History Books

This book has greatly helped me. I think this should be required reading in any school, be it home or public. I will certainly have my new born read it (well, once she is old enough). Now I have so many more tools available to me while reading. You will not read the same after reading this book. If you apply this book your skill will greatly increase. It has help me love to read!

Daniel Fuller, John Piper's hermeneutics teacher uses this book for his class. He doesn't believe in special hermeneutics but general hermeneutics. You can learn more here: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/1994/ and http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2006/1625_Where_can_I_learn_more_about_the_Bible_study_method_called_arcing/

A great book on a seemingly obvious subject. Very insightful and a must for any begining researcher.

This is a review of "How to read a book" by Adler (May 2008).

This book was recommended to me by several authors I liked so aftr reading the positive reviews I decided to buy it. I can see that some see this book as 'timeless' and I think that is true, but I have also some criticism.

Pros:
- I see the main value of the book in teaching you the ability to structure your reading process/effort so that you get maximum value out of reading any book. For experienced readers (age 35+) this may be already a kind of automatism, but for less experienced (either in terms of #years or in terms of type of topic) this is probably not the case.
- I liked in particular the fact that the author not only discusses how to read book with emphasis on analytic content (rational / scientific / factual type of books), but also other kinds of literature.

Cons:
- The book is way too long. The author takes many pages to make a point that can also be done in 30% of the space. Fortunately, the author provides summaries of his 'rules' and tips. Nevertheless, an author who writes about how to efficiently read a book, should be brief himself! Just as you may expect from a dedicated reader that he reads efficiently, you may expect from a good writer he thinks through how to make a point, and be brief in the end, not forcing a reader to read many superfluous pages. Adler failed here. This makes me downgrade my rating.

Bottom line: If possible get it from a library; I would not recommend buying this book if you are in the second half of your 'reading life'.

i bought this book to learn how to read, but then i found out i couldn't read it. :(

nothing in this book is revolutionary. these are things any reader already knows and does, things that one had to learn to get through college. If you have a thirteen or fourteen year old definitely make him or her read it. The last section is sort of a plug for a different work by the author, which doesn't make it bad, just approach it with the necessary skepticism. On the whole a good and interesting read. The list of books at the end is mostly crap. There is a difference between being educated and well rounded and a crusty old lit snob. one could waste an awful chunk of ones life reading dusty old greeks or Proust instead of Beard of Lewis or Vonnegut. Update it yourself and don't tread it as a holy document, (which is pretty much how it was represented to me) and remember that its probably just articulating better than you could things you already know.

I am a History Professor at a small, Christian, liberal arts college on the outskirts of Chicago. I have used this book, both the fourth edition and the fifth edition, in my Historical Methods course for the last four years. The fifth edition is a great improvement over the fouth.

Overall, the book provides an excellent introduction to what historians do and how we do it. It defines primary and secondary sources well and provides a good list of questions to ask about each type of source. It talks about the types of writing assignments that are used in history and how to approach them. It gives a straightforward explanation of each step in the process of writing a research paper. It has a nice explanation of what plagiarism is (although like most scholars she describes it as a form of theft rather than fraud) and how to avoid it. Finally, it gives University of Chicago forms for footnotes and bibliographies in the back.

When compared to the other introductions to history writing on the market--and I've looked at over half a dozen of them--Rampolla's book is shorter, more to the point, and less expensive than all of them (MUCH less expensive than some). The publisher is to be commended.

This book is a pocket guide and lives up to the name. Everything is summarized and made simple. Sometimes the simplicity leads to confusion, but the guide acts as a reference to solve the problem by finding another source. Overall, by itself the guide is okay, but utilized with other manuals, it is a great tool.

Very helpful guide to writing about history, or anything else. Helpful for both the undergraduate and graduate student who wants a refresher.

As a high school history teacher, I've created several writing tip sheets and links to writing websites for my students. All of these efforts were intended to help the motivated improve their understanding of good writing as well as their skills in writing.

The Pocket Guide to Writing in History replaces all of my earlier efforts in one handy resource. With an introduction to research, note taking, formulating and supporting points with evidence, citations & bibliographies, it's an excellent guide for advanced high school and college students in writing in-class essays or lengthy, long-term research papers.

