This book can be tough going at times -- over 600 pages of text alone, densely written, finely detailed, full of endless descriptions of how early pianos were built in the great days of Cristoferi and Silbermann. Then why read this book? Because it is, simply, fascinating. There are chapters on the role of the piano in the works of Jane Austen, the piano as an aid to courtship, on Beethoven's paean to his Broadwood, on the quest for "brilliant but not difficult" music, long descriptions of 19th century mechanical devices of pianistic torture -- there is a great deal of interesting esoterica here, and much to learn. The book is a classic, and I'm glad it's on my bookshelf.

If you love music, especially that of the piano, then you should definitely make room on your musical bookshelf for this wonderful and comprehensive book. The author, Arthur Loesser, was a well-known concert pianist who was also a gifted writer, critic and annotator--shades of that earlier duallist, Berlioz! This dandy, thick book, detailing the history of keyboards, also includes many of the personalities involved in music-making through the centuries. The hard-cover edition--originally published in 1954--is long out of print, making this trade-paper version even more welcome. Once it's yours, you'll be in possession of nearly everything you ever wanted to know about these keyboard instruments--and then some! And, once you begin reading, you'll find it difficult to put it aside, even for a moment.

Each major country had its own beginnings with music and the keyboards that brought that music to life. This book is, therefore, a geographical as well as a musical tour. Beginning in about the mid-1500s and continuing to more recent times, Loesser informs us of the musical progression in Germany, Austria, England, France, and finally the US. Whether you begin with the English in the 1500s or the Germans in the 1600s or the French in the 1700s, you'll be intrigued by the variety of instruments unveiled in these pages for your delectation, as well as his humorous side trips into more human endeavors. (There's an entire chapter [Section Three, Chapter Eighteen] on the use of music in the novels of Jane Austen, for example.)

Loesser skillfully utilizes his dry and frequently wry wit in detailing the history and usage of keyboard instruments, as well as those who merely were the players of them. It's quite obvious that, to Mr. Loesser, the instruments themselves were the more worthy, and he skillfully educates the reader in the evolution of today's piano, including the advantage gained by the availability of steel framing.

There are many types of keyboard instruments, some more well-known than others, but none are slighted in this comprehensive retrospective. In addition, social history is also brought into prominence, as well as those artisans who have moved us with their performances.

Another bravura performance from this noted musician.

When it comes to the history of the piano, if it's not in this book, you don't need to know it. Loesser writes this "biography" of the piano with accuracy, detail, plenty of anecdotes, good judgment, and an abundance of humor. You'll be hooked after a few lively chapters--even if you thought you had only a passing interest the pianoforte.

art nouveau triumphed in paris thanks to(ironically enough)a slavic draughtsman named mucha...this book touched on the importance of all of these facts....i have never actually read this book,but the cover says it all.....hooray for mucha....gunsnroses.

Alphonse Maria Mucha,one of the great masters of art.It is sad to see that so many art academics dismiss his work as "unimportant",but I guess a lot of failed artists have a problem with pure talent.This book is one of the best around that is still in print,highly recommended and definately worth the price,especially at Amazon...

I was first introduced to Alphonse Mucha in a rather unorthodox way: comic books. Years ago, when I was still an avid colllector of comics, I particularly enjoyed those illustrated by Joe Quesada. As I studied his drawings in such books as Ash and Ninjak, two elements of his style stood out. His female figures were very curvy and voluptuous, quite different from the angular nature that predominated his work. Also he had an intriguing way of indicating panel borders with byzantine stained-glass motifs and curvilinear meanderings of his pencil. I have since learned that both of these elements were directly influenced by Mucha.

Although Mucha's most popular art does not vary much in content (most of his work consisted of vertically oriented affiches with a single female figure as the subject), he remains one of my most favorite artists. This book presents some of what I feel to be his best work. Don't look to Mucha for variation in theme or deep symbolic meaning. Instead, enjoy his work for it's strengths: beautiful women and intricate ornamentation.

I enjoy reading this series.Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ("Bony") leaves the bush to investigate a murder that occurred several months before at sea. Deprived of his usual bushmaster skills he must rely on others to read the sign of the sea. A solid mystery. You experience big game fishing with him as he solves the crime.

