everything. With a foreword by Pat Riley (Head Coach of the Miami Heat) the book could not more complete.

This book begins in a small town in Indiana. Larry Bird was a star basketball player for his high school and the rest of the state. Larry left high school to go to Indiana University on a full basketball scholarship and play for the one and only Bobby Knight. Larry was not on the campus very long before he became overwhelmed by the great amount of students. Larry would then leave the school and transfer to Indiana State University. After college Larry entered himself in to the NBA draft and was selected 6th overall by the Boston Celtics. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

It's a Roll of the Dice with Lucy and Lee
Lee Tannen provides a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the private life of Lucille Ball. As he and Lucy spend many an afternoon playing backgammon, many interesting details of her life surface that have not shown up in any other biographies or memoirs of Ms. Ball. Nevertheless, there is something very uneven about Mr. Tannen's book. He never seems to get past the fact he is sitting with Lucille Ball, Queen of Comedy and Television Superstar. The friendship almost seems contrived at times, with him in complete awe of Lucy. Can a true friendship exist when one person cannot get past their childlike fascination with Lucy Ricardo? There is also the extremely annoying habit of comparing nearly every incident he and Ms. Ball experience to an episode of "I Love Lucy". It is mildly (and that word is used loosely) entertaining the first two times, but quickly grates on your nerves and warrants a bit of text skimming to avoid the irritating bits. True Lucy fans will no doubt devour this book as it does provide something not seen in many other Lucy-bio's, with the exception of Jim Brochu's 'Lucy in the Afternoon'. Read with caution, however, as the experience may leave you somewhat frustrated, with an overwhelming desire to learn how to play backgammon.

Charming memoir of beloved star
"I Loved Lucy" is the story of the friendship between Lucille Ball and Lee Tannen, a distant relative of Lucy's second husband. The book is packed with charming stories that will make you both laugh and cry. Lee was priveleged to be with Lucy at some of her highest moments, like receiving the Kennedy Center Honors, as well as some of her lowest, such as the debacle of "Life With Lucy", her failed last sitcom. Lee's love for Lucy, both the person and the image, are obvious in every page, but he does not gloss over Lucy's sometimes strong temperment. Also, interesting is Lee Tannen's depiction of his own relative, Gary Morton, Lucy's husband; Lucy's admiration and respect for the late Vivian Vance; her statements about Desi Arnaz and her children; and Lucy's obsession with backgammon. This is a wonderful book about a wonderful lady...any Lucy fan should read it!

I Loved It
This is a book about a distant relative of Gary Morton's relationship with Lucille Ball during the last ten years of her life. He spent a good amount of time with Lucy, and he shares with us their dinner dates, skiing in Colorado, going to the theatre and, of course, backgammon! I couldn't put the book down. The private life of Lucy after "I Love Lucy" is fascinating, no matter what she said or did - I wanna hear it all. The author tells the story always with love for Lucy and with a good sense of humor of his own. Lucy fans should treasure this.

The true Lucille Ball
This is such a wonderful, heartfelt, extraordinary book. I picked it up at 9:00 in the evening, expecting to read just a chapter or two. I couldn't set it down until I finished it at three in the morning, crying, of course, at the luminous quality of the work that I had just experienced.

Obessed Fan Stalks Fading Television Legend
I couldn't give this book low stars because I read it very quick. Meaning that there was something very fascinating about this read.

However I found this book extremely disturbing on many levels. First of all this author never ever found out what Lucy was really like or even who she really was. All he does is play games with her (at her request) and idolize her.

He compares everything that happens to her in real life to an "I Love Lucy" episode. Which was not only boring to read but very very disturbing.

He gets momentos from her (framed pictures) and sits around watching old "I Love Lucy" reruns while looking at the scripts while Lucy looks on. This is beyond creepy.

The whole thing reminded me of MISERY - except Lucy was the one in control. Sort of MISERY in reverse.

We never really get to know about Lee or his boyfriend. (Except they are rich) We only hear tabloid style mean jabs at Lucy's husband - very unfair because that is the ONLY way he got to know Lucy at all.

