Entertainment Books

My children love the songs on discs 1,3,and 4. Then sing along everytime we are in the car. However, disc 2 does not work. We insert it and the player says error. I do not know who to contact on that.
Other than that I would suggests this cd to all with young children!

This product is great--fun for the whole family and you learn a lot about the Bible through these songs.

This is a great survey of the Bible. The songs are well done and have a lot of variety in musical styles. Our 2 children enjoy the music - it is one of their favorites. I like that the series is not only well-done musically, but also does a great job describing who God is, what He is like and how He interacts with His people. A great Bible overview and fun too!

We bought the cassettes four years ago and wore them out, so I was thrilled to get this on CD. My kids love these songs and you learn alot about the flow of biblical history from them. It is a really good compilation. I am surprised by what they can remember from the songs. My only complaint with the CD version is that occasionally the last few words of a song got cut off when they cut the songs for the CD. My kids notice it because we had the cassettes for so long so they know the songs very well. But I am so HAPPY to have it on CD. Now when we make the 5 hour drive to Grandma's, we listen to these all the way. LOVE IT!

Though I can and would quibble with who made their list (for example I probably would have been more inclined to include Hannibal Lechter and less inclined to include Buffy the Vampire Slayer) but I can't quibble with their mission.

In history, mythology, literature, theatre, novels and more recently, movies and television, culture's so called mythical characters often have more influence than the real flesh and blood ones.

In terms of history, (perhaps stupidly) I was surprised to learn that William Tell was actually a mythical character. According to the authors, his story wasn't even told until some 150 years passed from the time of Swiss independence. And interesting, the Tell story itself had been borrowed from several earlier non Swiss versions (including one from China!).

In terms of literature, though I knew Dracula as he was devised was mythological but I didn't realize just how creative Bram Stoker had been inventing him. The idea that he could be conquered by the sign of the cross for example was all Stokers according to the authors.

This one of those "fun" books in the tradition of the Ken Davis "Don't Know Much About..." series as well as pretty much anything by historian Rick Shenkman. So if you read and enjoy this book I would heartily recommend anything by those other authors. If you want something a little more searching...like, for example, an exploration of the process by which characters come to be invented and get more and more stories told about them, I would suggest Religion Explained by Pascal Boyer as well as Marvin Harris' Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches. In each case, the authors in question try to be a little more searching and methodical about the genesis of myth.

But whether you read the other books or not you'll enjoy this one because it talks about some pretty interesting characters.

Really cool book -- we are or aspire to be like those who never existed. Been passing this book around and talking about it. People don't realize how influenced (or biased) they are especially in thought by those who never existed. Great Read.

I gave this to my 17. y.o. sister for her birthday. She is impossible to shop for but lovedThe 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived: How Characters of Fiction, Myth, Legends, Television, and Movies Have Shaped Our Society, Changed Our Behavior, and Set the Course of History. The Marlboro Man, Barbie, Santa Clause, Joe Came, the Wandering Jew and Mamie are a few of the many fascinating inclusions. The book is divided by category and easily read in chunks. The list is completely subjective of course, but it makes it no less interesting for debate, discussion and your reading pleasure. This is one of the those books you'll find yourself asking: "Why didn't I write this first?"

When I got this book, I expected to find educated views about the historical/cultural significance of each of the "people" that never lived. Why and how would they consider these particular characters the most influential? Amazingly, this book doesn't even discuss the influence of the characters on society throughout history or why they have so much staying power in our hearts and imaginations. Instead, the authors provide boring summaries of what the characters "did," or how they were created and by whom. Then they proceed to give self-righteous and condescending opinions about whether the message(s) in the story or the actions of the character(s) are appropriate in today's times. Gee, I thought that's what readers/viewers were supposed to do for themselves!!

For example, we shouldn't read Cinderella to our little girls because it creates a sense of false hope that you don't have to do anything to solve your problems (fairy godmother), and that men will only want to marry you if you're beautiful. Perhaps that's true, but last time I read the story, Cinderella was hard-working, lived a difficult life without complaint, and did not resort to treating people badly even when that was the way she herself was being treated. The problem with these compilation-type books is that they can so easily oversimplify and fall into the trite.

