Entertainment Books

I was disappointed that this book does not actually show you how to play the piano. There is a lot of theory in the book, but nothing to actually help me with my piano lessons.

I bought this book a few months ago after reading some very skeptical reviews. I've read every chapter and have to say that the content was truly eye opening for me, as I am a classically trained pianist with very little time to play piano. After reading this book, I can play confidently from a fake book while playing interesting chord progressions. I can also apply this to my own songs, which up until now, I've composed by ear only. Perhaps to some who have never been exposed to music theory this information is hard to handle. I would say that if you are truly motivated to learn this stuff, it will set you free at the keyboard.. Thank you and Kudos to the author of this wonderful book! (And yes, I have the circle of chords in a frame on my piano!)

This book has knowledge and it's knowledge that any musician can use. It may not be the best for a total beginner in music but if you have a nodding acquaintance with the subject there is something in this book for you. I've seen criticisms that the songs were too old or some of techniques don't sound good. My opinion is that that doesn't matter. There is enough material in there that you can learn things you never knew about before. It helps dispel the mysteries of the keyboard and will enhance your knowledge of music theory as well as your ability to play.

This book has changed my life! I struggled at the piano forever until I discovered this wonderful book! While it clearly will not be for everyone wanting to learn piano, it was perfect for me. As a youth, I hated piano lessons because of the mechanical approach to learning songs that I didn't even like. I felt like I was a human playback machine. Know what I mean? Whereas, it seemed my guitar-playing friends were having all the fun. When they wanted to learn a new song, they would just start asking what the chords were. Then, they would just practice playing the chord progression at home. Later, when they got really comfortable with that, they would start getting really creative, adding interesting little frills and things and MAKING A LOT OF COOL MUSIC knowing, really, just a little bit of actual information about the song + having musical ideas of their own. So, how come piano lessons were always so different? You don't have to be jealous of your guitar-playing friends anymore. This is the book my friend's guitar teacher would have written, if he played piano. You learn a song by playing its chords. Once you're comfortable just playing the chords, you add melody. It can be easy and it can be difficult, it depends on the song, how quickly the chords change, how complicated the melody is, and how much "extra" of your own you want to add. It's a very flexible approach to playing. I highly recommend it. Best of all, unlike boring piano lessons, nobody is going to make you practice music you don't like. You can use this method on any sheet music which has a) a key signature b) a meter c) chords spelled and d) a one note melody line. Fake books are best, because all extraneous stuff is removed, but you could use this method with any sheet music meeting those minimum requirements. And, you will play these songs using only four reversible chords, an amazing but real time saver, key to the success of this "fake" method!

...whether to buy "How to Play Piano Despite Years of Lessons: What Music Is and How to Make It at Home" or "Play Piano in a Flash! Play Your Favorite Songs Like a Pro--Whether You've Had Lessons or Not!" by Scott Houston, buy BOTH--- and do read Scott Houston's book FIRST. He explains the whole premise of playing off chords so much more clearly and simply. After reading Scott's book, you can delightfully play all sorts of piano music you may have around your house effortlessly after a few tries. To give you an example, I used to practice fairly simple folktunes for about a week before (somewhat joltingly) being able to play up to tempo at an even pace. Now, knowing what I know from Scott's book, I can play any such song in about 15 minutes. Really! And I can play faster and more eloquently than I ever could before. Now, I have confidence that I could accompany any singer (including myself)-- a trick I used to think only "good pianists" could do (with much practice). In short, it motivates you to play music almost immediately in a fun and joyous manner.