I've been reading Arthur Upfield's "Bony" mysteries for several years now, hunting them down as I can, as they were written in the late 40's and 50's. ...the books are absolutely awesome in their sense of the place that is Australia, the character delineations and the incredible world of "the tracker," someone who can read "the story of the bush" to tell what happened. In all of these mysteries, I've never figured it out before Bony did. The pace of the stories is slow, even languid, but the books are very well written, and full of information about a place most of us will never visit, and its culture. Sometimes Bony goes undercover, as he does here, and these are my favorites. "Bony" is Napolean Bonaparte, the detective: a half aborigine, half white man. He's smarter than anybody, and while he sounds like a pain in the neck, in the book his manners are smooth and charming. There is nothing vulgar (except drunkenness) in any of these books. I find them fascinating, and enthralling. Mystery at Swordfish Reef is one of my favorites.

Another Upfield success. Detection and Aussie "Abo" insight is the perfect match. An older series that needs to be brought back to press in a complete set.

While this is far from a bad book, it does fall short of the standard Robert Arthur established in the first four books of this series. The story line was rather loosely put together and failed to merge the two sub-plots to my satisfaction. Honestly, even though I am quite open-minded about the paranormal and such matters, a story centered around "gnomes" begins life with some disadvantages. Be that as it may, it may well be that young readers would be attracted most by the things my adult mind shied away from--after all, what kid doesn't like to read about gnomes? As for the "vanishing treasure" at the heart of this mystery, the means by which it was stolen seemed a little far-fetched to me. As for the investigation, the boys sort of stumble through it. While I guess it is important to show Jupiter Jones as human after all, I frankly don't like seeing the youthful genius miscalculate and overlook clues. Jupe's a little slow in this book, but he fortunately does make up for his mistakes in the end. Finally, while the boys do figure a lot of things out (eventually), the sad fact is that luck, even more so than in the previous books, basically saves them from disaster. Success often depends on luck as well as skill, but the boys just seemed a little too lucky this time.

All in all, it is certainly an enjoyable story. If you've never read a Three Investigators book, I wouldn't start with this one, but I would certainly give it a place on my bookshelf and make a point of reading it after gaining a satisfactory introduction to the young sleuths elsewhere. I personally am reading all of these great books from my childhood in order of publication.

Think the Hardy Boys are too old-fashioned? Had enough of Scooby Doo and "those meddling kids?" Here comes a great alternative. I admit much preferring the Three Investigators to the Hardy Boys, et. al., when I was a kid, and with good reason. Unlike the fairly old-fashioned Hardys, the Three Investigators books always had a contemporary feel. It's three appealing heroes, Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw, and Bob Andrews, unlike the too-perfect-too-be-real Hardys, were everyday, ordinary kids, much like those you knew. And, as befitted Hitchcock and his literary right arm, so to speak, Robert Arthur, there were twists and turns and "hare's breadth 'scapes" aplenty, more than enough to keep your interest.

And what great news to see that "Mystery of the Vanishing Treasure" and the other early Arthur volumes are back with us again. This book was probably the best of the eight that Robert Arthur wrote, and an excellent introduction to the series, for this is a book where all the elements I spoke of earlier come into play. Robert Arthur, incidentally, was the editor of the earlier, and better, Hitchcock anthologies, and contributed several excellent stories to them, as well (Don't read his "Death is a Dream" late at night!). But the Three Investigators were his greatest legacy. As a librarian, I recommend them to my patrons all the time. None of the later authors of the books really got the formula right. Robert Arthur did, and we "Three Investigators" fans, young and old, are grateful.

I think I may have already listed other Three Investigator books as my all-time favorites, but how could any list be complete without the inclusion of The Mystery of the Vanishing Treasure?! This book has got it all! And just when you think that brainy Jupiter Jones has figured out the mystery... Robert Arthur keeps you guessing to the very last chapter! A definite must-read for any fan of the Three Investigators, and an easy and thrilling read for any child who is reluctant to pick up a book with summer just around the corner. Looking to keep your kids occupied this summer? BUY THIS BOOK! (And all of the other re-issued Robert Arthur titles!)