Of course I was not expected objectivity. The very nature of a book of this type is one person's biased viewpoint (or in this case two people). I did, however, expect a literary and cultural analysis, as well as perhaps some humor or interesting perspectives. NOT!

This book seemed to me like a brazen attempt for the authors to cash in on the success of books like the 1001 series. My advice: save your money on this one.

I gave this book 3 stars because I think the concept is great. The title is right up my alley. That being said, I read about 5 characters, and then started skipping around because I was bored. I was bored not by the choices, but because I think they summarized what we already know more than they showed the connection between the characters and today. For instance, all of the greek/roman myth selections basically retold the myth, and then left maybe a paragraph to show why it matters. I am familiar with myths, and enjoy them a great deal, but I found myself saying, "Ok....I already know this." Of course, some of their choices had me saying, "What?", but it's hard to choose ONLY 101 when there are so many. For that, I give the writers credit. I wish more had been done with showing the influential impact versus retelling what we know.

At first I was hesitant to purchase this book because I thought it consisted of nothing but photographs. It's not that I have anything against that, but I also like to have text accompanying the pictures. For a few months, I kept contemplating purchasing it when it saw it in various bookstores. When I actually made the opportunity to flip through the book, I discovered the author also conducted interviews with people who worked with Elliott and were in his life. I was also highly encouraged by another fan to purchase the book because he said it was spectacular, so I did just that. As soon as I purchased it, I went home and started looking at the photographs, which are exquisite. I also really enjoyed reading the interviews. An extra bonus included a CD consisting of five live tracks, one of them being a cover of a famous country song. I urge any fan of Elliott Smith to purchase this book, especially those who think they already have "everything" in their collection. "Elliott Smith" by Autumn de Wilde is a delight!

The pictures in the book are so incredible and definitely bring you back to XO times. It took me awhile to finally buy it, but I would not hesitate. This is a great purchase!

This Elliot Smith book is really cool. It has tons and tons of pictures, but not a whole lot of text. It also comes with a awesome live cd with around five songs.

Coming from Autumn De Wilde, This book gets as close as it gets to Elliott Smith's photographical side. There are a lot of formal dedications including a foreword by Beck. I also enjoyed the 4 song live CD that was included with the book. I wish the CD had more tracks on it.

Elliott Smith was perhaps the greatest Indie singer/songwriter of his generation. His unresolved murder/suicide at the age of 34 in 2003 catapulted him into iconic status. It abruptly ended a career that had begun to take off. Autumn DeWilde shared a personal friendship as well as a professional working relationship with Smith, released Elliott Smith, which is basically a series of intimate and touching conversations between Elliott's close friends and family that we have the privilege to listen(read) in on. Many speaking for the first time since his death. Because DeWilde was a personal friend of Elliott's, I think that we have to respect the fact that this is her book, not ours. It is going to read more like she is relating to Elliott because she knew him, and not just an informal biography about Elliott. After understanding that it is easier to appreciate and understand the book's perspective. Complementing the text are glossy black and white and color photographs that DeWilde shot of Smith throughout his career. Extremely fascinating and revealing, this book provides a unique perspective into the man whose music many have come to appreciate and love. DeWilde directed Smith's Son of Sam music video, and shot the cover art for his fifth album Figure 8. For a man many know only too well through his music, this book brings a fascinating "behind the scenes" perspective to his life. Besides his music, this is perhaps as close to the man that we will come to know. Reading about his friends and family talk about Smith, you begin to feel like you knew him as well, that you're sharing stories with old friends reminiscing about the night before he appeared on national television for the Oscars, the stories behind the music, or specific conversations that you had. Like his music, this book is a collection of memories, priceless memories. For those unfamiliar with his work, this book will not be as powerful or interesting as it will be for fans. Smith was a complex artist and human being, his personal life and music were not separate, they were one. This is not a biography on Smith, it is a series of conversations and interviews between Smith's closest friends and family. For fans familiar with his music, this book is a must have. I walked away after reading this book with a ton of information that I didn't know before. Considering that I never knew him personally, I even felt like I understood him a (little) better. The beautiful photographs alone are worth the price of the book, containing never before seen images of Smith. Haunting portraits that capture the man in all his glory; the photo shoot from the Figure 8 cover shooting; even handwritten lyrics on the backs of receipts. Yet we also get a series of revealing interviews and conversations that begin to flesh out the man and gives deeper insight into the life of this deeply troubled and gifted artist. The book is a celebration of their friendship and perhaps brings some closure to their relationship as well. I respect that, and I think we are fortunate DeWilde chose to share these at all. Thanks. DeWilde lets us in on this event. Looking at the haunting and beautiful images of Smith, there are many images that come to mind. Silently looking at Smith, you can hear his music playing in the background. This book because it leaves you with a tasted wanting more. Among those interviewed are: Beck Hanson, Ben Gibbard, Chris Walla, Autumn De Wilde, Joanna Bolme, Sam Coomes, Neil Gust, Ashley Welch, Margaret Middleman, Larry Crane. It is no secret that Elliott Smith lived a troubled life. I feel that this book gives you just enough without getting overly personal with respect to Elliott Smith and his family and the problems that he had in regards to drug abuse/depression. I think that this book could have gone a certain way in violating his privacy and instead it shows a tremendous amount of respect. I know that it is the gritty details that are the most fascinating, but I think that there is a fine line to respecting what someone else would like and what people are comfortable talking about. This book balances that perfectly. Contained within the book is a previously unreleased compact disc recording of Elliott Smith "Live at Largo" in Los Angeles. Contains four tracks: Angeles, Between The Bars, Clementine, Clouds(Quasi cover), All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down(Hank Williams Jr. cover). Intimate, touching, fascinating, and perhaps like his music- timeless. Recommended.

