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5 comments about Motown : The Golden Years: The Stars and Music That Shaped a Generation.

1. Finally a comprehensive book about the great Motoen artists from the "Golden Age." The A-Z format made it very easy to read, but the technical structure of the book seemed unprofessional and very computer generated. Sometimes graphics covered text completely. The photographs aren't exactly "unseen" as they are various. I expected less euphemisms and an accurate story. Some of it was very good, like info on David and Jimmy Ruffin's relationship with the Tempts and Motown, although you have to look around for it.



2. I gave it four stars because I wish that there was more on some of the lesser known artists at Motown. But overall, this is a great book filled with great photos of artists in their heyday and full of facts that probably weren't known about them until now. And they weren't just still B&Ws, there were photos of artists on tour, off tour, on break, very candid!



3. The previous reviewers are absolutely right about this book. This is a fun and fascinating look back at a golden age of American popular music and the groups, producers and songwriters who made it happen. Much more than a rehash of the Motown story from secondary sources; the author personally interviewed many of the stars and lesser-known lights who helped create the music we love. Good, crisp writing and a generous collection of photographs bring the Motown story to life. A must-have for anyone who loves Motown or is interested in American popular music.



4. I got this book during the Christmas season and I can honestly say it was my best gift. Although I have always liked Motown, the subject is not one I would have requested a book on. Thank you you-know-who for disregarding my list this year. There is so much information here that I'm sure the author, for sanity sake, decided it was best to put it in an encyclopedia-like format. So, "M" for example, under Superstars, would list Martha and the Vandellas, the Marvelettes, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. This is not to suggest that because it's in that format, it'a a cold, reference book. Mr. Dahl presents each artist, songwriter, or musician's bio in a very readable, story-like way. And on some major artists, like the writers Holland-Dozier- Holland, they have their few pages, but in addition are incorporated into others' stories. In my family I'm considered the musical trivia expert, but a page didn't go by that I didn't learn something new and fascinating about an artist or the history of Motown. And there's a large section covering I believe every single person who even walked through the doors of Motown! I'm exaggerating, but it's an amazing list along with their stories of course. I was especially impressed with how Mr. Dahl brought out Berry Gordy's story of imagining the impossible and then bringing it to fruition. Oh yes, I forgot to mention there's a ...-load of great photos.



5. great to see a Book that fully captures the Motown Sound&all it's glory here.a solid Overview on the History of Motown.I can't Help but get excited about a Book on Motown because nothing out nowadays has the spirit&energy of this Giant.the Many Great Minds that made this Label Flourish gets just due here.enjoy.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Vintage Children's Records: Identification & Value Guide.

1. Mr. Muldavin's book is a very attractive, entertaining and informative work. It is a pleasure to browse, with colorful 50's style illustrations as well as a generous sprinkling of color photographs of some of the records themselves and their vintage art jackets. The pages are of a slick, sturdy weight paper which will hold up well under a lot of thumbing through by the reader. It begins with a very interesting introduction which includes an explanation of codes and abbreviations used within, the purpose of the book, various types of children's records, what "vintage" means, information on children's record labels, a most interesting history of the "Golden Age" of children's records, and much, much more. The meat of the work is a well-organized discography of thousands of 78 rpm children's records from the 1940-50's with their disc ID numbers, song titles, artists, year, and estimated value. This book covers in an eye-catching way everything you didn't know you wanted to know about vintage children's records.



2. One of the fondest memories I have from my youth is that old, suitcase style record player where I would play records for hours. I used to have a lot of old kids records and would dearly LOVE to still have them. My favorite was an Batman LP from the 60's that came a comic that retold Batman's origin. Collector Books is always ahead of the pack when it comes to publishing great niche books, and they've released truly the ultimate book for fans and collectors of children's records.
   
   The Complete Guide to Vintage Children's Records is a remarkable book and a journey through a wonderful era of nostalgia. The Author, Peter Muldavin is a lifelong collector of children's nostalgia items and this book came about out of pure necessity. There simply was nothing else out there on the market. Now, the focus of the book is on 78 rpm records and not 45's or LP's. It's important to point that out as what most people are going to encounter in garage sale or flea markets is going to be LP's or 45's. Muldavin is concentrating on the era of his childhood, the early baby boomer years when 78's were prevalent in the 40's and through the late 50's.
   
   Muldavin provides a very detailed and entertaining history of childrends records which highlights the Golden Age of kids records from 1946 - 1956. This includes a top ten list of record companies who produced children's records which includes Golden, Victor/RCA, Decca, Capitol, and Mercury. He also covers unique packages such as shaped or die-cut records, picture discs, filmstrip records, etc...All highly collectible today! There's also very valuable information about identifying and dating records, grading, and buying and selling. This truly is one-stop shopping for the Kid's record collectors.
   
   Perhaps the most important section of the book is the 80 pages dedicated to label notes and identification. Here, Muldavin lists the hundreds of different label producers along with information such as distributor, content, subsidiaries, record size, color of label, date range, and miscellaneous notes. For example, Blue Ribbon records was a division of Mercury Records producing general children's entertainment records in the 1950's on 6", 7", or 10" vinyl. Over 450 different labels are noted.
   
