I rate this book 5 stars because it gives you all the information you need on gissing. I had to write a four page paper on him and it gave me everything I needed. I wish that there were more books in the world that gave that much information on one single, simple little subject. I haven't seen a book in years that has actually had all the information you need all in one book. I didn't have to find 6 or 7 books just to write a 3 or 4 page paper. I exceeded my number of pages and my teacher gave me an A on the paper and it brought my grades alot and he told me if I would keep writing papers like that then I would have and A in his class I am glad that I made that grade now I can complete other papers like that and get a higher grade in a class.

Balanchine - the choreographer genius of this century had already begun creating ballets as a fifteen year old student - and he carried on creating master pieces well into advanced age. But, Balanchine has in the past, unfortunately, been the victim of criticism amounting to slander. A lot of people have poured out quantities of venom; therefore this volume is doubly welcome. A great number of dancers and people associated with dance have given their testimonies - totalling 85 in all, including some medical experts giving their views on Balanchine's final and fatal sickness. Most people contributing to this anthology seem to have a very balanced and realistic view and it is highly readable. We must always remember that Balanchine with all his quirks and at times weird ideas was one of the absolute master choreographers of this century - maybe even THE master. In the century to come, he will certainly take his place in the hierarchy alongside Petipa, Fokin, Ashton et al and will live forever throu his master pieces which will always be performed. I strongly recommend this book. .

It was one of the best true crime books that I have ever read.

I could not put this book down; an unbelievable true crime tale that boggles the mind. to imagine a person would kill another person (by poison), because of something as petty as the music being too loud-it is absolutely frightening. It is to the detectives' credit who investigated this case that they were open enough in their investigation to go beyond the family members and look at other suspects, ultimately discovering the neighbor next door as the probable culprit. Susan Goreck was extremely courageous going undercover and she also reveals her humanity as she had feelings on various levels while trying to get this man to give his secrets to her; if they had not found the thallium in his old house, they would never have been able to prosecute him successfully.

A fascinating book, which neither idolized Black Bart, or demonizes him either. Hoeper has really done his research. I never knew the full story about Black Bart before. This story fills in lots of the gaps that people don't know.

The only complaint I had was that at the end, Hoeper's "new evidence" that Black Bart died in Nevada is nothing more than a mild... "It might have been him." I expected some evidence. To this day, nobody REALLY knows what happened to Bart after he got out of prison.

Other than a mild letdown at the end, I still HIGHLY reccommend this book. A fascinating story of one of the Old West's most "larger than life" characters.