I was looking forward to this read with considerable anticipation. I was not disappointed. I have followed the authors columns and watched many of his tv appearances from when he was a liberal-moderate back in the Rockefeller days and have happily observed his transformation over the years to a no holds bar conservative. This book offers the reader valuable behind the scene insights for virtually everything of significance that has happened politically during the last half century. A must read.

This was a wonderful book. For a political junkie it is an absolute must read. The behind the scenes look at politics and reporting was fascinating. The tidbits of history and inside look at the systems of power make this book irresistible. If I had read this book as a freshman in college or as a high school senior it would have changed the course of my life; I would have become a reporter. Mr. Novak writes about his incredible career as a Washington reporter and balances this part of the book with stories about his own life including his relationships, drinking and religion. Really, a highly recommended book.

Although this book was written before he hit the bike rider in DC and drove off, Novak still manages to hold the reader's interest. As I recall the news story, he hit the bike rider so hard that the biker was sprawled against his windshield and slid off. Novak drove off and then claimed that he was not aware of what had happened. Some medical professionals have speculated that his brain tumor may have had something to do with the accident. But I like to believe that was just Novak being Novak. I believe that it is precisely this audaciousness that has kept Novak at the top of his profession for these many years. The Valerie Plame thing is another one..when James Carville made a comment to him about his role in all of that, Novak simply disonnected his microphone and walked off the set mumbling that he doesn't have to put up with this sh*&. Simply brilliant. Oh yeah, and the trademark slobbering that skyrocketed him to fame and fortune on CNN. That's another factor in his being at the top of his profession - that superhuman ability to achieve any semblance of enunciation through the gallons of slobber in that bulldog mouth. It's a brilliant book by a brilliant slobbering man with a highly unpleasant and creepy demeanor who hit a guy with a car real hard and drove off and claimed he didn't know what happened. Very inspiring stuff.

In some ways "The Prince of Darkness" is a typical political memoir,
one more attempt to justify one's actions and one more attempt to
destroy or at least discredit one's enemies. This book is more than
that, and less than that. Novak covered national politics for over 50
years, so most of the book is about politics and politicians.
Novak worked for several newspapers, chains, syndicates, magazines,
stations, and networks. There is a lot of information about the
business of news and commentary in print and broadcast media, and
about competition and cooperation in journalism.

There is more than the usual amount of admission of error, both
personal failures and professional mistakes. There is a lot of history
reported here, but it is less than a complete history of most of the
events mentioned. Rather, it is just enough to provide context for
Novak's bragging about a scoop or complaining about someone's anger
over his analysis.

Novak is known as a conservative columnist, but the list of Republicans
that hated him is long. The list of those that Novak did not respect is
also long and includes members of both (all) parties. There is some
animosity over polices, but most often the cause of the friction was
lying, at least according to Novak.

