No comments about The Harcourt Anthology of Drama, Brief Edition.

5 comments about Light Fantastic: The Art And Design of Stage Lighting, with DVD.

1. I got this for my boyfriend for Christmas (he's the technical director for our theatre company) and he said it's a great book. I was hoping it would have more pictures of stages with different lighting designs (you know, like pictures taken during performances so you could see the designs in action), but a lot of the pictures are more technical -- diagrams and things. There are still a lot of really neat pictures though, and out of all the books I looked at getting for him, this is hands-down the best one I found. It's hard to find good lighting books, but I think most of the reviewers were correct when they said this is the best book on the subject, and well worth the money. It's also an attractive enough book that it can make a good coffee table book.



2. Keller is an absolutely amazing designer. The photos in this book will open up your eyes to the realm of possibility of lighting composition as a fine art. The techincal info is extremely helpful and I would suggest all people who are interested in lighting design buy this book. There are better books out there on the theory of design, but not as colorful as this one, which makes it stand out for me.



3. Readers here should note that this is a book concerned with the "European Aesthetic" and techniques of Theatre Lighting.. not to say that it doesn't apply in the US - it does! - but it's not how "Theatre Lighting" is usually taught in the USA! But as I'm from Europe - I say, if you're REALLY interested in the full range of possibilities of theatre lighting, this book will OPEN your eyes to more options!! MUST read. Worth every penny. ChrisP.



4. Wow is all I can say. This book is expensive but worth it for the photographs alone. Before I read anything I flipped through and digested all the pictures. The section on color theory is amazing. What more can I say but that this book is amazing?



5. This book may not have all the LD nuts and bolts that one is looking for but the photos of the lighting are worth the cost.

No comments about Mr. Harrison's Confessions (Dodo Press).

5 comments about A Night at the Opera: An Irreverent Guide to The Plots, The Singers, The Composers, The Recordings (Modern Library Paperbacks).

1. A decent, reasonably broad overall review of major operas intended for a lay audience. Forman's style, however, is a highly colloquial British English, which does not travel well across the Atlantic. I am American, but lived in the UK for a year in the 90s; I found the book's deliberately cute style difficult to follow, and I quickly became annoyed at what I perceived as the author's excessive efforts to convey his irreverance. Overall, a useful work that focusses on the author's impression of each opera's entertainment value; historical context and academic aspects of music and dance take a back seat.



2. The author seemed to want to be cute and quotable rather than offer a reasoned perspective on opera. At times I felt he even became condescending in his attitude. This could have been a misguided attempt to counter the widely held opinion that opera is only for snobs, but people with that opinion wouldn't read his book anyway.



3. An excellent source for budding opera buffs. Enjoyable, pithy, informative.



4. I see no reason to bore you with a longish disquisition on the merits of this entertaining book. (The reviewer 'Starmoth' has selected some nice bon mots from Forman's work, and he's reviewed it in a long review that outlines its strengths and weaknesses, such as they are, without inducing boredom.) Forman is both witty and insightful. He gives the reader useful information, as well as less useful information (e.g., when he tells us what to listen for, according to his tastes). But most of what he says is conveyed with humour and commonsense. Keep in mind that it is far too huge to serve as a guide; it requires a briefcase or backpack and not a pocket.
   
   Are there problems? Well, sometimes he's pretty flippant. And there are a considerable number of great operas -- not just ones I like but ones in the repetoire of all major opera houses -- that don't get treated. Perhaps these are not fair complaints. For one thing, Forman's flippant remarks are often entertaining and interesting. And for another, it IS his book, so who am I to complain about omissions, or about an author who states in his subtitle that it is an irreverent work?



5. This book is the perfect gift for a new opera fan. It does a great job of describing each opera, including history and reviews, but in a language anyone can understand. Seasoned opera buffs will enjoy the light-hearted overviews and insights. Fabulous.

No comments about The Taming of the Shrew (The New Cambridge Shakespeare).

5 comments about Archetypes for Writers: Using the Power of Your Subconscious.

1. In "Archetypes for Writers", Jennifer Van Bergen has created a practical guide that succeeds in helping writers and other artists challenge themselves on a number of levels. The process that she developed evolved from a fusion of the work of many great thinkers, such as Marcel Proust, Carl Jung, and Joseph Campbell. For this reason, the exercises in "Archetypes for Writers" are deeply self-reflective and allow the reader to explore their own psychology and personal philosophies, as well as those of other people, in a way that allows the artist to expand their mind and allow new personalities and characters to come forth.
   
