This book is welcome principally because it is the only systematic discussion of the life (or a good portion thereof) of one of the important musical figures in the second half of the 20th century. Unfortunately the author fails to capture the essence of what made Robert Shaw successful as a performer and how his inspiration largely fueled the "choral renaissance" in this country. The definitive critical biography of this singular talent remains to be written.

People who think Robert Shaw was something special and who come across this book will be delighted with its readability. While it certainly captures Shaw's unique ability to command your respect and warm your heart, it is especially successful in putting the phenomenon that was Shaw into the context of music in America in the Twentieth Century. One often doesn't think much about what it must have been like, especially in the earlier part of the era, to champion and perform the "modern" serious music repertoire; this book forces us to think about it, to put ourselves in the places of those who felt, like Shaw, compelled to do it. Along the way, there's a good overview of the evolution of recording, and how Shaw fit in there, not so much exploiting the medium as using it to serve the larger purpose of his art. Compelled throughout his career to make popular recordings, Shaw's final one for RCA ("Irish Songs," August '67) is in fact finished by a capable associate while he runs off to do more important things with his latest love, the Atlanta Symphony. The "popular" Shaw was to always dog the "artistic" Shaw throughout his career. He was once stung by a critic who said of his light encores, "They drew lots of applause mingled with the soft plash of the cognoscenti being quietly sick in their hats."

Everyone will have their favorite quote from Shaw after reading this book. Mine is a long, affectionately comic poem on Mahler's Eighth Symphony, which concludes, "So, grieve not, Gus! Our new Apollo! // Where you lead us, we will wallow!" Indeed, the many quotes from Shaw as he speaks and writes to his choruses are the principal glories of this book.

But always, always the music. You can feel the march of performances as they are roll-called before your eyes. This may not be the most authoritative, most definitive book on Shaw possible, but it is the one I wanted most to read. A real five star recommendation, and no apologies to the cognoscenti!

The late Robert Shaw had an incredibly long and distinguished career. This authorized biography by Joseph Mussulman, a one-time Shaw chorister, covers Shaw's life and career up to 1979 in detail, with a Foreword added in 1996 which briefly covers those later years. But a revised edition, with full detail in the period 1979 to Shaw's death in January, 1999, would fill in a lot of blanks for those who know him best through his Telarc recordings with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and his Chamber Singers and Festival Singers, or through his Carnegie Hall Choral Workshops and Tanglewood appearances in the later years of his career.

I came by my appreciation of Shaw relatively late in life, and by a somewhat unusual means. When he founded his Collegiate Chorale in 1941, I was all of two years old. I was still way too young to latch on to him seven years later, when he had disbanded the Collegiate Chorale and founded the Robert Shaw Chorale. For three decades after that, I had a somewhat different musical agenda, and he was a musical "ship passing in the night" for too many years.

The signal event which brought Shaw to the forefront of my musical consciousness was the launching of Telarc's digitally-mastered LP's by Bob Woods and Jack Renner, in 1977. The second of these LP's was a performance of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite and Borodin's Polovtsian Dances by Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Shaw had earlier assumed the directorship of the ASO in 1968, and Woods and Renner had been associated with Shaw during the period when he was assistant conductor and choral director for George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. In a very real sense, Woods and Renner were, by bringing this new technology to Shaw, thanking him for past friendships and associations. And the history of his role in leading the ASO, and bringing it to prominence with its recorded repertoire, was dramatically changed by this event. But much of this later history, and what followed Shaw's "retirement" as active music director of the ASO, has unfortunately been compressed into the all-too-brief Foreword, and the last three years of his life are not documented at all.

It is fair to say that the Telarc "gift" which Woods and Renner presented to Shaw made the difference between a career which would have been insufficiently documented by recordings (except for a handful of earlier RCA Victor recordings of the Robert Shaw Chorale) and one which will now stand the test of time. The ASO, good as it became under Shaw's leadership, served as much during his tenure as the recording instrument which would provide support for the "ultimate" Robert Shaw Chorale, the remarkable, and totally amateur (in the best sense) Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, as it would as the civic orchestra for the greater Atlanta area.

