Heavy

The author weaves his own personal and political experiences in his new role as a Peace Corp volunteer. His words are crafted in a way that engages you in the community and envelopes you in his life at the time. This is a must read for anyone who has lived/traveled abroad or simply wants to gain a broader perspective of life in another country. It gives a greater appreciation of our teachers all around the globe and the human experience.

hi my name is chris j coombes..do you want to now about truck brakes like the jake-engine brake.will thin this book of 2.parts on truck brakes for big heavy duty rigs is for you. when it comes to saftey in slowing down in an emergency with big diesel,s like big rigs and fire engines that have thim brakes are the best way to slow down with... p,s. thes two books are for you''... thank you . chris j coombes...

Olivier Vatine's comic book "Trio Grande" is a splendid presentation of his skills in the comic book world. The book is set in a hot desert scenario with a fantastic spaghetti western style. I was actually a bit surprised to read this one because it was funnier than the previous one "500 Rifles" which has a much rougher story line, but non the less also very recommendable. If you should happen to like his style I can recommend his other series called "Aqua Bleu". Vatine's skill at drawing (and women in particular) is more than just amazing. He is one of my few gods.

In the first part, the book give the essential procedures, for each listed tractor, to take apart garden tractors major sections as :  - Front axle and steering system  - Drive belts, clutch, brake, PTO drive  - Transaxle (gear and hydrostatic)  - Hydraulic system The adjustment procedure where it's applicable with excellent exploded view of each section. The second part treat of transaxles by brand name for overhaul procedure. The last part contains the overhaul procedure for almost all garden tractor's engine treated in first part with remove and install procedure, critical torque specifications and referenced figures. It cover the mechanical and electrical section. Very usefull book!

This book has lots of action and some great characters. It's a real page-turner and keeps you guessing and excited and laughing through a very interesting story.

I can only judge a book by how fast I want to read it. Devil in the Metal kept me reading and on the edge of my seat. The character of the satanic rock star is very interesting, especially in this day of Ozzy and Marilyn. Some of the song lyrics are off the wall and lots of fun to read.

DEVIL IN THE METAL is a great mystery novel. I finished the book in two days and it usually takes me weeks to finish a book (too busy, no free time, etc). I just could not put this down. Let me state here that this book is for mystery and popular thriller readers. If you are a real satanist or a real metal head freak this will not interest you (as I think the person from Chicago may be). The author uses the heavy metal scene to get the reader thinking. With groups like the Trenchcoat Maffia supposedly inspired by heavy metal music, this book is a good way to understand the personalities and the business behind this type of music, but have an interesting story to real as well. If you would like to read a fast-paced, interesting, not-run-of-the-mill mystery, give this a try.

SEX, DRUGS, ROCK-AND-ROLL AND MURDER! IT'S A NASTY COMBINATION, BUT IT MAKES GREAT READING AND A GREAT MYSTERY. THIS IS IT---MY FAVORITE BOOK I'VE READ THIS YEAR. SATANIC ROCK AND ROLLERS, SHIFTY RECORD EXECS, WIERDO SMALL-TOWN CREEPS AND BIG-CITY LOONS, HOT YOUNG WOMEN AND HOTTER NOT-SO-YOUNG WOMEN, A SMART LOVABLE HERO AND SOME REALLY EXCELLENT SETTINGS. THE STORY IS TIGHT AND MOVES FAST. THE CHARACTERS SEEM REAL. ALL THE WAY, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!

