Susan Loesser's biography of her father, Frank, does what it set out to do: Tell us about the man behind the songs. Unfortunately, that man wasn't as appealing as his music. I was disappointed to find out how Mr. Loesser treated his family and those he worked with. It seems that those who are most talented are often prima donnas personally, and Frank Loesser certainly fit that mold. HIs violent temper, condescending attitudes toward those who didn't meet his standards, and complete failure as a father comprised the dark side of Mr. Loesser. And that sailor's tongue! Hats off to the author for not glossing over these facts. She's frank (no pun intended) in expressing her disappointment with certain traits of her father.

However, there was a very bright side to Frank Loesser, and the book focuses primarily on this side of his life. His astounding command of the language in his lyrics and his entertaining personal letters highlight the brilliant talents that made him the household name he is.

Of particular note are the details surrounding his vision of such shows as Guys and Dolls, and his various friendships (with people such as John Steinbeck) and his conflicts (his disagreements with Frank Sinatra were entertaining to read). It's also fun to hear the fascinating personal anecdotes shared by Susan Loesser.

Early on, I found myself bored with the details of the Loesser family, but soon warmed up to the book, enjoying it greatly. Frank gave us some wonderful lyrics and music, and despite his personal shortcomings, his story is, as the title says, remarkable.

I highly recommend this well written, thoughtful, highly personal biography by Frank Loesser's daughter. If at all possible it is a good idea, I feel, to be playing through the "Frank Loesser Songbook" on your piano during the period you are reading this biography, as the combination of playing Frank Loesser's music on the piano in conjunction with reading his daughter's explanations of how the music came to be, is powerful to say the least. I had not realized until I read this book how important Frank Loesser is to Broadway. I now understand that Loesser is up there with Rogers/Hammerstein and Sondheim. Frank Loesser was larger than life. In my opinion we all owe a debt of gratitude to his daughter for writing a book about him that will live on to be the definitive, and only, book about this important man's amazing, interesting life.

This book shines from the Broadway History bookshelf. What appears as a modest portrait of Frank Loesser by his daughter, turns out to be a delightful history of Broadway. The beautifully researched stories of his productions are priceless. The lyrics, which lavishly illustrate Loesser's wonderful use of the language, are perfectly scattered throughout. The stories of the man himself, the era in which he worked, and the people who were part of his creative world, reveal the complexities and changing scene of Broadway production. Driven and demanding, he alienated Sinatra and slapped a leading lady; yet he meticulously crafted legendary shows like Guys and Dolls, and Most Happy Fella. Susan Loesser brings great warmth, an enormous amount of research and, obviously, a first-person sensibility to the story of this brilliant, funny, difficult, irascible, demanding, creative, and driven man. Frank Loesser told his casts "Loud is Better". This book is not loud, but it is wonderful.

This book should have a subtitle: Vegetable Gardening in Northern Climates. The author assumes that every reader has snowy winters and hot summers, and that every reader is a vegetable gardener. If I just described you, then without question, you should buy this book! I live in a cool coastal climate of California, where temperatures are generally between 50-65, regardless of season. I'm not trying to grow vegetables, simply trying to replace the weeds in my yard with no-watering-required wildflowers, herbs, etc. If this describes you, then I will say that the book is still good for basic seed-starting tips, fertilizing, etc., but that at least 70% of the book will not apply. FYI, here are a few of the things I've learned in the past several months: Birds eat seedlings/baby plants. Really. I've sat with coffee in hand watching them. Bird netting must be raised up at least six inches and stretched taught to keep them away, but then it is dangerous to wildlife. I took it out after I found a young possum caught in it, and had to cut him loose. He had badly wounded himself trying to get free. I've replaced it with basic clear plastic from the hardware store, the kind we californians all have around the house for flood control. So far, it is working great.

What a wonderful book! A wealth of information covering not only seed-starting, but all you need to know to be successful: some basic botany (how seeds germinate, the parts of a plant, and how they grow)proper seed-starting mediums, lighting, fertilizing,transplanting, moving your seedlings outdoors, pests...you name it! I do a great deal of seed-starting each year and wondered how much new information I could glean from this book..it didn't disappoint one bit. Highly recommended!