I could wax eloquent about the dozens of recordings this orchestra and chorus produced over a 20-year period of Telarc support. But there is one recording which stands out above all, of a work which was the closest thing to a cornerstone for Shaw's career: Bach's B Minor Mass. His professional life with this work is well-documented in Joe Mussulman's book. There is a wealth of anecdotes about how his performances of this work could reduce folks to tears, from Alaskan Aleuts to college kids everywhere to Soviet apparatchiks at the height of the Cold War.

One anecdote stands out above all others regarding his mastery, as well as his unassuming modesty in the face of it all, regarding the B Minor Mass. It occurred after a performance that must have really come together in a very special way. Following the concluding "Dona Nobis Pacem" of the Mass, Shaw left the podium and darted behind the curtain, awaiting the applause. He waited, and waited some more. Finally, not understanding why it was that the applause never arrived, he poked his head out from behind the curtain, only to find both the audience and the musicians facing each other and bawling their eyes out from what must have been a rendering of the final "Dona Nobis Pacem" of the Mass for the ages. Those who were at that performance carry a very special event around in their memories.

This single, simple paragraph of an anecdote says volumes about Shaw's largely underrated mastery. When you read this book, you too will cry. And you will laugh. And you will likely do both simultaneously. For all the right reasons.

Now, if only someone would fill in the final missing 20 years or so of "Dear People," we'd have it all.

Introduction In the book Discontinuous Change the authors use anecdotes of prestigious organizations to enhance the understanding of the theoretical and practical ideology concerning organizational change. The authors begin the text by identifying the precursors of organizational change. The precursors are shifts in industry structure, technological innovation, macroeconomic trends and crises, regulatory or legal changes, market and competitive forces and growth. The authors introduce the concept of sustained success as arrogant, insular, and complacent. By remaining in the sustained success idealism, the authors state that the organization will fall into the trap of success which tends to lead to an internal focus; the perception that knowledge, insight, and ideas are found inside the organization rather than outside. Throughout the text, the authors create a clear distinction between incremental and discontinuous change. The authors define incremental change as a continuous pattern of large and small changes that may impact the functioning enterprise in small or large increments. In contrast, discontinuous change is defined as a shocking impact that creates radical departure from the past. Using a variety of models, the authors give the reader a visual picture of the types of change that could occur in an organization. Portrayed in one of the models, the reader will identify the leadership as the "champions and gatekeepers" of the change. By setting the pace, the leaders identify the new corporate identity, the degree to which change needs to happen, the design and organization of the change plan and the interventions needed to keep the plan on course. The authors conclude with discussions concerning the different types of leaders that have been involved with organizational change throughout the years. The authors identified three types of leaders, heroic, instrumental and institutionalized. The authors concluded that the institutionalized leader would be more effective in directing the discontinuous change. Gut Reactions The authors believe that the organizational change should begin with the senior management, by analyzing their "point of view" relative to organizational strategy and policy level. In addition, they also focus on the behavioral dynamics of the organization, believing that the organization is a complex yet active system of human behavior. As practitioners, the authors give valuable insight for contemporary use in organizational change. Citing large organizations, such as, AT&T, Chrysler, and GE as examples, the authors state that the need for change in these organizations came from life-threatening business issues not just questions of organizational work life or corporate climate. In addition, the authors state that the issues that arose in the organizations were generated from external sources, such as, competition, new technology, deregulation, maturation of product sets, changes in ownership, shifts in fundamental market structure, or rapid growth opportunities. Further, the authors state that these changes altered the core of what the organizations represents to its customers and members, not just individual parts or subsystems. Based on the authors insights it has become clear that the days of effortless dominance of large organizations are history. Every organization needs to continue to develop and focus if they are to survive. The authors make it clear that change is inevitable, however, how that change is managed is the key to success. As individuals are resistant to change, so are organizations, however, the risk of an organization resisting change is much greater. The new environments demand that organizations develop speed, innovation, and flexibility, the very opposite of stability. Discontinuous change is a defined analysis of Schein's frame-breaking change in that it is more traumatic, painful and demanding on the organization than incremental change. Big Ideas The changed techniques used in the past are no longer sufficient to manage the complex transitions that are taking place in organizations today. Hence, the authors have determined that there is a need for further development of the old techniques, in order to manage the new types of transitions. Change has out grown the perception of being the exception it has now become the rule. With this perspective in mind, the authors' goal is to transform those things that are practice into theory. The authors are focused on proactive strategic responses to change, rather than, reactive. They offer propositions based on trial-and-error approaches. These propositions create the foundation for diagnoses of the readers current situation. With the understanding that not all leaders are capable of changing, the authors provide a framework to assist in assessing the ability of the current leadership. There are times when it becomes necessary for an organization to invoke change in an effort to avoid complacency. Implications In this era of intense organizational transitions, there is a need for every individual in the organization to adapt to change, beginning with the executives and management. This text speaks of long-term change that will continuously impact an organization over the period of its existence. The types of change needed in organizations are progressing towards frame-breaking, as opposed to historical cosmetic restructuring. Past techniques do not create the immediate turnaround needed to effect change. Therefore, just-in-time interventions are needed to create new behaviors immediately. However, the authors have conceded that often times tried-and-true techniques from decades ago are the most effective, but are often denounced because of the time sensitivity. The authors suggest that there are only two types of change, incremental and discontinuous. Those organizations that will be successful must create core capabilities that are not easily replicated by others. In order for discontinuous change to be effective, organizations must unlearn their old habits, orientations, assumptions, and routines.