It's sad when the only thing good about this book is the letter written by Lucie Arnaz to the author. It is such a sincere and nice letter. Much better than this fawning strange book.

It was nice to see that Lucy had a soft sentimental as well as tough side. As Lucie Anaz put it she was "only human".

Fascinating but gross! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Short bios and favorite recipes (some of them vegan) from people who are or were vegetarians at some point in their lives.Try Ghandi's Spicy Chapatis and Gujarati-Style carrot salad. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Entertaining vegetarian history
The author has come up with authentic recipes(or reasonable fac-similes thereof) reflecting the tastes of famous vegetarians throughout the ages. Anecdotal sketches give life to each of the 32 celebrities from Plato andPythagoras to Tolstoi, Gandhi andGeorge Bernard Shaw along with"contemporaries" like Paul McCartney and Isaac Bashevis Singer.Mr.Berry writes gracefully, and the 80 recipes are not only fascinating,but have been kitchen tested tested by the author for"savoriness." Many recipes are unfired. The book is fullyreferenced with footnotes(in the back). This is a superb book!

Interesting
Rynn Berry's "Famous Vegetarians and their favorite recipes" presents an overview of famous vegetarians in history. Each biography of the 30 famous vegetarians is about 3-6 pages long. It is by no means a comprehensive nor referenced work (not that I'm questioning his sources, but that being that this book features short pieces of fascinating individuals, it only makes sense to provide a "works cited" list or a reference list for those who are interested to pursue their research). If you are looking for great vegan/vegetarian recipes, you are at the wrong place. Most of the recipes are not too appetizing. ... Read more

Book Description

Like Shakespeare, J.S. Bach is known largely by his works. Peter Williams asks many questions in this examination of the man as well as the composer. What was Bach like as a youth, father, and, eventually, church elder? What music did he know and how did he compose and perform such an amazing amount?Ultimately, Williams questions the effects of unremitting acclaim on objective evaluations of J.S. Bach. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Buddhism isn't just for baby boomers anymore. As the spiritual marketplace continues to broaden in North America, Buddhism is emerging as a popular religious alternative among the young. Sumi Loundon, a practicing Buddhist and graduate student at Harvard Divinity School, has gathered a group of Generation X-ers and even younger Generation Y-ers around a virtual campfire to swap stories about what it means to be Buddhist. These are more than just your average tales of pious conversion or blissful living. Loundon's cadres find the relevance of Buddhism atop a sheer cliff face; in the throbbing heart of New York City; strung out on crack; in relationships good and bad; in tragic accidents; and in social activism. Some are monks, others punks; some meditate, others chant; some teach the dharma, others just live it. In this group, Buddhism is neither exotic nor a panacea. For many, it is a feeling of coming home and a proven method of coping while remaining open to the vicissitudes of life. Anyone who has felt the pull of Buddhism--the compelling arguments of its philosophy or the quiet expansiveness of it practices--will quickly identify with the personal experiences in this collection. Like Douglas Coupland's Generation X, Blue Jean Buddha could well become a book that defines and binds a group growing in self-awareness. --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Young American Buddhists
I'm a young American (20-something) and I am so happy that someone is finally paying attention to my generation of practicing Buddhists! This book is interesting whether you're a young person just discovering Buddhism, or an older person interested in the new spirtiual motivations in youth culture today. The only weakness I can mention about this book is that it does not cover a wide range of Buddhist traditions. I wish, for example, it had included interviews with young Buddhists in the Soka Gakkai tradition which is one of the most youthful schools of Buddhism I know of in the United States these days. In any case, I am just glad someone finally published a book like this one. I also highly recommend a little gift book written by a 20-something American Buddhist named Taro Gold called "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Little Book of Eastern Wisdom." I hope more and more young Buddhist voices will be found in print in the near future.