If you want to learn how to start your own plants from seed, this is the book to own! The author covers all the variables of seed culture. I had tried to grow plants from seed before and failed. With this book I have had success after success. There is also a good section on saving your own seeds. If you're a do-it-yourselfer who is less than thrilled with the variety of plant choices available at the local nursery, this is the book for you!

This is a really cool book. Mr.Frank (who happens to be my sixth grade teacher) has a fun sense of humor, and everyone should buy this book. Also check out his other books Erin's Voyage and Tomb of the Boy King.

Ok, John Frank is my cousin so I can't say anything bad about the book, but actually, it is really good and I recommend all of his books to school age children. He is a fine writer.

In this hilarious story, John Frank conjurs the imagination of a schoolboy and takes all his readers on an adventurous ride. As Alvy whirls through the sky, even the adult reader is warped into the magical times of his own school days, when daydreams took precedence over his homework. Every school child can relate to Alvy's wandering mind and zeal for exploration. Complimented by collaged illustrations, this story is one of the finest children's books I've read. When I have kids of my own, I will certainly share it with them.

I saw this book in a store and picked it up as a gift. I ended up reading through it as I was getting ready to wrap it up and keeping it for myself. It's a great little reference guide or just something to flip through when you need a quick break from the craziness of work. A "must" for corporate America!

So what if you can't afford Canyon Ranch or the Golden Door? Create it with this book--right at your own desk. I thought this was such a useful (and reasonably priced) book...with lots of excellent stress relieving advice that really WORKS! This should be required reading for all office workers everywhere!

Darrin Zeer has created another winner here!
I own both Office Yoga and Office Spa and keep both titles on my desk at all times. The only problem is my co-workers keep sneaking the books away. Enjoy the relaxation Spa ideas which you can practise at your desk or home.
Very simple book that fits in my pocket and has some hip illustrations and inspiring quotes to keep you going.
Enjoy!

I've watched Michael Wallis grow as a writer and I wish he had written this book last instead of first. Now don't get me wrong, it's a rip-roarin' tale of a man with ambition and drive who built a gigantic company and fortune. But it's not the exhaustive, documented last work on Frank Phillips's life.

This is as near to an authorized biography as you can get. Wallis was given full access to all the recorded material on Phillips as well as to a great many people who actually knew the man and worked with him. It's a rollicking story.

Using fiction techniques of characterization Wallis shows us an eccentric, ambitious young man who evolves into a successful philanthropist -- and philanderer. Phillips gave tokens to the children of the community but overindulged and neglected his own son until he turned to alcohol. He was a man who appeared devoted to his family six months out of every year, then spent the rest of his time with his mistress in New York City.

He wasn't such a saint in business, either. He took over smaller companies to build his empire and almost fired a Vice President "Boots" Adams because he thought Adams was too ambitious for personal gain.

Legends about Phillips abound and Wallis has recorded them. There's a story, for example, of Phillips paying the mortgages of community churches and herein lies the weakness of this book. He doesn't say whether this generosity is documented or it's simply a tale told by sycophants, and he sure talked to plenty of them.

Wallis weakens his authority by neglecting to support his facts. He speculates. Without documentation it's impossible for the reader to separate fiction from fact. The writing style is that of fiction and that's all the more reason the reader needs to be able to tell what is real fact and what is speculation.

If what you want is an exciting story of the West and people who made great fortunes in the oil fields, you'll love this book. It's well written and well researched. If you want only fact, however, you'll have to write your own book.

Frank Phillips, "THE OIL MAN" is a little known multi millionaire who started with nothing but ambition, and made life pay off! If you like business biography, this is one of the best you'll ever read. I enjoyed totally. I am now rereading the book for the third time!

This book contains something for everyone. Action, adventure, power struggles, romance, money, geology, the wild west, the roaring twenties, family feuds and best of all...it's all true! Frank Phillips grew up a farm boy in Iowa, started a career as a barber and ended up an oil tycoon. This is an easy read and it is obvious that Wallis' research was very thorough. He almost leads you through a day to day account of Frank Phillips' life. And what a life it must have been. A true gambler, Frank Phillips' started with almost nothing, made a fortune then risked everything he had just to stay in the game. I can highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. Wallis has brought together a complex man's world and gives the reader an insight rarely seen in biographical writing. He makes the stories come to life and links them all together superbly.