Now for "How to Play Piano Despite Years of Lessons: What Music Is and How to Make It at Home". It's A LOT more philosophical, and a lot more wordy. It explains everything in much greater detail, and is very fond of the basic Oom-pah-pah sort of playing. The "standard" technique call for playing the melody an octave higher, the root note in octaves on the lowest possible section of the piano (for the Oom) and the chord (reconfigured so as never to reach higher than middle E nor lower than middle C) for the Pah-Pah. This takes quite a bit of PRACTICE. I certainly do not master this in 15 minutes! However, using this technique, I sound like one of those pianist that play at cash bars in restaurants that used to send my mother in the other direction because the "noise" gave her a "headache". It may work exceptionally well for some pieces, and it is certainly not the ONLY device taught in this book. It *is* a good book, with lots and lots of ideas of how to vary the bass notes and such to get a "full" sound from your piano. But you might get a headache or two... and might get discouraged and give up playing piano after all. (DON'T!) It is less motivating, and much more practice than Scott's book. I just can't decide whether I even like the result of the techniques shown. But music theory is explained in a somewhat harmless manner....

Now, I again suggest you buy BOTH books so that you can read them both, try them both, and make your own decisions. However, if you're relatively new to this topic, I suggest that you at least buy Scott's book first. Yes, you'll probably finish it in one sitting and it will seem so OBVIOUS after you read it that you'll wonder whether you ought to have spent the money for the book at all. Yes! Now, sit down and play the piano using these technique to see for yourself!

(To give you some point of reference, my level of playing beforehand using the classical method was Book Four of John Thompson series.... about intermediate I'd say.)

If you find yourself really bored then pick up this pubescent piece of work. The only good thing this book really delivers is all the name dropping this embarassing insecure author has to offer. It's evident from the get go Carol Harris is very jealous of Stevie Nicks because she can't help herself from trying to name all her short comings that you realize what a fool and sad person she really is. FAMOUS PEOPLE BEWARE: the person you think that loves you may be secretly taking in all the moments that should have been kept private, and taking notes no less, to display them to the world for their own monetary gain. She couldn't do it on her own so she decides to use "real" famous people to do her dirty work. That makes Carol one of the most hated i'm sure, and rightly so. But as long as the money comes in from this over-rated trash, who cares how you treat others, right!! You'll be sick to your stomach how insecure she is. Over and over she reminds us how her life revolved around Lindsey Buckingham. That she gave everything she had. That being there for him was the only thing that mattered. Ugh, this woman does not know how to get a life. I don't blame Lindsey one bit for his temper tantrums. Being around this woman would drive any man to it. I only got half way through this book because I couldn't stand the woman any longer, I can't imagine being in a relationship with her would do. (be sure to read my review on the album TUSK)

C Harris has written a book that I found on the whole dubious. On one hand I do believe her in her accounts of the craziness of the period, the band and her intense relationship with Lindsey. However I just found it all too hard to believe her detailed conversations and depiction of events. But more than anything it's Harris depiction of herself in the book which is completely ridiculous. She tries to portray herself and this naive innocent girl who just loved her man and didn't understand the world she was in. In reality she comes across as just another coke fiend who loved the lifestyle and many times mentions how she dressed in the best fashion and was accustomed to living the high life.

Also the complete lack of self awareness and hindsight into Lindsey's relationship with her, specifically the abuse and moreover his relationship with Stevie is perplexing. Even after all these years she seems to not acknowledge the intense connection that SnL had during that period (in parts it even feels like a SnL affair is going on under her nose) or how destructive Lindsey was to her. Even her naming the book after a Stevie Nicks song comes off as lame and just cements my opinion that she's trying to weave herself into Fleetwood Mac history.

Sure in parts it entertaining and tittilating, I actually enjoyed many parts but once finished I felt that the book was poorly written, flaky and just lacking any honesty.