In this novel I had the same feeling I used to have watching or reading Treasure Island. It is one of the best adventure novels I have ever read.

It speaks about an adventure seeker, a Mr. A. Gordon Pym. He tries to leave the luxury of his little city Nantucket, where he used to live with his father. One friend of his convinces him to travel. The first voyage was a total disaster. But he did not quit his dream. He went on yet another ... Man, it was the most chilling experience I ever had. It is not like anything you dream, it is even stranger. No goblins nor trolls appear hear, yet still, Poe can really bring the horror to your heart.

A mutiny is added to the singular experience Pym had, and then Cannibalism. And after you thought the story finished, you see that Poe starts a new story which not as impressive as the first, yet turns the attention to some other direction.

The end was a bit shaky. I did not like it at all. I usually do not like open endings. That was the only reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars.

Overall, I would recommend you to read it in the middle of the night (if you do not have anything else to do), with a cup of tea, and with no one else around! You would enjoy it even more.

This story, Poe's only novel, is an endurance test for both reader and characters. I believe it was originally serialized, and reads like a collection of incidents rather than a complete story. However, it is a captivating tale, astounding in it's detail and casual horror. Arthur Gordon Pym was born under an unlucky star. He survives in the most inconceivable circumstances, from a drifting, overturned hulk to the frozen waters of the Antarctic. Each page turned piles more horror in his path, described with a growing clinical distance. Pym himself becomes more desensitized to each incident, until he views the irrational with a casual curiosity. The language is beautifully detailed, and some feel this story is the inspiration for "Moby Dick."

Altogether, a delightfully disturbing story. One of the best I have read.

At 150 pages or so, Arthur Gordon Pym is the closest Poe came to a novel. Rife with his characteristic polarization and dreamscape plots, this stands, in my opinion, as one of Poe's best. The short stories included only add to the mainstay, and it's a great value.

Nietzsche and Wagner were adept at picking on their contemporaries in a way that is so thoroughly unpopular now that I would not be surprised if this book is never again printed with the Introduction by J.P. Stern which was in the 1983 version reprinted in 1989, and which I purchased in 1990. It is clear from that introduction that David Strauss had read the first portion of this book and furnished his friend Rapp with a clear question about Nietzsche's character in a letter of 19 December 1873. "First they draw and quarter you, then they hang you. The only thing I find interesting about the fellow is the psychological point -- how can one get into such a rage with a person whose path one has never crossed, in brief, the real motive of this passionate hatred." (p. xiv) Those who are familiar with legal procedures, or how the media treats anyone who is suddenly perceived to be a fink, might enjoy this book as something that might be considered an unforgivable outburst today. Who could wish for such a triumph now, over intellectual paths which crossed twice? When Nietzsche was young, he perceived a scholar who displayed the real Straussian genius. Later, Nietzsche could only find a writer who, "if he is not to slip back into the Hegelian mud, is condemned to live out his life on the barren and perilous quicksands of newspaper style." (p. 54) I could have rated this book a bit higher, for being much more truthful than is expected of scholarly work today, but the kind of scholars who read these books might have no idea what I meant, or they know that they are better off not raising questions about those political issues which are most questionable. Nietzsche's real fearlessness began here.

Nietzsche wrote "David Strauss, the Confessor and the Writer" in 1873, the first of his Unfashionable Observations, at the behest of Richard Wagner. David Strauss was an eminent theologian, whose The Life of Jesus Critically Examined (1864) had had a tremendous impact due to its demystification of Jesus' life. Strauss had contended that the supernatural claims made about the historical Jesus could be explained in terms of the particular needs of his community. Although Strauss defends Christianity for it's moral ideals, his demythologizing of Jesus appealed to Nietzsche.

Nevertheless, Wagner had been publicly denounced by Strauss in 1865 for having persuaded Ludwig II to fire a musician rival. Not one to forget an assault, Wagner encouraged Nietzsche to read Strauss' recent The Old and the New Faith (1872), which advocated the rejection of the Christian faith in favor of a Darwinian, materialistic and patriotic worldview. Wagner described the book to Nietzsche as extremely superficial, and Nietzsche agreed with Wagner's opinion, despite the similarity of his own views to Strauss' perspective on religion.