The Guide briefly considers the different types of history writing assignments, and offers unique suggestions for preparation and execution for each format. Its primary referencing focus is on the Chicago style of foot/endnotes, the style most widely used in history. Plus, the 5th edition includes more up-to-date citation format examples for internet sources, a big improvement from the 4th edition.

Writing is a key skill in this discipline, but most teachers have little class time in which to teach it. As a stand alone student resource, the Guide is the best option I've found. It could also be used in class for lessons on specific writing skills, or as a supplement to a major research paper assignment. I plan to recommend The Guide to all of my Advanced Placement students this year. Highly recommended.

Amazingly enough, I don't know Dr. Rampolla, but that won't stop me from adding my praise for this little gem of a book. Clearly and concisely written, this slim guide covers the important aspects of the study of history. From evaluating sources to documenting the sources you've found, it's a marvelous little tool for students. Don't leave home for your next history class without this book.

This is a very interesting book about a little-known golf match between two famous golf pros and two amateurs. It is an easy read with some interesting historical facts about the evolution of professional golf in the U.S.

You can almost see the course contours, smell the salt air and feel the lush grass underfoot in this epic depiction of the towering talents of four larger-than-life golf heroes. If this were fiction, the reader would beguiled by the sheer momentum in this solitary golf match . . . but it is absolutely true!

I caddied once in my youth for one of the golfing giants prtrayed in this book and later in life interviewed one of the players in THE MATCH so I have a more-than-passing interest in this memorable tale. Memories of the bygone days of renowned amateur golfers, the honor of the game and competition that goes far beyond money burst forth from every page of this book that is detined to be a classic.

A lifetime of golfing recollections washed over me in a book that I could not put down. This book would be a marvelous gift for every golfer in your world.

I found this incredible interview regarding how the game of Golf has changed over the years. You wouldn't believe the evolution! If you have any interest in the history of Golf, this is a must read. If you want to become even more knowledgeable on the subject, scroll to the bottom of the interview and get in touch with the author. After reading, I guarantee you will be able to lead the most interesting discussions and impress your friends!

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/interviewroden.html

Mark Frost leaves you breathless as he paints an unmatched literary canvas with words--you can hear it, see it, smell it, feel the tension. Throughout he intersperses snippets and bios of the players so you can't wait to get back to the action. Each time I put it down I looked forward to picking it up and reading it again. I have read also The Greatest Game Ever Played and The Grand Slam. Both excellent, but "The Match" to me was one of the richest literary creations on golf I have ever read.

In The Greatest Game Ever Played, Mark Frost provides a brilliant account of 20-year-old Francis Ouimet's 18-hole playoff victory over Britons Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, where Ouimet once caddied. That said, I think his account of an 18-hole match at Cypress Point Golf Club on the Monterey Peninsula (just before the annual "Crosby Clambake" in 1956) between professionals Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson against amateurs Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi describes a match at least as significant. His is certainly the best book on golf competition that I have ever read.

With the curiosity of a cultural anthropologist and the skills of a master storyteller, Frost establishes and then explores a context within which four of the greatest golfers in the 1950s agreed to a "friendly match." They knew each other, respected each other, and enjoyed each other's company. However, in his own unique way, each was a ferocious competitor, especially when engaged in match play competition. Frost provides a hole-by-hole account (the primary story line) but he also brings to life each of the four competitors, explaining their respective backgrounds, personalities, and motivations while stressing their passion for the game of golf. The supporting cast includes Eddie Lowery who, when years old, caddied for Ouimet during his Open victory and is now a wealthy car dealer and among the leaders of the USGA. Also George Coleman, also a multi-millionaire as well as a member of Cypress Point who accepts Lowery's challenge to select any two professionals to compete against Ward and Venturi.

Credit Frost with accomplishing two separate but related objectives: to provide a riveting account of the match itself over an especially challenging as well as beautiful course designed by Alister MacKenzie, and, to place the match within a much larger frame-of-reference that includes the emergence of professional golf following the retirement of Bob Jones, real estate development of the Monterey Peninsula area, and the evolving controversy about the meaning of the term "amateur," given the fact that both Venturi and Ward were two of Lowery's salaried employees who devoted almost all of their time and energy to competitive golf.

