5 comments about Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions.

1. This is a great collection of transcripts of a long form interview with Stephen Sondheim. It starts with "Passion" his most recent work at the time of writing, and works backward chronologically. While quite musically deep, there is still something for everyone...not just the musicologist. Well worth the read!



2. I have a strong love of Sondheim's work. The genius lyrics, the engaging music, but most of all his attention to detail made me fall for him from "Attend the tale..." As someone who is exploring the world of composition I have looked to his works for encouragement and inspiration. When I heard that there was a book that housed interviews with the man himself I immediately put it on the top of my reading list. When I finally found it I was not dissapointed.
   
   Mark Eden Horowitz has presented a series of interviews that delve into the mind of Broadway's leading composer. The insight that Mr. Horowitz has into Sondheim's works is clearly evident as he helps us see the creative process that went into masterworks such as Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George. The discussion is broken up into a chapter for each show with each giving a focus on what concept was best exhibited in that musical. Certain works such as "A Little Night Music" and "The Frogs" are not discussed as their own chapter, but some of the works that weren't given their own chapter come up in conversation.
   
   I should take this time to point out that if you don't have an understanding of music theory some of this book will be much harder to decipher. With a year of college theory under my belt I still had to consult my professor on a few passages. Mr. Horowitz assists the reader by printing the musical examples pertaining to the topic, but it still requires a certain level of theoretical knowledge. Most of this book delves into concepts of writing and therefore manages to stay accesible, but be warned that parts of the books will need to be read over a few times for full academic digestion.
   
   My sole gripe with this book comes from the fact that it is a 401 page book and only 168 of these pages are devoted to the interview. The rest are filled with a list of songs that Sondheim wishes he had written (and the reply from the composers chosen) and a full discography. When I saw the size of the book initially I was overjoyed to think that every one of the pages was slathered with musical knowledge. When I read the interviews and found them stopping half way through the book I was crushed. With this I felt the need to shave a star off the rating of this book.
   
   Whether you are an avid fan, an aspiring writer or someone who is interested in learning something new about music I would suggest investing in this book. It sheds a light on how this amazing writer brings order to his musical universe.



3. This is a great book for the Sondheim aficionado. I learned a lot about the technical aspects of his style. My only complaint is that Merrily We Roll Along is mentioned only briefly in the book. I consider Merrily to be one of Sondheim's three best scores, and its absence made very little sense. Further, all Sondheim musicals pre-Overtures are also absent (perhaps more understandable because I suppose Sondheim remembers those less and there was little time in the interviews). Nevertheless, for the hefty price I would have expected more info. Perhaps a second volume?



4. This was a beautiful book, capturing every reason why Sondheim's music is so brilliant. This series of interviews explores several of his most celebrated works, and goes into everything from music theory, to lyric phrasing, to lyric choices, to what inspired him. If you really want to know what goes on in his head while he is composing his masterpieces then buy this book! Though it concentrates heavily on musical theory and sondheim's pieces from a composer's point of view, you do not need to be an expert in music theory to appreciate this book, because it is filled with exciting tidbits of everything you would ever want to know about his pieces. You also really get to know the man behind the music, and you get to see what his original manuscripts looked like! This is an exciting read for a Sondheim fan (or someone curious about what the big fuss is over him)...you will not be dissapointed!



5. This book gives us a view within the process of Stephen Sondheim as a creative genius. At the same time it is encouraging because he takes us into glimpses in his creations: methods, favorites, changes, mistakes and growth that illustrate how he actualized his dreams into reality. For anyone that has ever considered writing for an audience with a level that takes into consideration all the nuances of color, texture, overt and underlying meaning, this book is a must read. It is followed with lists of suggested material for review based on the personal influence they had for Sondheim.

2 comments about The Voice Book.

1. I found this book to be very detailed, technical and while a professional speaker might appreciate it, the beginner would most probably not. Michael McCallion is recognized by many as an authority in the field, as I discovered later, and he painstakingly touches every area one needs to know about voice. However, I felt disoriented with my reading. I needed something to guide me through the complexity of the book and help me set out a plan, but I found none of that. Metaphorically speaking, it was as if instead of a fitness guide, I was reading a medical book.
   
   I found the book too dry to go through all details because I did not know which detail is relevant to me. I kept wondering which exercise I should do, in what order and which ones are suitable for me. In my view this book does a much better service for the initiated such as actors or public speakers or at least people that went through voice training programs before. If you are one of these people, the book offers good material to choose from, including voice exercises.
   
   Another aspect that I found missing from the book was any form of relationship between the author and the reader. There wasn't anything in the book to refer to personal experience, encouragement or advise or something to give you an indication that you will do well (or not), even if you are not a professional speaker. Confidence is a huge factor in any personal improvement enterprise.
   