   The techniques detailed in the book are written from the perspective of her experience in teaching them in writing classes. (Incidentally, Van Bergen offers an Internet course on the archetypes process that is quite impressive.) Her method of writing allows each reader to take what they need from the book. It is as engaging for seasoned writers as it is for those who are just starting. Teachers will find Van Bergen's teaching experiences quite useful when incorporating these methods into their own curricula.
   
   "Archetypes for Writers" is the overview for a set of exercises that can take years to master. They are a critical ingredient for individual psychological development, as well as fictional character development. Every artist who reads this book will find the entrance to one of the paths that lead toward full and mature creative work.
   -Brandon Batzloff
   Free Voices Magazine



2. One of last year's films, Pan's Labyrinth, was acclaimed for its powerful story and images. Writer and director Guillermo del Toro has commented, "When you have the intuition that there is something which is there, but out of the reach of your physical world, art and religion are the only means to get to it."
   
   He acknowledged using two levels of thought in his work as an artist: "One is conscious and the other unconscious or subconscious..."
   
   Jennifer Van Bergen affirms that writing "takes place in the subconscious, which actually operates as an independent mind."
   
   In her book, she provides information on how our subconscious works, and details strategies and specific exercises on "doing archetypes" to make more of that "independent mind" available to enrich our writing or other forms of creative expression, and better understand the wealth of our hidden depths.



3. It has now been about six years since I first signed up to take Jennifer Van Bergen's class 'Act to Write' - an earlier incarnation of Archetypes for Writers. The class was online and so I went into it without being able to meet Jennifer in person. At the time there was no book and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I certainly had no idea of the impact that this work would have on my writing and in fact, my life.
   
   Immediately I found the material and the class to be riveting. We started with Character Facts and it became clear very quickly that I was not used to separating out what was observable in someone from my own subjective impressions. I was used to describing a person in terms that assumed everyone sees and thinks the way I do. Along with the humbling quality of this discovery, it was also a relief to realize that there was a truth to see when observing people - and that I was being given tools and a framework with which to find that truth.
   
   After that class I went on to do advanced work with Jennifer, both in a small group and individually. I am so glad that there is now a book that encapsulates this work and makes it accessible in a way it was not before. The book is set up to guide the reader through the steps of acquiring the necessary tools and then learning how to use them. What also comes across loud and clear in the book is the generosity and excitement that is always a part of Jennifer Van Bergen's teaching method. You can almost hear her talking to you, explaining things and encouraging you.
   
   Archetype work not only informs my writing - I read differently, I see people differently on the subway and in the grocery store. It is impossible to forget for one moment that everyone has a story. For me, that's where the life-changing part of this work comes in.



4. Years of training in theatre and decades of teaching lends to the author's unique approach of how to utilize personal archetypes to fuel stories - and how to find such archetypes. Screenwriters and any library catering to them will find ARCHETYPES FOR WRITERS: USING THE POWER OF YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS packed with exercises and keys to utilizing them successfully, from understanding character facts and dialogue to underlying psychology. Examples of monologues, dialogues, and effective scripts throughout lend body and insight to an excellent survey essential for screenwriters who want to get the most from their efforts.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. You might think that this book is just another retread of the Campbellian ideas popularized by The Hero's Journey, but you'd be very much mistaken. Jennifer Van Bergen resurrects the ancient skill of arkhelogy or `doing archetypes': discovering an imprint of a pattern of human behaviour (=an archetype) in a person we observe.
   Arkhelogy is a global skill, with a number of component skills, all of which must be mastered. Doing this will lead you to your deepest places in your being and potentially stretch your writing abilities. The skills are Character Facts (impartially observing facts about someone), Universal Drives (discerning universal drives in people), Discrepancies (noticing differences in a person between words and deeds), Analogues (focussing on similarities between two people or events), Being In The Moment, Universes of Discourse (identifying two different worlds within a film, their laws and points of contact), Emotional Access Work, Ectyping (taking a particular thing and generalizing it) and Isotyping (looking for something similar to the ectype but with a different origin).
   Make no mistake, this is a difficult book. Van Bergen invents a lot of new words, and the New Age concepts she uses are hard to understand correctly. They do teach you to observe in a new and profound way, however. Still, to get the most out of them, taking a course or workshop with Ms. Van Bergen or someone who's mastered her theory will probably be most effective. Nevertheless, several of the exercises here will be very valuable to any writer.

No comments about Stargazer: The Life, World and Films of Andy Warhol.

5 comments about Lap Steel Guitar.