Even those who have little (if any) interest in golf will thoroughly enjoy reading this book. It has everything: a full cast of colorful characters, several compelling story lines, multi-dimensional social commentary, and following the conclusion of the match, an "Afterward" that provides what Paul Harvey calls "the rest of the story" concerning the four competitors and their two supporters. Then in an Appendix, Frost provides historical information about the Peninsula before focusing his attention on Marion Hollins and her involvement in both competitive golf and efforts to realize her "oversized dreams" for the area.

This is one of very few works of non-fiction that I have read in recent years that created in me a growing sense of sadness as I approached the last few pages. I really enjoyed it that much? Yes. In fact, I began to re-read it the next day and although I knew the outcome of the match, enjoyed the second reading at least as much as the first. Thank you, Mark Frost.

i've read a couple of krakauer's books (into thin air, into the wild), and have mostly loved them. i say "mostly", because, while i think he's a great writer and storyteller, and meticulous in his research, there's occasionally a hint of arrogance or smugness that i don't find appealing. that said, i found under the banner of heaven to be exceptionally fascinating.

if you're not familiar with krakauer's work, his books all have the same general approach: he tells a particular story, but places it within the context of its larger setting. in this case, the particular story is of a double murder, carried out by two fundamentalist mormon brothers (of their sister-in-law and her daughter) based on an alleged prophetic message from god. but the larger context is a thorough history of mainstream mormonism, and a much more detailed history and current-day description of the various fundamentalist mormon sects that have split off from the main lds faith.

of course, this book was published before the news-swirl earlier this year of the raid on a polygamous fundie compound in texas, and all the fall-out from that; but those characters play into this book (specifically, warren jeffs, the de facto leader of the particular splinter group that raided compound rolled up to). i learned a lot about mormonism, and even more about fundamentalist mormons (who, i have to add, krakauer treats with as much empathy and fairness as is possible).

all that said: what was really intriguing to me were the broader questions the book occasionally asks, but were regularly percolating in my mind, about religion. questions about civil disobedience, and how to respond when one's faith and government are at odds with each other. questions about hearing the voice of god. questions about authoritarian structures and communal discernment. even questions about marriage, fidelity, and intimacy. at one point, i jokingly said to my wife, "hey, maybe we should consider polygamy." she was at a particularly weary moment, and quickly responded, "could the other wife do all the cooking and cleaning?"

at the bottom line, under the banner of heaven bubbles up the danger of any one person saying he or she is speaking for god.

This book regardless of how people feel certain leaders were portrayed, was very informational. I didn't know much about that religion besides what the media wanted me to know. Now I know more about who Joseph Smith was and what he accomplished, the difference between the LDS and FLDS, and even a little geography. Krakauer made the history of the LDS easy to follow, and I could trace their steps from the east coast all the way west. There's also (which I don't believe but was interesting to know) is how they thought the world was created.
This is all just a background to the major piece of the book, which is a gruesome murder of a mother and a baby. Thanks to the information on the history and practices of the LDS/FLDS, I'm more able to make an educated opinion on what the media puts out and can now tell the difference between the extremists and the Mormons who just want to make the world a little nicer.

I wanted to love this book, but I wound up just liking it. Krakauer is a great writer, the topic was impeccably researched, and the subject is fascinating. But, I feel like for the non-historian reader, many of the details could have been left out. There are hundreds of names, places, and small events that don't add much to the story other than increased difficulty.

Another small complaint is about the footnotes. This is just a personal preference, but I find frequent large footnotes to be distracting. I feel obligated to read them, but that breaks up the continuity of the main text. I much prefer when writers incorporate the info into the main text or just put the notes at the end of the book.

That said, anyone interested in a more detailed view of the history of Mormonism will be satisfied by this exposition. There are some shocking tidbits about the origins of Mormonism as well as some profound tie-ins with religion in general.

As a fan of Krakauer (read the excellent "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air"), I was interested in his bringing his reporter's style and thorough analysis to this topic. Those that criticise the book as "anti-Mormon" do not get the point - it is an analysis of religious extremism in any form. He uses Mormonism as the protagonist to tell the story. The book could easily be about Islam, Catholicism, or another major religion. Mr. Krakauer goes into detail about aspects of mainstream Mormon history that the LDS church would rather he not get into such as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, for example. As a non-Mormon, I was not put off by his book, and found his thourough and thoughtful forays into the history of the LDS church to be fascinating. I had never read an account of Joseph Smith, the founding of the church, the persecutions they suffered and the migration to the Salt Lake Valley from any other source, including from any member of the LDS church.