STORMY RELATIONSHIP
'Cocaine-fuelled bitch-slaps' a-go-go as Lindsey's bird spills the beans.
One day, in early 1977, a young woman named Carol Ann Harris drove down Hollywood Boulevard as Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" blared from the radio. Having worked as a studio manager where the album Rumours was mixed, Harris had heard the song many times before. But this time it sounded different, Harris thought. It sounded like a smash. She couldn't wait to tell her new boyfriend, Lindsey Buckingham.
Harris's hunch couldn't have been more on the money. Rumours quickly became a worldwide smash, a phenomenon that would ultimately go on to sell over 30 million copies.
In "Storms" Harris recounts, in often astonishing detail (she kept exhaustive notes and taped diaries), her tumultuous, passionate and sometimes violent eight-year relationship with Mac's tortured guitarist, to whom she served as muse, nurse (early in their courtship, Buckingham was diagnosed with epilepsy), drug buddy and constant companion.
As an autobiographical account of a show business love affair spiralling out of control, "Storms" has the de rigeur script elements in place: the red carpets, limos, Lear jets, endless bottles of champagne, as well as break-ups, make-ups, and cocaine-fuelled bitch-slaps and chokeholds.
But "Storms" really gets going when Harris casts a gimlet eye on the secret society that was the Mac, a collection of characters caught up in the mindless consumption (narcotic and otherwise) their long-overdue success afforded them.
Band jealousies and resentments run rampant, but Harris doesn't take sides. In fact, she paints herself as an outsider longing to be accepted as a member of the group's inner circle. Even in the end, her dismissal of the abusive Buckingham is anything but loveless.
As everyone surely knows, you can never break the chain.
Joe Bosso for Classic Rock Magazine, Book Review

As a very, very longtime fan of Fleetwood Mac, I got this book as soon as it came out. I felt sure it would be one sided, as is the nature of autobiographies, but thought any book about my favorite band would be a fun weekend read nonetheless. And it was. I don't doubt Stevie was hell on wheels or that Lindsey was abusive, I think drugs, godawful quantities of drugs at that, make you do horrible things you normally may not do. There were also some very funny stories recounted by Carol and I thought it was a very interesting look into "life on the road." But I thought the book was horribly written and she made herself out so be such an innocent little lamb, it's gag worthy. And there are so many innacuracies, it's hard to take anything she says as truth. I mean, c'mon, she says she wrote this book using her old journals and tapes she recorded, but if she did that, how the hell can she get dates wrong? Not just wrong by a few days but wrong by years! If she can't remember dates of events she says she wrote about in a journal, how did she remember all these conversations, word for word, that she wrote in such such detail in this book? And some of the things she says ar just rediculous if you know anything about this band. The first thing that caught my attention is she writes that when she met Lindsey, he was so over Stevie and could care less about losing her. But Lindsey himself has stated several times that he was devastated by the breakup, is was extremely hard for him to move on and took him a decade or more to do so. Another part I found somewhat laughable is when she writes about one time when Stevie was "mean to her" and of course, she ran straight to Lindsey to tattle. So Lindsey says he'll talk to Stevie and get her to apologize. He leaves Carol in their hotel room, goes to Stevie's room and doesn't come back for several hours. Uh, Carol dear, open your eyes! I doubt they were "talking" about you for that amount of time. From all accounts SnL were still screwing around all through the 80's, they themselves have practically admitted as much. I guess what bothers me is not so much that she didn't acknowledge in her book that Stevie and Lindsey still had strong feelings for each other for many years, I'm not sure I would if I were in her shoes either. What bothers me is that even though she didn't mention it in her book and she made it look like Lindsey was so gaga in love with her that he didn't give Stevie a second thought, BUT she had no problem laying it all out a few months after the books release. Yes, Carol gave an interview after the books release saying she knew both Stevie and Lindsey harbored feelings of pain and regret over their breakup for many years and never got over each other and she actually said she knew Lindsey was still in love with Stevie all the years he was with Carol. If it's good enought for an interview, why is it not good enough for your book? IMO, you don't write an autobiography, then contradict yourself later. That makes your entire saga much less believable.

i was rivited to this book from the time i got this book from the library until the time i put it down.. i read it in about three hours... i was simply fascinated and scared by the whole story ... and yet not terribly surprised at what was revealed... i have no reason to feel that she would lie about anything that would have happened during the time that she and lindsey were together... i kind of feel that at first it may have been a rebound romance for lindsey, but it grew quickly into a romance of dependence on both of their parts, full of romance, drugs, and violence, and issues with stevie, and the fact that she put up with it for five years was amazing in itself... she lived with him for five years, put up with his abuse, was at his beck and call, and put her own life in physical and emotional danger... she told this honestly and i am sure that she feels much better for having told the truth after so many years... hopefully she told the primary people involved that she was writing this before she wrote it....