This Unfashionable Observation, accordingly, was Nietzsche's attempt to avenge Wagner by attacking Strauss' recent book. In fact, the essay is at least as much an argumentative attack on Strauss as on his book, for Nietzsche identifies Strauss as a cultural "Philistine" and exemplar of pseudoculture. The resulting essay appears extremely intemperate, although erudite, filled with references to many of Nietzsche's scholarly contemporaries. The climax is a literary tour de force, in which Nietzsche cites a litany of malapropisms from Strauss, interspersed with his own barbed comments.

Nietzsche's second Unfashionable Observation, "On the Advantages and Disadvantages of History for Life" (1874) is "unfashionable" because it questions the apparent assumption of nineteenth century German educators that historical knowledge is intrinsically valuable. Nietzsche argues, in contrast, that historical knowledge is valuable only when it has a positive effect on human beings' sense of life. Although he acknowledges that history does provide a number of benefits in this respect, Nietzsche also contends that there are a number of ways in which historical knowledge could prove damaging to those who pursued it and that many of his contemporaries were suffering these ill effects.

Nietzsche contends that history can play three positive roles, which he terms "monumental," "antiquarian," and "critical." Monumental history brings the great achievements of humanity into focus. This genre of history has value for contemporary individuals because it makes them aware of what is possible for human beings to achieve. Antiquarian history, history motivated primarily out of a spirit of reverence for the past, can be valuable to contemporary individuals by helping them appreciate their lives and culture. Critical history, history approached in an effort to pass judgment, provides a counter-balancing effect to that inspired by antiquarian history. By judging the past, those engaged in critical history remain attentive to flaws and failures in the experience of their culture, thereby avoiding slavish blindness in their appreciation of it.

The problem with historical scholarship in his own time, according to Nietzsche, was that historical knowledge was pursued for its own sake. He cited five dangers resulting from such an approach to history: (1) Modern historical knowledge undercuts joy in the present, since it makes the present appear as just another episode. (2) Modern historical knowledge inhibits creative activity by convincing those made aware of the vast sweep of historical currents that their present actions are too feeble to change the past they have inherited. (3) Modern historical knowledge encourages the sense that the inner person is disconnected from the outer world by assaulting the psyche with more information than it can absorb and assimilate. ( 4) Modern historical knowledge encourages a jaded relativism toward reality and present experience, motivated by a sense that because things keep changing present states of affairs do not matter. (5) Modern historical knowledge inspires irony and cynicism about the contemporary individual's role in the world; the historically knowledgeable person comes to feel increasingly like an afterthought in the scheme of things, imbued by a sense of belatedness.

Although Nietzsche was convinced that the current approach to history was psychologically and ethically devastating to his contemporaries, particularly the young, he contends that antidotes could reverse those trends. One antidote is the unhistorical, the ability to forget how overwhelming the deluge of historical information is, and to "enclose oneself within a bounded horizon." A second antidote is the suprahistorical, a shift of focus from the ongoing flux of history to "that which bestows upon existence the character of the eternal and stable, towards art and religion."

Nietzsche's third Unfashionable Observation "Schopenhauer as Educator" (1874), probably provides more information about Nietzsche himself than it does about Schopenhauer or his philosophy.

Schopenhauer, in Nietzsche's idealizing perspective, is exemplary because he was so thoroughly an individual genius. Schopenhauer was one of those rare individuals whose emergence is nature's true goal in producing humanity, Nietzsche suggests. He praises Schopenhauer's indifference to the mediocre academicians of his era, as well as his heroism as a philosophical loner.

Strangely, given Schopenhauer's legendary pessimism, Nietzsche praises his "cheerfulness that really cheers" along with his honesty and steadfastness. But Nietzsche argues that in addition to specific traits that a student might imitate, Schopenhauer offers a more important kind of example. Being himself attuned to the laws of his own character, Schopenhauer directed those students who were incapable of insight to recognize the laws of their own character. By reading and learning from Schopenhauer, one could develop one's own individuality.

