Related Subjects: Author Index Reviews Page 1 2
Book reviews for "Martin,_Wendy" sorted by average review score:

Great Writers & Kids Write Mystery Stories (Great Writers & Kids Anthologies)
Published in Paperback by Random House (Merchandising) (1997)
Authors: Martin H. Greenberg, Jill M. Morgan, Robert E. Weinberg, Scott Turow, Joan Lowery Nixon, Sharyn McCrumb, Wendy Hornsby, Stuart M. Kaminsky, Barbara D'Amato, and Max Allan Collins
Amazon base price: $12.99
Average review score:

A BOOK TO BE TREASURED BY ADULTS AND CHILDREN.
This is a wonderful anthology. Top-notch mystery writers and their children (and, in some cases, grandchildren) collaborated on a variety of entertaining stories.

Pay particular attention to "Releve", the story contributed by Patricia Wallace and her daughter. This story introduces us to Sydney Bryant, the private eye that Pat Wallace has featured in a terrific series for adults. The titles in the series include "Deadly Devotion" and "Blood Lies".

Other outstanding stories include those by Wendy Hornsby, Scott Turow, Stuart Kaminsky, and Sharyn McCrumb (and their collaborators). This is a book that parents can read and enjoy with their children. It might inspire them to collaborate on some mystery stories of their own!

I look forward to reading the companion volume, "Great Writers and Kids Write Spooky Stories". I

mini-lesson on mystery writing

"When you think of a mystery, what comes to mind? A dark secret? An unsolved crime? A curious detective hunting for clues?"

The only mystery, the only secret, the only crime is how this anthology could be so easily overlooked. "Great Writers and Kids Write Mystery Stories" (1996) is a collection of stories written by some of today's greatest mystery authors in collaboration with their children and grandchildren. Jonathan Kellerman, Sharyn McCrumb, and Scott Turow are three of the thirteen award-winning writers that create wonderous whodunits with their offspring, ages 6 to adult.

While written at about the junior high/ middle school level, this complilation is enjoyable to all. The stories are five to several pages. Some are written with the child as the amateur detective, some are written as a type of psychological thriller.

The introduction serves as a "mini-lesson" on mystery writing. And, each story features a short personal introduction by the adult and child writing team on what it was like to collaborate on their included story. Other contributors include Barbara D'Amato, Ed Gorman, Stuart Kaminsky, Elizabeth Engstrom, and many others.

This book has the unique ability to be educational as well as entertaining. Those that enjoy this book may also enjoy the first volume as well: "Great Writers and Kids Write Spooky Stories" (1995).


An American Triptych : Anne Bradstreet, Emily Dickinson, Adrienne Rich
Published in Paperback by Univ of North Carolina Pr (1984)
Author: Wendy Martin
Amazon base price: $17.95
Average review score:

A must for anyone interested
This book is a must for anyone interested in the 3 title poets. Wendy Martin does an excellent job in her analysis of these great female poets. She provides necessary backgound information along with correlative interpretation and history of the authors' works. This book is not only a informative and helpful tool, but it is an interesting read.


Field Hockey (Spalding Sports Library)
Published in Paperback by McGraw Hill - NTC (1993)
Authors: Wendy Martin and William F. Axton
Amazon base price: $12.95
Average review score:

This book helped me to get on the varsity field hockey team!
At the beginning of the summer, I had no idea how to play field hockey but I knew that I was going to be trying out for the team. So I bought this book. This book taught me almost everything that I needed to know about field hockey! Now I am the only freshman on the varsity field hockey team!!! I highly recomend this book to anyone who wants to learn about this sport.


A Kitchen in Corfu
Published in Paperback by Orion Publishing Co (31 March, 1993)
Authors: James Chatto and Wendy Martin
Amazon base price: $
Average review score:

A wonderful surprise
This is absolutely a wonderful book. It does an excellent job in depicting the life, culture, and history of rural Corfu. The food recipes are wonderful. However, I have to emphasize that this is not just another recipe book. It is more of an inside look into the life of rural Corfu.


