Music and the Occult: French Musical Philosophies, 1750-1950 (Eastman Studies in Music) Review

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(More customer reviews)Godwin has an uncanny knack for writing about very interesting subjects and still managing to be boring. This book mainly goes into how French composers in the 1700's were encoding Pythagorian/Rosicrucian/Alchemical symbology/magic into the music they were creating. Some of the historical stuff was interesting but maybe its because I'm neither a musician or a Pythagorian occultist when he got into deep specifics and the technical side of what these guys were doing I was bored out of my mind.

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This book is an adventure into the unexplored territory of French esoteric philosophies and their relation to music. Occultism and esoterism flourished in nineteenth-century France as they did nowhere else. The book beginswith the anti-Newtonian 'colour harpsicord' of Peere Castel, and closes with the disciples of Rene Guenon and their fierce anti-modernity. The major forces in between - Fabre d'Olivet, Charles Fournier, Wronski, Lacuria, Saint-Yves d'Alveydre, and their disciples - were all at odds with the world. They were truly Renaissance men ranging over the whole field of learning and not shying away from the enigmas that beset the human condition. For them, music was a blend of science and art that could bring insight into the cosmic order. Theirs was a speculative music in the tradition of Pythagoras, Plato, Ficino, and Kepler, which is generally thought to have died with the coming of the Enlightenment. On the contrary, as this book shows, it flourished more vigorously than ever.

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National Geographic Photography Field Guide: Birds Review

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(More customer reviews)As if teaching children with challenging behaviors isn't enough, I spend much of my time off birding with my camera. Some might argue the two activities are one and the same, and anyone who has tried to capture a great blue heron lifting off the wetlands, only to turn tail and fly behind rushes would agree...speaking from experience. Whenever I set off to capture the feathered members of our planet, I get a few shots, but always think I could do better. If only I'd not moved so fast, if only I could afford a 600mm lens, if only...
Mr. Simmons's book has helped me to look at bird photography a bit differently, and given me permission to be happy with the good shots I do get. Although he covers many of the basic tenets of bird photography, such as knowing your subject, having the right equipment, and shooting techniques, the true gift of this guide is his concept of showing the birds in their environmental setting. Most of his photos are those wonderful bird portraits in larger than life detail we would all love to take, but he makes a good case for showing birds in their habitat, providing enough detail to identify the bird. Most of my photos are of this type, because although I am fairly good at stalking and being patient, my longest lens is still only 420mm with a tele-extender.
He gives information on how to shoot various aspects of bird behavior, such as courtship, nesting and flight, and this information is all helpful. He also gives ideas for various categories of birds, such as shorebirds. The book is guidebook sized, so it can travel into the field with you. If you wish to become more serious in your efforts to take photos of birds, whether in the field or at your backyard feeder, this is a great resource.

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This guidebook combines two markets clamouring for books and information -photographers and birders - especially information coming from an expert in both fields National Geographic. This book will appeal to buyers of two of National Geographic's strongest selling backlist titles: National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America and National Geographic Photography Field Guide. This sturdy, easy to carry, and information-packed guidebook brings the birder and photographer - from novice to advanced - the specifics on finding and photographing birds whether in the back garden or in a stunning natural setting. Author Rulon Simmons, 30-year birder and photographer gives you the best film to use, the best lens, the best time of day to shoot. While the photography guidance is for all birds, special tips will be given for favorite songbirds, raptors, and others. Find out how to stalk, lure, and pose a bird while staying out of sight. Full-colour images, excellent range maps, contact information, and superb index are included. 1. National Geographic, renowned experts in the field of photography, brings you the latest in their best-selling photography field guide series. 2.Excellent companion to the Field Guide to Birds of North America 3. Avid and growing market.

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A Stupendous Effort: The 87th Indiana in the War of the Rebellion Review

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(More customer reviews)Incredible book . The story of 1,262 men who served in the Civil War. Complete roster, including home towns. This is most of all a personal book, the lives of over 1,000 men who almost all came from Northern Indiana, about Peru through South Bend. If you are in Indiana, you can visualize the towns they were from, many whom exist today. You'll see the units all recruited from the same town, dozens or even close to a hundred all from the same area. You can imgine when one third never came home and sometimes a whole town's men disappeared. A vicious war, fought by men of honor and belief on both sides.

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The 87th Indiana Infantry was one of the Civil Wars most versatile regiments. It was good fighting pitched battles at the front line, good at building roads, railroads, and bridges in campaigns from Kentucky to North Carolina, and good at living off the country while marching through Georgia and the Carolinas. This is the story of that regiment, of its significant role in the remarkable campaigns and battles in the Western theater, and of the young men who formed its ten companies.Volunteers all, they were substantial citizens from six rural northern Indiana counties who in mid-1862 left families, farms, and businesses when two Confederate armies threatened to invade their state. Through their contemporary diaries and letters, many previously unpublished, we follow their wartime experiences, the most overpowering of which was the ferocious battle of Chickamauga.In those killing woodlands, the 87th Indiana established its bravery forever by standing steadfast with its brigade on three separate occasions, each time saving a significant part of the Union army. Recollections written soon afterward by survivors transport us into the nightmarish fighting at Chickamauga.Missionary Ridge, the running battles through Georgia to Atlanta, Sherman's legendary March to the Sea, and the avenging Union army's rampage through South Carolina, all are recounted as the men of the 87th experienced them. This is a social as well as a military history. While we are told about the wider war as it affects the 87th, we also learn about northern Indiana society in the mid-19th century and get a feel for what it meant to go Civil War soldiering. There is an appreciation, too, of how these rural Hoosiers had the remaining years of their lives marked by the singular experiences of this war - the supreme test of their lives, when their hearts were touched with fire.