First class account by a man who served as a soldier and NCO throughout WW1 on the Western Front. Even more interesting as he served in the same infantry unit as Graves and Sassoon. An unvarnished account from the view of a long service professional soldier of some of the most momentous events of the war. A good counterpoint to some of the more tragic/romantic accounts of the war.

I read Frank Richards story, apparently a chapter from this book, "The Third Battle of Ypres 1917" in the Mammoth Book of True War Stories (now in print) and you have to be impressed by the man's style--sort of like the naturalists (Steven Crane comes to mind), but also either intentionally or unintentionally ironic. A masterpiece of prose. Recommended.

Frank Richards was a member of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, from 1901 until the end of the war. He displays a natural ability for story telling here in this wonderful account of a regular old soldier. It is amazing that this story would probaly never have been published if he had not known the famous writer Robert Graves, whom he had served under in the trenches. He sent the whole rough draft to Graves in longhand, who then edited it and got it published, as he recognized what a true gem he had. Though punctuated with grim moments of death and destruction, it is an uncomplaining account, a testament to Mr. Richards indomitable spririt and pride for his regiment. The number of times he narrowly escaped death or injury makes it unbelievable that he survived the entire war virtually unscathed. A must read for those with even the slightest interest in World war 1. This book flows smoothly and never jumps, a steady good read. We are fortunate that this book was published, as accounts of regular soldiers are few and far between, especially those of this caliber.

1963's Merry Go Round In Oz, written by the mother-daughter team of Eloise and Lauren McGraw, was, as Katherine M. Rogers notes in L. Frank Baum: Creator of Oz (2002), the last Oz title commissioned by a major publisher. Neither good nor bad, Merry Go Round In Oz was also the first major Oz novel to almost completely remove itself in tone from the spirit of the classic Oz titles. The book is not only not a romance, but, despite the prominent appearance of the Easter Bunny, hardly an Oz novel at all. Its very light, crisp manner owes more to Mary Poppins author P. L. Travers than it does to Baum or any of his successors.

The book's excellent first chapter finds young foster child Robin Brown accompanying his multiple stepbrothers to an evening carnival in Cherryburg, Oregon. Continuously overlooked by his well-meaning but rambunctious foster family, Robin enters the carnival with a single coin; the others have all run off with pockets full of money towards their favorite amusements. The McGraws perfectly capture the essence of Robin's physical and emotional isolation from not only his new family, but from the balance of humanity as well. Robin, who is aware of his mistreatment, is thus an archetypal fairytale child protagonist, not unlike fellow orphan Cinderella, bearing up silently and bravely making the best of his predicament. When Robin, who has modestly hoped for but a single ride on the merry-go-round, meets a strange, ticket-bearing older man dressed in tatters, his fairytale outsider status is confirmed: Robin sees things and meets people that no one else does. The McGraws cleverly portray the fair grounds in somewhat Bradbury-esque terms: the night carnival is both an all-American, fifties-style entertainment venue of roller coasters, popcorn, and hot dogs as well as Pinocchio's midway of shadowy seduction. Transgressing the rules of order, Robin uses the illicit ticket provided by the stranger to gain access to the merry-go-round, seats himself atop a beautiful red mare, and momentarily finds himself hurled through the air towards Oz.

Unfortunately, Robin, who gleefully discovers that his mount has sprung to life, lands in the comparatively dull Quadling Kingdom of the Fox Hunters, a place he quickly finds tedious in the extreme. As readers will be able to attest, Robin is absolutely right: his prolonged captivity among the endlessly talkative, single-minded, faux-British inhabitants represents one of the most overwritten, slowly moving, and irritating misadventures in the entire Oz chronicle. The authors clearly intend the obsessive, fully adult foxhunters to be amusing, but the writing, while technically crisp, drones on at exactly the same bantering pitch for dozens and dozens of pages. Robin and the reader thus face the same exhausting dilemma.