The Brazilian Sound
Published in Paperback by Temple Univ Press (01 July, 1994)
Authors: Chris McGowan, Ricardo Pessanha, Martin Mazen Anbari, William Scott Biel, Randall S. Humm, Wendy S. Lader, and Beate Anne Ort
Amazon base price: $59.95
Average review score:

The Brazilian Sound
The Brazilian Sound is good as far as it goes - a who's who list and discography of 20th century Brazilian music. Although, the book has the feel of a junior college textbook, it's written in plain language. It would be a relatively easy read if it were not that a parenthetical list of Brazilian names breaks up every third or fourth paragraph. There are some very informative passages - notably the chapter on Bossa Nova and the "Escolas de Samba" section of Chapter 2. At their best, the authors provide clear and comphrensive explanations of the geneology and sociological context of the music.

Unfortunately, unless a person is willing to spend countless shopping hours and a couple of thousand dollars building up collection of Brazilian records, he or she will gain almost no insight from this book into what the music feels like. The authors describe individual works and artists in only vague terms - terms often identical to those previously used to describe others. They beat the term "syncopation" into irrelevance - it's clear only that all Brazilian music is syncopated. The authors habitually refer to folk music genres and song forms ala "Composer X's work is all based on the Y song form..." But they provide no practical examples or definitions of those genres or forms.

The authors stridently dumb-down their text, accepting as axiom that one has to "hear it to believe it" and that it is meaningless to describe Brazilian music in technical terms. They generally refrain from even using common musical terms - bar, measure, pulse, key, etc. - to give the reader a clearer understanding of Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic structures. They use few effective musical comparisons or verbal metaphors. It is understandably difficult to describe music in writing. But it is possible. Judicious use of metaphor, comparisions, and technical descriptions would have greatly fleshed out what in the end comes off as a skeletal text.

This 1998 edition serves as the update to the first, apparently published in 1990 or 1991. However, the amendments appear to have been quite minor - embodied by an isolated paragraph here and there, and four meager pages in the final "More Brazilian Sounds" chapter. It's as if nothing has really happened in the evolution of Brazilian music since 1990 - an impression that must be wrong.

The Brazilian Sound catalogs decent research, but is neither good writing nor effective music history.

The Standard Reference For Brazilian Music
The best book ever written about Brazilian music in English, "The Brazilian Sound" is a beautifully written, in-depth guide to samba, bossa and other Brazilian genres. Many of the reviews below are on the mark, but BGB from WA seems not to have read the book (or to have read a different book!). The 1998 edition substantially upgrades the original 1991 version. There is much added in terms of early history, capoeira, racial issues, choro, and the blocos and afoxes in Bahia. There is more on important artists from the 1990s, like Marisa Monte, Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, Chico Cesar, Chico Science and Karnak, though these additions are in various chapters, not just the final one ("More Brazilian Sounds"). One needs to have actually read the book to know that, of course...The music is nicely described, in both musical and cultural terms. One gets a strong sense of how it sounds, and a clear understanding of its rhythmic, harmonic and melodic ingredients. Some of the writing is rather encyclopedic, dispensing a rather staggering amount of information, while many sections vividly convey a sense of the music. I often felt I was at a bossa nova club in '59, at an escola de samba rehearsal, watching one of the 1960s song festivals, or attending a forro party. "The Brazilian Life" brings to life both the current and past greats of Brazilian music. As a result, I added quite a few CDs to my collection, especially of artists like Milton Nascimento, Pixinguinha, Jobim and Marisa Monte. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

The best English-language overview of Brazilian music
You could fill a book with all the information I _don't_ know about Brazilian music... In fact, these guys already have! Concise, conversational, informative and very well laid out, this is an exceptionally readable book. Chapters on samba, bossa nova, tropicalia, forro and jazz include focused biographical sketches of dozens of key artists, as well as succinct historical information about the progress of Brazilian music from its European and African folk roots into its bewildering and often beautiful modern offshoots. The book's focus is nonpartisan: although there is plenty of room for aesthetic criticism within the various styles, the authors generally hold their preferences and dislikes to themselves. They do, however, give readers a good sense of which recordings might be best to check out -- an invaluable service considering how little of Brazil's vast musical output makes it to the United States. Highly recommended! Certainly the best English-language guide to Brazilian pop that you will find in print (online is a different matter), this is great for casual listeners and hardcore fans alike.


