I read this book many years ago and it totally changed my perspective about the NEED for conflict in a relationship. It pointed out constructive ways to express one's feelings and opinions without becoming destructive and hurtful in the process. The author points out that positive conflict-resolution techniques are essential if relationships are to last in the long term. The concepts not only changed the way I deal with family and friends, but also gave me some excellent techniques for dealing with students, parents and colleagues in my teaching career. I long since misplaced (or loaned out) my copy of this book, but would like to find another.

I first read lives of the musicians when I was about 7 yearsold or so. Then, I thought it was terrific. I still do. However, I amnow 12 years old, and now that I have paid more attention to it, I see several faults, but overall it is still a very good book. First of all, their choice of musicians is not the best. I would have recommended Debussy and Schubert, like the Kirkus Reviewer. Some of the composers I have hardly ever heard of, like Igor Stravinsky or Nadia Boulanger. And while Clara Schumann was a great pianist, I think they should have focused more on her husband, Robert, a prolific composer, whose works are among the very best. Also, some of the parts of the biographies are questionable. Frederic Chopin may not have actually been romantically involved with Aurore Dudevant (George Sand), but in love with the Countess Delphine Potocka. The book states that the Waltz in D-Flat, or Minute Waltz, was written for George Sand's dog, when in fact it was probably written for Potocka. However, the book was still very well written, and I enjoyed it, despite the possible mistakes. I recommend this book to anyone who likes music, classical or not. So sit back and enjoy!

I loved this book because it made those musicians seem like real people instead of great-all-star-super-geniuses. It is full of strange little facts about all the famous musicians like Bach,Gershwin,Beethoven and Schmann.

---Megan W.

This book provides interesting insight into the lives of composers. I teach music to elementary and high school students and I read this book to all of my students. They all enjoy learning the details of the composers lives. The book presents the composers in such a way that the students remember the information about the composers. The book does not provide information about what the composers' music sounds like, and that is something I also like to teach. A great book to gain kids'interest in famous composers.

For years I have observed the characteristics of successful, long-term relationships. The one trait that seems to cut across all of these was the ability to tell a partner your feelings and desires, whether trivial or radical, in a clear and nonthreatening way.

Despite the fact that I've been told professionally that I am an excellent communicator, this book helped me realize that in intimate relationships I still play the "crazymaking" game of confusing coded and conflicting messages.

The book's examples showed how confusing coded and double messages exist in most relationships, why they are there, and what to do about them. It's especially relevant for couples in which one partner is passive-aggressive, though useful for nearly any couple who wants to improve their effectiveness at talking to one another.

The only reason I didn't give this book 5 *s is because there are several places where the authors wander off into theoretical space that won't mean a lot to anyone without a psychology degree. If you skip over those parts to the next example, you'll find this book fast and easy reading.

This is the clearest description of how people (especially couples) get into the tangled web of resentments and withholds so common in a marriage and how to get out of the tangle. It is profusely sprinkled with examples of dialog, which not only makes the book easier to read, but makes the principles crystal clear.

The first part of the book clarifies exactly what the problem is. The second part of the book spells out what you can do about it. I'm the author of the book, Self-Help Stuff That Works, and much of what I've learned that really matters about communication can be traced back to this book. It is a shame it is out of print, but if you can find a copy, buy it!

If you want to find out why you make the statement" he/she is driving me crazy", then read this book and you will have the understanding necessary to finally figure out what is really going on. It truly is an amazing book and gives you what you need to once and for all put a stop to some of the crazy-making going on in your relationship. A must reading for everyone, not just someone in a relationship. It helps you to understand why you do the things you do.

I read this book in the late seventies because I was a disaster in the area of relationships. It remains the most simple to understand and use of ANY book about communication and developing initmacy in a relationship that I have ever read.

Although somewhat dated, anyone who is in an intimate interpersonal relationship -- or wants to be, can benefit from this book. The less successful in that relationship, the more useful this book.

"Pairing" gives practical insights into how communication fails and can work, without a lot of involved theory. It gets to the point and stays on point.