Meanwhile, in the ostensibly blue Munchkin kingdom of Halidom, a curse of sorts lays over the land: two of the kingdom's magic rings of power have been stolen, and the third, which gives great physical strength to Halidom's people, now mysteriously vanishes. In Sleeping Beauty fashion, the kingdom falls into lassitude and drowse: only Fess, a young man born in a neighboring land, and an immortal fairy unicorn are immune. Brainless Prince Gules, still half asleep, decides the power rings must be returned to the kingdom, and a quest is born. In the Emerald City, Ozma and Dorothy decide to hold an Easter party, which necessitates Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion journeying to the realm of the Easter Bunny ("it's down a rabbit hole," says Dorothy) to gather magical eggs. In traditional Oz fashion, the three groups eventually cross paths and unite to solve their various troubles.

Though the later chapters are more imaginative, the book's largest drawback is that too much of it seems to take place in a dry, mundane world that barely resembles Oz. In fact, the foxhunting chapters seem like sections of another book awkwardly grafted onto a stale facsimile of a traditional Oz title. While the best of the earlier books have a dreamlike, otherworldly quality, Oz here, in keeping with the trend in children's literature at the time of its publication and since, has few numinous characteristics. In place of romantic, playful, or absurd names like Woot the Wanderer, Ojo the Unlucky, Polychrome the Rainbow's Daughter, Kabumpo, Alexample, and Jenny Jump, the reader is confronted with next-door neighbor monikers like Barry, Richard, and Fred. The Quadling land is no longer profusely red in color as in the Neill books, where the sky, water, and even in the shade and shadows were scarlet-hued. Oddly, though red is mentioned, the dominant Quadling color inexplicably appears to be pink.

Though ninety-nine percent of previous Oz history goes unmentioned, the McGraws curiously recap the earthly existence / afterlife facet of the Oz chronicle, relaying to readers that Dorothy, among others, has cheated death and reached Oz via otherwise fatal catastrophes (cyclone, earthquake, shipwreck). Is the tattered stranger Robin meets at the carnival the angel of death, a kind of fairy godfather, or the ghost of his human father? Does the "free ticket" symbolize Robin's passage into death and the heavenly paradise of Oz? Is the somewhat odd inclusion of the Easter Bunny a further metaphor for Robin's death and rebirth? The authors also let drop another historical Oz bombshell when a Quadling ferryman explains to the gender-neutral named Robin that little girl fairy ruler Ozma was at one time little Munchkin boy Tip. Though Robin "bursts out, delighted," at the news, the McGraws quickly add that this makes Ozma seem "more approachable" in dungaree-wearing Robin's eyes.

Merry Go Round In Oz was very likely an attempt by its authors and publisher to reinvent the Oz series for Camelot and Leave It To Beaver - era America. Robin and Fess are likable, sturdy boy heroes, and the characterizations of the Oz royal family are fairly good. If the foxhunters had been removed and the first third of the story reimagined, the book might have left a lasting impac

This was my favorite Oz book as a child. I checked it out numerous times from the base library and I was the only one to check it out. I bought it as soon as I heard it was in print. It was just as good reading it as an adult.

Robin Brown, from Cherryville, Oregon, takes a ride on the merry-go-round via a ticket from a weird old man. He jumps on a scarlet horse with a white tail and mane, then grabs a ring that will give him a "free ride". With that, he is flying throuhg the air for one whole night. When he wakes up, he finds the horse, Merry-Go-Round, is alive. They are both captured by fox hunters and are put to work. Meanwhile, the the country of Halidom, the last of three magic rings is stolen, the middle one, that makes the people strong and hard working. He goes on a quest with his page, his horse Fred, a fliter-mouse, and a unicorn to find all three, the largest to make the people smart, and the smallest to make the people good a calligraphy, weaving, and other fine arts. In the Emerald City, Dorothy wants a huge Easter party, and she and the Cowardly Lion go to the Easter Bunny's workshop, right in Oz. How will these traveling groups meet? Where are those rings? How will Robin and Merry escape? REad the book, and find out emore.

I have this book and I think I have all the books listed by another reviewer.... I have everything I can get anyway... from the bizarre stupid (Negative Dialetics of Poodle Play) -that book was writing for the sake of writing... no point.... to this book which is written where someone without a PHD can read and enjoy.