Introduction In the book Discontinuous Change the authors use anecdotes of prestigious organizations to enhance the understanding of the theoretical and practical ideology concerning organizational change. The authors begin the text by identifying the precursors of organizational change. The precursors are shifts in industry structure, technological innovation, macroeconomic trends and crises, regulatory or legal changes, market and competitive forces and growth. The authors introduce the concept of sustained success as arrogant, insular, and complacent. By remaining in the sustained success idealism, the authors state that the organization will fall into the trap of success which tends to lead to an internal focus; the perception that knowledge, insight, and ideas are found inside the organization rather than outside. Throughout the text, the authors create a clear distinction between incremental and discontinuous change. The authors define incremental change as a continuous pattern of large and small changes that may impact the functioning enterprise in small or large increments. In contrast, discontinuous change is defined as a shocking impact that creates radical departure from the past. Using a variety of models, the authors give the reader a visual picture of the types of change that could occur in an organization. Portrayed in one of the models, the reader will identify the leadership as the "champions and gatekeepers" of the change. By setting the pace, the leaders identify the new corporate identity, the degree to which change needs to happen, the design and organization of the change plan and the interventions needed to keep the plan on course. The authors conclude with discussions concerning the different types of leaders that have been involved with organizational change throughout the years. The authors identified three types of leaders, heroic, instrumental and institutionalized. The authors concluded that the institutionalized leader would be more effective in directing the discontinuous change. Gut Reactions The authors believe that the organizational change should begin with the senior management, by analyzing their "point of view" relative to organizational strategy and policy level. In addition, they also focus on the behavioral dynamics of the organization, believing that the organization is a complex yet active system of human behavior. As practitioners, the authors give valuable insight for contemporary use in organizational change. Citing large organizations, such as, AT&T, Chrysler, and GE as examples, the authors state that the need for change in these organizations came from life-threatening business issues not just questions of organizational work life or corporate climate. In addition, the authors state that the issues that arose in the organizations were generated from external sources, such as, competition, new technology, deregulation, maturation of product sets, changes in ownership, shifts in fundamental market structure, or rapid growth opportunities. Further, the authors state that these changes altered the core of what the organizations represents to its customers and members, not just individual parts or subsystems. Based on the authors insights it has become clear that the days of effortless dominance of large organizations are history. Every organization needs to continue to develop and focus if they are to survive. The authors make it clear that change is inevitable, however, how that change is managed is the key to success. As individuals are resistant to change, so are organizations, however, the risk of an organization resisting change is much greater. The new environments demand that organizations develop speed, innovation, and flexibility, the very opposite of stability. Discontinuous change is a defined analysis of Schein's frame-breaking change in that it is more traumatic, painful and demanding on the organization than incremental change. Big Ideas The changed techniques used in the past are no longer sufficient to manage the complex transitions that are taking place in organizations today. Hence, the authors have determined that there is a need for further development of the old techniques, in order to manage the new types of transitions. Change has out grown the perception of being the exception it has now become the rule. With this perspective in mind, the authors' goal is to transform those things that are practice into theory. The authors are focused on proactive strategic responses to change, rather than, reactive. They offer propositions based on trial-and-error approaches. These propositions create the foundation for diagnoses of the readers current situation. With the understanding that not all leaders are capable of changing, the authors provide a framework to assist in assessing the ability of the current leadership. There are times when it becomes necessary for an organization to invoke change in an effort to avoid complacency. Implications In this era of intense organizational transitions, there is a need for every individual in the organization to adapt to change, beginning with the executives and management. This text speaks of long-term change that will continuously impact an organization over the period of its existence. The types of change needed in organizations are progressing towards frame-breaking, as opposed to historical cosmetic restructuring. Past techniques do not create the immediate turnaround needed to effect change. Therefore, just-in-time interventions are needed to create new behaviors immediately. However, the authors have conceded that often times tried-and-true techniques from decades ago are the most effective, but are often denounced because of the time sensitivity. The authors suggest that there are only two types of change, incremental and discontinuous. Those organizations that will be successful must create core capabilities that are not easily replicated by others. In order for discontinuous change to be effective, organizations must unlearn their old habits, orientations, assumptions, and routines.

