When Dover decided to publish Modest Mussorgsky's toweringmusic drama, Boris Godunov, they made a rather unfortunatedecision. Rather than publishing Mussorgsky's own rough hewn, brilliantly emotional orchestration of the work, they opted for the sanitized re-orchestration by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. I tend to believe they chose Rimsky for two reasons: first, most reliable editions of Mussorgsky's version were edited relatively recently, and, therefore, still under editorial copyright. The finest edition they could find within public domain was the Soviet run State Music Publisher's edition of the Rimsky score, the edition they eventually published. In any event, it is a shame that music lovers cannot enjoy a reasonably priced Boris, written as Mussorgsky intended; a score that includes, for example, the Kromy Cathedral scene, injudiciously excised by Rimsky. Still, with all it's faults, the Rimsky Boris does not completely mute Mussorgsky's unique voice. Dover's edition, as usual, is nearly indestructable. The size of the score and size of the book would probably make this edition unsuitable for the podium. However, for the average Opera fan, this Boris is decidedly better than none.

A good introduction to the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. The book focuses primarily on Wright's residential work ("Fallingwater" is included), though there are a few churches, a civic center, and of course, the Guggenheim Museum. The photographs are terrific, but the writing is, while eloquent, nevertheless a bit lacking; one gets the impression the poor writer was hired merely to wrap words around the pretty pictures. Still, if you're new to the work of this masterful, prolific artist (as I am), this book serves as a good introduction.

Easy reading book which I would recommend for those who want a sort of "executive summary" of the story behind Wright and his works. Having said this, I found the depth and detail lacking for those who have read extensively about this architect whose noteriety is growing with time. Not for collectors unless you (like myself) want the book to help fill a spectrum of the vast number of publications which continue to come into popular view.

Not only is this the most boring book on the market but it is absolutely ridiculous. Historical facts are completely incorrect,(...)Worst of all, the grammar and vocabulary used in the book are just plain aweful. I have no idea how this book ever got published. Please go get your eyebrows waxed before reading this sad, painful garbage.

I have to agree with the other two reviewers. This is one of the silliest books that I have ever read. The grammar and syntax in this book are lamentable and it is extremely boring. This truly is some of the worst writing I've ever read. My advice is to run from any book that this man has the audacity to publish. Hardly a scholar and nowhere near being a writer, this author should truly give up!!

For as long as I can remember, I have had an interest in the biographies of great statesmen. I wanted to read about the lives of the men that have changed the world and understand what made them unique, what gave them the ability to be such influential historical figures. But reading about the bare-bones facts of a person's life does not reveal their inner motives; it does not tell the reader what forces drove these men to lead such influential lives. It was not until I read Rintala's book about the friendship between Churchill and Lloyd George that I discovered the missing link: combining psychology with biography. Not only does this book give the reader a fascinating perspective into the relationship between these two men, it tells the reader what forces shaped their personalities. I would recommend this book to anyone who is seriously interested in understanding the lives of two of the most powerful people of the 20th century. If you think you know the lives of Lloyd George or Winston Churchill by reading other biographies, your understanding of these two men will not be complete until you have read this book.

I have read at least ten books by this author. If I had not seen his name on the cover, I would not have suspected that he was the author. The material in the book is what he would believe, but the writing style is completely different. I suspect that his literary estate hired a ghostwriter to turn his notes into a complete book. Unfortunately, the book reads more like a Sunday school lesson for grammar school children than a book for intelligent adults. It is completely touchy-feely hand waving verbosity with a total lack of the usual compact, intelligent, logical form characteristic of the author.