EG Books

I've not felt strongly enough about a book or author to submit a review before, but as a songwriter myself, I can not praise Mr. Furia's books enough. He follows the development of the lyrist or songwriter as an artist first, before their celebrity, etc. He shows how their styles changed with time and experience. I have read two of his books. I'm starting a third, and I've bought copies for my friends. I will endeavor to read every songwriter book he produces. He lets you look inside the art of the artist, yet it still reads like a story. I'd give all of his books ten stars. Thank you Mr. Furia, for a wonderful read.

A wonderful look at a most talented man. Finally someone writes about Ira rather than George. The book is informative, well written and charming. I highly recommend it. I loved every word!

Ira Gershwin, often seen as the non-dazzler of the remarkable Gershwin brothers, was called "the jeweller" by his peers because of his meticulously crafted lyrics. And this duality of the famed songwriter makes Philip Furia's book especially intriguing. How Ira wrote the songs, how he saw himself, and the famed body of music he created is fascinating reading. But right here, let's just look at one aspect -- the close, loving relationship between the two brothers, Ira and George, the successful collaboration that produced a series of sparkling, sophisticated hit songs for Broadway and Hollywood all throughout the 1920's and 1930's. Ira was the older brother, shy and modest. He idolized the more dashing and outgoing George, and like many others, recognized his musical genius. Once they permanently joined professional forces in 1924, they were unbeatable, but that came after Ira's early career writing light verse and then song lyrics under the name, Arthur Francis. From the first Ira-George hit, "The Man I Love," they meshed perfectly, George's touching and intricate melody married to Ira's deceptively simple and straightforward lyric, "Someday he'll come along..." Everyone recognized the spark the two ignited in their songs. Tunes as unusual and catchy as, Fascinating Rhythm" demanded a rhyme scheme that would place accents in the most effective points. Even when George joined DuBose Heyward to write "Porgy and Bess," Ira had a role in polishing some lyrics, and writing the straightforward, colloquial lyrics for the character of Sportin' Life, such as, "It Ain't Necessarily So." Ira occasionally collaborated with other composers, like Vernon Duke and "Yip" Harburg. But author Furia points out that in a ten-year period, except for the "Porgy and Bess" music with Heyward, all of George Gershwin's songs were with Ira Gershwin lyrics. In their last years, their music seemed particularly closely mated. When "They Can't Take That Away From Me," was nominated for an Academy Award, losing to "Sweet Leilani," Ira was especially disappointed, feeling George should have given more input in how the song was presented in the film, Shall We Dance, because it was evident that their song was superior to the winner. "Love Is Here To Stay" was their last song together for The Goldwyn Follies of 1938. George died before the song was completed. Ira was left to grieve and finish the film. He was distraught. He felt responsible for not noticing his brother's illness until it was too late. In time, Ira's wife. Leonore and their friends, songwriters like Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, and "Yip" Harburg, helped him accept the fact that he was not responsible for George's early death. In addition, Leonore convinced Ira that he was the remaining Gershwin, and it was up to him to continue the high standards the team had set. It wasn't easy. Ira was always the one who stepped back from the spotlight of his outgoing brother. Philip Furia places Ira Gershwin in the spotlight, and in a readable and informative treatment, gives due credit to one of our most beloved and respected contributors to the American songbook, a man who went on to write many more fine songs with other composers, yet somehow, those lyrics with George shine brightest with irreplaceable wit and sparkle.

When "Girl Crazy," the musical that introduced such endurable songs as "I Got Rhythm," "Embraceable You," and "But Not for Me," opened in month, 1932, composer George presented lyricist Ira with a bracelet inscribed "George, the Music; Ira, the Words." The collaboration of the two brothers' collaboration produced some of the best standards and the starting point of much of the best jazz in years to come.

This book tells the musical history of Ira, Nicknamed "the Jeweler" because of his meticulous fitting of words to music, or as he put it, the construction of a music/word mosaic, the sometimes under-appreciated Gershwin wrote the clever, ironic, and always intelligent word to Gershwin tunes as well as collaborations with (Harburg, Kern, Arlen, Weill, Wodehouse, Bolton, and Duke).

