Many people are familiar with the 18th variation of "Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini" from the movie "Somewhere in Time." It's a very romantic piece. If you familiar with the 18th variation only, you should treat yourself to listening to all the variations played back to back in the "Rhapsody."

This book has those variations which have been reduced by Rachmaninoff for two pianos/four hands. I wish, of course, it had been a piano solo, because I would probably get a lot more use out of it.

"Rhapsody" is strictly for the advanced pianist. This edition has no fingering notations which would have been helpful for all except the most advanced players. And, those players may find Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody" not as challenging or rewarding because of the repetition involved in its themes. However, I find "Rhapsody" very rewarding to play largely due to its romantic themes and its capacity for expressive interpretations. The 18th variation played by itself is an enjoyable recital piece. I give this book my highest recommendation.

Je veux acheter ce livre. Comment je peux le commander depuis la France

Segei Federov is a hockey player. I'm glad Schnauber wrote this book. The book shares alot of info on Sergei's life and how he got to play hockey with the Detroit Red Wings!!! All fans of hockey , I recomend thic book heavily.

It's always "Terek region this, Terek region that," and not a word about the poor bastards in Chechnia! Sure, some consider them the "trailer trash of the trans-Caucus," but I find the Chechnians to be heartwarming, charming, and mirthful when they mispronounce the names of ethnic dishes. My feelings aside, I found King's book to be accurate, entertaining, and page-turning. You know, sometimes it's the forgotten stories from the backwaters of history that truly shine a narrowly focused beam of insight that brings the big picture into sharp focus on the wide screen of our modern political era. This is just such a book. Don't let the longish title (it's half as long as the book) fool you...this one wil hold your interest wher it should!

From Peter the Great to Nicholas II, the exploitation of serfs and the peasant classes, initially liberated Russia from the backwater of European history and protected her interests from foreign political influences. While an economy centered on free and manipulative labor practices afforded Russia obvious competitive advantages over international rivals, subjugation of the peasantry ultimately prevented the exploration of more productive means of cultivating Russia's vast natural resources, effectively locking Russia in economic stasis. Inspired by western economic models, Witte rigorously applied orthodox interpertations of mercantalism, despite deleterious effects to the peasantry. In extreme cases, increasing exports meant that grain reserves were sold abroad, leaving the country ripe for famine. Despite the short-term economic boom of 1892-1903, Count Witte was faulted for "overestimating the capacity for dynamic change of Russian society" and subsequently dismissed from the treasury in 1903. Thus, Witte's nascent experiment in inoculating Russia to prevent socialism from becoming a dominant force through establishing an independent yeomanry that would jettison the country into a mirro image of American capitalism, was stifled in infancy. Soon afterwards, the economy relapsed and poor economic plannning once again victimized the lower classes. (... Joshua Levin-Epstein)

Sergei Dovlatov is one of my top 3 writers. When you read one of his books, you feel as though you as conversing with Sergei. The text flows freely and easily. Dovlatov has the uncanny ability to capture life in the former Soviet Union, displaying not only it's absurdness, but the humor in that absurdness.

This book is a series of short stories. Each chapter is based an item in the suitcase he brought when he came to the US. The book is funny, as is all of his work, well written and poignant. I have read this book many times and on each occassion, I laugh and shake my head with amazement.

It is truly a shame that Dovlatov died so young (49).

Those of us who remember the Cold War easily recall the freightening threat implied in the Soviet space triumphs. We were amazed that a culture that, supposedly technologically inferior to the West, could excel where we lagged behind. In the West, we had Dr von Braun as our hero but the Soviets' was a faceless enigma identified only as the "Chief Designer." Kept under tight security almost until his death, Sergei Korolev, the Chief Designer, was a genius every bit as brilliant and driven as von Braun. Here is the first biography dedicated to this important figure in the history of space flight and one that is possible only after the fall of the Soviet Union opened secret archives. James Harford's book is written in a flowing, graceful style that many novelists would envy and puts many a dry biographer to shame. KOROLEV is a highly readable - and enjoyable - look at a hitherto unknown slice of histroy that can be recommended to anyone interested in technology, space history, or just a fascinating read.

I discovered this book accidentally. Before reading this book the only soviet space personalities that I knew were Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova. I guess I am not alone on this. Reading this book gives me an understanding that Russian space program went back much earlier than that of American. A lot of useful information about Russian space science and program, and its aspiration can be gained from this single book. This book talks a lot about Korolev, it also give good exposition on Soviet space program. One may wonder why Korolev has never been a household name like Gagarin, and how come the American is the first one landed on the moon.

For any student of the Soviet/Russian space program, "Korolev" fills in the missing gaps in our understanding of the genesis of their thrust into space. The book is informative yet clear in the realization that the heavy bureaucracy, lack of money and technological advances and the "dual" moon programs pre-empted the Russians to effectively compete with the United States in the race to the moon. The author also gives us a keen insight into the cruelty of Josef Stalin and the persecution of the leading Soviet scientists.