Following the release of 1986's epic Master of Puppets, Metallica lost legendary bassist Cliff Burton in a tragic bus accident while touring. Recruited was now-departed thrasher Jason Newsted, and the band entered the studio to follow up on their landmark effort. Despite Justice being slightly under the standard Puppets set, it's nothing short of an outstanding release.
"Blackened", the opener and one of the few 'Tallica tracks actually penned by Newsted, ranks among the band's best songs. It's heavy, wickedly fast, and full of brilliant work by axeman Kirk Hammett and drummer Lars Ulrich. "Eye of the Beholder", though a bit repetitive, is incredibly heavy with a killer groove; frontman James Hetfield's voice sounds outstanding during the bridges. "Harvester of Sorrow", Metallica's most violent offering ever, also has a place among their best tunes. It's heavy, mean, and packed with riffs. "To Live is to Die" is another animal, however. Essentially a compilation of unreleased material written by Burton before his untimely death, it's a ten-minute opus arranged by Hetfield and Ulrich. No less than thirteen different riffs are found. The melodic interlude halfway through is vintage Burton and hearkens back to the Puppets days. "One" is a truly brilliant offering, and many consider it to be Metallica's best song ever. It begins with the sound of machine gun fire, followed by a beautiful crystalline intro. The last four minutes of the song are vintage Metallica, full of blazing speed, heavy riffing, fantastic solos by Hammett, and harmonies. Finally, "Dyers Eve" is genuinely vicious and bears comparison to "Damage Inc.", the closer from Puppets. It's five-plus minutes of pure thrash and will no doubt please fans of Kill 'Em All.
Justice undoubtedly includes Ulrich's finest work, and Hetfield's signature growl is at near perfection throughout. The song structure is incredibly complex nearly everywhere on the album, and the harmonies used by the band on Puppets are set to a meaner, heavier, faster groove here. "The Shortest Straw" is the only track that disappoints. Despite being buried in the middle of the album, "The Frayed Ends of Sanity" is an above-average offering that bests nearly everything Metallica has recently released. The title song, while a bit drawn out at nearly ten minutes, is another fine track. In short, Justice no doubt ranks among the band's top three releases.

Following the death of Cliff Burton there was a big question mark surrounding Metallica's future. The band wasted no time recruiting former Flotsam & Jetsam bassist Jason Newsted and churning out the covers EP "Garage Days Re-Revisited", but the issue remained just how much of an impact Burton's influence had on Metallica's material.

When "And Justice For All" was finally released in late 1988 it was not only a breath of fresh air but the dawning of a new era as well. "Justice" furthers the sociopolitically charged vision of "Master of Puppets", a bit icier and more distant, but no less potent in either it's intelligent lyrics or the increasingly challenging song structures. "Blackened" is the lead off track, and despite having enough song ideas to fill an entire EP, the melange of riffs works well as a cohesive whole. Metallica weren't the first thrash band to express an environtmental lean, but with lyrics such as "see our Mother [Earth]/put to death/see our Mother die" there weren't many fans who were ready to write them off as born again hippies.

The title track and "Eye of the Beholder" continue to heighten the standards for the rest of the album until we at last arrive at what is perhaps Metallica's all-time magnum opus: "One". When Lars announced in pre-release interviews that the song would be about a guy with no appendages, no sense of sight and sound, and no way of communicating with the outside world it reminded of those old jokes. Ie. what do you call a man with no arms and no legs that hangs on the wall? Art. What do you call a man with no arms and no legs swimming in a pool? Bob. Etc etc.

Of course the end result turned out to be nothing so exploitative, but instead a tone poem set to the theme of the old Dalton Trumbo flick "Johnny Got His Gun". This is not only one of their more complex songs thematically but it's far from aimless art school wankering, building up to a riveting climax and a powerful denouement. As a postscript, "One" has turned into one of those oft-played tunes that has more than worn out it's welcome amongst many rock fans, similar to other songs like "Stairway to Heaven" (or "Highway to Hell" for that matter). However, that in no way detracts from the objective quality of the song, and it's only the radio programmers we have to blame for ruining all of the above examples through unmitigated repetition.

The truth is, "And Justice For All" is equally as compelling as "Master of Puppets" from a songwriting and performance perspective. There is only one reason I can see that it doesn't get the same amount of reverence as its precursor, and that is the infamous production of Fleming Rasmussen. Fleming also produced "Puppets", and this would be his last Metallica production, so he has been given the blame over the years for essentially ruining what should have been a flawless masterpiece. However, with the similarly awful production on "St Anger" I can't help but wonder if the band members didn't push for this sonic experimentation themselves.

