Actually, they practically are read by Gilbert himself, since actor Jim Broadbent will for a long time be associated with that role. His readings are marvelous, especially because he manages to use a different voice for each new character--and there are many, many of them. It is fascinating to catch so many of the concepts Gilbert was to recycle in the later Savoy works. "The Bumboat Woman's Story" is rich in pre-hints of "HMS Pinafore" and was indeed the inspiration for the ballet "Pineapple Poll," which uses only Sullivan's music for the operettas (with a snatch of his Da Ballo Overture thrown in). Doubtless the funniest of the lot is "Etiquette" on the last side of the second tape in which two men thrown up on a dessert island cannot converse because they had not been properly introduced aboard the ill-fated vessel. Not all the poems are comical-- some are darkly pessimistic--but there is many a laugh that will educed by Broadbent's delivery.

"Bab," by the way, was Gilbert's baby nickname; and his use of it tells us a lot about his personality.

Dove Audio, however, has packaged these two cassettes with no table of contents at all; and so there is no way to tell ahead of time exactly what Bab Ballads are recorded, which is really an intolerable situation for an item like this. Also the use of "unabridged" at the top of this Amazon.com page is misleading. While each poem is in fact complete, there are represented here only a very small portion of Gilbert's BB output. What we do have is excellently done, but the 3 hours on these tapes do not hold an "unabridged" collection by any means.

W.S. Gilbert was the master of the perfect phrase, the sly aside, the cutting quip. Jim Broadbent is the actor who portrayed Gilbert to perfection in the film "Topsy-Turvy." Now Broadbent brings his smooth delivery to these colorful ballads, some of which can be recognized as the inspiration for Gilbert & Sullivan's most popular operas. If you have even the slightest appreciation for G&S, buy this and learn why so many of us love them so. If you're as much of a fan as I am already, you *OWE* it to yourself to get the Broadbent Bab Ballads. Click on BUY NOW and run, don't walk, to the checkout. And be prepared for ecstatic rapture and unmingled joy.

William S. Gilbert (of Gilbert & Sullivan fame) was a master craftsman of the English language. He was renowned as a poet, playwrite and author long before his association with Sir Arthur Sullivan of musical renown. The "Babb Ballads" show the crafstman at his best with sparkling rhymes and funny stories. If you truly love the English language and the skill with which it can be used to amuse and entertain, this book is one that you should not be without.

This book is full of surprises. It's zany, quirky, and very wise -- all at once. At first the flavor of it -- so different from anything else I'd read -- made me question whether or not I liked it. As I continued reading I acquired a taste for it -- an experience similar to developing a taste for olives.

Placing a saint among secular eccentrics in 1950's Chelsea leads to all sorts of irritations for the ordinary mortals. I found myself loving Valentine, the mystical postulant, whose spiritual wholeness embarrasses her convent, bewilders her pursuers, and creates quiet comedy wherever she goes.

Here are four little quotes from a scene in which Valentine, on her first morning at Mrs. Mason's, rises early and goes to the kitchen. The author tells us, "Kitchens, being necessary, were as holy as bread and water, and were at their best, in peaceful readiness, at this innocent time of day..." and, "Valentine moved like a fish through water, accomplishedly, barely stirring the silence. It was a trick nuns learned: to be very quiet in case of still small voices."

How could such innocent sweetness offend anyone? We find out when Mrs. Mason and her adult son, Kyril, enter the room.

"'Do you habitually rise before God?' enquired Kyril of Valentine, in the light clear tone that was one of the characteristics that made people want to beat him up."

"'Have a croissant, dear,' (Kyril's mother) said to Valentine, momentarily disliking her for causing Kyril to be unkind."

If any of this strikes you funny, too, you just might relish this book.

I am an EE that needed a refresher course in Assembly Language. This book provided my being able to get back to speed at a very good pace.

I borrowed this book from a friend and had to obtain a copy for my own personal library.

The introduction is so moving that anyone interested in modern Irish History will not put it down.

Connolly's viewpoints on Socialism, Nationalism, and the Catholic Church lifted an enormous cloud of confusion I have had since my early schooldays in Belfast.

I like how this book not only tells you how to use humor in the classroom but why, and what to tell the principals when they ask. This book also tells you the different ways to use humor. I am not the red clown nose type teacher, and this book offered many ideas for me.

DIDACTICS METHODOLOGY

Theory and Methodology of Teaching Models of Teaching Alternative Types of Teaching and Learning Internal Differentiation and Individualization of Teaching Global Studies Intersectional Approach of Values The Single-classroom School and its Particularities

This is a complete book regarding oral surger

I think that this boog y very good, it's easy to understand, and very clear and gives information very important and useful for the clinician.

The previous edition (2nd) was recommended in "A Basic List of Recommended Books and Journals for Support of Clinical Dentistry in a Nondental Library" in Bulletin Of the Medical Library Association, July 1997.

"Zoo and aquarium history" is the most comprehensive book in probably any language on the history of wild animals in captivity since publication of Gustave Loisel's three-volume "Histoire des ménageries" back in 1912. In this one volume, zoo historians from five continents and eight countries offer a region-by-region account of the development of menageries, zoological gardens and (to a lesser extent) aquaria since the Renaissance. Ancient and mediaeval collections worldwide are covered well by the book's editor Vernon Kisling in the first chapter. The various authors approach their task along different paths, for the most part more narrative than reflective, and not all chapters, unfortunately, are equally good.