While reading the love letters and notes Nicholas and Alexandra wrote to each other both before and throughout their marriage I couldn't help thinking how modern day psychologists would probably label their relationship "obsessive and codependent." Even so, I found this intimate glimpse into the lives of Nicholas, Alexandra, their children, relatives, friends, courtiers, civil servants and even their assassins, most enthralling. But the book is not your so-called 'page turner'. I lingered over each page and even tagged favorite parts and quotes or cross-references with Post-it notes. This is history revealed from within the very heart of the experience. So much so, I at times had the eery sense of actually being present while the words I was reading in print were first being written in longhand or punched out a letter at a time with stubby childish fingers on an early-model typewriter. Except I don't happen to believe in reincarnation. I just think this is history presented the way it should be, through the words of the people who lived it. These people expressed themselves quite well and need no theorist's interpretation of their writing or intentions. Reading this book is not unlike going off into your grandparent's attic and finding all these letters and pictures you never knew existed and losing track of time as you untie the ribbon around the bundle of love letter and discover while reading them how half your family came into being. Only in the case of Nicholas and Alexandra I had a problem with the fact I already knew what the end was and I didn't want to get to it. The people I met in this book tugged at my heart and mind so much I desperately wanted for there to have been a mistake and learn that they had in fact escaped from Ipatiev house and lived out their lives in comfortable exile on the Isle or Jersey or in the south of France. And then I had to ask myself, would I even be here reading about them if they had lived? The lives and deaths of the Romanovs affected so many people it is difficult to fathom what the impact of their remaining alive might have been. And I think it's pointless to speculate despite the fact so many people built whole lives around pretending to be survivors of that hideous execution. Much better to enjoy the memory of what they really left that was inspired and wonderful, learn from their numerous mistakes, grieve their loss and go on to reading about other aspect of history. You see, the real danger that comes of reading this book is the fact you can easily become as addicted to rereading it as Alexandra was obsessed with trying to find a cure for her son's hemophilia, or find ways to spend more time alone with her husband. Then I shudder in realizing how she did indeed get her wish in the end, though certainly not in the way she wanted to.

I have just spent two engrossing months with the Romanov family in Russia, savoring each word in this incredible collection of letters, memoirs, diaries, and other historical documents. What an amazing story, a real-life Greek tragedy, but one filled with so much hope, faith, and love! As a fan of Russian culture and history, it was easy to fall in love with this book. However, I think that it could be enjoyed by anyone who has a passion for his family, his faith, or his country. There are beautiful love letters, revealing diary entries, international secret telegrams, and chilling memoirs of murderers. This book captures almost every emotion humanly possible, and I experienced the full range while reading it. There are parts that will make you laugh out loud, cry out loud, and parts where you'll want to go back in time and warn the characters as you see them walking right into mistakes that will ultimately contribute to their downfall.

Besides Tsar Nicholas and the Tsarina Alexandra, this book details the lives of many other fascinating characters who are not as well-known. I felt a connection with Alix's older sister Ella, and I was especially attached to the sensitive KR and his constant struggles with his faith. And I felt disgust for Prince Yusopov, while at the same time understanding his desire to protect the royal family from their attraction to religious charlatans. Obviously, there is no surprise ending to this book. Still, it is gripping up to the very last page and the lives I gained insight on will be with me for a long time.

A Lifelong Passion is, at its heart, a magnificent love story, made all the richer because, unlike most love stories, it is rooted in absolute truth. Although the dynamics of the relationship between Nicholas and wife, Alexandra, are quite complex, there is no doubt that they adored each other and their five beautiful children. Politics aside, the heart of their life lay in the family. And this was a fmaily undivided. They shared everything: their joys, sorrows, tragedies, fears, triumphs, and ultimately, their tragic and untimely deaths.

A Lifelong Passion is not a work of fiction. The authors have meticulously researched the diaries and letters of both Nicholas and Alexandra and their children, then created a compilation that reads like a passionate thriller. We really come to know the Romanovs as well as those close to them: the brothers and sisters of Tsar Nicholas, the Dowager Empress Marie, Kaiser Wilhelm, Queen Victoria, and others.

A Lifelong Passion is also a portrait of the decline of a dynasty, seen through the eyes of those who lived it. Filled with political plots and intrigue, the book serves as a sweeping panorama of the last days of the Russian Empire. We get to know Imperial Russia "firsthand" and I found myself thoroughly engrossed.

A Lifelong Passion is a long book, yet it is never boring. The pace never slows and our desire to know more never ends. Ultimately, the book ends in a tragedy made all the greater because we have come to know the victims so very well. Whether you agree or disagree with the politics of Tsar Nicholas II, whether you like or dislike the people involved, you can't help but feel you've come to know them, and their tragic demise causes you to grieve.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's a love story as poignant as The Thorn Birds, as panoramic in scope as Doctor Zhivago. A timeless classic filled with history, tragedy and love. Highly recommended!

