The book by Ms. Lieberman brings opera divas right into your living room, as if transformed from the stage directly into your home. The pictures are amazingly vivid, and her ability to capture the moment with people is unparalleled. I think this is one of the best opera photo books ever printed! Brava!

This is a new concept in an approach to Opera, photographs and text designed to allow the reader to enter into the thoughts and meditations of Opera singers as they are waiting backstage to go on. The pictures show the characters (and what a selection of roles and artists!), in physical and emotional readiness as they are backstage in Ms. Lieberman's ready made studio brought to the Opera during actual performances from around the world..the text by Paul Griffiths, (Music critic for the New Yorker and now The New York Times) brings you into their world in an imaginative and knowledgeable fashion, creating an inner dialogue of the performer and character. The book becomes a unique treasure in the combination of the photographer and writer. What a find! thedre@wenet.net

Griffiths book Modern Music clearly shows the main styles and trends af 20th century Music, he starts with the late Romantics and the Impressionists like Strauss,Mahler and Debussy and then devotes chapters on New Harmony, New Rhythm and Form. The revolutionary ideas of Schoenberg and Stravinsky are covered and how their ideas and others developed throughout the century. There's a chapter on Neoclassicism, Serialism and Total Serialism which developed after the second world war through composers such as Boulez and Stockhausen , he writes about the influence of the east on such composers as Debussy and Messiaen. Percussion, new ideas in rhythm, electronics and chance methods are covered, and then the last chapters are about Theatre and Politics and Minimalism and Multiplicity.

All the major themes and the most important composers are here so you get a clear Idea of how Modern Art music was in the 20th century, the book is not long so you don't get a detailed analysis of the works but what you get is a clear overall picture. A very good book to start with if you want information on Modern Music

Also recomended are his books "Modern Music the Avant Garde since 1945" which is a more detailed analysis of the second half of the century and his book about the Brilliant composer Gyorgi Ligeti.

It is no wonder that this witty, Borges-ian first novel won a prestigious Australian book prize. Griffiths' clear and approachable style is superbly suited to such a thought provoking work, but he never seems to talk down to the reader as he discusses weighty subject matter in a lighthearted manner. I really enjoyed reading this; I preferred it to his second novel, The Lay of Sir Tristan, which was less open in spirit, but I would certainly buy any other works by the same author, and his column in the New York Times always has an interesting perspective on the classical music scene.

This is one of the best books I have read on South Asian studies and perhaps the best written on ethnicity and conflict. Dr. Wickremeratne's prose is also superb. I recommend this to any one interested in ethnic conflict or nationalism.

At their absolute best. For this album and this album alone, one should be able to rate 10 stars.

The songs on this album are all well-crafted, featuring the usual Be Bop Deluxe jaw-dropping musicianship and orchestration.

If I live to be 1,000 I will never understand why this band never enjoyed much commercial success in the States. And this album is probably their best effort. Worth many listens.

Do not buy the Greatest Hits CD, This is the best of Be Bop Deluxe!-Period.

When this record first came out, I was not well-schooled in the music of BeBop Deluxe. Their previous recording, "SUNBURST FINISH," had received some airplay where I lived (Los Angeles), but not much beyond the song "Fair Exchange." But I liked what I heard, and I somehow got this gut feeling that this band had in them something special. That "something special" turned out to be this recording, "MODERN MUSIC," which boasts good vocals, solid guitar work, interesting songs, but most of all - a special feeling or aura that seems to envelope the entire concept and project.

When this record came out I somehow felt compelled to buy it before ever hearing any of it on the radio, from a friend, or anywhere. I just plain bought it sight unseen, and it turned out to be one the best 'flyers' I've ever taken with regard to my impulsive music buying habits. "MODERN MUSIC" is Be Bop Deluxe's best album in every respect. More than anything, it's a completely conceptialized whole, comprised of two song sets, the former sides 1 and 2. Both boast strong songs, carefully sequenced and performed with energy and taste. The second of these is the elegant and powerful "Modern Music Suite," where the songs crossfeed dreamily one into another. Both "sets" of music have held up for me over an untold number of listens, spread out over a significant number of years (this record was released in the late 1970s).

Excellently recorded and produced, this is Bill Nelson's peak with regard to his Be Bop Deluxe period. If you enjoy other vintage 1970s recordings such as 10CC's "HOW DARE YOU," Genesis' "LAMB DIES DOWN" and "FOXTROT," "Todd Rundgren's "A WIZARD, A TRUE STAR" and "SOMETHING/ANYTHING" or any one of a dozen or more other such treasures, give this recording a try. The uninitiated among you will likely enjoy this time-capsule nugget as much as I have, and do.