Safe Without Sight: Crime Prevention and Self-Defense Strategies for People Who Are Blind
Published in Paperback by Natl Braille Pr (01 July, 1998)
Authors: Wendy David, Kerry Kollmar, Scott McCall, Diane Croft, Susan R. Martin, and Webb Chappell
Amazon base price: $23.35
Average review score:

Self-defense techniques and strategies for blind people
From the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, December 1998

In July 1995, clients at the Center for the Visually Impaired (CVI) in Atlanta pioneered the first class in a unique program called Safe Without Sight. The program was inspired by requests from several newly blinded men and women who were concerned about their personal safety when they traveled alone. To design the course, CVI director Scott McCall drew on the expertise of Wendy David, a blind psychologist who has done extensive research on perceived vulnerability and blindness; and Kerry Kollmar, a martial arts instructor with a special interest in teaching people with disabilities. Now David, Kollmar, and McCall have distilled the Safe Without Sight program into a to illustrate two of their overarching concepts, "paying attention to your surroundings" and "listening to your inner voice." ...

Safe Without Sight is divided into two sections, covering how to avoid danger and how to escape from it. Some of the information in Part One is fairly general U.S. crime statistics and common misconceptions about victims and attackers. Yet the authors keep their audience in mind, bringing the discussion back to situations blind people may be likely to meet. These situations are not inherent in blindness per se, but they may arise as a blind person goes about living an active life. For example, blind people often depend on public transportation and may find themselves waiting at lonely bus stops. They must on occasion speak to strangers to get directions or find a particular street address. They may also run into safety issues when dealing with readers, drivers, and other hired assistants.

HOW TO THINK, TALK, AND ACT

"Being blind doesn't mean you need to feel or look vulnerable," the authors write. "It does mean you need to learn specific ways of thinking, talking, and acting so that you can live safely." Part One presents a "mind set" that can help a blind person move through the world with a minimum of risk. First and most important is the need to develop an awareness of the environment. By paying close attention to sounds and smells, by carrying a clear mental map of the surroundings, the blind traveler is less likely to be taken by surprise and turned into a victim. Intuition is also a key element of safety. The authors emphasize that "funny feelings" about a person or situation should never be ignored. They also encourage the reader to think about setting boundaries with both strangers and acquaintances.

The first line of self-defense is to avoid a dangerous situation altogether. The authors furnish a variety of tips for preventing trouble at home, on the street, and in the workplace. But even the most careful precautions are no guarantee.

FIGHTING TECHNIQUES

Part Two of Safe Without Sight deals with the harsh realities of life-and-death struggle, when survival depends on wit, skill, and sheer determination. The book systematically outlines an array of techniques that a blind person can use to disable or break away from an attacker.

Pivotal to the Safe Without Sight program is the "universal reference point." By touching this point, the juncture between the opponent's neck and shoulder, a blind person can quickly become oriented to his or her position. If it is not possible to reach the shoulder area, the person can find a foot by sliding his or her own foot along the ground. Orienting to the opponent's body is an extension of the general awareness that is stressed in Part One. With a sense of the opponent's height, size, and movements, a blind person can minimize the disadvantages of fighting without the aid of vision.

A SERIES OF EXERCISES

As the authors point out, reading these chapters once or twice is not enough. A series of recommended exercises, carried out with a friend or instructor, will help reinforce the various fighting techniques. Real proficiency will require a major commitment. However, even readers who do not master the program's self- defense techniques can glean much valuable and thought-provoking information from these pages.

