Call this one an important lesson in the key of life. To celebrate the 300th birthday of everyone's fave instrument, author James Parakilas has written a book at once awesome and astounding, a stunning cultural history, told in vivid detail and ample anecdotes and stunning color photographs, of the musical and social roles that the piano has played in its long and amazing career. (It became so popular, for instance, as the result of not just ingenious mechanical design but also ingenious marketing.) An important book whether your tastes run to Beatles or Berlin, Liszt or Liberace. Tickle on!

Three hundred years of piano history are presented in a fine book which considers the place of the piano in classical and popular music alike. From the design, manufacturing and styles of the piano to the individuals who made their mark in music history with the piano, this includes a delightful range of color drawings and illustrations along with a lively history certain to delight any avid fan of the instrument.

This is a well written, concise and practical book that can serve as a valuable resource for members of any group, including the family unit. It inspired me and gives me hope that there is a way for people to learn how to come together in groups and solve our problems in a principled, creative process that works for the higher good of all concerned.

Frank Dukes, Marina Piscolish, and John Stephens have successfully collaborated on a book that takes a frank and honest look at what facilitators do in groups and how to do it better. The book is remarkably readable and has instant applicability not only to those of us in the business of mediation; the city administrator and elected official will also find the book extremely useful. I recommend it to my colleagues in the planning profession as a refreshing and rewarding approach to handling large group processes.

Many of the experiences of the new Russian imigrants captured in this book read like short stories with a beginning, a middle, and a moral. Essentially all of the stories are compelling even when the character is not sympathetic. The human struggle to persevere in the modern world is no where better captured than in the experience of leaving everything you have ever known to start again in a new country. As these are contemporary stories, many resonate.

A thoroughly enjoyable read. Well written, well structured. Extremely moving.

In this extraordinarily interesting book, a catalogue that accompanied an exhibition in England in 1999 - 2000, the authors and curators present figurative painting and sculpting in a fresh and original fashion. Dipping into the engravings of Vesalius and the amazingly detailed wax recreations of anatomic dissections which populated Medical Schools for centuries, we are introduced to an art form that preceeded drawing from the model in the studio. Never meant to be "art", these dissection models were high science at the same time serving to "glorify the magnificence of God's creation of man". Whatever the initial inspiration, when placed side by side with the Renaissance paintings of the various anatomy lessons (such as the fmous Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp) from Rembrandt through the 19th century to the present day explorations by the likes of Bill Viola and Tony Oursler they serve to enhance our understanding and appreciation for our own bodies as corporal science and as vessels of art. What a fine exhibition this must have been! Fortunately the thought vested in this significant collaboration has been captured in time in the form of this beautifully illustrated and documented book. Only one complaint: Why was this luxurious volume printed only in paperback form? This is an art book worthy of any artist committed to the figure and to all of us who admire figurative painting, sculpture and the wonder of the human form.

This is one of the most fascinating art books to cross my path in some time. The subject is the artistic representation of human anatomy.

This is the occasion for a fascinating tour of curiosa. Of course, you have a sequence of Dutch and American anatomy theatre group portraits. More interesting is the sculptures in wax of dissection, surgical, and anatomical models, handmade by what were apparently a group of mostly Italian scupltors. A fellow named Clemente Susini was apparently the Michaelangelo of this field. What makes these interesting is that they are not, as in the -Gray's Anatomy- images, merely displayed. Many are dramatically posed, in the overdone, theatrical poses of baroque painting. The image of them gesticulating as they spill their guts is mildly disconcerting.

There is an extensive discussion of écorché figures, flayed figures that display skinless human musculature. Collections of skeletons and bones, often arranged dramatically rather than clinically, are also featured. There is a large selection of ethnological portraits, and photographs of the insane.

The text is largely sympathetic to these forgotten creators who sought to combine art and science. Identity politics and post-structuralist hoodoo intrudes only slightly on the text, much less than you'd fear given these subjects. A fascinating book for those who are not easily disturbed.

The Pyrenees region blends both French and Spanish cuisine and culture, offering dishes which are a product of different cultural traditions. Both traditional and modern dishes from the region are included in Tastes Of The Pyrenees, Classic And Modern Range from Catalan Beef Stew and Oxtail Stew to Lobster and Rabbit with Lemon Butter. An excellent survey of changing Catalan food styles emerges. No photos, but the dishes are relatively easy to reproduce and don't need them.