Mr. Krakauer's point is that you cannot tie fundamentalism any more to mainline Mormonism than you can to mainline Islam. But, they are related in their origins, and he describes portions of LDS history which demonstrate that the religion was born out of violence, both directed towards the church and in some cases, perpetrated by it.

The examples of a small minority of those involved in the strict fundamentalism of the Mormon faith are not representative of the LDS church as a whole. The official reaction from the LDS church I felt was unfortunate. Instead of attacking and discrediting Mr. Krakauer, I rather think they missed a great opportuntiy to communicate the stark differences between the LDS church's substansive role in modern American life vs those fundamentalists that have twisted the teachings of the church to serve their own cause.

At times, Mr. Krakauer examines the Mountain Meadows Massacre as well as the deaths of three of explorer Powell's men a bit too closely, which gave me the impression he was "piling on" a bit in making his point. In the case of Powell's men, he goes into great detail of the circumstance of their deaths, but merely repeats scholarship that has already been written. Perhaps the detail of these accounts cannot be found in many other places.

As he points out, however, these are parts of Mormon history that the church should address rather than trying to shove, along with Mr. Krakauer, under the rug.

The first half of the book discusses the personal lives of a couple psychotic men who happened to be Fundamentalist Mormons, to prove that the LDS religion breeds molesters.

If that is true, then we can easily conclude that the Catholic religion breeds pedophiles.

The author grossly misrepresents the theology of Mormonism, claiming that Lehi, the ancient Hebrew, discovered that we must "EARN GOD'S LOVE" through obedience. Mormons do not believe such drivel.

Through obedience, one pleases God and "earns" His approval, but not His acceptance and love.

This book is absolutely fascinating! The historic relations to the content is helpful and provides even more insight throughout the chapters. The book wastes NO time with puffy sentences or grand introductions.... instead the author's every sentence has substance, and you begin to actually learn something right from the beginning. The book is a great tool to completely rebuild yourelf, as well as teaching you the 'art of seduction.' The book is intellegent and complex, yet it's written in a way that is easy to comprehend because it deals directly with its title. The book never loses the focus, and it is on point from beginning to end.

The chapters/sections are just flat out amazing... it's like the proverbial 'light bulb' turning on in your head.

Not only does the book support its title, but it's also a great description of the human condition in general.

Very objective - Provides factual evidence - Non-biased - And downright illuminating.

I just read Mystery's book, then the new book by Billy Conroy, then this book. Kind of a crash course in picking up women. Unfortunately, this book was third best. I enjoyed Cougars, Poptarts & One Night Stands much better, making it difficult to finish this one. Not enough real world examples here, and not enough laughter. JMO.

I wasn't really impressed by this book as much as I was by 48 Law of Power. The Art of Seduction was more of a history book that wasn't very well organized. Don't get me wrong, you'll probably be able to pick up a few tips and tricks from this book, but if you want more of a manual on seduction, check out some other authors (Neil Strauss, etc). Art of Seduction is decent, but I really just should have spent my time re-reading The 48 Laws of Power.

Like his other exercises in opportunism (on power and war) Mr. Greene falls into that category of writer who leaps on people's insecurities by providing a "how-to" manual in checklist form. As if the art of generalship or political power or sexual conquest was as simple as assembling an Ikea bookshelf. All you need are the right instructions.

This will no more help you understand or become a Casanova than a "23 Laws of being a Fashion Model" will turn you into Heidi Klum. Save your money.

This book covers certain concepts and ideas that you have probably been exposed to throughout your life, however the eloquent and exotic stories the author had woven into each chapters make his arguments potent. Even if you do not agree with the methods this book offers, you will still enjoy reading about it. i also recommend for this kind of topic my favorite book I Love You. Now What?: Falling in Love is a Mystery, Keeping It Isn't

To be cliche this book is thought provoking. I'll admit zombies are a far cry from reality, but then again you never know. But the subject matter does bring into sharp clarity the fact that we as a civilization are too complacent, slow to act and to reliant on the poor information and sensationalist reporting of the local and national media. But these are just a few of the examples that will make you think about what is not quite right with out society and world after reading this book.
The subject matter is as I said far fetched but extremely well thought out and Max Brooks really must had did his research on the subjects that he deals with in each little "interview." The format of the book is fantastic and it's a great zombie universe he's created. I'd love to see more stories come out of this universe.

I whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone that is a zombie fanatic or anyone looking for a different and thought provoking read. I won't be putting a zombie survival pack in my trunk anytime soon, but I will start to be more prepared for the other more realistic disasters that may come our way.

This follow-up to the Zombie Survival Guide is less campy but some of the survivor interviews contain just enough snark to make you shake your head in amusement. One aspect that is fun is the interviewer narrating his own actions, typically in response to questions from the interviewee.

You get so many different types of people answering questions about their time during the war that you will no doubt have some you hate and some you love. There is a smattering of all types of people being interviewed and if you cross one that doesn't float your boat then you know it'll be over in a couple of pages. This isn't the type of book that has you getting attached to any characters, it is more like a voyeuristic pleasure of other people's misfortune.

Max Brooks, World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Crown, 2006)

If Studs Terkel were not still alive, I have little doubt that buy now, we'd have already had the companion volume to this book, telling the story of the zombie war from the other side. But Studs still clings to life (he's ninety-six as I write this, and for all I know he's still writing), and so we have only one side of the great Zombie War depicted here. Still, for those of us who lived through it, perhaps that's enough.

What, you don't remember the zombie war? Well, I'm not entirely surprised. Fewer and fewer people do. It's amazing how short our collective memory is. That's part of the reason Max Brooks wrote this book-- so that people wouldn't forget, that they'd have something to hold on to, some artifact they can consult. It's the same reason Terkel wrote his oral history of World War II; we all learn the dates and places in history class, but who ever dredges it up again, unless they go on to become history professors and propagate the same information? Terkel's book tells us what the battlegrounds were like from the perspectives of those, most of whom are now gone, who were actually there. So does Brooks'. No one who reads this will ever hear "Yonkers" and just think of a date and an event. You get an actual veteran telling the story and you can hear the explosions. You can taste the dirt. You can hear the moaning of the enemy. And Brooks captures it, as he captures the many other voices in this tome, by standing back and letting these folks tell it like they saw it.

This is an impressive compendium of voices, now that I'm n the subject. Men and women from around the globe, from the northern wastes of Canada to the South Pole (with the obvious exception of Iceland), offer their stories here. Some of them are still understandably bitter. Some are just angry. Some resilient, some defeated, some poignant. All of them together, give the clearest picture of a global conflict I've ever run across. Max Brooks is, truly, to be commended for his investigative work on this project, and his desire not to let the Zombie War fade until it becomes nothing more than a bad nightmare. For, as we all know, those who do not repeat history are doomed to learn from it. ****

i found thst this book to be a well done novel that gave true insight into this fictional event

A good effort I must say it in short describes zombie warfare first the outbrack then the panic that follows and finally the determination with which the remaining uninfected population fight back against the invader. There is also almost none of this "superman syndrome" stuff that permeates everything Science Fiction related these days. Over the course of the narrative it is clear that if humanity is going to survive it is going to have to fight as a team.

If I had to pick my two favorite installments it's the exploits of one professional bodyguard on a "Long Island" near New York basically a morality tale about how celebrity is irrelevant in the new world and the story of how Cuba of all places becomes the "arsenal of victory". If some point of views like the former computer nerd and Hiroshima survivor that become the guardians of Japan seem far fetched...well it is a book about zombies and if I were writing a book about the subject I'd have some fun with it too.

It is an excellent book providing a balanced account of the war from all fronts from land based armies to people who spent the entire war on the Open Ocean and even outer space. I would even go so far as to say that it was too short I wanted more.

If I have one compliant however is that whereas most books that run along this kind of theme are usually hampered by a single viewpoint this one while it is good is too cosmopolitan. It seemed that I was just getting to like one character then that point of view would end and we would be on to someone else a different theater of the war. This is not a bad things its just sometimes it can be abrupt.

Overall-Wonderful book I look forward to further installments if there are any.