"Richard Wagner in Bayreuth" (1876), the fourth and final of Nietzsche's published Unfashionable Observations, was intended as an essay of praise to Wagner, much like "Schopenhauer as Educator." Nietzsche's relationship with Wagner had been strained by the time he wrote the essay, however, and the tension is evident in the text, which emphasizes Wagner's psychology (a theme that would preoccupy Nietzsche in many of his future writings). Nietzsche, himself, may have been concerned about the extent to which the essay might be perceived as unflattering, for he considered not publishing it. Ultimately, Nietzsche published a version of the essay that was considerably less critical of Wagner than were earlier drafts, and Wagner was pleased enough to send a copy of the essay to King Ludwig.

Herein lie the seeds of Nieztsche's notion of Eternal Recurrence, which will germinate in The Gay Science, and bear fruit in Zarathustra.

Neitzsche's treatment of the four "types" of history in "On the Uses and Disadvantages of History for Life" is facsinating, both in its own right, and as a prelude to the notion of eternal recurrence.

This is really a book that must be read by anyone serioulsly interested in Nietzsche's philosophy.

If you love science fiction and you want to read short stories for a change, this book is for you. Almost every story holds your attention, and each is extremely creative. Arthur C. Clarke has created some of the most unique science fiction plots ever. Every story has a great end, especially "The Nine Billion Names of God," "Rescue Party," and "The Wall of Darkness." Although there are a few flaws, (in that there are a couple stories that get dull and are somewhat unworthy of reading), I give this book four stars. Overall this is a great read for the science fiction lover. Clarke did a great job of writing short stories that force your mind to think and your head to spin in circles. Extremely creative ... four stars.

Arthur C. Clarke is best known for his novels, especially "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Rendezvous with Rama," which each spawned three sequels. But throughout his early career in the 1950s and 1960s, the tail end of science fiction's "golden age," Clarke was more successful as a writer of short fiction. This book collects his best stories, or at least his own favorites. As Clarke himself acknowledges in his introduction, "Every author must have his favorite stories, though he would often be hard put to give reasons for his preferences. Sometimes these may be completely illogical--or at least unliterary. A story written at a time and place associated with pleasant memories may be more highly rated, in retrospect, than a much better tale provoked by unhappiness or penury--the two great sponsors of art."

But Clarke's choices largely jibe with mine. They are drawn from five earlier collections: "Expedition to Earth" (1953), "Reach for Tomorrow" (1956), "The Other Side of the Sky" (1959), "Tales of Ten Worlds" (1962), and "The Wind from the Sun" (1972). Here you will find "The Sentinel," which Clarke and director Stanley Kubrick expanded into the epic "2001." And the often anthologized "The Star," in which an astronomical discovery challenges a believer's faith. And "Superiority," a parable about too much reliance on technological innovation. And "Death and the Senator," which is perhaps not quite science fiction, about power coming to terms with mortality. And the title story, a whimsical yet disturbing speculation about humankind's purpose in the divine plan. And . . . twenty more gems of short fiction. (The only omission that I regret is "Hate," which appears only in "Tales of Ten Worlds.")

Despite a hardcover re-release in 1996, this excellent collection is still hard to find. But I still recommend it over "The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke" (2001) because, while that collection contains all the stories in this collection, "Nine Billion Names" presents the stories in their original form while "Collected Stories" is rife with editorial and typographical errors and omissions.

It is 15 years since I read this book. The short story referred to in the title has been replaying itself in my mind, intiated by talk of the Human Genome project, and also by our proximity to the new Millenium. I have searched extensively for a copy of this book (I think my Mum threw out the old one!) without success. A great thought provoking read.

For anyone seriously interested in the life and work of Mozart, this is a must read. One must keep in mind, though, that the author is wandering out, lost, in left field sometimes when attempting to capture a real human: a slightly mythic presentation still.

An appropriate subtitle for this book would be "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Mozart." (Notice I didn't pick "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Mozart but Were Afraid to Ask." If you're after that, you should look into Maynard Solomon's excellent biography.) Albert Einstein begins with a skeletal yet factual and thorough biography of the composer. He then sets out to discuss every piece Mozart ever wrote - well, almost everything. It may sound impossible and unbelievable, but he does it. His commentary is remarkable for being both insightful and concise. Einstein is both passionate and scholarly. His prose clear and flowing. The book includes a complete listing of the Kochel catalog (with relevant page numbers). This book is still considered one of the best ever written on one of music's greatest creators.