But in the end, someone else noted that each book seemed like it was written about someone different. I buy a FZ book to see what the heck they are going to say, knowing that I can most likely get everything I need to know from FZ just by listening to his material and reading whatever interviews there are out there.

When I 1st got into the complex & twisted world of Zappa, this was the 1st book I read. It is good especially because it explains the situation in which Frank grew up, talking about stylistic differences between the 40s & the 50s, apparently decor was more bulbous & interesting in the 40s whilst the music was dull & in the 1950s the music got better & architecture/design got boring/staid. Then of course it traces thru the pre- Freak Out! era & many eras past that as wellas discographies & stuff. There are other books on FZ but to get a well-rounded view of him, you probably should read several of them including this, No Commercial Potential, Negative Dialectic of Poodle Play & of course the Real Frank Zappa book. Shoving Burnt Weeny Sandwich on in the background might be a good idea too.

I have read the following books by or about Frank Zappa. In addition, this list constitutes a ranking of my assessment of the quality of these books.

THE REAL FRANK ZAPPA BOOK by Frank Zappa and Peter Occhioigrosso

MOTHER! THE FRANK ZAPPA STORY by Michael Gray

ELECTRIC DON QUIXOTE: THE DEFINITIVE STORY OF FRANK ZAPPA by Neil Slaven

NECESSITY IS... THE EARLY YEARS OF FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION by Billy James

COSMIK DEBRIS: THE COLLECTIVE HISTORY AND IMPROVISATIONS OF FRANK ZAPPA by Greg Russo

NO COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL: THE SAGA OF FRANK ZAPPA by David Walley

THEM OR US by Frank Zappa

UNDER THE SAME MOON by Suzannah Thana Harris

BEING FRANK: MY TIME WITH FRANK ZAPPA by Nigery Lennon

To my knowledge, this list includes all of the Zappa biographies. Of these, I think MOTHER! THE FRANK ZAPPA STORY by Michael Gray is the second best. Each of these biographies illustrates a different dimension of Zappa's complex personality. It is almost like each author is writing about a different person. Some book reviewers have suggested that some of the authors are not accurate (less delicately - lying). No, it is simply a matter of focusing on a single dimension of the multidimensional, Frank Zappa.

Gray creates a picture of Zappa that the other authors missed. Unlike other authors, Gray offers the reader details of Zappa's perspective on the political economy. He was a libertarian! Fans of Zappa know he was a paradox and an enigma, but Gray is able to help the reader understand this perception with his focus on Zappa's interest in the economy. This is a fascinating excursion into Zappa's life story

My favorite poster of Zappa can be found on the 5th page after page 64. It is a poor reproduction of the original. It's grainy. The key point is, this picture of Zappa offers great support for Gray's thesis.

Gray's portrayal of Zappa is different from the other biographies. Zappa is an enigma. Gray's writing style is informative, enlightening and thought provoking. This book is an important part of everyone's Zappa library.

Emilie Frank apparently did not have the conviction of experience - no personal UFO sightings, no chats with St. Germain, no guided tours through the undermountain Lemurian or Atlantian cities, and no bell concerts - and yet dedicated herself to research and write about others' experiences with these so-called mysterious events. So-called because what is mysterious for us is merely something we don't sense, whereas others do. Perhaps that is the true mystery. Mt. Shasta is an energy vortex, drawing to her numerous energies beyond our third dimensional abilities to perceive. Yet we understand that our lack of perception does not mean that such energies are not present. And the fact that our earthly schooling does not teach that our planet is one of millions on which, and within which, God's plan is unfolding does not mean that Earth is all there is. Emilie Frank's reporting will propel your mind into such channels of thinking, and beyond. "Mystery and intrigue, indeed. Would you believe secret caverns lined with gold? Strange lights on her slopes? Golden domes, ringing bells, supernatural beings? Ancient Lemurian gold mines,? Cities ten miles beneath her crest? If that sounds outrageous, let me state that more than one person living on the slopes of Shasta have seen spaceships," says the author. California's Mystic Mountain provides a grand roadmap for guiding our thinking about what truly is going on on this Earth we think we know so well. If you are skeptical, be an open-minded skeptic as you read of Mystic Mountain. And if you are not, read these tales with smiling delight as your mind tells you, "Of course. Certainly. For sure. Right on!" One aspect of 'Mt. Shasta, California's Mystic Mountain' that is no mystery is the feeling of love that Emilie Frank's children, especially Jennifer Middleton, have for their mother. And to Jennifer and the others who saw to the publication of these mysteries I say, "Job well done," for the only thing I found lacking was a map of the mountain and her surroundings, showing the locations of the trails, lakes and crags that the author describes and knew so well.