As in his brilliant "Poets of Tin Pan Alley," Furia's masterfully dissects the lyricist's craft, explaining such techniques as pseudo rhymes, internal rhymes, alliteration and assonance, allusions and tone. He examines the importance of a song's "singability." Furia, as in `Poets' traces the history of the theatre song as a stand-alone number (a la Ziegfried Follies) to its height as an integral "character" that advances the show's plot (first accomplished in "Showboat" and "Oklahoma." Finally, he shows how Ira Gershwin's style (and often his skill) was different from other lyricists of the Golden Age.

The problem is that there is a dearth of original research, especially about Ira's latter non-writing years. I wonder why the author did not interview Michael Feinstein, who befriended Gershwin in the latter year, and here receives a one paragraph cite on the next to the last page. Most of the references on the latter years come from two books alone. Furthermore, while not the life of the party like George, we don't get much of a clue as Ira's personality or personal life. Some original research into Gershwin's personal life and post-writing years would have added greatly to the book. Finally, his use of phrases such as "saying I love you in 32 bars" and "singability" is so repetitive that it becomes grating.

Still, this is an excellent book for students of songwriting and Gershwin fans in particular. There are some excellent behind-the-scenes details about how songs are written (and sometimes ruined) and it's mostly an enjoyable read. For a better overview of the best lyricists of the era, I highly recommend his earlier "The Poets of Tin Pan Alley."

If you are a fan of Louis Icart, this is the book for you. The pictures of his work are magnificent , about the closest some of us will ever get to the real work. It is a beautiful book.

I started collected Icart sketches a few years ago. This book is FABULOUS. It breaks down his work by periods. The pages are full of his sketches / year created / little tid bits regarding them. The reproduced works are full color (though I love love love the black and white sketches) and just beautiful. At the end of the book is a short glimpse of other artists whose work was during the same time, making comparison easy.

If you like Icart -- this book is a HAVE TO HAVE!

The book gets bigger and better with each new edition. The latest revision just came out in July, 2002. There are about 600 pictures and all are in color. It is by far the most complete book on Louis Icart.

Anyone remotely interested in the work of French artist and illustrator Louis Icart, will be impressed by the comprehensive presentation of his etchings. The colour printing is excellent, and in chronological order one can see the development of his career, his charming females in various fashion garments of the period, and also nude, curiously rival the work of Australian artist Norman Lindsay, although Linday's nudes are of the buxom variety, and perhaps more agressive than sleek French models whom Icart make so decorative. Icart is firmly in the tradition of great French Art, after painters like Boucher and Watteau. My only small regret there was not more text about Icart, but this is a book of pictures and as such a recommended reference work.

I found this book to be a great resource and a good foundational book. I goes into enough detail to get a good understanding of the principals of Active Directory. While I am not sure you can pass the MSCSE 70-294 test with just reading this book it is a great foundation to compliment a good purchased sample test.

The 70-294 Self-Paced Training Kit does an outstanding job in teaching the objectives of the exam. Especially useful are the practice activities at the end of each lesson/chapter. Getting hands-on experience with Active Directory is a must to pass this exam, and this books makes getting that hands-on experience a breeze.

Of all the MSPress books I have bought, this one is the best.

Although this book is larger than most of the other MS exam books, it provides great detail and enabled me to pass the exam the first time and with flying colors. I've had some "issues" with some of the other MS exam books, however, this one MS actually did a good job with.

Piece of Advice for the Exam - Study and KNOW the GPO sections, OU sections (especially design and managment), and RRAS sections. Very little is covered outside of those things, believe it or not.

Good Luck!

This is another excellent book from Microsoft Press. I'm not a native English speaker but the books from Microsoft Press are pretty good to read because Microsoft uses clear technical languages that is easy to understand. The questions, practices and troubleshooting labs are good resources to prepare for Exam.

I would like to recommend this book for any Windows Admins who is going to take the 70-294 exam.

Loved this book and the stories of the people and how they lived. From the poor to the wealthy, they all found a way to bring a little color, warmth and light into their lives. The pictures are excellent and the stories are touching. One of the best I have found so far.

This book isn't just about quilts and not just about people. This book is about how quilts helped a primitive Appalachian people survive the cold winters. Each quilt is not only described but the story of it's maker is told with it and why or how they made the quilt. There are amazing touching stories of survival throughout. A must read for collectors of quilts and for those who want to remember a past so different from today. Any Appalachian grandparent would treasure this book.