1. Lap Steel Guitar by Andy Volk is a superbly written, well researched guide to non pedal steel guitar. It covers all styles played on the instrument. (western swing, Hawaiian, rock, etc.)There is also an enormous amount of material in the book on equipment (instruments, amps, bars, etc.) and playing technique. Anyone with even a casual interest in lap steel will find this book both informative and entertaining. The one complaint that I have about this book is its editing and proofreading. There are numerous errors throughout the books in the areas of grammar, usage, mechanics, and style. These errors are a shame. A book this good should not be saddled with such minor league editing and proofreading.



2. If you're captivated by the fat whine of a Supro steel, the cutting cry of a tripleneck Fender Stringmaster, or the mellow twang of a Weissenborn hollowneck acoustic, you'll flip over Lap Steel Guitar. Author Andy Volk has interviewed or profiled more than 40 great players of all styles -- including Hawaiian, country, Western swing, gospel, Cajun, and roots rock -- and gathered info crucial to anyone who wields a tone bar. Such masters as Leon McAuliffe, Don Helms, Herb Remington, Jerry Byrd, Freddie Roulette, Aubrey Ghent, Greg Leisz, David Lindley, Bob Brozman, Cindy Cashdollar, and Debashish Bhattacharya share their secrets with Volk, who organizes the resulting treasure into a fun, yet instructive read. Just the tuning charts -- which Volk has codified for every player -- are worth the price of admission, but we also learn how these masters approach their music and what gear they use to get their sound.
   
   Volk devotes another section to guitars, serving up juicy details about classic Oahu, Bigsby, Rickenbacker, and National steels, as well as modern creations from the likes of Asher, Bear Creek, and Harmos. The 296-page tome is crammed with historical images and excerpts from catalogs, and its 38 pages of color photos will have you scouring local pawnshops for an old steel. A discography maps a lifetime of essential listening, and the thorough index allows you to quickly locate facts about specific players, instruments, and tunings.



3. The lap steel guitar is an incredibly expressive instrument that covers a wide range of genres. It is the signature sound of what most us think of when we think of Hawaiian music. The lap steel cries and moans in country music, wails in roots and rock, and reaches the sublime in east Indian raga. Because the sound that comes out of it is so closely linked to the hands of the individual player, no two players sound completely alike.

   Andy Volk's "Lap Steel Guitar" is a well-written, thoughtful, and highly engaging book on this very unique instrument. The interviews of notable players are highly entertaining and very informative (most often giving the tunings used by the particular player) . There are also beautiful color photographs of instruments dating from the earlier part of the 20th century to the present, with descriptions of the unique qualities of each instrument. Also of note is information on manufacturers of lap steel guitars and accessories, and other sources of information about the instrument (including the excellent Steel Guitar Forum - www.steelguitarforum.com).

   I highly recommend this book to all players and enthusiasts of the steel guitar!




4. Andy Volk has authored the definitive book about lap-style and console steel guitar. Simply titled "Lap Steel Guitar", this book includes interviews with, and profiles of, more than 35 of the greatest electric & acoustic steel guitarists of the past and present in the Hawaiian, Country, Western Swing, American Roots, Cajun, Sacred, Rock & Roll, and World Music idioms as well as 40 color pages containing photographs of some of the most desired vintage steel guitars and new instruments from many of the best contemporary builders, as well as comprehensive information about steel guitar tunings.

   It's a deep book with a lot of useful information, beautifully laid out and well organized. It contains great interviews with famous and obscure musicians, all of whom should be better known thanks to this book.

   Andy's book deserves to be up there with Lorene Ruymar's as a standard reference for steel guitarists. The two books compliment each other well and are a must-have for every steel player's library.

   I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the non-pedal steel guitar.




5. Being an amateur steel guitar player, I just had to have this book.
   Well, I'll say it is great. It will interest any music lover, it'll take you from the birth of the hawaiian steel to the 21st century.
   The interviews of steel players give an incredible amount of informations, on the instruments, AND on the life of those professional musicians who bring so much to our lives.
   I would say the very well documented part of the book is supplemented with a big human dimension.
   It'll bring you insight on why a musician has to keep on picking and hit the road to play another gig.
   And than, if you're hooked to that, the list of steel makers and CD's at the end of the book will give you many possibilities to spend your spare money for years !
   Great book.

2 comments about Barfly - The Movie.