One should be fairly familiar with the life of Mozart before embarking on this book. Full of technical insights, it gives the reader some idea of what was going on in the composer's mind. Chapters which talk about Mozart's compositional influences and the factors which helped cultivate his musical consciousness are particularly informative. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is rather familiar with the story of the man and wants to understand why he was so great.

This work's primary selling point is that it's very complete. And its biggest drawback is that . . . it's very complete. There's more material in this volume than you can ever put to use. You come away from a straight read feeling overwhelmed, and you come away from a skimming or a search by subject feeling like you missed something. Still, if you're looking for specific material on something relating to King Arthur, this is probably your best bet. If you're looking to be entertained by the Arthurian story, buy yourself a copy of The Once And Future King.

If you are serious about studying the Arthurian legends, you need this book. If you have no other reference work, this should be the one on your shelf. Lacy & Co. deserve heaps of praise on their heads for this volume! It covers aspects of the legends themselves in differing countries and in different eras. It covers art work. It covers music. It covers particular characters. It covers theories relating to the backgrounds to the legends, both historical and folklorical. The entries are readable, clear, and give lots of information so that you can follow up on any given topic. I cannot praise this book enough! Every library should have a copy (including many personal libraries...).

This is the new, updated edition of The New Arthurian Encyclopedia published in hardcover in 1991. As with the older version, it provides more than 500 new entries that cannot be found in the 1986 Arthurian Encyclopedia. The update also contains a 40-page section compiling the various addendums that have appeared in The Arthurian Yearbook since 1991. It is disappointing to note, however, that these new items were not incorporated into the main work.

Arranged alphabetically, the Encyclopedia remains the most invaluable reference resource for the Arthurian Legend. Each entry is written and signed by a scholar of Arthurian studies, and is followed, where necessary, by a short bibliography. The index is much easier to use than the one in the original volume. A must have for any collection.

This is the latest book regarding Primal Therapy. Nothing new here that was not included in "Primal Scream" or "New Primal Scream." This book is less passionate than his others. Still, not bad.

Art's thoughts on repression clarify the concept quite a bit. Mainstream psychology cannot ignore his books and works yet they do. He basically destroys the establishment. It seems they spend much of their time navigating around Janov's troubling theories. Role of endorphins illuminated.

I'm a German and have experience with a lot of difference psycotherapy methods. I got in contact with "Primal Therapy" three years ago. After reading Dr. Arthur Janov book and watching audio material, I started a special research program with "Primal Thearapy" with people. I asked them about their birth and their way of life. After that I travelled to different country in the world to study the different societies and how they handle their pain. After Erik Hoffmann's discovery "Brainmapping", I started to go on reaserching this. The intrest of "PRIMAL THERAPY" is in working with body and mind. This means, there is only one body. When I finish studying medicine, I will go on the reaserch program with the immune system and maybe the study: AIDS and "PRIMAL THEARAPY" or other new age illnesses. Also, Primal Therapy and people who became very old. How do they handle with pain? All that I can say about Janov is that he is an absolutely perfect scientist like EINSTEIN. But we have to go on with his research work. This means the EVOLUTION never stops in this world. I will go on studying PRIMAL THERAPY and I think nobody can stop me. Para la gente que abla ESPANOL! En un part de anos vamos a empezar con un nuevo programa de investigation. Vayanse a el mejor lugar del mundo y pregunta por "THERAPIA PRIMAL" en el pueblo LA MATANZA/EL CALETON. Nosotre trabajamos con gente que no pueden volar a Los Estados Unidos. Puede consiguir informationes de THERAPIA PRIMAL en ESPANOL, ALEMAN, ENGLES... Information about Primal Therapy in: Enlish, Deutsch, Espanol, Italia, France... With every kind of illness, I would recommend to undergo PRIMAL THERAPY!!! YOU CAN BE SURE THAT IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE MORE THAN PLASTIC SURGERY CAN CHANGE YOUR BODY !!! Joerg Mayer