NOTE: As others have mentioned here, this is apparently the same "REMASTERING" that resulted in the 1990 re-issue of this recording on CD (the one I own). Therefore, if you already have this record on CD, it is probably this very same re-mastering, as I don't think it was available on CD prior to 1990. In which case, enjoy your copy and spend your money on Bowie's "Scary Monsters," Television's "Marque Moon," Utopia's "Oops Wrong Planet," or some other 1970s classic.

This certainly is the book to get the low-down on contemporary music. However, here a few points of interest:

Firstly, I think the most glaring omission is Louis Andriessen, who not only co-wrote The Apollonian Clockwork, but has also composed some of the most important and exciting non-Webernian music around. What is especially important about Andriessen is that his own 'minimal' style is fully aware of the Modernist heritage at the same time as it critiques or refutes it, as oppoesed to others who just dismiss it outright and have no real understanding of post-Webernian serialism. Also, Andriessen's continuing political ideals make him an interesting study in current musico-poltical relations (now that most are dead: Nono, Cardew; or just write rubbish: Henze).

In fact, while I am no authority on comtemporary Dutch music, I certainly know no more about it through reading this book. Which brings me to my second point: the Anglo-West Europe-American-centricity.

Not only does he leave out the Netherlands, Finland, Scandinavia, South America, as well as the bizarre history of post-war Polish music, but also Australia and (South East) Asia. Now while I am no doubt partisan, his only mention of Australia is one line about the Elision Ensemble in relation to Richard Barrett, Chris Dench, and Finnissy. I think Australia has some of the best composers anywhere (Liza Lim, for instance), writing from a variety of perspectives and a fuller account of these

place-specific musics would have interesting, for instance examination of Australia's liminal position between Europe and Asia and how that affects attitudes to composition.

While his bit on Part is a witty piece of pomo gaming, he sometimes trips himself up in his pomo considerations (as other reviewers have pointed out): for instance, he says that the postmodern condition entails the loss (both through desire and circumstance) of the dominant-central figures crucial to the Modernist project (eg. Boulez) because there are now 'many streams' instead of a river, but he then later complains that no new 'Generals' have stood up to replace the these old ones in terms of central importance to the musical world. In this way, he doesn't really trace many new paths in his last section, but simply rings up his old mates (Boulez, Birtwistle, Berio, Stockhausen, Ligeti, etc) and asks them what they've been up to recently. But, then again, that is really what the book is for and it does it admirably.

And not only is his championing of Barraque timely, but Bill Hopkins too, whose music I was unaware of until reading his bit.

One hopes there will be a 3rd edition after most of the 'peace-time Generals' are gone and a final summation of the lasting effects of the immediate post-war project can take place. Until then this is the book to read if you want to know about the good-old music with no tunes that we all love.

Also the Strings and Knots is organised in reverse alphabetical (very postmodern!)

"Modern Music and After" should really be kept in print, though the market may be small, as it is the best book on the subject. It serves, among other things, as the best record guide to the post-war avant-garde that I've found, although since 95 it has become somewhat outdated.

Griffiths imbues the story of the serialist avant-garde with high drama. The hero of his story is Pierre Boulez. Messiaen is the mentor, and Stockhausen the brother, a source of friendly but intense rivalry. Schoenberg is the father figure who Boulez "kills" even as he carries on his tradition, but of course crediting Webern. The history gives a palpable sense of the excitement of this avant-garde circle, which came together at Darmstadt. Cage and his zen anarchism presents a radical challenge to the integral serialist Project, and begins to explode it.

This takes us through the 1950s. The second part of the book is equally good, as the linear sense of progress unravels in the 1960s and 70s and fragmentation sets in. A fascinating development which Griffiths documents, but does not comment on, is the resurgence of sacred music as the secular avant-garde disintegrates. The Estonian composer Arvo Part is but one example of this trend, what might be called the reassertion of the pre-modern in the context of the post-modern. The third section is not as good, and resembles other similar books in being more an encyclopedia of entries on various composers and trends. There doesn't seem to be much alternative to this for now, but it's interesting to imagine how the present period may be reconstructed in light of future developments...