FIGHTING WITHOUT A CANE

Safe Without Sight left me with only one serious concern. To perform most of the fighting techniques described, a blind person should have both hands free. This means that the person must put down his or her cane, taking the chance that it may roll or be kicked out of reach during the ensuing struggle. This could prove dangerous once the person breaks free from an opponent and needs to escape in a hurry. I wish that the authors had addressed this important logistical problem, since it could have a powerful effect on the outcome of a violent encounter.

Sighted people usually regard blindness as a sign of helplessness and weakness. The general public sees danger for blind people everywhere-in climbing a flight of stairs, striking a match, or chopping celery. The assumptions in Safe Without Sight are refreshingly different. This is a book that shows utter respect for the capabilities of people who are blind, even in situations that would be harrowing to the most intrepid. Safe Without Sight conveys the message that, like everyone else, blind crime victims can have a fighting chance.


The Arts and Crafts Lifestyle and Design
Published in Hardcover by Watson-Guptill Pubns (01 September, 2000)
Authors: Wendy Hitchmough and Martin Charles
Amazon base price: $24.50
List price: $35.00 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

Can't find its niche
Wendy Hitchmough's "The Arts & Crafts Lifestyle and Design" is a frustrating, yet beautiful-looking book that covers the Arts & Crafts movement by focusing on how it was influenced by changes in popular culture, the advent of scientific "modernity", and anti-Victorian backlash.

The book's layout focuses on each room in the home and why it evolved in the Arts & Crafts style. Taking references from the era's periodicals that covered the style, "The Craftsman" and "The House", Hitchmough provides historical background that seeks to makes sense of the style. Simplicity of design evolved from anti-Victorianism. Cues from nature came from the burgeoning naturalist and conservation movements, along with interest in all things Asian. Older building practices were combined with new advances.

The lifestyle portions of the book point out how radically different from Victorian ideals was the new movement. The roles of the master and mistress of the home showed them as more at tune with the outside world, more aware of personal health and fitness, and far more sexually aware (more about this further on.) How the Arts & Crafts home functioned from day to day is discussed in detail, as well.

The book covers the style as best portrayed in Britain and the United States. Designers from both sides of the pond are detailed. The lush photography of Martin Charles wraps up the pretty package.

But there are distinct problems with the book. It doesn't have a real niche. It's too wordy and historical to be a good coffee table book. The layout of chapters by room, while possibly good for highlighting the lifestyle choices, makes this a hard book to use as a reference manual for the style. There are glaring limitations, too. Far too much focus is given to a few designers and homes that drove the movement - it is not as broad an overview of all designers and practices as one would like. And while the lifestyle portions are interesting, there seems to be an overt focus on sexuality that I found peculiar for a book of this type.

In short, I believe the book tries to accomplish too much and therefore fails to excel in any one aspect. By trying to shoehorn several books into one, the author has given us the average of other works. And that is less than fully satisfying for those of us looking for more in-depth analysis.

Still, for anyone seeking an overview of Arts & Crafts design and concepts as espoused in the lifestyle of the era, this is as good a place to start as any. The quality and design of the book raise it an extra star, saving it from being merely fair.

Discussion of the Arts and Crafts Lifestyle
The Arts and Crafts Lifestyle and Design is a historical perspective on the design principles and the lifestyle (i.e. how the houses were used) by people involved in this design movement. It is very well written with wonderful photographs. It is, however, organized in a manner as to make using this book for research on the artists or the designs difficult. Rather than highlighting individual artists of the movement and their work, it is arranged by the basic rooms of the houses. For example, dining rooms are discussed using various designers and houses. I would have found it more useful had the individual houses or each artist been discussed more and in the same location in the book. The book does bring to light the changes in the structure of Victorian society and houses with that of the Arts and Crafts Movement.


More Bio-Fuel --- Less Bio-Waste: Dietary Creatine Reduction Self-Help Guide for People With Kidney Impairment
Published in Paperback by Authors Choice Press (2001)
Authors: Wendy Lou Jones and Cathi Martin
Amazon base price: $10.95
Average review score:

don't waste your money....
This book is repetitive and very poorly edited. The author states the same approach to cooking meat and chicken in different chapters. However, the chapters are almost identical, except for the words "chicken" or "meat". The science in the book is based on an "unpublished paper" by the author. Funding for the book was provided by a grant from a company for which she is the CEO/founder. This book is useless.