These anthologies are mostly used in music history courses to my knowledge and so I don't believe it's fair to say that this book fails to offer enough excerpts in this genre, or in this country, or during such and such years. I used this book during my first semester of music history at the undergraduate level (focusing on the second volume the next semester) and there simply isn't enough time to cover everything that ever happened during this period.

The anthology strives to give textbook examples of certain genres, forms, etc. and even ones that don't follow such rules that I HOPE are explained by an instructor. The reason they do that is so students don't leave the class thinking every piece fall neatly into rules. It's only big schools (who more than likely have a graduate program like I'm in) that can afford to offer classes that can focus on narrower time periods. It was only until I was in grad school that I could take a semester class that just focused on the Baroque; Just 150 years were studied in one semester and even then things were left out. For a comprehensive reference for music history, this is a great anthology.

It was a textbook required for a class. It's a very scholarly book and if you have an interest in ancient-baroque music this has very good examples of that music.

This book was sent out the day after I bought it, and was in the stated condition. Excellent service, would buy from this seller again.

As is typical with surveys of music written before 1800, this volume devotes way too little time and space to a period of music history spanning almost 2000 years, and yet volume two deovtes roughly the same amount of space to two hundred years of music history (ca. 1800-present). One gets the impression that a series of relatively inconsequential composers filled in the blanks until Bach and Handel, and that's grossly unfair not only to the composers of those works (and the works themselves), but also to those who wish to learn something about music written before Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi and Puccini.

If you're looking to learn something about music written before 1800, stay away from these kinds of surveys and point yourself in the direction of books focused more on particular subject areas -- for example, James Anthony's book on French Baroque music and Gary Tomlinson's book "Monteverdi and the End of the Renaissance" provide lucid breakdowns for those new to these genres, as well as those who already have some background in the subject matter.

There are a few books that are even more general than those I mentioned above but that still provide a clear outline of music from paricular eras. For example, Richard Hoppin's "Medieval Music" and the accompanying "Anthology of Medieval Music" is a fine place to begin a study of this period. Alan Atlas' "Renaissance Music: Music in Western Europe, 1400-1600", and Howard Mayer Brown's "Music in the Renaissance" (2nd Edition) are excellent surveys of the music of that period. For Baroque music, Claude Palisca's "Baroque Music" (3rd Edition) is a good primer, as is Manfred F. Bukofzer's "Music in the Baroque Era, from Monteverdi to Bach." Also advised is reading primary sources, since they often give the reader an idea of the intentions of the composers and are a great aid in understanding the motives behind historically-informed performances of this repetoire. For this, look to Oliver Strunk's "Source Readings in Music History: The Baroque Era."

(By the way, all of these books can be found on Amazon.com)

This is the first volume of the Norton Anthology of Western Music Third Edition). It covers Music of the Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods, while the second volume deals with Music from the Classical, Romantic Contemporary and Modern Periods. The book offers a selection of scores (86 in total) from several composers and it spans over a period of more than two millennia (earliest score from 408 B.C., latest from 1752 A.D.). The scores that are included are representative of most composers that made an impact through these two millennia (at least according to the editors): Leonin, Perotin, Machaut, Landini, Dunstable, Duffay, Ockeghem, Des Prez, Willaert, Gesualdo, Monteverdi, Dowland, Byrd, Palestrina, Luis de Victoria, Orlando di Lasso, Caccini, Peri, Gabrielli, Schutz, Froberger, Frescobaldi, Scarlati, Purcell, Buxtehude, Lully, Couperin, Corelli, Vivaldi, Rameau, J.S. Bach and G. F. Handel. In this volume, 60 eponymous composers (and several anonymous) are included. The only noticeable absence on a first reading of the index is perhaps that of Boccherini. However, given the restrictions of space that are inherent to any written medium, the Anthology still manages to remain quite comprehensive. On the other hand, very few, if any, comments or analyses of the scores are offered for each of the pieces (always following the music). Pieces that involve vocals (i.e. excerpts from operas, cantatas, masses) are supplemented with an English translation, besides the original text. The scores themselves are 'full' scores and not piano reductions. Naturally, this causes some scores that involve richer orchestration (i.e. the excerpt from Bach's B Minor Mass "Et expecto resurrectionem") to be printed in small fonts, which in turn may take its toll in the readability of the music. However, since most pieces of the period involve smaller orchestras, the problem is not as much of a deal as it is with volume two. Additionally, if one always remembers the restrictions of space that accompany any written medium, it is clear that it is a decision to be made- it's either small fonts or fewer scores.