1. The movie "BarFly" is based on three days on author's Charles Bukowski's life when he was 29 years old. I have seen this movie numerous times (at least 50) and still get something new out of each time. One of my buddies once said of the movie, "I felt like taking a shower after watching Barfly." Exactly!!! While some may find it too gritty, I find the movie an honest look at a troubled man's life. Henry Chinaski is like you or me but he is a raving alcoholic. There is a sweetness to him that comes out throughout the film and that is what I see and what I like to focus on. He finds his match in Wanda, also an alcoholic, and together they try and make an honest go of their reltionship. What follows is drunken mistakes and a bond that is held together by a Scotch and water. There is a purity and beauty to their relationship and it is evident that they truly care for one another but problems arise because of their drinking. To me Henry is an almost "Buddah" like character who lives in the moment and dosen't seem to hold too many regrets about his life. I admire his honesty and generosity throughout the movie. At first glance you may say he is out for himself but if you really watch old Henry you'll see flashes of kindness and sweetness. He's a man who dosen't seem to fit in to 9-5p.m. society and he makes no excuses for it, or as Jim the bartender said to Lilly the barfly, "he's as right as any of us." Keep an eye out for Bukowski himself who has a cameo in the film, a bar scene where Henry and Wanda first meet. I lived in L.A. for 10 years and have been by some of Bukowski's old haunts and the film captures the "working man's" bar scene in L.A. These types of places exist, you just have to do a little searching to find them. Henry Chinaski is a beautiful man in an ugly world. I highly recommend Barfly and suggest you view it with an open mind and an open heart. As Henry says in the last scene of the movie as he buys the bar numerous rounds of drinks, "to all my friends, to all my friends." If you would like a look at an honest, but troubled, man's life I highly suggest you check out the movie "Barfly."



2. or at the very least rent it. It's great-if you like buk. if not you'll probably hate it, my girlfreind did. There's a two second shot of the man himself sitting in the bar drinking and looking all grizzled(he talks about this in HOLLYWOOD). one complaint-Frank Stalone!

5 comments about Never Met a Man I Didn't Like.

1. wish he was still around; maybe our government officials would read this & start to think for a change!!! well written



2. Although this book neither as a biography nor as an anthology of the sayings and writings of Will Rogers explores its subject in any depth, this is a very solid introduction to one of the most fascinating individuals in American history. As a biography, Joseph Carter manages to give an excellent, if brief, summation of the major events in Rogers's life. The last part of the book collects a number of Rogers's better-known sayings. This section is a bit more disappointing, since most of the excerpts are presented somewhat out of the larger context. Sometimes, this doesn't matter. But having read some longer pieces by Rogers's, I find that it doesn't enable the reader to get an adequate feel for the kinds of concerns that Rogers had as a political and social thinker.

   Rogers was a humorist, but concerns with political and social issues permeate his work. He was also an enormously complex thinker. Although there was a quaint simplicity and humility to the way Rogers expressed himself, he actually worked out a political position that wasn't entirely at home on either the Right or the Left side of the political spectrum. Although he was in most respects of liberal sympathies, he was almost libertarian in the way he yearned for a small central government that didn't intrude into the lives of everyday individuals. He was profoundly suspicious of big government. At the same, time, he was profoundly non-libertarian in being even more suspicious of big business and capitalism. His sympathies, however, were definitely populist.

   Rogers was simultaneously one of the most popular stage performers, movie performers, radio personalities, and political writers of his day, and arguably one of the, if not THE, most popular Americans ever to have lived. This excellent volume will provide the neophyte with a good introduction to all these aspects of Rogers's life and career.

   I do believe, however, that we desperately need a good, in-depth anthology of the writings of Will Rogers. I would love to see the Library of America bring out a volume dedicated to Will Rogers. Until they or someone else does this, I am afraid that Rogers will be remembered more as the author of pithy one-liners than as what he was: the most influential political commentator of his day.




3. Excellent reading book combining both a biography and familiar quotations--and writings--from America's best-loved cowboy humorist who lit up the film screen and the radio airwaves during the Roaring 20s and the New Deal 30s. This is a great book for reading--stop by a local bookstore and check it out!



4. Every school library should have this book! Todays young people need to know about Will Rogers and this book tells it all in great style.



5. After working on Broadway with the producers of "The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Revue," Avon editor Mark Gompertz suggested I write this book. Lisa Considine was my inspired and inspiring editor. I divided the book one-half to biography and one-half to Will Rogers' own words. It has sold more than 82,000. Several newspapers and pundits gave it good reviews. Avon continues to print and stock the book. Beyond my position as director of the Will Rogers museum of Claremore, Oklahoma and the 400-acre 1879 birthplace and living history ranch near the tiny town of Oologah, I have spent most of my life as a newsman and speech writer. I invite comments about the book and will be happy to respond. If you buy the book and drop by the museum in Claremore, I generally am available to personalize your copy. The price offered here is the best bargain I have seen for the book. Thanks for your interest. Joseph H. Carter, Box 157 Claremore, Oklahoma 74018.