Here's hoping that one day the masters will be brushed off and remixed (a la the Beatles' recent "Let It Be: Naked") and "And Justice For All" will be recognized for the landmark that it is.

"...And Justice for All" was Metallica's best and last great album. They mastered their unique blend of heavy metal, hardcore, and progressive rock and produced one of the greatest albums of all time.
The darkness and doom come through with deafening clarity. This may be due to the recent loss of their friend and bass player, Cliff Burton. The pain of that loss may have been channeled into the song writing and lyrics. The sadness and depression are converted into a passionate rage.

"Energy derives from both the plus and negative" shouts James Hetfield in "Eye of the Beholder." That statement defines the whole purpose of anger and depression-based music. This album is a great example. Love songs and party songs that are considered uplifting are usually based in denial and mindlessness.
"Blackened" blasts off the album at hyper speed pummeling. The title track builds up and crumbles just like the statue depicted on the cover. "Eye of the Beholder" is an in-your-face, methodical stomping.
Unfortunately, Metallica released their first music video for the song "One." It put the song in the Top 40 singles at the time and pointed the masses in their direction, which eventually helped corrupt them. However, it's one of the greatest metal songs of all time. Like "Sanitarium" and "Fade to Black" it was a ballad turned into a vicious assault. When they speed up half way through the song, it's one of the most furious few minutes in the history of rock and roll.
They continue buzz sawing right through your head with "The Shortest Straw," a nihilistic provocation. "Harvester of Sorrow" chops down anything standing in its way without hesitation. The sinister "Frayed Ends of Sanity" is a violent warping of the mind. "To Live Is to Die" cuts right into the bone and is chilling and beautiful at the same time. "Dyers Eve" closes the album with the most manically angry song Metallica ever wrote. Hetfield's sandpaper voice spews the very definition of angst.
People complain about the low production value of this album. Metallica didn't need high quality production to make this album stand up. Their music and emotion were more than enough. That's the mark of a great album by a great band.

I read this book over three days, but only because I didn't want to see it end! It's a "can't put it down" book for fans, definately a MUST READ for those who love, or even just like, Marilyn Manson. The first half of the book shows us his childhood and adolescence, and all the funny, humiliating things that happened to him. Everything from his hilarious attempts to find girlfriends, to dealing bad skin, to funny pictures of him decked out in full "rocker" regalia. He's not shy about admitting what a loser he was. The second half of the book deals with his move to Florida, the forming of the band, and the ensuing difficulties, success, and MORE difficulties as they became famous. This is NOT a fact-finding mission, however. This is Manson's version of the way thing's happened. He slags on a lot people, doesn't give credit where clearly credit is due, doesn't talk about stuff that we, as fans, wish he would..It's not the PERFECT Manson book in that regard. BUT it IS the perfect Manson book in that you get plenty of great, great stories--Stories that you will not soon forget! You get a full picture of the person, not just the image. Be prepared to think of him as a flawed individual if you're one of those fans who have him on a pedastal--This book exposes him as person with an ego, problems, and quirks, just like the rest of us. BUY THIS TODAY!

The best thing about this book is that with very minimal knowledge of who the band, Marilyn Manson is, you can appreciate and fully enjoy the book.

Manson gives a very candid look into his life, starting from his childhood and continuing to his music career. This includes disturbing stories from his grandfather's basement, his awkward teen years and his response to all the rumors circulating the goings-on at his concerts. This is a very fast and enjoyable, yet disturbing read.

One may not think this book is true because of how outlandish some of the stories may seem. But when Manson presents them, showing his weaknesses and describing very embarassing moments, this shows his truthfulness.