One of the very best books read for my graduate degree. Nadler and Shaw point out that only those companies able to respond quickly and effectively to changing environmental conditions will survive in the coming decades. Successful firms must learn and act at a faster rate than their competition. Many leaders can affect some change in an organization-but it is normally short lived. But, to make change more long term and make that change take place at a faster rate-you must create destabilizing events in significant scope to get attention-and keep it! There are many take-aways in this book. If you want an outstanding "Leadership 101" book in 276 short pages-this is the one you want.

Shaw's latest collection is a tough one to review. While there are no poems that stand out as horrible, none really stand out as that great. The longish poem, "An Exhumation" is fairly interesting, but the rest of the poems fall short. He has an impressive list of places where his poems have been published, which might be the most memorable thing about the book.

I've been following Robert B. Shaw's career for more than a quarter century now. I've read each of his books of poems multiple times. I believe that "Below the Surface" contains some of his best poems ever. For example, the poem "Frost" is one of my favorite poems--from any poet. It is deceptively simple on a first read, yet, as the title of the book implies, contains delightful complexities once you get below the surface. I had my Freshman Composition students write an explication of "Frost" this past Spring semester. They enjoyed discovering the hidden wonders that a master craftsman (such as Shaw) can create. Another one of my all-time favorite poems is "A Geode"...it's taped to my office door. Anybody who both loves poetry and is knowledgeable about what constitutes great poetry should love this book.

"Below the Surface" is a collection of about 35 short poems, mostly narrative. The poems show the author's superb sensitivity and power of observation that let him transform every-day events, in every-day life, into touching and poignant events. All the poems are worth reading and, even better, are worth reading again. To pick a few for mention is tough to do but there are several poems that touched me especially deeply. I love the color and imagery of 'On The Footbridge,' (I identify with the leaf perhaps) the telling yet humorous message of 'Time-Lapse Photography,' and the growing terror in the little girl playing 'Hide-And-Seek.' The strongest work, and the longest at three pages, is 'An Exhumation.' That is a must read. Get the book for yourself and then get another copy to share with someone far away. You won't want to lend out your copy.

This book is a good start on basic MFC programming. Recommended if you are just starting out with MFC. Found myself wanting more in depth discussion of some of the MFC concepts such as MDI.

The style of writing is (for me, anyway) a bit much. The book is filled with lots of cutesy little jokes, and plays on words that I found really annoying. I prefer strait facts without the warm fuzzy stuff.

Having said that, I DO recommend this book as a very useful first volume in your MFC/VC++ reference library.

This book can help to learn MFC and it justifies its price but be prepared to learn genealogy just to understand some of the slightly lenghly examples.

Marion Smith has a wealth of information here, but her organization is weak and she repeats herself. Is this a collection of individual articles? This book isn't for the casual reader; he/she needs patience and digging skills. As it's out of print, it's also very expensive (not Marion Smith's fault). Still, anyone interested in the Shaw family will find here, what with Shaws, Lowells, and other collaterals, a geneological history of New England, together with material on Robert Gould Shaw not found elsewhere.