I've got to say, the pictures in this book are amazing. The book is a little bigger than a notebook, and the pictures are just about full size, making them about 8x10. Which is great if you want to put them on your wall.

My only complaint about the pictures are: although there are about 2 or 3 pictures of her on the beach with the white bathing suit on, that's it. Why not put more of them, they are some of Marilyn's best pictures. Also, the pictures of her in the field in the blue dress, why not more? As is with the pictures of her in the field with the white dress. I don't understand.

I love all of the pictures of her at home in a relaxed state.

But the one thing that sensitive Marilyn Monroe fans might not like is the Foreword. David Thompson almost seems not to like her. But no one knows the exact truth about Marilyn's life, so the stuff he says may be true. If so, I feel sorry for her.

I don't know what to think of her, since I've read so much about her from different people. But it seems like she was a very complex person. Like myself, people don't know what to think about her. That's what I think draws me to her even more. I used to just love her for her wonderful pictures, but now it's fun learning more about her.

Although Mr. Thompson's foreword kind of irked me a little, this book is well worth it to a Marilyn fan or fan of beautiful pictures.

I hope this review helped someone. It's my first review, thanks for reading.

In the book possible to find amazing pictures, some of them I have never chance to seen before. Good quality of the pictures and a lot to find inside.

A must have for any Marilyn Monroe fan.
This book is full of rare and beautiful photos!
I own several Marilyn books and this is one of
the best photographic books I have seen.
The amazon price for this book can't be beat.
Recomended for the collector looking for
stunning Marilyn photos.

I purchased this book as a Christmas present for my sister who is a big Marilyn fan, and I think she is going to be ecstatic when she opens this present. The book is just full of wonderful pictures that bring to life Marilyn! This is a coffee table book that any fan of Monroe would be glad to have on their coffee table. The images span her life and career and include the many of the iconic glamour shot, but what is really cool are the many candid snap shots that help bring into focus the real person behind the image. Once I started paging through this beautiful book I could not stop! I have to be careful or I am going to have to buy another copy! I also just finished reading the soon to be released Misfits Country a fictional behind the scenes look at the Making of The Misfits Marilyn is the central character...must have for Marilyn fans!

This gorgeous, classy book encompasses the lifespan of the young Norma Jeane Baker/Mortenson, from lonely little girl to unknown young model, and through her metamorphosis into luminous superstar Marilyn Monroe, as well as into the last days of her life. The story is told through photographs.

It is full of beautiful b&w and color photos, both portraits and unposed snapshots, many of which I haven't seen before. There are also many quotes included, both by MM and about her, and there is a brief timeline at the end of the book that gives an overview of many of the important events in her life. The very short biography at the beginning of the book is a bit drab, but the main story here is, of course, the pictures, which encompass so many of the moments of her life.

If you never got the chance to own Spada's "Monroe: Her Life in Pictures," this would make a nice replacement. This is a wonderful and eclectic gathering of photos, and would be an attractive addition to any MM library.