This book is superb & worth the extra effort to special order it. The author interviews women (and a few men) of Southern Appalachia, where quilting as a mainstay of life has never really gone out of fashion -- hence they've never had a quilting "revival" either. Photographs are gorgeous, and the stories about the people make you feel rooted to the land. One of the more intriguing stories is the "Hanging Elephant" quilt, which shows an applique block of an elephant being hung for the crime of killing a Tennessee man in 1916. The book is printed on heavy, high quality paper. Quilt history buffs and anthropologists will love this book. As for hobbyists, it's not a how-to book, but the photographs will furnish much inspiration and food for thought.

I bought this book while visiting Williamsburg with a friend. It so captured my attention that I had to read some of the stories to my companion. We were both quickly enthralled. I brought it back with me and introduced my quilting group to it. Several more copies sold the next day. The stories are heart warming. The photographs are incredible.

The man who picked up quilting only after his wife passed. Well. Just amazing.

The wedding quilt made in the late 1800s by friends and relatives of the bride. Awe inspiring.

This book is not a "how to" book. But if you are interested in quilts, quilting and quilters, it is a must for your library.

I love this book!!! It seemed exactly what was needed to help me open up myself and create. I've always wanted to paint or simply put color on paper but something always stopped me. This book carefully outlined and explained the demons that were in my way, and after some practice, I could find myself safely stepping into the unknown and expressing myself. "Point Zero" also made me feel safer to understand myself and face some challenging issues inside. Mostly, this book - with its interesting writing and short chapters that held my attention - gave me permission to go to places I have not before. I am very grateful to Michelle Cassou for sharing her teaching and experience with me.

Este libro nos ayuda a regresar al origen del poder de la creatividad con una sencillez inigualable y liberadora. Yo soy pintora y me ha ayudado a liberarme de conceptos preestablecidos acerca de lo que DEBE ser o no el arte, y por supuesto me ayudo a encontrar mi postura de felicidad al elaborar mi trabajo haciendolo libre de espectativas de otros.

Impassioned by her own life-long painting journey, Michele Cassou invites us to use our creativity to connect with our deepest selves. In her most recent book, Point Zero: Creativity Without Limits, she implores, inspires, provokes, and cajoles us to look directly at our creative blocks and to use the blocks themselves as catalysts to break their hold on us. As always, Cassou turns away from "end product", focusing instead on the mysterious act of creating itself. "In creativity, only the process matters - not as a trophy to add to your mantelpiece, but as an exercise of strength and clarity, as an opening to insights and revelations." The charming drawings, diverse quotations, and glorious color pages of paintings add dimension to her written voice. Ultimately, it is Cassou's enthusiasm and passion that delight me again and again. Dynamic reading for anyone who feels the call to create! (Workshops with Michele offer a direct, fascinating experience of her written words -- contact pointzeropainting.com.)

Point Zero is a wonderfully clear and insightful explanation of the creative process and how to tap into it. Creative blocks are defined and undone with a simple questioning process which applieas to the joy of painting and living. Cassou's stories from her own experiences of paintting for process for hours on end and her spiritual unfoldment from that process are inspiring. Highly recommended for artist and non-artist alke, those who are seeking an opening in their creative process.

I'd been aware of Shunga, also known as "Images of Spring", an ancient Japanese euphemism for erotic art, for many years. It wasn't until I actually began collecting Shunga engravings that I could recognize which books were the better sources for information about the art. This finely printed volume includes many of the rarer, lesser known, and often shocking, by western standards, classic Japanese artworks. Like many people I began collecting this art form because it was beautiful, erotic, always over a century old, and relatively inexpensive because nobody actually knows how many examples of these pillow-book engravings still survive. World War II and the American Occupation led to many of the works being destroyed either by actual bombings and firestorms or by the imposition of Puritan values on the traditional Japanese culture. Although highly erotic in nature, a few of these Shunga engravings are among the most famous images in art history. Some, like "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife" by Katsushika Hokusai are credited with introducing a whole new sexual language to the non-Japanese world. If a person only has time to examine a single book on the subject, this would be one of the better choices among many good volumes on the art form. Shunga art was done by the same master artists of the more well-known Japanese scenic woodblock prints.

Shunga are literally "images of spring." That is the time of recreation and procreation, the time that inspires man and woman to couple, as if anyone needed an excuse. Shunga appeared prominently in the works of Hokusai, Utamaro, and many other revered woodcut artists. This lovely book summarizes that honored tradition.

It starts with the early shunga of Settei (1710-1780) and Jihei (active 1680), and works up to the dawn of the 20th century (1899). The presentation, sequenced by time, creates an order that the originators could never have seen. The less important order has to do with drawing and coloring.