   The guide portion makes up the 300 pages plus of the book. It lists records alphabetically by label brand, beginning with Action Records and ending with Young People's Records. The guide is done in a grid format listing the main title, Disc #, artist, year, and values for both G/VG and EX/NMT grades. In all over 13,000 records are listed in the guide with hundreds of clear color photos included. In here you'll see pictures of records such as The Travels of Babar, Astro Boy, Mighty Mouse in Toyland, Jerry Lewis the Noisy Eater, and Uncle Milty and Donald Duck...what gems!
   
   One of the best books I've seen yet from Collector Books...gorgeously illustrated and thorough. The perfect Baby Boomer companion!
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



3. Peter Muldavin's COMPLETE GUIDE TO VINTAGE CHILDREN'S RECORDS provides a catalog of values paired with color photos for almost 13,000 records on over 450 labels. Many entries are unique to this reference, which offers a nearly complete listing of vintage children's records, primarily in the 78 RPM and early 45 RPM formats. The comprehensive coverage for nearly all 78 RPMs in the USA can't be beat.



4. Let me say at the outset that I'm not really -- yet -- a children's record collector, but I am a fan of the wonderful and imaginative art that graces so many of the covers. And the older I get, the more the songs, stories, and fables themselves touch my heart in ways that complex adult materials can't. I discovered this guide by accident while trying to find a particular song from my childhood. In the tradition of Schroeder Publishing's Collector Books, it is a very impressive work. Collectors will find not only values for a vast number of records, but also insightful information on the various labels. Hundreds of jackets and records are illustrated in color. It's fun just to flip through. The love and enthusiasm that Mr. Muldavin clearly feels for his hobby are infectious and he shares his expertise fully. Highly recommended!



5. Now readers of all ages can see for themselves what Internet-savy record collectors have known for years--that there is nobody else with author Peter Muldavin's depth of knowledge on the subject of childrens' records from the prime years of vintage vinyl.
   
   My husband is an avid vintage vinyl collector. From the moment I first heard about this book, I knew we needed to buy it. And we were not disappointed. When the book finally arrived, we were flabbergasted by its quality. THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO VINTAGE CHILDREN'S RECORDS is a gorgeous book from it's cover art to the meticulously designed, full-color inner pages. The publisher obviously spared no expense. The result is a book everyone (not just record collectors) can enjoy, a book so sumptously packaged it can take its place among your favorites on the coffee table. A comprehensive research tome disguised as a handy collector's catalog, it is jam-packed with valuable information delivered factually but with an irresistable touch of whimsey. One wonders if this is due to the delightful nature of the subject matter or due to some special characteristic of its author, who is aptly dubbed the Kiddie Rekord King.
   
   Buy this book and leave it on your coffee table for your friends and family members to enjoy!

5 comments about The Complete Book of Doo-Wop.

1. I must admit that this is not my favorite "Doo Wop" book. I disagreed with too many of the author's points. However, the book does have merit! I especially enjoyed the groupography. I am not sure one can classify doo wop into neat catagories as the author's have done. Doo Wop was just so much more than a catagory. However, if you are "into" the music read the book.



2. It will hardly be a surprise, but serious music lovers and historians will find little value in this book. The authors are simply two nostalgic fans whose idea of music in the fifties owes more to "Grease" and Sha-Na-Na than to actual research. Those interested in this musical repertoire are advised to check out They All Sang on the Corner: A Second Look at New York City's Rhythm and Blues Vocal Groups or Group Harmony: The Black Urban Roots of Rhythm & Blues.



3. this book is a must if your a doo wop lover.you can learn about group harmony , the evolution of doo wop from rockabilly,r& b , and a great many idiosyncrasies of the music itself.plus there is a songography that lists almost every group you can think of & the records(flips too)they recorded,dates,label & often the lead singers name.i've yet to find the ONE book that gives me all the information i want. but i've gotta say the combination of this and "the encyclopedia of rhythm & blues and doo wop vocal groups" by m.rosalsky come VERY close.worth every penny folks,both books are "must haves".



4. I've been collecting records for many years. My teenage years were in the 50s. As I got older, and collected more records, I decided I wanted to record them onto cassettes in chronological order. For this I needed reference books. Throughout the years I've collected many helpful reference books, and this book is at the top of my list. I still use it a lot because I am currently adding my records and tapes to my computer, and this reference book has helped in the way I list the groups. One of the best things is that they separate groups with the same names, or the same group with different lead singers, etc. The only complaint I have with this book is that it doesn't have the songs listed alphabetically. That would help so much if I have a song, and don't know what group it comes from.
   
   I recommend this book, and will buy the undated copy as well.
   



5. an upgrade of "doo wop the forgotten 3rd". many entries of long forgotten groups & songs.one of the few to correctly list "glory of love" by the imperials as a SEPERATE group from the little anthony group.tons of good information,song titles, release year,artist & lable(s).plus info on various subjects such as ,doo-wogeography,idiosyncrasies of doo-wopgroup her-mony(the 20 best doo wop songs with female leads, and much more.if you don't have this book YOUR missing out.

1 comments about Goldmine's Price Guide to Collectible Jazz Albums 1949-1969.

1. Very good book. Easy to use and it has a lot of research for Jazz Collectors. Highly recommend.