I bought this book for my friend Charr, she and I are both big Elvis fans. She had been trying to find this particular book and when I gifted it to her she was elated. It shipped on time and was in great condition. It was a great experience for all invovled. Thanks for making my dear friend so happy! Cecilia

I cannot stress what a beautifully written story told about Elvis from a man who considered him his best friend, who knew him most. It is one of the very best books I have ever read about Elvis. Very emotional and moving! Every Elvis Fan should have this book. It is a most enjoyable read.....true, factual, telling "the inside story" of this Phenomenal Genius together with the "HUMAN SIDE" of a man struggling with his unbelievable success and personal heartaches. This is a story from a real, loyal friend who truly loved Elvis....who loved him and accepted him as he was, even through the pain. Jerry Schilling was that friend.....and what a friend he was. We all need friends like him.

Fantastic book about Elvis. This is the first book in a long time that I have read about Elvis where I actually learned new details about his life. If you are an Elvis fan this is a must buy!

Good addition to the bookshelf of Elvis fans, but as much as Elvis was a true legend, the phenomena has been a little over-done. This book does, however, offer a slightly different view on life with Elvis.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One

Darren G. Burton

Jerry Schilling, original member of Elvis's entourage The Memphis Mafia, tells the events surrounding the King of Rock 'n Roll in this unique perspective, and from the opening chapter, you'll find yourself hooked. Schilling tells it all, from the beginning when he found friendship with Elvis by playing football in the park with him just as the rocker had released his first single, to the end, when Elvis passes away and Jerry's life continues. Jerry lived at Graceland and he was beside Elvis throughout the good and the bad, meeting legendary entertainers, taking care of the King, and generally having the time of his life. Jerry comes across as genuine and a true friend as he tells his story, and gives new insight into someone who lived his life inside a fishbowl.

The book isn't without its flaws, however. Do I think Schilling glossed over a few of the major issues at times, including Elvis's drug abuse and the disintegration of his marriage? Certainly. Was Schilling overly careful in his descriptions of his fellow Mafia Members? Absolutely. I personally was very let down at Schilling's lack of information about the actual death of Elvis, though to be fair, he was no longer a regular employee at the time, having chosen to go into management (including managing both Billy Joel and The Beach Boys). I feel strongly that Schilling knows more about the death than he shared, but that's his perogative, and apparently he's not comfortable letting the rest of us know. I also would've liked him to address, at least briefly, the whole "Elvis is alive" myth and lay it to rest permanently. But overall this is a very well-written, well-remembered book, and I enjoyed Schilling's recounting of the life and times the rest of us could only observe from afar. Schilling seems like a decent guy and I enjoyed learning about him almost as much as I liked the glimpse into the side of Elvis the performer tried to keep to himself. If it were possible, I'd give this one 4.5 stars. Fascinating stuff.

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

First off, I hate his show, I loved this book and the movie.

Private Parts is hilarious, compelling and truthful. I've never been a huge Howard fan, I saw this book and for some reason started reading.

The book is his story, how he got where he is now and where it all started. If you love Howard Stern, you'll love his book, if you arent a fan, its still great reading.

Writing about oneself is an extremely difficult task that requires both daring and self-criticism. I don't know how many times I wanted to destroy my own writing because, with time, I realized how naive and stupid I was in the past. This is not the case with Howard Stern's autobiography here. He's a very brave man who does not fear to be criticized neither for who he is nor for what he does. Perhaps, the greatest anxiety of being ignored or under-appreciated drives H. Stern to put his "private parts" into unusual and fascinating language codes. And in this creative process, he is probably to be compared to such great names of the past as Giovanni Boccaccio ("The Decameron") and Francois Rable ("The Life of Gargantua and Pantagruel").

Moreover, H. Stern's "Private Parts" is a great representation for the recent immigrants like me of the unofficial American life in the second half of the 20th century. I'm reading this book along with Peter Novick's "The Holocaust and Collective Memory" and it's a great combination so far that allows me to see what's considered history and by whom.

Leaving the critical reflection for people who don't understand that critical concepts and theories are not weapons to discredit an artwork or an artist, just want to say, "I really loved this book!" I did love it even though as an average woman I was constantly measuring myself up to who H. Stern considered "hot" or "nice" or important. On the other hand, reading "Private Parts", I've never felt alone in my self-oppressive thoughts and unrealistic dreams. Howard Stern also indulges into both unimaginable self-appraisal and genuinely scary self-criticism.