In spite of his inclination to the right, Novak seems much more an
analyst than a cheerleader. He tells us his predictions of House and
Senate gains and losses and Electoral College totals for various
elections. I'm impressed by his accuracy.

Readers interested in particular historical events or particular people
get some help. The index seems pretty complete, but I'm just judging
by size. The quotes from the columns or broadcasts are identified by
date.

This is a controversial book. Since you are reading these reviews you
are probably trying to decide if you should read the book. As with
other controversial works, it pays to look at other reviews by the
reviewers with strong opinions, especially those expressed in
strong language.

I think readers from anywhere on the political spectrum can enjoy this
book and learn something from it. It is not just for political junkies.
I have to remind myself a few times each year to read a political book,
because I should pay more attention to the field. This one was time well
spent.

Let's begin with total disclosure: I once worked for Mr. Novak, back in the 1980s when Ronald Reagan was president and DC was an exciting town.

I admired Mr. Novak then. I admire him now. He is one of the most dedicated professionals I have ever met. Then, I was a conservative and a Catholic. I have since returned to my liberal roots, and left the church (I am now an atheist) just as Mr. Novak was completing the journey that he had told me he was on even back then (he has since been baptized into the Catholic Church).

No matter. Mr. Novak was -- and still is, on this day that he announced his retirement -- the consummate journalist, the kind of reporter that I would have wanted to model my work on, had my life taken that turn.

This book is his autobiography. And while it seems that he has pulled no punches, neither has he been malicious or unfair. And you can be damn sure it hasn't been ghostwritten!

I know this isn't much of a review of the book. It is, instead, a homage to the man himself, a very good and decent reporter and a great American.

Bob Dylan is an American music icon. Professional photographer Barry Feinstein had greater access to Dylan than any other photographer. It was Feinstein's iconic image that appeared on Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" album in 1963 and photographed Dylan at the musician's invitation during Dylan's European tour of 1966 and US tour of 1974. It is from among the photos taken on these two legendary tours that comprise "Real Moments: Photographs of Bob Dylan 1966-1974" and newly published by Omnibus Press. This is an impressive compilation that will be of especial interest to the legions of Bob Dylan fans, and a popular addition to personal, community, and academic library 20th Century Music History and American Photography reference collections.

Right from the start, you can tell that Jim is a talented writer who succeeds in vividly describing the settings and the people he encounters in his travels to the three major cities in the book (London, Seoul, and Reykjavik). The stories he tells serve to illustrate his points and provide a vivid backdrop for his personal quest to better understand the hobby, passion, or obsession that we call gaming, a major theme of the text.

While the book is written in a way that's meant to initiate the non-gamer into the world of gaming, I think that it's gamers themselves (and particularly those of us who dissect, analyze, think, and write about games) who will most benefit from considering the issues he examines and asking ourselves the questions he raises. The most compelling question that the book tackles, in my opinion, is whether or not we're wasting our time with the thousands upon thousands of hours that we sink into gaming. It's certainly a question I've asked myself on numerous occasions.

The book is an odd mix of travel narrative, journal, and philosophical examination on the purpose of gaming (which it readily admits to being, if you glance at the inside cover). While the individual personal examples and discussions of gaming sub-culture are well-written, the parts I enjoyed the most were the sections towards the end of each chapter and the book's concluding chapter, "The Window," wherein Rossignol ties everything together and discusses the relevance of the medium from a number of different angles.

There are times when the book seems like it's trying to pull in too many directions at once or tackle too many topics in rapid succession, and much of the discussion of EVE Online in the later chapters seems unnecessarily detailed and ponderous. Even for someone like me, who lives and breathes this stuff, there's only so much I care to read about the intricacies of one specific, complicated game whose purpose in the text is to illustrate a larger point about player creativity.

Still, This Gaming Life is well worth reading for anyone interested in what it means to be a gamer and what purpose gaming might have in both a personal and larger social context. The international examples provide some much-needed multicultural perspective on the phenomenon of the universal attraction of electronic entertainment, the personal stories give insight and encouragement for those interested in striking out into the games industry themselves, and the philosophical meanderings of a traveling lifelong gamer scratch the surface of issues that could easily be spun off into entire books or academic dissertations in their own right. If you're serious about games and the culture of gaming, the read is worth the price of admission.

