Kaspar Hauser's life was somewhat different from that of the typical feral child (there's an oxymoron for you). Unlike, say, Victor of Aveyron, Kaspar was deliberately imprisoned for approximately twelve years, beginning from the time he was about 4. At about age 16, Kaspar was suddenly and inexplicably released and set loose to wander the streets of Nuremburg. Anselm Von Ritter Feuerbach took the boy in and treated him kindly even as he observed him closely, keeping a notebook on Kaspar. This notebook is here printed in English for the first time, translated by Jeffrey Masson, who gives a history of Kaspar's life after his release as well. At the age of 19, two men tried to murder Kaspar; a couple of years later, they tried again, stabbing him several times. He died three days later. Why was this done? Apparently the rapid progress Kaspar had made in learning to both speak and write German quite fluently and articulately, and especially the memories that were beginning to come to the surface, posed quite a threat to someone. Masson puts forward for an English speaking audience a theory commonly found in Hauserian scholarship: Kaspar was the crown prince of a small nation, switched at birth at the instigation of one Countess Louisa in favour of her brat. Naturally, both the reputations and positions of quite a few people depended on Kaspar's silence. Masson puts forward many facts to support this theory; it would be well-nigh impossible to doubt that this theory is correct, even though it sounds like one of Grimm's less cosy fairy tales. Intriguing though all this is, however, the fact of Kaspar's confinement looms over the book, making it impossible to get any real enjoyment out of reading it. The description of Kaspar's life in a tiny dungeon is disgusting and disturbing. If you are at all inclined to be emotional, or if your life is not happy right now, I'm not sure you will want to read this book--it can be very upsetting to think about (perhaps that's why it's out of print). But maybe not. On the other hand, those interested in psychology should definitely read this book whether they like it or not--it'll be useful. I would recommend this book very heartily to all if I myself had not been quite so upset by reading it; forget my comments and judge it for yourself.

Masson has gone back to original source material (and even discovered some documents long thought lost) to re-examine the story of Kaspar Hauser. With his background in psychology, he was able to analyze the story like no previous writer had, and come to some surprising revelations, not the least of which Kaspar may well have been a member of German royalty, and was quite likely imprisoned and killed for just that reason. Though I gave the book five stars, I do have some minor complaints: 1) Masson is a believer in Recovered Memory Syndrome, 2) he doesn't consider any physiological causes for Hauser's seeming lack of education and his subsequent steep learning curve (Charles Fort, oddly enough, is the only one to present convincing evidence that a bump on the head could have caused temporary amnesia, which then gradually receded as time went on), 3) he doesn't explain why Hauser was released from his imprisonment, especially after so many years, 4) Though he had asked a few pediatricians about the effects of long-term nutritional deficiences (Hauser supposedly subsisted on just bread and water), it is distressing that none of them could tell Masson anything specific (Just for the record, scurvy from Vitamin C deficiency, marasmus and hypoalbuminemic-type PEM (kwashiorkor) from too little protein and other nutrients, and rickets from Vitamin D deficiency, just to name some examples). Still, this book is worth it just for the Introduction alone, and is likely to remain the definitive work on this mysterious child.

Some books are meant to be page turners. When you buy one of those, you put an extra log on the fire, make some hot chocolate, and read till you fall asleep.

That plan of attack will not work with LOST PRINCE. You may as well try to read the complete works of Sigmund Freud in one sitting. Yet LOST PRINCE is as brilliant as it is disturbing. You may stop reading at the end of a chapter, but you will not stop thinking about this book.

The German language has turned Kaspar Hauser into a cliche of sorts. Someone who's vexing and exasperating, yet basically innocent and naive, is called a "Kaspar". German majors at most universities learn only the roughest information about him, generally in terms of his being an interesting case study for how people turn out when they are denied human contact in their formative years.

But Kaspar's story is so much more than that. It is child abuse, political intrigue, good vs. evil, and a murder mystery all rolled into one. When you finish this book, you still cannot tell the bad guys from the good. All you know is that Kaspar Hauser was treated like no human should ever have been treated, and that nothing he could have done would ever justify the inhumanity of the persons who placed him in that dark and cruel prison.

It is therefore a little eerie to realize that all this took place 101 years before Hitler, in a city called Nuremberg.