Colors, since the 1700s could well have faded. Even the best-preserved prints may have retreated into shades of orange and black, if those were the stablest dyes. Some, like p.29, simply omit color altogether, with no loss. Later prints, from the 1820s and on, show rich blues and greens. Some historians attribute these colors, at least some times, to imports of synthetic dyes. Other prints from the era use mica for a glistening effect, or use "blind" impressions of un-inked blocks to create depth. A print fan may only regret the loss of information regarding technical issues of image creation.

The rest of us, however, take the greatest pleasure in the egagement of the sexes, epitomized in a sumo fight of man vs. woman (p.57). Most of the prints show basic couplings of man and woman, complicated only by their improbable angles and their exaggerated organs. Others show man and woman at play with each other's genitals (p. 135, 156), or sometimes a woman at play by herself (p.112, 127, 139, 164, etc). At least one (p.56) displays man engaged with man, showing very different social gender even for the same physical sex. Some pictures demand three- or more-way couplings (p.31, 46-7), others suggest that tied partners sometimes enhanced an ecounter (p.76-7, 137). Still others, like Hokusai's octopus (p.115), invoke a uniquely Japanese mythology, leaving an image that a Western eye can only see in very strange ways. Others (p.118) express a humor that works wherever men and women exist together.

As the years advanced, I found the images sucessively more enticing because of the increasing nvolvement of the female characters. Early on, up to the mid-1700s, the woman was entirely passive, a receptacle (however grand) for the male advance (however grand). Koryusai and Shigemasa display women with needs and interests of their own. Toyokuni and Hokusai promote women to center stage, with fondlings, genital kisses, and other activities that focus wholly on the ladies' fulfillment, sometimes at their own hands (p.112, 127, 168).

This is a lovely book. I admit, I have given short shrift to its text, even though I found it interesting and informative in those few places I stopped to read. This book is about its pictures, carefully organized and captioned, and in historical order.

It is beautiful. I truly hope that you can see it for the cultural sample that it is, and also for the expression of physical happiness that it is.

//wiredweird

The print quality is almost as good as original
Japanese books.And if you want to know what I mean
you better go to Tokyo.

Marco Fagioli's "Shunga:The Erotic Art of Japan" is an incredible collection of prints and histories. He provides the reader with approx. 22 pages on the (well researched) history of Shunga, that include key names, dates and translations. The pieces shown in the book, give a wonderful overview/representation of the different schools within Shunga. All of the pieces are reproduced with great care, all in vivid color and clear detail. 90 percent of the pieces include a thoughtful caption about the artist, the piece itself, it's relationship to the period and to shunga as a whole. Some of the captions include translations of any text within the piece as well. Marco Fagioli has done a spectacular job of choosing and displaying these pieces so that both, a first time viewer and a great lover of Shunga, can see the intamacy, skill and grace that it has offer. This book is wonderful for a coffee table, home library, or as a late night picture book for lovers. It is not the best for research material, aside from the wonderful prints, but it can definately serve as a spring-board for further studies. I highly reccomend this book to any with even the slightest interest in Shunga or the art of Japan.

Having read many books on the power of storytelling and on women's issues and life cycles returning to Meade's Tell It By Heart has reminded me that this book is as fresh, insightful and meaningful as when it first came out. Meade's 13 tenents that she describes as the essentails of the healing power of story and myth are as brilliantly conceived for use today as they were at the book's puliciation in 1995. This book is a timeless look into the deep well of story and its uses and applications as a healing modality. The intimate narrative style charms us and the wisdom of the book heals us and those we wish to reach through story and myth. I hihgly recomment that therapists, art therapists and tellers read or re-read this important book.

Meade's description of her heartfelt work as a therapist, community worker, and sublime storyteller is a gift. She bridges the world of the story with the world of personal suffering. By way of her own encounters she exposes the healing power of myth to rekindle love and connection. There is a deep poetic intelligence in this book and it is skillfully woven with humor, humility and tenderness. As a therapist and teacher myself, I revisit this book time and time again. I teach graduate counseling courses and this book is always on my syllabi, either as required or highly suggested reading. I can think of no better text for teaching students to work from the heart.