"Blue Jean Buddha" a rare, articulate work
Sumi Loundon and company's BLUE JEAN BUDDHA is a rarity in several regards. For one thing, Loundon and her writers manage to lucidly articulate many ideas and feelings about culture, pop culture, age, and Buddhism that have previously proven to be precarious ground for authors to tread (this is particularly true of Loundon's first-class analyses throughout the book). For another, it switches gears gracefully--for any book, not just a dharma book--between being a sociological study (pieces like Kenneth Lee's "Drugs and the Dharma" and Thich Nu Pho-Chau's "Life as a Vietnamese Nun" exemplify this); a unique and very broad dialogue on philosophy, cultural ideologies, psychology, service, and peace (Claudia Heiman's "Winning over Depression," Noah Levine's "A Dharma Punx Path," and Adrienne Stauffer's "Freeing Tibet, Freeing Myself"); and very often literary nonfiction (Seth Castleman's "If a Nice Jewish Boy Sits in a Cave, Does He Make a Difference?" and Lillian Guild's "The Perfect Buddhist Boyfriend"). And lastly, its pieces burst with a very special kind of honesty about spiritual pursuits and the many facets of American life that only the spirit of youth could offer (Hanuman Goleman's "I'm a Mutt"). BLUE JEAN BUDDHA is fresh, insightful, and right-on. All of the bull's-eyes it manages to hit combined with its heart and humor make it an engaging read for anyone and an essential volume for any Buddhist's library.

Honesty From Spiritual Peers
This book is a good read for people overwhelmed by religious texts written by spiritual teachers. It is always nice to read what peers and contemporaries have to say on a subject like religion. This is not a book to pick up and read if you want to learn the fundamentals of Buddhist philosophy, but it is a wonderfully reassuring book for those looking for a sort of real time guide to how Buddhism fits into everyday life.

The contributors to this book were beautifully honest and allowed the readers into very intimate parts of their lives. That honesty is what keeps the reader involved in the book and steers these essays away from a Chicken Soup For the Soul sort of feel.

Awesome
Nice to read a book of stories by young Buddhists on the path, and be able to relate.

A Book Whose Time Has Come
As a young, serious Buddhist, I always wondered if there were others who shared my lifestyle and worldview. To my delight, I found that I am not alone. For me personally, "Blue Jean Buddha" is definitely a book whose time has come.
The book is down-to-earth and sincere, full of honest essays about how young people are implementing the Dharma into their lives, personal, public, and professional. It certainly is not New Agey, "too far out", cliche, or irrelevant. (I was anxious about the possibility of BJB being so, but it did not disappoint me!)The book explores the interchanges between Buddhism, Generation X and Y, and American pop culture, among other topics. It has no agenda except to portray Buddhism as it plays itself out, right now.
In many ways, I feel like BJB is a historical snapshot of some of the people who will be among the most influential shapers of Buddhism in the West in the near future. I was happy for this warning!
I definitely appreciated the vast diversity of Buddhist traditions and expressions represented in BJB. As an introduction, the book provides teases and initial glances into Buddhism, and does not purport to be a definitive statement by examining details. There are gaps, because there are still issues in modern Buddhism yet to be debated and/or resolved. But that is the point of BJB, it keeps you thinking, wondering, critically inquiring. I learned a lot from this book and totally recommend it to anyone interested in young people, and the future of Buddhism in the West.
The deep, thoughtful, and important reflections and rhetorical questions offered in THE CONCLUSION is WORTH THE WHOLE PRICE OF THE BOOK ALONE. Editor Sumi Loundon does not pretend to know all the answers, and after reading all these possibilities, I realized I didn't predict the future either! These are fast, exciting times we live in right now, and this is a perfect book to have along for the ride. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Proving the addage "They Fear What They Do Not Understand."
What made this book interesting was the author wasn't a Bush fan to begin with. This was an educational book for me, offering a look at the man and the administration that some Democrats and the news media loves to hate. I agree with one of the other reviewers that the first few chapters do paint an administration that may have been mediocre but today there is no questioning the strong leadership and values of a successful administration. I finally understand why his critics hate him so -- It's because George W. Bush did not live up to their expectations of failure, because he has turned this country around to a powerful country with a strong (and getting stronger) economy and a proud and powerful military, because he has a positive vision and truly believes in that which he says and he believe in his country, but most of all, because his critics can't figure him out. They just don't get how someone could want a strong and free America and world. George W. Bush is, beyond all words and without a doubt, the right man for the job.