An important book, however, deficient in a full translation. Well worth the price if you cannot afford, "Witches, Devils, and Doctors in the Renaissance" in "Medieval & Renaissance texts & studies" Volume 73 which is a full translation. While other works (Malleus Maleficarum, Demonolatry, Daemonologie, Compendium Maleficarum, Saducismus Triumphatus, ect.) dealing with the subject on witchcraft and demonology, taught that the individuals were, "Servants of Satan." Johann Weyer reported that many of these individuals were mentally disturbed as well as having an illness. Weyer believed in demons and hell, however, did not believe that every person accused of witchcraft was in league with the devil. A very important book on the reality witchcraft and demonology. A must read for any occultist, historian, and layman.

"On Witchcraft" is an abridged translation of Johann Weyer's important work "De Praestigiis Daemonum". Weyer was a Dutch physician and a follower of the Renaissance humanist Erasmus and a student of the mystic Cornelius Agrippa. Weyer was deeply concerned with the rise of the belief in the diabolism of witchcraft and the subsequent tortures and executions that followed in the 15th and 16th centuries. His answer to this concern was this present work, first published in 1563. "De Praestigiis Daemonum" argues against the belief, prevalent at the time, that witchcraft was a real and tangible danger and that witches and sorcerers operated through a pact with the Devil. Weyer was a Christian and believed in the existence of demons and the Devil, but argued that witchcraft, as it was popularly believed, could not exist. He argued on medical, legal, and theological grounds that witches were in many cases mentally deluded, senile, or ill, and that in fact they were no more guilty of diabolic crimes than any other mentally ill invalid. He also argues on the grounds of Roman Law that any contract supposedly made with Satan would be impossible and that the Bible says nothing of such pacts. Weyer found himself, like his contemporary anti-witchcraze writer Reginald Scot, beseiged by critics on all sides and was accused of being nothing more than an anti-Catholic heretic. He was singled out particularly by the famous French jurist and demonologist Jean Bodin who contradicted much of what Weyer argued. Weyer has come down through history as being important to the history of psychiatry and rationalism. His work was important at the time as being a lonely voice against the rising tide of the witchcraze and remains important to modern readers as a window on the mind of the 16th century and the contemporary debate on the existence of witchcraft and demonic magic.

On Witchcraft is an abridged translation of Johann Weyer's "De praestigiis daemonum". This seminal antiquarian study by Weyer (1515-1588) was introduced in 1563 at the height of the witchcraft craze and published in its entirety in 1583. Benjamin K. Kohl and H.C. Erik Midelfort are two outstanding Renaissance historians who worked for nearly a quarter of a century to translate and make available this seminal text for contemporary students of medieval and renaissance history, metaphysics, folklore, psychology, religion, and the history of witchcraft.

This is a very unique book. The layout of the music makes it seem as if it has 2 books in One! ie. worth the money. The first half consists of the difficult Fantasia and Fugue in a- minor, a fugue in G-Major.The strange "Little Harmonic Labyrinth" (BACH'S ONLY!)a non-tonal peice. The frollicing Fuga et G-Major "JIG",Fugue in D-Major. A concerto in G-Major(571)and the one in Es (E-flat)Major.Trios in G,c,and G. Plus the Delightful Aria in F-Major. The "SECOND BOOK" consists of 18 questionable chorale preludes by Bach.

I recently bought this book for my personal musical enjoyment (and to play out of). It consists of the Six trio sonates for 2 manuels and pedal. The sonates are: 1. E-flat major 2. c-minor 3. d-minor 4. e-minor 5. C-Major 6. G-Major It also includes the Pasacaglia in c-minor, and the beautiful pastoral in F-MAJOR. The book has clear print and nice sized measures. It also has a preface in the beginning.

I recently attended a 40 hour session of master classes that focused on interpretation of Baroque music on the modern guitar. Most of the attendees were students at conservatories - the general consensus was that this edition is superb. There may be others as good, but this one is certainly up to standard. During the class, we often referred to this edition to correct errors in the other student's scores.

Of course, any transcription for the guitar makes changes, drops some notes, looses some voices, etc. The maestro's opinion (a specialist in music of the period) was that the compromises in this edition are quite fine.

Of course, one should always have as close to the original texts as possible for reference.

The text is for advance guitarist. Fingering made perfect musical sense. One of the best by far of J.S. Bach lute transciptions. Notation based from the original works are available for study or evaluation. This work is a necessary tool for those interested in The Lute Suites.

Through Bach's private documents you fin the real ma

This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the life and music of J.S. Bach. Not only are there translations of every known piece of writing by him, and every important document about him, but many of his contemporaries and those in the following generation are quoted on their views of Bach's stature and achievement. There is also the complete text of the first biography of Bach, written in 1802 by J.N. Forkel and drawing on information from Bach's sons Friedemann and Emanuel. This book has so much valuable and fascinating information in such a small compass that music lovers will be drawn to it again and again

As a secondary piano student at the Eastman School of music, I find this book straightforward. The musical scores are of good size and easy to read/follow. The musical expression is also clearly marked to aid in playing. A good edition to play from.