It is shocking, but that is to be expected, coming out of Marilyn Manson. I enjoyed the book and have read it several times. Be prepared to encounter some gross scenes and schocking tales, but also be prepared to read an excellent autobiography by a very talented writer.

You may not be a fan of his band or music, but after reading this book, you'll see a whole different side to Manson, a more human than freak show side.

This book was a fascinating and definitely worthwhile look into the eyes of America's monster, Mr. Brian Warner. It took me only a day to read, because I could not put it down, and I am in the course of reading it a 3rd time now. Brian, or as you most know him by, Marilyn Manson, had one messed up childhood, and it really makes you see exactly why he puts a lot of his messages in music. He even explains a lot of personal things about his album AntiChrist Superstar that most people never knew, and for me, that makes the album all the better and in depth. Its packed with dozens of photos and even some drawings by Manson himself, and it has 14 full color pages of Manson pictures in the middle if you just cant get enough of him. Some highlights of the book are Manson getting kidnapped by Trent Reznor of NIN, Manson's 'rules' about drugs, cheating, and homosexuality, pages of affidavits regarding the horrible things that supposedly happened at his concerts (but of course didn't)stories and poems Manson sent into a magazine to be published, and an explination of that whispering noise at the beginning of the song 'tourniquet.' The only problem I had with this book is it didn't seem personal enough. It was based more factually than it was emotionally for Manson, which is something I wasn't hoping for, seeing as how we all know he always has something intelligent or artistic to say about the world. But little does he go into his theories or his views throughout the book. And i wish he would have written this book later, so he could have talked about the things that happened after he wrote this, such as his album Mechanical Animals or Holy Wood.
But still, its fantastic.

Steve Almond's debut collection may be getting attention due to its honest, sexual content, but these fourteen stories show heart more than anything else. Almond is Salinger, T.C. Boyle, Raymond Carver, and all of the Barthelmes rolled into one. These funny, sad, provocative, engaging, and non-safe stories deserve respect. Way to go, Big Steve.

i absolutely loved this book, despite what one critic said about it presenting women one-dimensionally... i didn't really feel that way, and i am a woman. i felt like his writing was ruthless, daring, and very edgy. i mean, with lines like "it was like having happy birthday sung to me each day: ecstatic and deeply disquieting" (my life in heavy metal) or "and now you listen to me, you people with your poise and careful judgements: These are the things I did. And I was punihsed for them, as wel are all punished, in the end, for the degradations we inflict upon those who love us. Sorrow waits, with the patience of a psalm, for the infidel." (also from the story "my life in heavy metal")

In spots Almond's voice reminds me of Ewart's poetry; his lines are cutting and and truthful; I especially liked the first three. I highly reccommend this book. So good, sexy, brilliant.

"My Life in Heavy Metal" is most compelling story collection I've read in a long time and the best are the longer ones where Almond's brilliance truly shines through. While I was caught up in each story for what was happening to the characters, the beautiful, sad details of their situations did not escape me. I wanted to reach out and touch these people, and as a woman, I wanted to shake some sense into David, a charactor whose evolving love life was the center of three separate stories. I knew David would end up how he did and I desperately wanted to prevent him from further pain and lonliness. He is only one of many characters that will stay in my memory for years to come. I highly recommend this book to any Generation Xer and anyone else who appreciates rare beauty in writing.

Rollins' anecdotes of life on the road with Black Flag and back in "The Shed" are fascinating, but for me the most fascinating parts of Get in the Van are about Rollins' thought development and epiphanies that lead to his convictions about his artistic direction. It is fascinating to compare the "form" of Get in the Van, which is pretty much the memoir, to the form(s) of song lyrics; since Rollins is a poet/lyricist, the relations between raw notebook entries, memoirs, poems and song lyrics are intriguing. Another interesting aspect of Get in the Van is R's continuing struggle to articulate who he is in relation to other people--audience and band members, society, etc., and especially how he tried to deal with his ambivalence toward people. On another level, the book is about survival (Rollins' and others')and death (esp. his struggle to come to terms with the death of a good friend, who incidentally encouraged Rollins to begin keeping records of his life with Black Flag in the first place). The book also has a heavy amount of commentary on the state of America in the late 20th Century--where the creative vibrancy is, where the stagnant zombie gunk is--esp. as refracted through the eyes of someone living the hard core punk life. In the back of the book, Rollins includes a statement to the reader about what can/should be done to live a creative and courageous life, which for me dispels any doomsday soothsayers' assertions that the future looks bleak for anyone in America who aspires to be a creative artist.