In his introduction Griffiths laments the loss of a sense of shared criteria for evaluating the diverse music of the moment. But of course books like this contribute to the construction of those criteria! Peter J. Martin's "Sounds and Society" is an excellent analysis of how music evaluation is socially constructed -- there are no objective, inherent qualities, and so something like writing a book or even posting reviews to a website serves to shape the reception of the art. An interesting topic to pursue would be the divergent paths of Boulez and Stockhausen, with the former becoming an esteemed conductor and not only championing the avant-garde, but also turning back to the once scorned romantic tradition, while Stockhausen followed an increasingly idiosyncratic path and became a revered figure for the 90s electronica movement, a "Father of Electronic Music"!

"Modern Music and After" is indispensable for anyone trying to understand the rich complexities of contemporary composition. I recommend Morgan's "Twentieth-Century Music" for the pre-WWII period, and Gann's "American Music in the Twentieth Century" for greater detail on the postwar U.S.

My writer brethren here neglected to mention that Griffiths in this reissue,brings us up-to-date a way of completing the tale he began over 20 years ago. Since that time composers have either grown up or become more important, some have fallen from graces completly. Brian Ferneyhough has grown up and Griffiths here gives ample evidence although brief and outlines in form, you read it,and it points you toward a greater exploration of his music. Likewise Morton Feldman became fascinated with the set of problematics concerning longer lengths in music's construction. Likewise the late Luigi Nono, this is the first real description in English of his summary work Prometeo,and gives a good perspective on him.Likewise the late Cage is discussed. Griffiths now writes for the New York Times, and he breathes some new life there of a seasoned reviewer.

Run IS/IT as a service business? Then you need this book which apply popular business consulting world technique to IS/IT. Value chain by M. Porter and 2x2 portfolio adapted from BCG are the two most important techniques to explore.

And you need to know where you are now and where you are going to in order to obtain a really useful strategy. The 3-era-5-stage reference model introduced here is a very powerful tool to position yourself right.

The authors also explored 4 important strategy subject areas for IS/IT: information, application, technology and resource. Which provide useful insight for us.

In one respect this book is a classic because it is frequently referenced in the body of literature on IS/IT management and IS/IT strategic planning. Out of the past 50 or so articles on the topic (including corporate and city/state/Federal government strategic plans, PHd dissertations and white papers) over 75% have cited this book.

This is not, however, a "how-to" book that describes a coherent strategic planning process. It's a collection of standalone chapters on each key element of strategic planning. The material is presented in sequential order, but no single chapter depends on another. Moreover, there is no smooth continuity between the chapters or a master chapter that ties it all together. That said, this book is valuable from two perspectives:

(1) Each chapter is highly focused and contains a wealth of information on its topic.

(2) Used as a collection of mature techniques this book could be used to support an effective strategic planning process.

The main value is the fact that each element of strategic planning is thoroughly covered. I frequently use this book as a catalog of procedures and techniques for numerous projects, including strategic planning, assessment, process improvement and IS/IT organizational improvement.

If you are seeking a book that shows step-by-step how to perform IS/IT strategic planning you may not like this book. However, if you are an experienced practitioner this book is a wonderful resource to which you'll find yourself frequently referring.

I've just finished using this as a text book in my Bsc final year. It is somewhat difficult to read as the writing is not in a flowing manner but it is an axcellent reference with a multitude of tables, charts, lists and diagrams which describe the essentials of strategic IS/IT planning.

Each chapter brings a succinct set of guidelines for the strategic planning novice. A lot of work has gone into compiling this book, it is a work which I will reference again and again.

Buy it if you're into this stuff at all, you won't regret it.

This book is an excellant source book for someone who does not know alot about period details. I learned alot from the book and while I work with antiques everyday I do not see these types of items that often. The book focused on museum quality pieces, not things the common man would find in most antique shops. I would still recomend this book, it is beautifully put together, cohesive and a pleasure to read.

In the subtitle of this book,change "Kye" to "Key"

I am planning to visit South Dakota this summer and since I manage to turn everything I do into an educational project I have been reading up and writing chambers of commerce for information. This book is written in the neutral public relations politically correct style of a guidebook. (Heaven forbid we ever say anything critical about the Indians or why we're still paying $1.5 billion a year for Indian health care.)In fact I believe the author has a PR background. He conveys a lot of information but he could have made the book much more interesting. For example, the story of the trapper Hugh Glass is one of the best stories ever. Glass was mauled by a grizzly and left for dead by his companions. He vowed revenge on those who left him and literally crawls back to civilization to kill the men who left him. However, the author here really does not get into the revenge theme. I had to get that from a Chamber publication. The pictures in the book are great and I would rate the pictures five stars. However, there just aren't that many books about South Dakota. So if you are going to South Dakota it probably is worth picking up. For an interesting book about the entire Great Plains which includes South Dakota read Great Plains by Ian Frazier, which is a five star book.