   The first 100 pages talk about Body, Breathing and Tuning. Most of this is about the anatomy of the body, in a rather scholastic tone. I read it with difficulty mainly because I could not see how I fit into this and I could not identify which part is important for me. The author seems to be very professional and knowledgeable, I suspect he didn't miss much from all the mechanics of voice production, but he did not offer too much help for the reader to make a decision and self-assess the situation.
   
   The next 70 pages are about Speech. After a few pages with technical terms (diagrams showing how the vowels are produced), to my relief, I found finally some practical exercises.
   
   The final section of the book, Using Your Voice, describe in the usual very detailed style, what to do with your voice and how to take care of it. It advises actors, teachers, radio presenters, etc what to do to warm up, on stage and in between.
   
   Overall, I believe this book is more useful for professional speakers (actors, radio presenters, etc) speech trainers looking for inspiration than to uninitiated people.



2. I'll have more time to expand on this review later on. I'm a podcaster/storyteller who has been looking for tips about how to do voice recording and how to develop good voice control. I checked out various voice books, and this is the only one that provided the breadth and practicality that I needed.
   
   Even if you're not in the "business," you'll find the anecdotes interesting and helpful. He explains things well and suggests good exercises for making your voice sound great.
   
   For the speaker/trainer/radio producer/podcaster who hasn't had any voice training, this book is priceless. For singers and actors who probably already had extensive voice training, I imagine the book will cover mainly familiar territory, though there still will be good tips.
   
   The 1998 edition has about 60 more pages than the 1988 edition and seems to incorporate more personal anecdotes and more feedback from readers. I haven't had a chance to compare them side to side though.
   
   but I personally found the advice in this book so valuable that I want to have the latest definitive version.

No comments about I Love Ballet (Dover Coloring Book).

5 comments about Friendly Enemies: The Director-Actor Relationship.

1. High praise for Friendly Ememies. It instructs directors on how to communicate with actors by understanding the principles of acting and learning the actor's lexicon. It teaches directors how to bring out the actor's full potential while arriving at the director's intended vision. It's well organized and practical. Clearly written by someone with a lifetime of experience doing what they're writing about. It's the best director's guide to shaping actor's performances out there. I know, I've read them all.



2. Delia Salvi is a pioneer in the field of teaching emerging directors how to best work with actors. She has mentored many at UCLA including Alexander Payne, David Ward, Audrey Wells, and myself. I have found her book and her counsel to be invaluable. Salvi's book is specific and easy to put into practice. I teach directing at Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts and I recommend the book to my students and I use it in my classes and in my professional work on the outside. Five Stars!!!! Lynn Hamrick, Director



3. Delia Salvi has written an insightful, brilliant - must read for any serious student of Film or Television Directing. This book should be standardized as required reading in Film Schools around the country!
   
   It is a Bible for Artists, whether it be, Actor, Writer, Producer or Director.
   
   Kelly Galindo
   Professor @ Chapman University School of Film, Acting Coach, Director and Actor.



4. May the Gods of the Arts bless Prof. Salvi for writing a guide that is not bogged down in esoteric theory. Practical, concise, comprehensive. A definitive road map for stage or screen directors, with value to actors and writers too. The most useful book on the topic that I have read in years.



5. What a terrific book! It's a fun read filled with great tips and tools. Anybody who is interested in the performing arts will get a kick out of it, not just actors and directors.

   Delia Salvi explains exactly how to diagnose and fix a flat scene. She explains specifically how to work with all different kinds of actors and help them give their best performance. She is very passionate about her work and it shows in her writing. I feel having this book is like having a Hollywood professional as my own personal mentor.

   Also, just as it helps directors to understand the acting process, (which she explains) it also helps actors to grasp the directing process. She makes it all easy to understand and apply.

   But, I'd say my favorite part of the book is the interviews with working actors and directors. It's really worth it just to read her interviews with Geena Davis and Alexander Payne. They tell you all about how it works in the real world of Hollywood. Very eye-opening. And I'd say that section made me a better actor.

2 comments about Psychology of Dance.

1. this book has helped me so much on my journey to becoming a dancer.
   any thing i need is right there in the book,it recently taught me how to avoid slumps,keep focused,it is an amazing book,my dance bible!



2. If you are a dancer or a dance-related professional, just read it no matter what. In such a compact book, you couldn't want any more. A dance department in a college would open a new course named "Psychology of Dance" if they knew that this book existed. I am going to translate it into a foreign language.

2 comments about Strasberg at the Actors Studio: Tape-Recorded Sessions.