I'm still just half-through his book, but I think I won't change my mind about his talent and daring even if he wrote at the end that every reader of the book is an idiot. So far, I don't even care what the book ends on. H. Stern has already put the culmination at the beginning - a very feminist gesture... If you are easily excited (sexually I mean) I'm not sure you'll be able to continue reading after the first 10 pages. You'll surely need to pause... for a while... Enjoy the reading!

I could actually hear Howards voice as I read this great book that tells the story of Howard Stern from a child until present day(1994)Also check out his follow up book Miss America(its also great)

a rather interesting bio. pretty much the whole book is half bio and half satire and commentary. it definitly give's you a tour into the demented mind of howard stern and as you progress through the book even as raunchy as it get's you finish by saying to yourself "well that made sense"

not for the uptight and not for the easily offended,,,read with an open mind!

This is one of those books you can pick up anywhere, read a few pages, enjoy it, and put it down again. Perfect for, er, certain rooms in the apartment.

If you get Howard, you should get this.

Entertaining, fast moving story about being gay in the 60's, a background on how Woodstock came to be, and an excellent snapshot of the era. Based on a true story, this book shows indeed, that truth is stranger than fiction. The scenes range from bizarre to wildly hilarious. The author touches on the many issues and nuances of the time without getting weighed down by them. I found it a thoughtful rendition of Woodstock experience, from an entirely different perspective. An easy read, I read it in a day.

This book just takes me back to the Woodstock Days....I was 19 and never went as I had a 3 month old baby at the time..lived in Brooklyn..reading Elliot Tibbers book about the White Lake area brings back such funny memories as my parents used to take my brother and I to the bungalow colonies in Monicello NY and Woodridge area each summer.
I was just cracking up at his accurate discriptions of the area and reading this book reminded me so much of my own Jewish parents and paternal grandmother from Minsk, Russia.
Wonderful book!

wow. a great book to collectors of woodstock trivia and the awful
stuff during that time of vietnam to one of peace and music! the
author shows a great ability to tell a story that kept me glued to the
pages. read it overnight!!! someone ought to make a movie of this
unusual tale.

Born Eliyahu Teichberg, poor Elli struggles to break what he calls the "Teichberg Curse" and changes his name to Elliot Tiber--hoping that would break the curse. Always on the brink of financial ruin and trying to hide his deepest secret, he dreams of the miracle that would change his life.

In 1969, he got that miracle. Manager of his Jewish parents' failing resort hotel El Monaco in White Lake, New York on the weekends, Elliot runs during the week to Greenwich Village where he can live the life he chooses as an interior designer and meeting the likes of Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams and Robert Mapplethorpe--all the while keeping his gay life a secret from his family. That is, until June 28, 1969, when he finds himself at the Stonewall Inn and the famous "Stonewall Riot" that would revolutionize the gay culture breaks out. With a newfound boldness, he finds out in July that the town of Wallkill has revoked the permit for the Woodstock festival. So he contacts Mike Lang, the concert's promoter, to offer his 15 acres for the concert. While Elliot hopes this is the miracle he has been waiting for, Mike Lang and his entourage arrive by helicopter but they end up feeling that the swampland of his resort hotel won't work for the concert. Tiber assures Lang and company that, since he has been the president of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce and has held a concert and art show for the past few years, he can get the necessary concert permit. Quickly, he calls his good friend Max Yasgur--who supports everything Elli does and only lives four miles up the road--and asks him to hold the concert. Elli explains to Mike that Max has a dairy farm on a hundred acres--more than enough to hold a concert. Arrangements are made and, before he knows it, Elli is caught up in the magic that will change his life forever. He is introduced to the hippie scene where everyone is accepted no matter who or what you are and learns he can love himself.