This is an excellent compilation of Burgmuller's works. A must for any private piano studio or Univ. professor with an large number of "non-piano major" piano students...

For those familiar with the "Oxford Companion to ..." series, you will see that this lives up to the name. There is a lot of good information on his works and life here. I only give it 4 stars because it works better as a reference-type book to scroll through once in a while, and not quality literature to read in a few sittings.

The life of Johann Sebastian Bach - straddling two centuries and placing an indelible mark on the development of symphonic music - is a complex and multifaceted saga, but Professor John Butt and his talented crew of co-authors get straight to the bottom of it. Bach grew up at the tail end of the 16th century. As a young student at the Latin Grammar School (where Martin Luther himself once studied) he was a classic child prodigy, dismissed by jealous teachers as excessively cheeky, and simultaneously made the butt of cruel jokes concocted by the lesser students who were deeply behind him. To make things far worse, both of his parents died when he was only nine, and for a period he was reduced to selling buns in the street and living in an abandoned caboose. However opportunity opened the door just a crack when he was a late teen. This came when he moved to the small town of Arnstadt to try his hand as an organist - a fateful journey during which illness and hunger almost took him, until a kindly cattle-farming family nursed him back to health on a hearty diet of potatoes, rump roast, and healthy dairy air. At Arnstadt he wrote most of his best-loved early pieces, and while he toiled in seeming anonymity at the rear of the church, the congregation was truly over the moon about him, often straining to hear his gentle melodies over the odious sound of the preacher muttering darkly about Sodom and Gomorrah. At the time the town was a real hole, but Bach's uplifting passion for music rectified the situation for him and kept him from going under. Soon many of his most famous baroque pieces were in the can. Bach's longest residence was of course in the city of Leipzig from 1723 to 1750, where he progressed from early middle age until his doddering later years as an old duffer. It was in Leipzig that his met his longtime Welsh companion, Fanny W. Tokus, who was to so ease his journey into the ranks of the elderly. Professor Butt's thoughtful scholarship made this book a real gas to read, and it's uplifting to think that someone so handicapped by his very nom de plume could persuade such an erudite and impressive group of credentialed co-writers to hitch their wagons to his tailpipe.

This is a pretty good book for fiddling around with, but I wish it had more markings like dynamics and accents.

Dover Publications are very good. Lots of room for notes. : ) Excellent price.

While the above review is of course very helpful, potential buyers and readers may want to know from someone who has actually read the book that it is indeed excellent. Neuhauser's book is in fact a "must-read" for anyone looking for a clear, well-written, and theoretically-informed treatment of Fichte's cryptic but groundbreaking account of self-consciousness. Readers with a healthy background in Kant will benefit most from the book. However, it is not written for specialists in the field. Anyone interested in understanding some of the basic moves in post-Kantian idealism would do well to start here.

I actually haven't read this book but Professor Neuhouser is my writing professor at the university I go to and he is a wonderful writer and wonderful philosopher. All of his ideas he presents to us in class are well-formulated and thought out and he cultivates this same thought and philosophy in us. I am going to read this book as soon as I have a chance.

All it took to get Fichte to collapse into a claim that he was merely a philosopher by 1800, when he wrote a few of his defenses in this book, was the charge that he was being atheistic in his faith in a moral world order rather than the kind of proofs of God that Kant had found unconvincing. His ideas about a moral world order make more sense to me as a philosophy than the concepts that make up more of this book. In our time, being considered an atheist has its defenders among those who consider themselves as respectable as other people, so I can't sympathize with those educated people who believe that God can't be defined in a moral way. There still is a tendency to condemn individuals for clinging to their own views, and Fichte's admission that any minister who declared from the pulpit that Fichte now has it right, while the church has been wrong all these years, could be removed from his pulpit for official incompetence. Philosophy is not really being defended against much when the main defense is that it is just a philosophy. The moral world order may be even less believable now, since Kafka and Walter Kaufmann in EXISTENTIALISM FROM DOSTOEVSKY TO SARTRE declare that the moral order is based on a lie. Fichte is lucky he didn't try saying that in 1800.

Breazeale,perhaps the foremost Fichte scholar in the English speaking world, gives a lucid translation of Fichte's classic, but sadly, underexamined work. Most notably, Breazeale's informative introduction provides the reader with a synopsis of Fichtean thought and the historical background in which it developed. Will be of interest to anyone interested in German philosophy after Kant. Highly recommended.