Rossignol has crafted a nice little book that exudes the feel of a series of expanded magazine articles. The stories he tells of his travels related to gaming and how these stories address his larger theses and sub-theses are engaging and insightful. Even though many "gamers" of today's ilk think more of the living room console when they consider their beloved activity, This Gaming Life centers on PC gaming. This is a fair enough choice as these are the experiences Rossignol has the largest revelations about and they do drive the points home.

The way the book is promoted makes one think that it will be an autobiographical look at one person's adventures with games, but really the personal tales are just a nice starting point for his larger arguments. The book is well written and enjoyable. It is quite an easy read and its short length keeps it from really losing any punch as you continue through it.

The only quibbles I have with the book are largely technical ones. As the book progresses and it begins to refer to its own previous sections, the choice was made to place parenthetical references back to those sections. Although this doesn't sound like a big issue, it is quite the distraction and somewhat insulting. An additional technical gripe is the misuse of the phrase "begs the question." This is a common mistake, but it shouldn't show up in a book from a professional writer, reviewed by professional editors. It just looks sloppy and detracts from Rossignol's authority. The concluding bits of the book are a tad meandering and don't really tie together the previous sections that were overall well thought out and almost poignant.

All in all, this is a good read for anyone who enjoys gaming or tech and pondering the effect they have on our lives. There isn't an "inside baseball" feel to the book that should scare off non-gamers, but it is still unlikely that many who aren't gamers will pick it up and read it. This is another book, like Chris Kohler's Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life, that is working to create a discourse on games beyond screenshots and history lessons. This Gaming Life is a fun step in the right direction.

This book is a basic overview of different aspects of gaming. It discusses some cultural differences in the way Westerners game vs. those from the East (with the possible general exception of Japan). It is interesting to note the difference not only in game style preferences, but the way gamers are perceived in Western vs. South Korean culture, specifically.

The author also examines what he calls emergent gaming. These are methods of gaming and actions within the game that the designers did not anticipate. He goes on, at length, about the evolution of EVE Online and how it is the players that have largely driven that change rather than developers. He also waxes philosophical when it comes to what games mean in a larger context. Are games merely a waste of time and energy better spent on other endeavors or do they ultimately represent something else? This discussion is not very deep, but he does give reference to some other works that delve deeper into this debate.

Besides the few annoying grammatical errors, the tone is kept fairly light, yet you can tell Jim Rossignol is passionate about his current chosen focus in life. There is some good information here, but it really is best for someone who is looking for a PC-gaming biased overview of what gaming has been, is in its current state, and could possibly be. Console gaming is touched upon, but not discussed in any great detail. Those looking for minute detail and insights into the gaming industry won't find them here. But he does point the way to others who discuss his more philosophical points at length. This Gaming Life is certainly worth a read if you're interested in gaming no matter what level you wish to explore, unless you've already delved into this field.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book through LibraryThing recently. While I am most definitely NOT a gamer (except for the occasional game of Cake Mania 2), I was looking forward to reading this book since both of my sons are gamers. In fact, I would classify my older son as a hard-core gamer. I have always wanted someone to explain to me what was so wonderful about these games, and I was hoping this book would enlighten me. Well, it didn't satisfy my curiosity very much. The conclusion that the author comes to is that basically, games are there to alleviate boredom, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In the first part of the book, I detected a very defensive attitude, as if Rossignol wanted to justify his life's passion with gaming. Towards the end of the book, there is some discussion about some practical applications of games, including education and the defense industry; I was hoping to see more of this. I learned a great deal about the gaming culture in South Korea, which I actually found interesting. I also learned way more about the game EVE than I ever, ever wanted to know. I understand that there are some social aspects to these games and that it takes a certain level of intelligence to play them, but I still don't get it! While I did learn some things in this book, for the uninitiated gamer, it was tedious reading at times.

My 5-year-old daughter just started piano lessons with this book and it is great. It introduces important concepts (white keys, black keys, hand position, finger numbering, forte, piano, higher, lower, bass clef, treble clef, quarter note, half note, whole note, names of the keys) in a way that is fun. The CD is great b/c the short pieces are fun to hear, and hearing it helps my daughter know how her piece is suppose to sound. This book does not take them all the way to reading music, but it sets the foundation. I also think the short pieces give my daughter a sense of mastery as she learns to play something that was just a bit harder than the last piece.