From working in an ice cream store with a best friend whose the lead singer of one of the seminal hardcore bands in the early 80's to becoming the the lead singer for THE punk rock band of the times virtually overnight, "Get in the Van" documents Henry Rollins' blue-collar, underground assault on the American Dream (no, not getting rich and famous, but simply earning a decent living doing what you love).

Full of journal entries, black and white photos, humor, brutality, major letdowns, fleeting successes, roadburn, a revolving cast of hardcore characters, relentless playing/touring and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, "Get in the Van" grabs you by the throat and dares you to keep reading. The story is so compelling, that even though the music went virtually ignored in its day, the audio version of this book was honored with a Grammy.
Highly recommended!

This is Henry's diaries from his tours with Black Flag. It follows him across the world through struggles with bandmates, fans and promoters. This is a great read and can't help but to motivate.

I am a casual fan of Iron Maiden and I think that they're one of the best metal bands of all time without the benefit of scoring huge hit singles in America although they had a string of Top 20 hits in England and I could not believe that they sold over 50 million records and when I first heard of Iron Maiden I didn't think that they were that big because I never heard them on the radio but today I still hear their songs on 2 Digital stations, one is Metal and the other is Power Rock.

Although I wished that they focused a bit more on the band's glory days than the beginning of their career and I've been a fan of long time producer Martin Birch since I've started listening Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow in 1999 and I cannot believe that he worked on a string of classic albums like Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath and MSG and the members of Iron Maiden were influenced by him, that is one of the coolest things that I've ever heard.

If you love hard rock or heavy metal music, then you'll love Iron Maiden, you're not a huge Iron Maiden fan until you have this book and the backgrounds of Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Paul Dianno, Bruce Dickinson, Nicko McBrain, Martin Birch, Janick Gers and Blaze Bayley are also worth the price for this book alone.

This is the most thorough and exciting book that I have ever read about the band. It might be interesting even for those people who believed that they know everything about Iron Maiden. This book is a long-awaited, up-to-date biography (imagine that there has been no Iron Maiden biography since 1987), to which the foreword is written by none other than Steve Harris. The writer interviewed the members of the band, who told him stories about how it all began, starting with their childhood. It was funny to read how Dave practiced posing with his cardboard guitar in front of the mirror when he was a kid, or how Blaze sang along to the record 'The Number of The Beast' at night in a hotel as a porter about 15 years ago. For those of you who believe it's very easy to become a well-known rock musician the book reveals how hard each of them worked for success, working all day and playing all night in clubs for a few years. I'm really glad that 'Run To The Hills' is not trying to be a 'funny' book with amusing stories while leaving out the 'essentials'. It was good to see how candidly the members spoke about what happened, and how they feel or felt about it. What else can I say? Up the Irons! - by Reka Tumay

This Book mainly focuses on the bands early days (pgs 1-225) and the last 100 pages get you up to date to 1998-Virtual 11. There are a lot of facts that I did not not know, like Dave Murry was the first member to be fired from Maiden and after 6 months of playing with his pal Adrian Smith in a band caleed Urchin, Steve Asks him to rejoin. Another cool fact that I did not know: was after Dennis Stratton was Fired, Adrian was asked to join the band-----but if Adrian would have turned down the offer-Paul Dianno had another guitar player in line--his friend Phil Collen (Def Lepard). Read the Book Its very good, very interesting reading of the band that did indeed go over the top.