I enjoyed this book because the author obviously likes and respects Benjamin Franklin so the story of how he flew the kite is one of a celebration of Franklin. As an ex-US History I know the playful mischiefness wit of Franklin is lost in our classrooms. The book does a great job of exposing this other side of Franklin so often lost.

My copy is the 64-page paperback version, copyright 1975 by Scholastic Inc. An entertaining biography of Benjamin Franklin. Lots of the usual biographical information but with snippets of funny anecdotes sprinkled throughout. Complete with ample colorful illustrations.

Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays (1894-1984) was one of the most prominent educators, social reformists and civil rights and religious leaders of his time. This book magnificently captures a time in American history that is far too scarcely documented: the Post-Civil War segregation era, leading up to 1970. This book gives a very personal description of Dr. Mays's struggles for dignity, respect and integrity, while simultaneously touching upon the collective struggle of African-Americans. I recommend this book for anyone seeking a greater understanding of African-American and American history. Mr. Mays was a pioneer in social reform and civil rights, was the President of Morehouse College from 1940-67, was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and held the honor of being the "First" to hold several important and powerful positions in private and public organizations. He was a giant among men. I assure you that this is one of the best autobiographies that you will read.

This book has aged remarkably well. First published in 1964, it remains the best account of the Boston Tea Party in or out of print. In fact, it's something of a classic. It's easy to read, tells the story in all its complexity (which involves going beyond Boston to look at how opposition to the Tea Act played out in Charleston, Philadelphia, and New York), and places the "tea party" in the larger story of the American Revolution.

This is a wonderful book, photographed and printed beautifully. It revels in the textures of Botero's sculptures, (mostly large scale bronzes) and in their almost pneumatic volumes. Botero has always loved volume, generous and voluptuous volume, and he has always loved to play with scale, as one can see readily in his drawings and paintings. Nothing could be more natural for him than to make sculpture, where he could play with volume and scale and use his wry humor to delicious effect.

Until I saw this book, I had not been aware of how many sculptures Botero had made, but this thick tome shows there are many of them, and most have a magical and monumental presence, no matter what their actual size. I highly recommend this book, which will delight and amaze anyone who is inclined to like Botero's work.

Fernando Botero has never been in fashion in academic/art critic circles because his work is too accessible, too easy to like. Almost all of his work has a cartoonish quality that is disarming, often humorous, and easily accessible to people unschooled in the arcane art theories of the moment. Indeed, who wants critics and theoreticians around to distract one from the sheer enjoyment of what Botero has to offer? And enjoyment is what this book is about.

Botero's drawings are charming in both their subject matter and their execution, and this book shows them off superbly. Mixtures of watercolor, pencil, charcoal, or pastel, on paper or often on raw canvas, their techniques are varied and interesting. Admittedly their quality is somewhat variable, but at their best they are wry, eloquent, and riveting. Based on this book, I would love to own some of these drawings, but failing that, I am glad to own this book.

You are fond of the music of Benjamin Britten; you also collect recordings of his music; you also collect scores, programs of Britten performances, other ephemera. You may even be asked to write or talk about the music in general, or about a specific work.

In short, you are a Britten buff. And it would be nice if there were a complete, detailed, chronological list of all his works, together with information about first performances, or other useful background notes on the composition and its performance.

You need wish no more. Here is your book, the only one you'll need. Complete, detailed, chronological, including an extensive bibliography, a list of recordings, even notes on incidental musical and occasional works. It is a thorough, no-nonsense catalog, lovingly compiled by John Evans, Philip Reed, and Paul Wilson, and published by the Pears-Britten Library in Aldeburgh, the seat of the annual Aldeburgh Festival.

It is hard to imagine a more useful book. No Britten-lover can afford to be without it.

This is one of the most interesting "musical analysis" books I have read. It is a useful book for any composer to read, and for others, too, I'm sure.

I have read several of the books in the Cambridge Music Handbooks Series. The purpose of the books in this series is to aid the listener in understanding the theoretical/analytical aspects of the music (such as form, recurring thematic material, growth process, etc.) as well as the historical background of the piece, including critical reaction to the premiere of the work.

The book is divided logically into four chapters. The first chapter deals with Britten's pacifist beliefs and how they led to his encounter with the poetry of Wilfred Owen, a soldier who had been killed in World War I. Owen turned out a small body of poetry during the last two years of the war, nine of which Britten chose to use in his Requiem, along with the text for the Latin Mass of the Dead.

The second chapter gives the historical background of the piece: commission, composition, and the premiere performance.

The third chapter is subtitled "The musical language: idiom and structure." This chapter details the musical content of the piece and how it conforms or deviates from the traditional Requiem formula set up by Mozart and Verdi. This chapter is the "meat" of the book as far as this critic is concerned. In understanding the musical content, one is better equipped to listen with an ear of understanding instead of ignorance.

The final chapter reveals the critical reception of the piece, which was extremely positive. Most critics immediately hailed this work as Britten's masterpiece. As the author states, "it is difficult to call to mind any other major twentieth-century work which met with such instantaneous and unanimously high praise from almost all sectors of the media."

In conclusion, I can highly recommend this book without hesitation if you are at all interested in the music of the twentieth century. Britten was clearly a brilliant composer; the War Requiem is, arguably, his masterpiece; and this book is a fine tribute to a wonderful piece of music.

This history of the House of David is objective, informative, and very well documented. The author conducted interviews with members, ex-members, and people who were in one way or another had interactions with the group and has many first hand stories included in the book. I enjoyed reading about all the things the group was involved in, made, invented, and the impact they had on the surrounding area and America as a whole.

The pictures included in the book enhance the text by giving faces to associate with some of the people involved in the group.

A fascenating history of one prophet, two cities, and the many good people who lived the religion. Well done, Mr. Adkin!