(After a certain point though they can't accompany the CD on a given song b/c it is too hard for them to time it perfectly to keep up. The CD is still very valuable in letting them get to know the pieces. My daughter's teacher recommended we play the CD as much as possible.)

My 3-year-old also loves this book and CD and will sit at the piano flipping the pages as the songs on the CD change. He wails when he doesn't get his "turn" on the piano. I wish I had had this when I was a kid and learning piano. Overall, an excellent choice.

My daughter and I love this interactive book, alot of fun learning how to play the piano!

My 5-yr-old son and 2 1/2 yr old daughter love this! I love how this book teaches technic early in a very fun way. Concepts are easy to understand and the pieces are very nice. My son loves this book so much he plays everyday on his own. My daughter enjoyed learning technic and playing rhythm instruments along with the CD. A great beginner book for young pianist.

My daughter's piano teacher recommended this book. I used to buy them from other web site, which took over a week to ship. I bought this time on Amazon, and was amazed to get it in 3 days.
This is a very good beginner's piano book. My 4-year-old daughter loved it.

Excellent reading. The concept of this book is solid, what music someone listened to at what times in their life (I should have thought of that!). This by a world class musician and writer, so its quite interesting learning what the author listened to, and when. I have been a Rush fan since I first heard them when I was 12 or 13 back in 1980, and as such have a lot of respect for Neil as well. Anyhow, I enjoyed the book, as well as his other books too.

Traveling Music was an enjoyable read. I have read Neil's first three books and this is the best thus far. The book's premise: Peart is traveling in his BMW Z8 (a very hot car) from California to Texas. Through his journey we are taken back to his past while he listens to his favorite music. I appreciated what he liked - especially how much he likes Sinatra. As a fellow motorcycle traveler - I enjoy `the road' stories.

And now, the other side of the book: I did find it odd how many of the great icons in the music business - at some point or another start to despise their fans: the very people who spend the money on the albums and tours. The people who make these guys rich and famous. I know some of the radical ones can be annoying, I get that. It just that many of us that are reading this - don't have that experience. I was also a little shocked on his views on America. I don't understand why the African chapter was in this book - this should have been in the first book - Masked Rider.

I hope Peart continues to write - and I hope that he would take some time to have a more direct approach on his life and his song writing in a book that is less about traveling.

I was a little trepidacious about picking this book up. I had just read 'Roadshow' and found it slightly disappointing at least when compared to 'Ghost Rider.' The synopsis on the book about Peart taking a drive and talking about his favorite bands didn't really appeal to me all that much despite being a long-time Rush and Neil Peart fan.

I'm glad I decided to pick up the book after all. Far from being just a discussion of his favorite music, Peart weaves the music into details from his life creating the most autobiographical of all his books. I've always found it ironic that Neil is often considered the most secretive and private member of Rush, yet he has revealed far more about his life than any other member of the band through his writings.

This is by far the most well-written book Peart has produced so far. Next to 'Ghost Rider' which is essential for understanding key tragic events in Neil's life, 'Travelling Music' is a must-read for fans of Rush and even fans of popular music in general.

Both the content and the cohesion of this memoir are clear, strong, and good. The overall architecture is better than Ghost Rider and Roadshow, actually coming full circle both literally and metaphorically.

He's a fun person, and it's a blast to get invited along to travel in his Beamer (I wonder if his wife and his Mom are as scandalized of the speeds he drives at as I am) with great music for a nice hike and some bird watching. I found myself thinking, "I love that group, too!", or, "Hum, I've never heard that song, I'll have to go online and have a listen!" I'm amused and delighted he stays in cheap roadside motels, and buys pre-packaged sandwiches and peanut butter cups from convenience stores, because I hope and expect him to be more comfortable in life because he's worked so hard for it and deserves it. However, he's just a regular guy from a regular background, and harbors no snobbishness about such things.

Neil relates happy and horrible life events in great detail from birth to the day he joins Rush on this drive. It's reaffirming to realize that a shy person from an average background can pen such moving prose after experiencing and observing his world. Few writers can observe a vermillion flycatcher on a plain moment in a plain bird watching trip and form it into a work of art with the tender, fleeting joy he and the others around him witnessed.