He has earned my respect and support.

Candid , "Inside" Account of the Bush Presidency
Despite the fact that this book is slow at times, it, for the most part, is a riveting and candid account (reminiscent of Bob Woodward's "Bush at War") of what went on in the Bush white house, from its inauguration, to 9/11, to the present context of the November 2004 presidential election.

David Frum, a native of Toronto, Canada, was a former economic speechwriter for George W. Bush. He is the author of the famous "axis of evil" statement in the 2002 State of the Union Address. Well, in actual fact, he introducted the notion of an "axis of hatred", but, due to Bush's theological vernacular, Michael Gerson, the chief speechwriter, modified it to "axis of evil". In this exposé, Frum gives us many revelations about his emotions, and his personal life. He provides us with a chilling and suspenseful account of what it was like to be a White House staffer on 9/11.

David Frum's other main book, An End to Evil, co-authored by Richard Perle, in my view, is a far more relevant and riveting manifesto on the hard-line school of thought with respect to foreign policy.

Although he is of a favorable view of the president, the first several chapters of "The Right Man" convey the message that George W. Bush was destined to be a mediocre president.

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, defined the Bush presidency. George W. Bush would prove to be a decisive leader - the Ronald Reagan of his time. He would respond with the declaration of war against the United States on 9/11 with the introduction and prosecution of a "war on terror" - an historic engagement between good and evil, whereby the United States leads an international coalition against terrorists and rogue states.

Bush! Love Him!!
I love President Bush! This book explains why he is perceived as devisive. He views events, people and situations with moral clarity and sticks to his principals. This book is well-written, a quick read and insightful. The notes and references are second only to Ann Coulter. ... Read more

Book Description

Detailing the childhood lives of famous artists, this series begins with composers, showing young readers some of the amazing things that have been accomplished by children. The stories both educate and inspire children to be creative, work hard, and follow their dreams.

Niños famosos esta dedicado contar los cuentos sobre las vidas infantiles de los músicos, artistas y escritores, mostrando su genialidad, creatividad, y sus obras a todos los lectores pequeños. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Needs more facts, less speculative dialogue
My daughter had to do a biography book report on Bach, and came home with a book written in 1932. I bought six of these "famous children" books to supplement the school library. Although they are listed as appropriate for ages 4-8, I would say ages 4-6 is more accurate. Particularly annoying is the ficticious dialogue included. One of the famous composers is quoted as saying "Yuck!" in response to something he doesn't like. The print would be better spent on narrative facts about their lives and childhood rather than the silly dialogue. It wouldn't hurt to include a bit more information on the adult life of the composers, since nothing currently exists in the literature geared for children.
The books in the series by Tony Hart don't suffer this same problem. They are filled with artwork by the artists and generic dialogue that is more believable. A huge gap still exists for biographical information on these great people, especially for the 8 to 12 year old crowd. As a side note, the Beethoven book sent to us was in Spanish. This was a problem for another customer of this series, so someone needs to do a better job of managing the merchandise.

Keeps A Child's Interest
Nice Large Type, but Vocabulary seems a bit large in a few places. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Afghanistan travels-a mysterious and magical tour.
Fascinating tour of many lesser known and sometimes hidden ancient sites in Afghanistan. True story of travels there in the twentieth century before the Russian invasion. Full of humorous insight into the many cultural and political stresses that clearly contributed to the situation as it is today. This is a wonderful book containing very interesting material that is available nowhere else! ... Read more