The notoriously dated aspects of silent cinema (maudlin storylines, theatrical acting, silly makeup, tinny music, intrusive dialogue cards, abysmally slow pace, etc.) that make sitting through them a trying experience for today's audience are nowhere in sight in this rightly acclaimed milestone in cinema history. Legendary Russian director Sergei Eisenstein here pioneered his innovative use of "montage"--a method of storytelling through the juxtaposition of expressive images--that every director since has owed their cinematic expression to (and that possibly none have surpassed). Orson Welles, David Lean, Stanley Kubrick, all named this film among their top ten. In fact, it's revolutionary ideas trancended language barriers, and in the '20's became a hit in cinemas around the world, including the U.S. The brilliant Eisenstein had created a "universal language" through which his ideals could be conveyed to all. That his ideals were nothing less than Communist propaganda cannot tarnish the genius of his grasp of cinematic grammar. His striking use of image and rapid cutting to tell the (partly fictitious) story nearly render the dialogue cards redundant; narrative velocity is relentless; every character portrait is convincing and touching; riveting suspense and atmosphere is summoned beautifully; it's photography was recently named by "American Cinematographer" as one of the screen's 25 finest ever; and finally, the Shostakovitch score (written sometime after it's release) is fittingly nationalistic and epic in scope. That film students speak of "gleaming nuggets of montage" from it's superlative framework (such as the magnificent "Odessa Steps" sequence) really do the film injustice; for surely "Potemkin's" greatest triumph is the tremendously successful union of it's many excellent parts (an achievement that "Citizen Kane" does not attain, among others). For any film fan interested in either silent cinema, or just cinematic art, this is one those handful that are required viewing! P.S.: For the best of "montage" in sound pictures, see David Lean's "Oliver Twist"; particularly Nancy's murder, and the scenes bordering it. I review the Criterion DVD edition of this film at Amazon!

The need for serious film-buffs to own this film is so obvious that I hardly need reiterate it. Too many have called it the greatest film ever, or nearly so. Seeing it again, I have to agree that it is a powerful and well-crafted film, of huge historical importance thanks in part to its many innovations in technique. While I still squirm at some of its blatant propagandism, I can still look past that enough to appreciate the film.

Anyway... as to this DVD: the print is pretty good for a silent film, which means that you can make out what's going on about 90% of the time. Of course, the recent restoration of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" completely spoils us now, with its incredible beauty and clarity, that it's hard to settle for anything less! But this "Battleship Potemkin" is from a 1976 Soviet restoration, and for its time it's pretty credible.

My main reservation is the music. Austrian composer Edmun Meisel composed a score specifically for this film. But even though this version of the film is a "restoration," it does not have the origianl music. Instead, it's a patchwork of extracts from Shostokovitch's symphonies (the opening scene of waves scarshing is the opening of the 1st movement of the 5th symphony; the opening of "Odessa Steps" with the ships moving in the harbor is the opening of the same symphony's Scherzo). Great music, yes, but often not well-mathced to the action.

This is the most important film ever made. It set the foundation for both artistic and technological endeavors for the past 80 years of cinema. The editing and music is so overpowering that you forget that it's a silent black and white movie. The experience during "BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN" is one of a kind. Any one seriously considering to pursue any aspect of filmmaking must view this film at least once (see it as much as you can!). This shows how film "can" be an artform. This was a feat ahead of it's time and still holds an intensity today. One of my many inspirations as a director. Buy it and enjoy a film unlike anything you've ever seen (or heard) before. This DVD edition retains the closest resemblence to the director's vision. The cuts in the legendary Odesa Steps sequence is as close to the original as possible.

This book is one of my treasures, and a must for anyone wishing to know more about the lost world of Tsar Nicholas and Alexandra. From menus of the coronation supper to artifacts found after the murders at Ekaterinburg, the life of the last Imperial family is presented in rich and poignant detail. The notes are also extremely well written, adding to the pleasure of this book.

This book is published to be the exhibition catalogue to "NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA,THE LAST IMPERIAL FAMILY OF TSARIST RUSSIA" the wonderful exhibition that ran in Wilmington,De.from August 1998 thru February of this year. It is a must buy for those who want(ed ) to see the show but unable to attend. It catalogues more than 700 artifacts fom the Hermitage in St.Petersburg and the State National Archives in Moscow. Some of the documents from Moscow wre made public for the first time for the exhibition and shed new light on the lfe and demise of the last Romanov family. Readers of this book will want to see the exhibition and have maybe one more chance. It is currently showing in Mobile Al. thru November of this year. The book helps define a pivotal moment in our history by depicting the central character and his vulnerable family and it will help both the scholar and the interested regular 'joe' grasp the poignancy of the story with many hundreds of great photos and very rich informed text.

If you know nothing of Nicholas and Alexandra, this is not the book to buy. However, if the Romanovs already captivate you, you will be captivated by this book. The work catalogs many of the imperial family's possessions. The color photographs are stunning; I was particularly moved by the photo of the tsarevich's teddy bear. Such an intimate glimpse makes these people all too "real" (and, hence, their merciless slaughter all the more appalling). The book features the Romonov's ornate palaces, family and studio photographs, clothing, and much more. For the price, one cannot find a better photographic chronicle of the last Romanovs.