I now understand what it is to be a "burning spirit", a musician that plays with such "intensity and vulnerability", so that they take "music from sidewalk entertainment to compelling art." (Sounds like somebody we know!) Neil's provocative chapter I nicknamed "The Superconductor Essay" (after the Rush song on the same theme) gives me a lot to think about in music appreciation, for I--a non-musician--never listened to music the way he does. I used to think I did, because like Neil I like a lot of diverse things, but I've never thought about why I like them. His thoughts on the intention by a musician or any artist that really got me thinking about his point of view. To his credit, a non-musician can easily follow. He is open-minded, and challenges himself to listen to musical styles that don't appeal to him, for example a country singer in a roadside restaurant that "really sang that song, from the inside out."

Moreover, he doesn't name names in what he dislikes, so the tome doesn't come off as a bitchy-moany manifesto.

It's touching how uncorrupted he is in the corrupt world of the music business. He befriends and encourages other artists, including young up & coming ones. He has no blinders on to music: caring nothing of the artist's age, race, religion, or economic status. And boy howdy does he love music--he shares how he tunelessly yelps along with Frank Sinatra CDs, or the fun he had at recent The Tragically Hip concert.

As always in Peart's writings, great lessons in geology, history, vocabulary, and the music industry are included.

If you've assumed `rock stars' have it `easy'-- you're wrong. It's amazing that he's the sweet man he is despite for how he's suffered in his personal life. Neil shares the secret: perseverance, grit, and hard work. Great memoir, give it a read.

This is the third book I have finished from Neil. The other books read up to this point have included Ghost Rider and Road Show. I couldn't comment on Ghost Rider because I felt the book was so very personal and considered therapy for Neil's experiences. I enjoyed Road Show. It was fun hearing about Neil's experiences on the road fetching National Park Stamps along the way.

In Traveling Music, there is a bit more of Neil's thoughts on just about everything. My first assumption prior to reading this book was, okay, he is getting in a car, listening to various music on the road with comments. It is this, but Neil's broad view of the music business and his experiences as a real music listener, world traveller, book reader and appreciator of the arts lends itself to everything he comments on. He is the type of person I feel whom anyone could strike up a meaningful conversation about any subject. That is the feel of the book. When he hits on a piece of music he likes, you get some very insightful and sometimes researched infomation on it. I learned more about Sinatra from Neil's appreciation than I had from my own experience for example. Also, there is no confusion that Neil is a proud introvert and I feel he enjoys his time alone to think and experience things and get back in touch with himself. I can relate to this and it makes me more inquisitive to read his views and comments. He also has a very good book list on his website and I've taken on a few of his recommendations and enjoyed them.

The only negative is the African Bike Ride area of the book towards the end. I kind of drifted in and out of that chapter because I felt I couldn't relate to that, and also because it seemed to move away from the initial car ride - music listening / comments area. But overall a very good read and I recommend it and look forward to another book from Neil.

- David Carlin
david.j.carlin@verizon.net

Good book, but I did not see a foreword by Brad Pitt as mentioned in the description.

With the Blue dragon guide you can level up your shadow to the ultimate! aand find every potion and every scret behind every level. make sure you dont have to repeat mistakes and get stuck in a level. the blue dragon stategy guide is your tool to greatness.

The game is actually a lot better than i expected. I've been wanting that "good rpg" game for a while now, to the point where i bought Jade Empire for the PC, and have played a few "crap de la creme" titles along the way. I even bought a PS3 for the rpg titles that are coming out, lol. So, if you can't tell by now, i'm a hardcore rpg fan.

Ok so Blue Dragon starts out kind of funny at first. The voice acting get's kind of comical at times and the little voice that gives you the hints was requesting death by the mute button on my remote! Luckily, i found that you can turn her off in the options menu. Phew...

The scenary (for some reason scenaries in rpg's are a big deal to me) at first isn't so great. It's like a desert, and considering i hate that type of environment, it was a turn off. Still, i kept playing because i could see the potential there. Eventually you end up in some pretty lush environments, and thankfully it's not a long wait. The story line isn't as deep as something like Final Fantasy, but isn't as weak as say, Dragon Quest. Yes, Dragon Quest does have some pretty weak story lines. lol Blue Dragon's story is actually pretty intriguing.