I love this book. As an actor and arts educator, I am drawn to books about personal stories and how people are transformed by telling them. Helm-Meade's style of storytelling is warm and engaging. In this honest re-telling of personal stories, she takes the reader on a journey into the heart and gives us an opportunity to explore our own depths of compassion. A great book for sure.

I came across this book in my search to find information about narrative therapy. Meade's book is a writer-therapist's dream -- she SHOWS rather than TELLS the reader what narrative therapy is all about. A great book to curl up with on a rainy afternoon and a fantastic teaching tool for students of any of the healing arts.

This book helped me in so many ways to be kinder to my mother who had Alzheimers, and pointed me to what remained and away from what was lost. It helped me to understand her torment and so to find ways to comfort her.

While writing my senior thesis on art therapy and Alzheimer's I was only able to find one book that embodied the subject as a whole. This book includes all the information that one could need on the subject and was written to inform and engage the reader in a way that is compelling and thoughtful. The stories of different Alzheimer's sufferers journeys in art therapy and the accompanying images gives a real life look on the positive affects of art therapy and gives the reader a compassionate view on the subject. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is studying Alzheimer's or knows someone with the disease and would like to learn more about how they can help that person by improving their quality of life through art therapy. Overall the book is written very well in an easy to read way that keeps the reader engaged, while at the same time being very informative and thorough.

This was a very useful text for me when my mother was suffering from Alzheimer's. It reads like a novel, in such clear language, and helped me understand a lot of my mother's bizarre behavior. The author's story of her struggle as a caregiver was so touching; it gave a humane side to this difficult illness.

Inspiring and companionate description of Alzheimer's patients ability to communicate and experience intimacy long after all seems lost.
Helpful at the professional level while expressing the personal experience of those with family members in need of special attention.

The author's extensive experience makes this an outstanding resource that provides the guided direction needed to give traumatized children the opportunity to find relief from the terrors of their traumas. A must for all mental health professionals who work with traumatized children. Readers in general will find the more than 90 drawings by children from violent homes both fascinating and poignant. Author presents the use of art therapy with clarity and simplicity,so that therapists can immediately learn the use of this tool in their work with children who have been abused.

This text offers a solid framework for working with children who have been exposed to violence and who need to ventilate their concerns in a safe and supportive environment. With clinical skill and masterful teaching, Cathy Malchiodi provides an instructive manual that offers clear and informative information on how drawings can be used to help children overcome their negative life experiences. A significant contribution to the mental health field.

This book offers extensive knowledge of both the children's perspectives of their home life and shelter life. Working with this population is trying at best, one never knows if the mother is going back; because of this children learn to cope in ways that are mostly nonverbal. They've learned to stay quiet for the sake of family. Cathy Malchiodi explores this silence; in ways that, only art and other expressive therapies can offer. This book offers insight for new and experienced therapist who are working with this population.

Coffin's Sounds of Singing: Principles and Applications of Vocal Techniques with Chromatic Vowel Chart

Coffin's much overlooked ground breaking research deserves
appreciation from all modern vocal teachers.
The book is not easy to work one's way through -
but it is worth the effort, as it gives practical advise into
the very core of artistic voice production.
Written in 1976 (revised and expanded in 1987) Coffin does not
take advantage of the computer as a tool for measurement of the optimal
tuning of each individual vowel on each step of all sung notes.
However the accompanying Chromatic Vowel Chart is 'a golden treasure'
with an unprecedented amount of information - all contained in one sheet of paper.
Coffin's acoustical wisdom is presented to us without any demand for mathematic skills. With a humble attitude Coffin cuts right through any mysticism of vocal teaching.

For two years I studied personally with Dr. Coffin in graduate school. He was a genius who truly knew how the human voice works through much research from the standpoint of a physicist and a musician and pedagogist. He repaired my voice, damaged by erroneous former instruction, and added an octave to the upper range. I use this method for my students now and know it works very well when used properly, with proper understanding. The first part of the book should be helpful to all voice students in gaining an understanding of how the human singing voice works.

Now in its second edition, Coffin's Sounds Of Singing: Principles And Applications Of Vocal Techniques With Chromatic Vowel Chart by Berton Coffin is an extensive instructional concerning vocal techniques for the advanced singer. A strongly recommended addition to professional and academic vocal music instructional reference collections, Coffin's Sounds Of Singing is an in-depth informational compendium concerning the production of resonating notes, and is informatively enhanced with interviews with expert teachers, diagrams, exercises and more, clearly marking it as a professional quality reference and instructional aide.