Amazon.com

New York Post columnist John Podhoretz has equal amounts of love for George W. Bush and scorn for Bush's prominent liberal critics. In this energetic defense of the president, he paints a picture of Bush as being much cagier and politically clever than some of the more well-known voices on the left give him credit for. As Podhoretz describes it, Bush's classic maneuver is to take up a position thought to be unpopular among Washington insiders, such as not one but two rounds of sizeable tax cuts. He then rallies public support behind the idea, thereby outflanking possible opposition, scoring political victories, and increasing his political capital. Bush Country presents chapters on what the author says are some of the most common "crazy liberal ideas" about the President and then sets out to disprove them. But by using the most incendiary descriptions possible ("Bush is a puppet," "Bush is a moron," and "Bush wants to bankrupt the government") to describe the ideas, Podhoretz makes the disproving that much easier. And one does get the sense that he's trying to eat his cake and have it too as he complains about liberals' hatred and viciousness even as he attacks them right back and calls them crazy. But Podhoretz does not necessarily march in lockstep with every Republican official. He has much scorn for the first President Bush and talks openly about his initial misgivings as "Dubya" rose to power and prominence. The book is at its best when describing the ways in which the son has made efforts to learn from the father's mistakes and distance himself from George H.W. Bush's legacy. Written with plenty of passion and humor, Bush Country will likely please Bush supporters who have watched the president take hits from the Al Franken, Michael Moore, and others on the left.--John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (103)

Response to "Witless Celebrity Bio."
I doubt that the author of this witless diatribe ever cast a vote for George W. Bush or any other Republican candidate for any office whatsoever. These intemperate comments could come only from one of the fanatic haters on the far left wing of the Democratic Party.

John Podhoretz is a "preposterous clown," "one of those hard core propagandists who sees a chance to make a quick buck."
If you can't answer your opponents arguments denigrate the man. It's called the ad hominim falacy - a favorite debating technique of the current crop of Democratic candidates and pundits.

"The only point here is to cash in on the rubes out there --"
This statement alone gives the author away as a card carrying member of the left wing of the Democratic Party. Who else would express such utter contempt for the average citizen?
This attitude is absolutely typical of Leftist thinking everywhere. Its pedigree can be traced back to the master himself, Karl Marx, who had nothing but contempt for ordinary people, as opposed to self appointed pseudo-intellectuals like himself and his followers.

"...this preposterous book." "Mr. Podhoritz is a propagandist, not a credible journalst." More of the same ad hominim falacy. Don't answer the argument. Pour contempt on the maker of the argument instead. This is what passes for logic among left wing Democrats.

Regarding the President the writer, working himself into a state of near hysteria, denounces "the lies about the need for war, the lies about the economic recovery, the lies about his National Guard Service." Talk about propaganda! Josef Goebbles couldn't have done it better.

But most of us "rubes" out here would appreciated it if the writer could at least be truthful about who he is and where he is coming from, instead of trying to con us by passing himself off as a disgruntled Bush supporter.

An altogether disguting performance.

Puzzled by Bush Hatred?
I've actually heard George Bush speak in person, and I was very impressed. He struck me as an honest, straight-forward, confident guy. He spoke with conviction on national security issues and ethics-based leadership. By contrast, he was only an average speaker on economic issues.

How the heck could he become so viscerally hated by so many people? Similarly, these charges of lying -- if George W. Bush is a liar (like Bill Clinton, for example) I'll eat both my boots.

After reading Mr. Podhoretz's book, I understand some of the issues better now. Many liberals (the chattering class, for Mr. Podhoretz) are upset at President Bush's tremendous achievements. He's been absolutely dead on throughout his first term, implementing two large tax cuts, passing impactful educational reform, presiding over a Republican resurgence in both Houses of Congress, waging a successful war against terrorism, and expressing a vision for global freedom that I profoundly hope is possible.

So, part of the reason liberals hate President Bush is that he has been a very successful conservative Republican leader. Podhoretz does a good job explaining and debunking the Crazy Liberal Ideas about President Bush (that he's stupid, a liar, etc).