Zoos in Europe have been best chronicled in the past, although obviously not always in English, and the three European chapters may not offer anything really new to the well-read zoo nerd. The book's division of Europe into Great Britain (including Ireland, which may not be well appreciated by proud Irishmen and -women), Western Europe, and East-central and eastern Europe appears to be somewhat arbitrary, although it may have made sense from an American viewpoint looking at Europe during the Cold War. Nevertheless, as an introduction to European zoo history for the uninitiated, all three chapters carry their weight.

The excellent chapters by Ken Kawata on the history of zoos in Japan and Sally Walker on that of India offer genuinely new literature (at least in English); together they're worth the price of the book alone. Australia too is well covered. The chapter on South America has a decidedly Brazilian bias to it, and the one on Africa concentrates on Egypt and South Africa (Cape and Cairo, so to speak), so although neither is really comprehensive, interesting material certainly is in there. The development of zoos and aquaria in the United States is nicely reviewed by Kisling. The book has left only one space completely white on the map: Canada. The reason is not obvious; Canadian zoos have a history too. The editor, of course, could only include chapters for which he was able to find competent writers, and as the book, as good as it is, hardly promises to be a best-seller, their reward will be more likely be idealistic than mammonish.

"Zoo and aquarium history" is a must in any zoo and natural history library, but it is also highly recommended to anyone interested in reading a history of what remains one of the most popular institutions of recreation and public education, science and conservation in the world. On the subject, there's no better book in print.

Congratulations on a fine book that really does fill a long-standing gap in the historical literature! Needless to say, I hope it sells well, and gets rave reviews! It deserves them.

As a zoo and aquarium history enthusiast, I have yet to find a book that covers the broad history of zoos and aquariums worldwide. This book fills that niche. Many U.S. zoos are issuing history books celebrating their centennials and Hoage's book covers the transition from menagerie to zoo in the 19th century. Neither the centennial books nor Hoage's book cover zoos and aquariums from ancient times to the present continent by continent. The chapters cover ancient Chinese "Intelligence Gardens" and early zoos as places where rulers could showcase animals captured from newly conquored lands. We learn about the development of the travelling menageries, 18th and 19th century zoos as living museums for scholars, and the political and social climates that transformed them into institutions of public education, recreation, research, and, mostly in the late 1900s, as centers for conservation. This is the first time I have seen anything in print about the history of African zoos and many of the Asian ones. The chapters are well-researched and well-referenced. Many of the references are hard to find or in foreign languages. Mixed in with brief histories of the individual institutions are little-known stories such as the arrival of the first Giant panda to the U.S., the first female zoo director, and how war affected zoos and aquariums all over the world. The photos selected by the authors clearly illustrate points made in the text.

The authors are well-qualified to tell these tales. Vernon Kisling, the editor and an author, spearheaded the History Task Force for the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums and represents North America to the Bartlett Society (an international zoo history group).

In summary, zoos and aquariums have played and continue to play a vital role in how man interacts with other species. They can foster an attitude of empathy or domination. Their histories are rich and varied. This book is a valuable resource to anyone interested in zoos and aquariums, the history of the natural sciences, or anthrozoology (human-animal relationship studies).

This book goes into graet detail on the the pros and cons of differetn years and models. It really helped me in selecting a plane for purchase.

this book is a great guide for anyone playing with the thought of owning a small airplane. the prices may not be totally up to date, but the aircraft are still the same

I found Mr. Ellis' book in a local bookstore shortly after starting my private pilot training, based on my eventual desire to buy my own plane. The book reads quickly and combines a perfect blend of hard facts and anecdotal material to really define the issues a prospected buyer needs to focus on.

I pretty much devoured the book in a few days and referred back to it -- especially for the invaluable aircraft model summaries -- until I concluded that a Cardinal RG was the right plane for me. Using the "Selecting Your Airplane" chapter, I found my perfect bird after using Mr. Ellis' expertise to eliminate many contenders.

The book is AWESOME and, having read most of what is out there on this subject, the best I have found.

This book is quite different from Krenov's other, often intensely personal books. His motivation, in large part, is to make the case for his student's furniture, and only by extention his own work, and methods of work. He is concerned that the market hasn't a place for such work, and he hopes to make a place for it through this book. Krenov's previous stance in the Impractical Cabinetmaker, wasn't concerned with lack of viability, but the market has changed, and his students aspirations have apparently influenced him.

The last book Krenov published prior to this effort was Worker in Wood in 1981. In the intervening time, a great deal of his efforts have been spent establishing the Woodworking program at the College of the Redwoods in California. When I first heard that Krenov was writing another book I had hoped he would bring us up to date on his approach to woodwork, twenty years later. It is clear when you look at some of his recent work that it is quite different from where he was 20 years ago. It is also clear that some of the techniques then used have changed. It would be fitting if rather than the older books simply being republished, he could bring his many admirers up to date with a new volume.

While this book is well done, and shows many handsome photographs, there isn't much new. Many of the pictures have appeared previously in other publications, and the text, while powerful in places, is scant. It is rather like a catalogue to an exhibition. A dialogue between Krenov, his star pupils, and potential purchasers of their work.

Krenov books are almost perfect , but they have a substantial imperfection in having most of the pictures black and white. This last book corrects this imperfection offering superb color pictures of superb work. Magnificent examples of craftmanship, wise thoughts, and a contagious love for working with wood. A must for Krenov readers.

As usual Mr. Krenov's books are wonderful reading. His insites into craftsmenship are the best. In addison to his wonderful words are all the beautiful pictures of his and his students work. This is a book that no Krenov fan should be without.