A very helpful guide
Having kidney failure means not being able to eat everything you use to because of waste build up in the blood. Following the instructions in this book when cooking meat can help reduce blood creatinine.


Lonely Planet Thailand's Islands & Beaches (Travel Guides Series)
Published in Paperback by Lonely Planet (2004)
Authors: Steven Martin, Joseph Bindloss, and Wendy Taylor
Amazon base price: $13.99
List price: $19.99 (that's 30% off!)
Average review score:

Information covered in other travel guides
I just returned from a trip to Thailand. I was in Bangkok, Phuket and some of the outlying islands. There is nothing in this book that is not covered in the other general Thailand Guides. I would even go so far to say the Rough Guides Thailand has more comprehensive information about places to stay and things to do near the beaches. Also, something I didn't know, Thailand has a great tourism service provided in the Airport in Bangkok that can book most anything you need for stay on the beaches (if you are going to Phuket). It was a great trip even if I did have to lug this junky book around with me the whole time!

Marketed For Whom?
This edition has plenty of information that is helpful. One can get enough information before going, upon arrival, or after arriving on where to explore without this book, however. The Lonely Planet Thailand guidebook (for the entire country and not just the islands and beaches) also has plenty of information on Thailand's islands and beaches.

With the inclusion of "luxury" accommodation and over-priced "tourist" restaurants and trinket shops, it appears this book is marketed towards a particular group: North Americans who only have two-weeks, and therefore need to "plan" ahead for their trip. This is a particular market and that is understandable, but it appears that LP is trying to get a piece of this market, and gear this guide-book towards these type of folks.

One thing to note: Ko Chang is not off the beaten track by any means. It's going to be the next place completely destroyed by the Tourist Authority of Thailand. They are working on it right now, evicting local Thais who've lived there for generations to build hotels.

There is no where in S.E. Asia that is "off the beaten" track, except perhaps, parts of Laos. The trail is crowded, and continues to get bigger. If you're a long-term visitor or a "two-week hoteller" then this book will due.

If you want to go off of the beaten path, this is for you.
I got a lot of use out of the book and made 2 trips to Thailand on it. I went to Koh Chang, and the information was a great help in helping me plan when to go, what to do, how to get there and everything. It especially helped in Bangkok, which is needed as this is a place where you don't want to seem lost, it is overwhelming. One thing that I would add to this book, When you come out of the last gate at the airport, there will be very many people standing there, waiting for the tourists. Don't look at them!!!! As soon as you make eye contact, they will be on you like white on rice ready to find anything that you might need, just to get some kind of commission. I did a lot of research about a month or two both with this book as well as the internet (check out lonely planet's site, as well as other web queries), so it helps to not get there and open the book for the first time. If you want to go to Phuket or Koh Samui or some other tourist trap, you don't really need a book, but this book might tell you some insider's tips that you might not find just by showing up and waiting to be ripped off. One other thing, about flights, join a courier orgnaization. It will save you A LOT of money and you will only have to sacrifice some baggage space. Another thing, if you decide to go to the tropical spots, best time is the 1st of October. This is the beginning of tourist season, although it doesn't pick up for another month, so you can still do everything without the crowds present yet. One last thing: GO TO KOH CHANG!! It is the best!! This book is to me considered to be a necessary item for travel (Lonely Planet always is!).


7 Cannons: Plays by Maureen Hunter, Connie Gault, Wendy Lill, Linda Griffiths, Joan Macleod, Judith Thompson and Colleen Wagner
Published in Hardcover by Theatre Communications Group (2001)
Authors: Martin Bragg and Maureen Hunter
Amazon base price: $29.95
Average review score:
No reviews found.

Related Subjects: Author Index Reviews Page 1 2

Reviews are from readers at Amazon.com. To add a review, follow the Amazon buy link above.