Russell Duncan has done us a favor by making available, and editing meticulously, Colonel Shaw's letters. The problem lies with his bias: it's fashionable today to read the biographies of old-time heros with suspicion, running any plaudits they may have amassed through filters of class, race, politics, gender, and so on. The result usually debunks the hero, which is fashionable, too. This "hermeneutic of suspicion" can introduce a real Rob Shaw beneath all the canonization piled onto him, but here it has blended into what's called "presentism," whereby a historian judges the subject's classism, racism, politics, gendered outlook--or whatever--according to today's baseline. I have a problem with this approach, found in the preface and several footnotes (the adjective "gentlemanlike" seems to give Duncan a special problem whenever he meets it; he needs to find out what it meant, and didn't mean, in the 1860's). Further, his analysis of why Shaw decided to leave his beloved 2nd Massachusetts seems way off-base. Duncan seeks to present to us a hapless young man who "never understood,or fully dedicated himself to" the abolition of slavery. It seems Shaw braved ridicule from his friends and death from the enemy if captured, taking on the labors of raising, training, and leading something new, a black regiment, before dying in the middle of it to ensure its work would be recognized and other black soldiers appreciated by racists North and South, all this only because his mother's apron strings still held him tight. Meanwhile we need to notice that Duncan has left out letters which don't support these appraisals, for example Shaw's letters protesting the iniquitous pay decisions coming out of Washington (cutting the 54th's pay below the standards they had signed on to receive), or the letter in which he rebuffs his mother's plans for a "show wedding." I also disagree with Duncan's analysis of the Shaw family dynamic, because he seems unaware that gender and family norms then are different from ours now. These seem like serious problems for a serious historian; most are found in the biography and some footnotes. Otherwise Duncan lets Shaw speak for himself (in the letters he offers us)and Shaw does so articulately and often eloquently when given the chance. Buy the book for the letters, thank Duncan for making them accessible, and take his commentary with a grain of salt.

This small volumn is beautifully done and includes most of the best decoys in the McCleery Collection. Excellent introduction by Robert Shaw, noted curator at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. Decoys are presented by region with clear descriptions of the decoys shown. With last years celebrated Sotheby's auction of the McCleery Collection, this book serves as an introduction to the man and his remarkable eye for excellence.

This is a biography of the actor (Jaws, From Russia with Love, etc.), playwright, novelist and sometime singer Robert Shaw. Unfortunately, I got the last copy, but I recommend hunting this volume down if you're interested in Shaw. Highly underrated for most of his life, his work was truly art and his quirky personality makes for good storytelling, at which French more often than not succeeds. Fans of his acting will be surprised to find out some of the well-researched factoids about this jack-of-all-trades. The reader will be surprised at how well French demonstrates that Shaw's short life was exciting, yet nearly wasted. (There is another bio of Shaw, "Robert Shaw: More Than a Life" by Georg Gaston.)

This book was very interesting however, it hardly covered Fred Waring's long relationship with 1930s actress Dorothy Lee. Dorothy was a very talented and vivacious actress.

Dorothy Lee was engaged to Mr. Waring on and off over the years and they were a pretty hot item back then. She also toured all over America and Canada with him and the Pennsylvanians, and did many stage shows with them. She and Fred also remained very good friends for the remainder of his life.

They were very much in love in the 1930s and I feel it's a travesty that their relationship was not mentioned in more detail and she was definately a significant part of his wife to be mentioned more!

This book is a facinating read about the famous choral conductor and his Pennsylvanians, during the early days of radio, television and film. Many amusing and interesting anectdotes punctuate the book throughout. Written by his wife, so it is a rather one-sided (positive) view of the man who many saw as a cold task master....but in whom no one could argue with the fine product he produced. This man truly "taught America how to sing".

The book was poorly writen, often repeating the same idea multiple times within a paragraph, making the material harder to understand due to sentice structure and unrelated tangents. While this book is required for some classes, if you can get by without it, do so. Perhaps they will write a better one soon.

A new edition will appear in summer 1999. The book has a new publisher, Kendall/Hunt.

the author