What Podhoretz doesn't talk about is that President Bush is THE MAN. You can't look at Bush and not be reminded of some white guy who used to be your boss. I kind of look that way myself. I can't help it, short of entering some male Swan contest in the hope of a radical makeover. America has always had it in for THE MAN (think Jack Black in School of Rock -- "Rock and Roll is all about sticking it the man."). So, President Bush has become easy prey to the Garry Trudeaus of our society, people who create witty and cynical cartoon blurbs sticking it to THE MAN.

My message: don't believe the myths about President Bush. Just listen to him, and take his words at face value as his honest opinion. Take his actions as his best efforts in the service of our country. If you do those two things, you'll find it easy to understand each and every statement and action of our sitting President.

this book is a joke
The only people who will enjoy this book are the same right-wingers that listen to O'Reilly and Hannity and think they are truthful and moral. It's too bad the conservative media (like Fox) has preyed so effectively on the ignorance of so many.

Are you kidding?
The entire premise for war with Iraq has turned out to be false. The Iraq Al-Qaeda connections, according to the 9/11 panel assigned to investigate the 9/11 attacks, never existed. Not even the conservatives on the panel could say they did.The WMD's in Iraq? We are still waiting for those. Hey didn't Powell say he knew where they were? And Bush, didn't he say that Iraq was an iniment threat? This book is just as bad as Bush. This book tells lie after lie and it is a shame that so many people in this country are dumb enough to believe them. I would suggest that all you right-wingers go see Fahrenheit 9/11 without the forgone conclusion that Michael Moore has made an "anti-american" movie, full of "propaganda". How can you say that Bush is a "great president"? All he is, is a bumbling-drunk that needs to go back to Crawford, TX where he belongs!

Bush rules, this book drools.
First off, full disclosure:

I am slightly right of center. I am a Bush fan. I worked on the first Bush campaign. I plan on voting for Bush in 2004.

I bought this book because Podhoretz wrote such a scathing insider tell-all book (Hell of a Ride: Backstage at the White House Follies 1989-1993) about Bush's father, George Herbert Walker Bush, in whose administration Podhoretz worked, so I figured that gives Bush Country some automatic semblance of credibility. In other words, he is willing to tell it like it is and call it like he sees it, as demonstrated by his former criticism of Bush "41." Sure, he clearly has a pro-Bush agenda in this book, but I figured his previous Bush book gives him some wiggle room there--- and it does. But that's not what is wrong with this book.

The book does a decent job making the case against those who are against President Bush, but it doesn't really strike out to make the case for President Bush, independent of those criticisms. It focuses too much on defending against certain op-eds or fleeting anti-Bush ideas over the past few years. For example, it gives the "Bush is stupid" argument credibility by spending so many words disproving it. And it fails to address entire lines of argument put forth by the slew of books that have hit stores in the past year or so, lines of argument that are honestly pretty easy to anticipate and shoot down. It also contradicts itself a few times, and gets a few things just plain wrong in my humble opinion.

For example, why try to shoot down the "Bush is a cowboy" line of anti-Bush argument by claiming that Bush is a land owner and therefore would be in conflict with the lifestyle of the cowboy? That is just so petty and shallow. Why get into that kind of muck? It's pointless. If you are going to go to the trouble of defending someone against the "slur" of being called a cowboy, why not explain the ways cowboys are good? Or, better yet, explain how his policies do not fit into the archetypal "cowboy" slur.

I like to occasionally read the column Podhoretz writes, but this book just falls short for me. Podhoretz just misses the mark here.

This book is definitely for beginners. You'll get a superficial look at politics. If you are already a political junkie, don't waste your time. Unlike most political books, this one just doesn't really have much inside or new information. It doesn't have much depth. If you want a book to make you feel good about Bush, look elsewhere. This might do the trick, but you can do much better. Bill Sammon's Misunderestimated is better. So is Stephen Mansfield's The Faith of George W. Bush, that is, unless you are ardently against religion.

To reiterate, I am pro Bush, I am pro reading good things about him, just not pro Bush Country, the book. ... Read more