1. Yeah I just wanted to say that the below reviews are NOT REVIEWS and therefore NOT HELPFUL. Someone can preach all they want about the weakness of the method (although it is obvious from the reviews that the authors have an incredible misunderstanding of it) but that has nothing to do with the quality of this product. I read the costomers' reviews to find out if it is a quality product, not to hear an extended rant on one persons misguided idea of acting style. Anybody considering this product probably realizes that it is a comentary based in the method, and also probably has their own opinions on the acting style which are probably not so misinformed as those expressed below.
   
   The product can be illumitaing to actors whether method or not, and while Strasberg does have his flaws (by the way, when Stasberg was first working only ONE of Stanislavski's THREE books was transleated into English), he also has many brilliant and useful insights.



2. This book in my view puts to rest the decades long debate about what " method acting " is. IN HIS OWN WORDS, Strasberg explains that these are not the be all and end all for acting, but exercises for unlocking the creative abilities of the INDIVIDUAL ACTOR ! Absorb what you need from it and put the rest on the shelf for later.

1 comments about Argumentation: Inquiry and Advocacy (3rd Edition).

1. This debate textbook covers the fundamentals for debaters and teachers alike. All of the major issues which you will encounter are addressed. The only deficiency is a lack depth in the actual affirmative and negative case chapters. These two chpaters could easily be entire books. But, debaters will actually learn more details by practicing - and this book will encourage debaters to give this activity a try. This book is worth having in your debate office. The updated edition is worth purchasing.

2 comments about Year of the King: An Actor's Diary and Sketchbook - Twentieth Anniversary Edition.

1. South-African born actor/diarist Anthony Sher writes the book on the physical process of character development with his excellent memoir on the evolution of his character for the title role in William Shakespeare's "Richard III".
   
   Sher drew upon the natural terrain in the Western Cape region of southern africa to inform the physicality of his character and to create one of the most memorable interpretations of Richard in Stratford history.
   
   This book is an invaluable source for working actors as well as for non-actors who wish to better understand and appreciate the intuitive actions of the artist in search of excellence.
   
   Antony Sher's other books include the memoirs Woza Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus in South Africa, with Gregory Doran (1997), Beside Myself (2002), Characters (1990), and Primo Time (2005); the novels, Cheap Lives (1995), The Indoor Boy (1996), Middlepost (1989), and The Feast (1999); and the play "ID" (2003).



2. "Year of the King" is a fine opportunity to watch an actor prepare for a role. In this case, the actor, Antony Sher, on the verge of leaving the Royal Shakespeare Company, is offered Richard III, one of Shakespeare's most complex and twisted characters. The book is Sher's journal, filled with a mixture of backstage anecdotes, evocative illustrations by Sher, and moments when the acting process becomes clear, inspired, and thought-provoking. Sher opens his life to the reader, taking us from the initial speculation ("Will they ask me to play Richard?") to the rehearsal processes and character work to the performances. Sher's writing is compelling, honest, and comfortably readable, without even the tiniest bit of ego that so often plagues this kind of journal. It is a glimpse into the process, both artistic and personal, that an actor endures in pursuit of a character. I have used "Year of the King" as a textbook in an acting class, as an example of how one can use a journal, and as a foundation for a course in theatre criticism. I would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in theatre and classical acting.

3 comments about Ballroom Dance Pack.

1. THE BALLROOM DANCE PACK is a model of simplicity. Walter Laird presents basic instruction in the Waltz, Quickstep, Tango, Cha-Cha, Samba and Rumba. He starts each lesson with a demonstration of a solo exercise and pictures of the appropriate close hold. The emphasis throughout the book is on the basics.

   Laird teaches the British style with the man leading with his right foot. Americans consequently will have to reverse the process. I find this requirement to be only a minor inconvenience. If you are seeking the bare fundamentals, this manual is a good place to find them.




2. Enthusiasts keen to ballroom dance , the English way will be thrilled with their find ! The instructions , though simple coupled with the profuse figures and variations are informative and easy to follow. Covers all 3 standard dances (though disappointing not to see the 'Slow Foxtrot' in this book)and 3 Latin dances. A good start to built fundamental knowledge of the basic steps and rhythmn in the movements ,but not without practice.The learner will never be lost .

   The hour-long CD alternates between 'practice' and 'actual play'including the feet templates account for the bumper sized book which needs to wrapped up !

   Wonder if W.Laird is planning on an Intermediate book.




3. Teaches the most basic moves of a few flow and latin dances. A colorful book that shows two dance couples displaying proper form for each move, but it does not get very far. While it has "templates" showing footwork for the most basic form of each dance, it lacks for more common footwork diagrams for the other dance moves. This book is British (male - right foot first), so "Natural Turns" etc. will all be backword for most American students. The practice music CD is nice to have when you are learning the basics.

No comments about Thirty Short Comedy Plays for Teens: Plays for a Variety of Cast Sizes.