I enjoyed that these recipes don't take all day to prepare, yet they are very authentic. The history of the region, wines and cultural influences are all addressed in this book as well, it's more than just a bunch of recipes! A nice addition to my cookbook collection.

This is a must have book for every Net Admin. I have read it from cover to cover in prep for my Cisco certs and find the information inside very usefull. The Author is very knowledgable in the subject and does a great job in explaining each section cearly.

This is an excellent book for those starting to look at their LANs and thinking of migrating into the VLAN environment. It gives a very nice background into different LAN types, protocols, and specifications. Incidentally, it makes a very nice generic LAN reference book - an nice complement to "TCP/IP Network Adminstration" by Graid Hung of O'Reilly :)

Joy! Shakespeare--undiluted--for everybody, either kids or adults! The layout of this book couldn't be more helpful. After a brief introduction, the compiler gets down to business. Each speech or poem is preceeded by a brief explaination, and after the selection, a small word-list to aid understanding. All are swathed in beautiful, dramatic paintings that are truly helpful for comprehension. All the famous lines are here, from Henry V's Agincourt "St. Crispin" speech, his inly-ruminating soliloquey about the nature of power, scenes from Macbeth, Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, and a couple of sonnets, and much more.

There are two things that are very impressive about this book. First, the compiler manages to introduce very adult themes about power,loyalty, etc., as well as the vocabulary of 400 years ago,even a brief explaination of iambic pentameter in a tone so chatty that you hardly realize you are learning. Second, the rich pictures impart a thirst for MORE Shakespeare. You'll hear, "Can we hear more? What's the rest of this story?" often!

Any publication that presents the Bard as accessable and enjoyable deserves a place in every school or public library, and certainly every home. Add this to Charles and Mary Lamb's "Tales of Shakespeare" as a new classic.

A perfect selection from Shakespeare's greatest plays with gorgeous artwork. An ideal introduction to Shakespeare for young people. With a smart and easy to read preamble describing Shakespeare's life and work and wonderful introductions to each poem, the book does a fantastic job of explaining how Shakespeare's work is both drama and poetry.

Book was more than I expected. A lot of detailed information. I was able to contact several marinas and get inquires answered. The CD was also excellent, a cruise could be planned with ease, for stop off points using dockage rates. Highly recommended for planning first time cruises.

A WONDERFUL book. I was first exposed to this book back in South Africa in 1990 when my son was born 2 months prematurely. Not having had children before and with my mother living many hundreds of kilometres away, I needed some guidance and something that I could rely on every day. This book had the answers to everything. Easy to read, easy to find things and most importantly, the advice given in the book was perfect every time. There are no photographs which I find unnecessary and detracting at times, but words of wisdom. The contents pages and index are very useful and one can find anything easily. The book is also written in plain English, no unnecessary medical jargon which one would need a medical dictionary to understand most books of this kind!!!! I have now had my second child, a daughter also born 2 months prematurely, some ten years later, my mother now thousands of kilometres away, and Marina has been there again to help me through the good and bad times of being a new mother. I have just received my Millennium Edition direct from Marina in South Africa and have read it through from cover to cover. It has taught me all the things that one forgets after ten years!!!! I would recommend this book to every expectant mother, new parent and longstanding parents, it will give you the sound advice that nobody else can give you. I also wish to take this opportunity of thanking Marina for such a wonderful book - keep up the good work. I also wish to congratulate her daughter, Chryssa, on the wonderful line drawings they are a pleasure to see when paging through the book.

Is it possible to prevent sibling rivalry from the start? Karen Hendrickson has found two important keys: help the oldest understand the normal wide range of feelings and (what other books lack) give him/her concrete, specific suggestions for successful ways to interact with that strange new creature (and ways to ask for attention from mom and dad). Instead of stopping with infancy, it continues to the challenging toddler years when baby becomes sometimes a playmate, sometimes a "nuisance". As a parent I found less "acting out" because my oldest felt understood and knew what TO do (instead of what NOT to do!) Thanks, Karen!