I really found the stories and myths fascinating and a great read. Mt Shasta is in my view daily and holds its own mystic meanings to myself. To see the other great stories concerning the mountain was excellent. Gives the reader alot to think about and some other great avenues to explore.

Author Emilie Frank offers a look into the strange and mystical lore of Mt. Shasta. From the accounts about beings who live inside the mountain, to the spiritual magnetism it holds for many, you will be intrigued and charmed by this delightful book.The book also contains many beautiful photos of Mt. Shasta. This book is a real treat for those attracted to the spiritual side of Mt. Shasta

First and foremost, I am a voracious reader of so-called historical fiction ; not the bodice rippers but the books that tell the stories of the past. Like "Through a Glass Darkly" or "Mists of Avalon" etc. I have long been fascinated by the period of time that is called the Middle Ages. I have haunted The Cloisters museum in NYC with its medieval tapestries (fabulous) and furniture, set in an actual cloister. The book "Northumberland Dreaming: came to my attention in a roundabout way; I had read "Dear Companion" by Kelly Joyce Neff. "Dear Companion" is a book about a remembered past life, of Martha Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson's wife. The publisher mentions "Northumberland Dreaming" in the preface of "Dear Companion" as another book in the River Lethe series. These are, obviously from the series name, about past lives remembered; the River Lethe being the river of forgetfulness in Greek myth. I bought "Northumberland Dreaming" and was not disappointed with it. Having cried my way through half a box of tissues with "Dear Companion" and having been impressed with the truth that rang through Ms Neff/Mrs Jefferson's words, I was ready to read something else in the series. The reason I like these books so much is the historical accuracy that comes from a person simply talking about the their life. Now an author who is constructing a book set in another time period has to gather and cull facts and then bring these researched facts into some semblance of order while utilizing them in a story. Either these two ladies, Kelly Joyce Neff and Mary Rhees Mercker are unbelievably talented researchers and writers or these are true. That 's how convincing the voices of Martha Jefferson and Sir John are.

Sir John, of "Northumberland Dreaming" is a knight in the 1100's, living in Northern England. He lives his life, managing his property and caring for his people and family. The depth of detail as well as his obvious love and caring shines through with each page. Sir John, has a voice that is charming and engaging. His spiritality, his caring and sensitivity, these are all things that draw you in and make you like Sir John. Sitting and reading his book, because it is his book, made me feel as though I were sitting at the feet of some older relative who was telling about "how things were when..." You know him at the end of the book.

Mary Mercker, the author, is actually a descendent of Sir John, but does believe she was him in a past life. She is not merely telling oft told family tales. Missouri born and raised, Mary Mercker went to England and found the ruins and proof of the places that she could see in her head with Sir John's eyes. Included in the book are photos of the present day ruins of the buildings and places that Sir John actually lived in and saw in his daily life. Mary Mercker has written a very important book, not only because it is a wonderful story, but it is a tool to teach about the past. History is not boring if you know those who make it on a personal basis, which you will.

The only warning I would give is this; if you are looking for a quick superficial,New Age read, this is not it. If you love biographies and are interested in an authoritative look at a true life in the Middle Ages, then this book is perfect.

This is a really amazing book that moved me very deeply with its tales of love, duty, hardship and god.

Mary Rhees Mercker believes that she lived the life of a knight (a distant realtive) during the Middle Ages. Ms. Mercker learned to communicate with the knight, Sir John, and allows him to tell his life story through her. What follows is a detailed story of life in the Middle Ages. I could not put this book down although I did find some of the sections on war and politics a bit dry. Don't miss this fascinating historical tale that will keep you awake at night until finished!