At first , I didn't think this book was of much help in planning my trip but the more I read it, the more great information I found. I would advise you to read it like a novel and not just skim through it looking for specific information.

An ideal book for those intending to visit South Dakota. As well as giving places to visit and stay it provides an interesting insight into the history of the state. A few more photographs would be even better.

Like so many modern philosophy books, *What Emotions Really Are* is not so much a systematic treatise as a loosely integrated collection of articles with its occasional gaps and redundancies - in the image of the ugly collage on the cover. It is divided into two parts : « Emotion » and « The Nature of Psychological Categories », the second of which contains a fifty-page digression on « natural kinds » with only a thin theoretical connection to the main topic of the book.

Griffiths does a good job reviewing the major modern theories of emotion and showing how the least defective of them do explain some of what folk psychology means by « emotion ». But his main thesis is that the latter category has to be rejected because it does not « carve nature at the joints » and actually covers a very heterogeneous collection of psychological phenomena. Griffiths proposes to replace it with several distinct categories like « affect programs », basic, stereotyped, transcultural and even transspecific responses ; more complex emotions that vary across cultures ; « socially sustained pretenses » based on some form of self-deception ; and « moods », a concept he parachutes in the last chapter.

The book contains a few interesting remarks on the nature / nurture dichotomy, explaining how even genetically encoded behaviour is not immune to environmental influences.

The more epistemological chapters, however, are typical of modern philosophy in their embarrassment with reality, their vacuous neologisms and their wonderfully droll verbal contorsions (« My concept of cat is about cats because its existence depends on cats by the particular kind of causal pathway appropriate to being about »). A particularly funny by-product of the absurdities blurted forward by modern philosophers is that commonsense gets to be « discovered » by even hipper philosophers who refer to it with such obscure jargon that you might not even recognize grandpa's down-to-earth wisdom. For instance, « Boyd 1991 » originated the principle of the « metaphysical innocence of theory construction », which tells us among other things that « the decision to classify certain events fifty years ago as child abuse has no effect on those events because no natural causal mechanism can reach them from the present. »

My favorite new concept is that of « causal homeostasis », which Griffiths introduces in an attempt to get rid of reality in his account of natural kinds. A category is said to have causal homeostasis if the correlations it identifies among its referents have « some underlying explanation that makes [the category] projectable », i.e. if the « theoretical significance » of these correlations is such that they can be extrapolated to « unobserved instances ». Apart from the jargon, this is not altogether silly. However, Griffiths uses it to give the concept of essence a « less metaphysical » (i.e. less reality-oriented) definition as « any theoretical structure that accounts for the projectability of a category »...

As a review of the psychological theories currently in vogue, this book can serve as a starting point for an exploration of these theories, if you really have to. But this is the most I can say for it.

I found this book very useful for expandng my knowledge about how science and psychology form logical categories of emotion. I think he makes a good case for the lack of specificity or clarity of thinking in using one class, emotion, for all the different terms people use for the feelings and emotions in daily life. Since this book was written Antonio Damasio has a new book, "The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotions In The Making of Consciousness. This work answers some of questions raised by Griffith concerning the higher cognitive feelings and the disclaimed actions or, as if, feelings. I think this book should be read alongside James Hillman's "Emotion" to give a more rounded historical and philosphical view to the topic. His writing style is abstract in that he often does not turn his concepts into description, instead points to another concept or idea which assumes the reader clearly understands both which I did not at times. Nevertheless, I recommend the book and learned alot from it.

This is a breath of fresh air, a thorough and detailed acccount of the scientific and philosophical issues behind human emotions that does justice to virtually all of the data. The author takes a definite stand against "propositional" theories of emotion (based on intuitively defined beliefs and desires), but makes very clear what the alternatives are and what data lies behind them from the major research programs.

One of the most interesting aspects is an excellent discussion of the power and limits of "adaptationism," where we may be able to explain emotions as evolved adaptive mechanisms, and where other explanations serve better.

This is a book that everyone with a slightly more than casual interest in evolutionary psychology or sociobiology can probably benefit from, whether they are proponents or critics. The reasoning behind evolutionary explanations and where they fall short is particularly good.

As might be expected, the author doesn't leave us with a specific theory of emotions so much as a renewed way of looking at the questions, and a better understanding of how to interpret data claimed to support a particular theory of emotions.

This book joins another one co-authored by Griffiths, "Sex and Death" also by Kim Sterelny, as two of the most useful books available for understanding the central issues for studying human psychology informed by biology.