Two notes of warning: first, the book, much like volume two, is not accompanied by any music. It contains simply the printed scores. A good choice for supplementing the two volume set, is Hannig's Concise History of Western Music with its 4 CD set. Although the CD set does not contain all music of the two volumes, it does contain a good portion of it and has a user friendly, easy to understand cross-reference system with the two volumes. Second note of warning: as any anthology, this one, too, is merely a representative sample. It is not a 'Greatest Hits' collection-for example you won't find Pachelbel's "Canon in D", Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", Bach's Brandemberg Concertos or his Passions or Handel's "Messiah" in it. Only one complete score of a larger scale piece is included, that of Bach's cantata "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (BWV 140). Otherwise, the anthology consists of excerpts of larger pieces (whole movements or introductions for example), and shorter complete pieces (i.e. Bach's Praeludium et Fuga in A minor, BWV 543), that from the editors perspective present a more or less complete landscape of Music up to where Vol. 2 picks up from (Late Baroque/Early Classical). Naturally, omissions are inevitable, especially when one looks for balance. The four stars (and not five) are mainly because of the choice of scores at some points, at the choice (or omission) of composers at others, and, mainly, for the lack of more comprehensive commentaries and analyses of the pieces.

I got the book in good time. I ended up having to mail it back just because I dropped the class, but there was nothing wrong with the book.

Most recent edition. Does not go along with NAWM 3rd edition. It must be referring to a more recent edition of that book as well.

This was a Christmas present for my wife. She sings and arranges music. I can only tell you that she is ecstatic about the book, and is excited at the prospect of going on line for the streaming music that comes with.

this is vol 2 of the 2 classic texts for studying the history of european music. These are a must have for the serious student of music

This book is perhaps the most used textbook in the college music history class. It is a fine book, especially if used along with its companion anthology (2 volumes) Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque, Norton Anthology of Western Music: Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century and recorded anthology (2 volumes with 12 CDs) Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque (6 CDs), Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 2: Classic to Twentieth Century (6 CDs). I don't think one could learn much from reading through a music history book, without key listening material.

That said, I agree with other reviewers that this book (with companion anthology and CDs) is seriously over-priced. The total price of this book and its companion anthology and CDs is $76+ $45 + $45 +$82.50 +$82.50 = $331! It is reasonable for any publisher to make profits, but to rake it on students is robbery!

Recommended only to those with deep pockets.

It's a text book in its fifth edition. When I start my own publishing co. I'll be sure to be involved in text books so I can cut students such a great deal by only charging $60 instead of $90 and I'll only print new editions every 3 years instead of 2 at the risk of things like math, art, and history changing so dramatically.

A World of Art by Henry Sayre is meant to give individuals their first exposure to art and art history. This is the textbook I use for my Art 101 course and it fills that purpose exceptionally well. The book is broken down into 5 segments with a total of 22 chapters.

Part One: The Visual World - is about understanding the art one comes across. Chapters in this section discuss themes found in art, the value we give to art, and developing a literacy in order to explain the art around us. Personally, I feel that the subject matter in this section is pretty deep for someone new to the field and suggest beginning with Part Two.

Part Two: The Formal Elements And Their Design - deals with the basic elements of art, particularly to how they relate to the artist. Chapters in this section discuss elements such as line, space, color and general design principles. A good introductory chapter to begin with.

Part Three: The Fine Arts Media - reviews the different ways art is created. Chapters are broken down by media such as drawing, printmaking, painting, photography, and sculpture.

Part Four: The Visual Arts In Everyday Life - is a very small section revolving around architecture and design. It reviews a few of the art historical movements such as art nouveau and art deco.

Part Five: The Visual Record - is a chronological look at art throughout the ages beginning with primitive (cave art) and ending with the twentieth century.

The book varies from the 4th edition in its incorporation of 100 new images (quite a lot considering it is a 500 page book). The author places special focus on artwork from women, minority and non-Western cultures, along with showing the cornerstone pieces of art from the Western world. There are a few mistakes in the text (hence a 6th edition I am sure), and some better terminology should have been used (i.e. using the term "fabrics" when in fact he should have used the more correct term "textiles"). Overall it is a very good book, it is a smooth read and has many color images on nearly every page.