Shu (the main character) seems like he's been watching Power Rangers his whole life and wants to be the hero of his time, and his friends just jump in. What makes the storyline interesting is the way it unravels. One minute you're in a boring desert walking around, and the next you could be plummeting underground (... yea how do you fall underground? You'll have to play it to find out!) to some ancient ruins.

I already made this review longer than i expect so i'll end with this. There's nothing in this game to keep it from being Awesome. The only turn off a player might have is that it plays like the old traditional Final Fantasy's. By that i mean, The overworld walking, the turnbased fighting via menu with "fight, defend, items, steal, etc." So if those things don't bother you, this game is for all you guys, like myself that have been waiting for a good rpg. Ah, yes... sweet satisfaction! Reminded me of when i first started playing Chrono Trigger. Which btw, This game has an excellent music score.

Only reason i made it 4 stars, is because the game has to be pretty much flawless to get 5. That, and the story of course must be phenomenal. I guess i'm just a critic! ^^;

Although a total remake of final fantsy IX, it figures since it's the same creator of the mentioned series who created this same game, the game is much fun, and the battle system, although nothing new or innovative, is entertaining enough to keep one playing for hours and hours.

I really recommend this game to new and old gamers. Its level of difficulty is relative to how experienced you are in RPGs, but I'd say even an 8 year old kid can get a hang of it and enjoy it if RPGs are his thing.

Prima games has not always produced guides that would rank high on my personal favorites list. Especially in the RPG department. But every now and then you get a good guide, and Blue Dragon is a good guide. It's filled to the brim with details. Just about everything you wanted to know about Blue Dragon is here.

The guide begins by introducing you to the characters, where it gives them a standard bio. It'll also introduce you to your enemies. It then jumps into the Game Basics where you'll basically learn about the games system. Just about everything you need is here. You'll learn about the complexities of the game system, achievement, battle skills. Just about everything. It's exhaustive, but it helps.

The game then jumps into the Shadow Classes where it'll tell you all kinds of things. Under each class they give you a description, list out all the abilities and give you tips on just which skills you might want to learn. This is followed up by a list of all the spells obtainable under each class. After this the guide finally jumps into the walkthrough.

The walkthrough is huge. The walkthrough is divided first by disc, and then by quests that you'll undergo on each disc. Each quest will list off five "milestones" you have to do. The walkthrough then proceeds to help you through each and every one of those milestones detailing just how to go about your business. The walkthrough is very well organized, with some big, gorgeous screenshots (taken in widescreen) to help you out. There's also plenty of artwork to enjoy as you flip through the guides pages.

The maps are detailed, with an items list to accompany each one. The walkthrough also calls out new enemies as you encounter them, but they don't exactly provide an enemy list for each area. Achievements are called out and they'll tell you how to get them. Their boss strategies, while not perfect, are helpful enough, and the guide typically warns you when you're running into danger.

The walkthrough is overall, extremely detailed and well laid out. The screenshots are extremely detailed and clear. Some parts of the walkthrough are even written with a sense of humor. After the final boss there's a section dedicated to some of the optional stuff. Another something worth checking out if you're out to master the game.

The guide then moves on into the extras chapter. This is mostly full of appendices. It begins with the achievements appendix by listing off all the achievements and telling you how many points you'll get for them. Again, another section that's pretty detailed and exhaustive. Especially because there are quite a few achievements. The next appendix is the barriers, showing you where all those trapped treasure chests are.

Afterwards the guide moves on into the real appendices. Stuff like the items list. Items, weapons, armor, accessories. It's all here. This is followed up by the monsters section. This section is not done in alphabetical order but by the monster's number, which is pretty much set up by family. More than likely you won't need the monsters list, but if you do there's no index or anything to help you locate the monster you're looking for.

After all these huge sections the developers of the guide end of with showing you an art gallery. It's all beautiful artwork, but probably not a section you'll find yourself completely immersed in. There's enough fan art throughout the guide as it is.

If you need help with Blue Dragon, this is definitely a good guide to look to. It has just about everything you need and then some. A well organized guide that won't have you flipping pages like a madman because you can't find something. This is the all around perfect guide for Blue Dragon.

Without this guide i would have wasted dozens of hours trying to do what this guide helped me to do