Whoa! Totally awesome and even far out and groovy! This book is absolutely amazing! This reviewer couldn't put it down--in fact, read it twice before writing this review. If you've ever dreamed of being at Woodstock or even if you were there, the author Elliot Tiber will take you back. The Sixties will come alive and you won't want the trip to end! But that is only part of the story, as Elliot takes you through the time of his troubled past and describes in perfect word pictures the struggles of his secret life, his childhood, the insanity of running the hotel resort, and dealing with bigoted locals who persecute him because of his Jewish heritage. In the end, you'll feel you know everyone and that you were there, too.

See Woodstock through the eyes of someone who lived it, who helped bring it to life - you'll never look at this period of history the same again. Don't pass this one by, as this autobiography guarantees to be one of the best reads of 2007 and is to be released just in time for the media's annual August remembrance of that great music festival. Also an awesome unique feature that this reviewer really likes is the reversible dust jacket--one side conservative, the other psychedelic. This feature, according to Square One's publisher Rudy Shur in Publishers Weekly, represents "The notion of duality [that] has been a central theme throughout Elliot's life, and we wanted the book to represent that notion of difference in a very direct and colorful way." So whichever trip you decide to take, this is one you'll never forget.

Cheri Clay
Reviewer's Bookwatch

The above would be an appropriate subtitle for this heartfelt but energetic and witty coming-of-age autobiography/memoir by Elliot Tiber, whose main claim to fame is that he fought the petty politics and narrow-mindedness of his small town of Bethel, NY, in order to make possible the Woodstock Festival in 1969.

The author (born Eliyahu Teichberg) grew up in the richly ethnic neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in an emotionally-starved but hardworking family with his Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. His father worked as a roofer, while his mother ran a housewares store in which they all helped out. Elliot finished college and began a moderately successful career in art design, primarily starting out dressing store windows and painting murals for rich Manhattanites. A trip to the Catskills resulted in the family buying a run-down motel right off Highway 17B at White Lake, in the town of Bethel NY, and Elliot found himself splitting his time, working weekdays in NYC and spending weekends doing whatever had to be done to keep the motel operational and barely financially afloat.

At the same time, Elliot came to the realization that he was gay, and - for whatever reason - favored the underground S&M flavored scene that existed in NYC in the mid 1960's. He met and partied with Robert Mapplethorpe, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, and even encountered Rock Hudson at one point. Of course, coming out to his conservative parents wasn't an option for him at the time, but his "secret life" during the week somewhat served to make bearable the weekends at the motel, scrubbing toilets and dealing with customer complaints (The Teichbergs cut a few corners in customer service. For example, they had phones in each room, but they weren't connected to anything. The TV was an empty box, as was the air conditioner sleeve below the window. Need soap and a towel? It'll cost ya extra, but you're lucky you made it in today, since Dad has hosed off your sheets - the only cleaning they ever got - just yesterday.)

In early 1969, Elliot read with interest the news accounts that the promoters of the planned Woodstock Music and Art Festival had been denied a permit by the town of Walkill, their planned location. As president (nobody else wanted the job) of Bethel's Chamber of Commerce, he had the authority to issue festival permits, and contacted the promoters about the possibility of moving the festival to Bethel, and offered the meadow of a friend, dairy farmer Max Yasgur, as the perfect venue. Much of the book details the whirlwind events that followed, as the festival took on a life of its own, eventually attracting around 500,000 people to the small town, resulting in threats by locals, payoffs to those who opposed it, nudity, drugs, gangsters, people bathing in the lake, shortages of food and water, but - despite it all - the most historic event in music and counterculture history, after which nothing would ever be the same again for Elliot and his family.

The author has a gift in telling a story, even one as obviously self-centered as this one is, for the most part. Witty and engaging, sure to bring back memories of that era. Loved the reversible (regular/psychodelic) dust jacket! 5 stars out of 5.