This book is an ultimate study guide for the Praxis II art content exam! It gives you everything from art history to photography to printmaking... It is an excellent survey of technique, elements and principles, as well as chronlogical history. The only thing it lacks is a few more "contemporary names" from the 40's through today.

This was a wonderful course, the book is easy to understand and presented well. Nice size print and good photos of lots of works. I realy enjoyed each page of the book.

The book covers an extensive array of facts about art in general as well as about specific works of art. By introducing artists and exploring their intentions, the student can better understand and perhaps come to appreciate a wider variety of all forms of art.
The CD holds some of the works that appear in the book, but not all, plus others that are not in the book which I thought was a little disconnected. But the CD also includes verbal pronunciation of artists' names, which cooresponds exactly to the Pronunciation Guide and is helpful. Overall, the book offers very thorough instruction for art appreciation.

Although I have only read the first one hundred pages or so, I found myself chuckling out loud at points. The only other author who has illicitted that affect on my is Davis Sedaris. A basic knowledge of christian theology is helpful to understand the "inside jokes" but not necessary to enjoy this book. The recount of Jesus (Josh) as preteen acting out biblical stories, the likes of Lot and the Sodomites is absolutely hysterical. In addition to the biblical satire, such humane issues like adolescent love (and lust) are addressed in an authentic, charming manner. I look forward to finishing it and would recommend a read.

Entertaining, provocative, fun to read. The story of Christ told in a very different and amusing fashion, still escaping sacrilege.
Have given several as gifts to friends who have also thoroughly enjoyed the book!

Will you enjoy Christopher Moore's LAMB, the story of Jesus Christ's lost years as told by his bosom buddy, Biff (a.k.a. Levi)? That is the question, and a lot depends upon your sense of humor. First of all, if you take your religion seriously, maybe you shouldn't even start the book. Second of all, what makes you laugh? Toilet humor? Sexual humor? Monty Python-style humor? Saturday Night Live-type humor? Lay it on with a cudgel humor? If the answer to many of these questions is "yes," then I say go for it and give Moore's iconoclastic romp a ride.

For me, the book had many strengths and weaknesses. As a strength, I see Moore using humor as a vehicle to promote tolerance in Christianity, a device I liked. Also, the book covers some of the basic tenets of Buddhism and Hinduism by having Joshua (Jesus) and Biff (Levi) travel to China and India. Moore did his research not only on this, but on the historical setting and history of Christ's lifetime under the Roman occupation, and good information can be gleaned underneath all the jests. Finally, many, many lines in this book are genuinely funny.

For weaknesses, I'd start with the book's unevenness. Certain narrative arcs are dwelled on for too long, while others (most notably the ending) are inexplicably rushed. Also, the same humor which serves Moore so well can betray him at times. That is, he goes over the top and perhaps grows too insistent now and then. For instance, use of profanity for shock-value humor (say, coming out of the Lord's and certainly out of Biff's mouth) lose their shock value once the card is played too often. And the plot begins to collapse when Moore introduces monster chases and the abominable snowman. Monsters and yetis? It's just too much and probably would best have been deleted so he could focus on his main plot.

This review is conflicted. I surely do not want to dissuade you from reading it, I just want you to gauge the style of writing and humor you like before taking the plunge. If you like a breezy read and savor Adam Sandler/Will Ferrell movies, you'll probably be 5-starring this book. If you're like me and have your limits with all that frat-boy fun (yes, you like to indulge, but moderation is your byword), then proceed with caution.

I absolutely adore this book! This is one I can read over and over again, and still be able to laugh! Even though it's a fictional book, it makes Jesus (Joshua)human and you enjoy following Biff and Joshua on their search for what it means to be the Messiah. The angel Raziel is hilarious, too, with his aspiration to become Spider-man! This book got me hooked on Christopher Moore!

It has been a while since I read this book but it is really really good. It is not meant to be taken literally for those of you out there that can't tell that. Christopher Moore is a hilarious writer but this book seems to let the humor seep in slowly and less obviously than many of his other books. This is a super quick easy and fun read. It really gives a humorous insight to the time period of Christ's life that is left out in the Bible.

Highly Recommended for any one.