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In Dog We Trust Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved this book! I started it over lunch yesterday and could hardly bear to put it down. The first person protagonist (Steve) is a computer hacker on parole, trying to reestablish his life after some prison time, a divorce, and a move across the country. Out walking one night, he finds his next door neighbor shot to death, her Golden Retriever beside her. Steve has one good friend in town, a police detective, so he calls him and is asked to take the dog home until something can be decided. He's not a dog person, but the dog quickly inserts himself into his life and he's soon besotted. He decides he has to help solve the murder of his neighbor, a tricky deal as he's not supposed to do anything but work related business on his computer. There are multiple layers to the plot and lots of great stuff with the dog, Rochester--named after the character in Jane Eyre. I loved the book and hope there will be more stories with Steve and Rochester in the future.

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After a bad divorce and a brief prison term for computer hacking, 42-year-old Steve Levitan has returned to his home town of Stewart\'s Crossing and taken a part-time job as an adjunct professor of English at his alma mater, Eastern College. While walking around his gated community, he becomes friendly with his next-door neighbor, Caroline Kelly, and her golden retriever, Rochester.When Caroline is shot and killed while walking Rochester, Steve becomes the dog\'s temporary guardian. Together, these two unlikely sleuths work to uncover the mystery behind Caroline\'s death.

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Mr. Basketball: George Mikan, the Minneapolis Lakers, and the Birth of the NBA Review

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(More customer reviews)Several of the other Amazon "reviews" for this book merely state facts about Mikan and The Lakers and NOT about the book. I bought it with the intent of really learning about this wonderful man and the team. I grew up in Minneapolis in the 1950s. After reading the book, I essentially learned nothing new about George Mikan, his interests, motivations, relationships, family times and adjustments, law practice, etc. The writing style is pedestrian, there is really little about Mikan that is insightful. The author claims to have interviewed Mikan's widow and children. He obviously does not know how to dig deep in conducting an interview to capture the human interest of his subject in the printed word. What a shame. George Mikan deserves better. Now I am going to try and find a copy of his autobiography, which is supposed to be out of print, to see if I can learn some insights about this unique man.
Superficially- written biographies and historical accounts are a dime a dozen these days. This is one of them. My message to hack authors: really do your homework and dig deep before you write or don't write.

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Buffalo's Historic Streetcars and Buses (Images of America: New York) Review

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(More customer reviews)Dave Bregger did a thoroughly professional job in covering the history of Buffalo's transit in both photos and text and taught me many things I did not know about how the bus system evolved into what it is today. I would like to get in touch with Mr. Bregger about some related projects of my own that I am working on. I hope he does another one like it, this time on Rochester,NY.

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Buffalo has witnessed the evolution of mass transportation through the decades, from the International Railway Company's streetcars in 1902 to the formation of the Niagara Frontier Transit System (NFT) Metro in 1974. The Great Gorge Route, the world's most famous scenic electric railway, offered passengers unparalleled views of Niagara Falls. By 1950, the NFT became known as one of the most progressive and profitable bus transportation networks in America. In 1985, following mergers between transport companies, streetcars were reinstated, bringing public transportation full circle. After over a century of innovation, Buffalo's mass transportation has proven to be a lasting and venerated testament to the history of the region. Buffalo's Historic Streetcars and Buses is a tribute to the people and equipment that serviced this great city for generations.

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Mobil Travel Guide 2009 New York (Forbes Travel Guide New York) Review

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(More customer reviews)When you're traveling, there's nothing better than having a travel book filled with maps, historical information, destination tips, and insider information. Unfortunately, the makers of the Mobil Travel Guide series have come close but not far enough to meeting most travelers' needs. The guides' strongest point is that they are packed with information; however, their organization makes them impossible to use for quick reference.
The guides begin with several full-color road maps. These are standard maps highlighting frequently traveled areas of a destination. The New York Mobil Travel Guide, for example, has close-up maps of major cities like Buffalo, Rochester, and Long Island. However, these are still broad-view maps and cannot take the place of regular city road maps.
One of the highlights of the series is its commitment to providing interested readers with historical information about the cities and sites they'll encounter. History buffs will absolutely love learning about how a particular city got its name or why a particular area is of otherwise significant importance.
Yet for the rest of us, providing historical information alone is not enough. If you're like me, you also want know about the hot spots in an area and the best way to get there. The Mobil series makes no attempt at providing travelers with anything more than a list of sites. From there, you're on your own.
For example, in New York, a visitor of the Angelika Film Center would be left to wonder where she could go to find a nice place to eat or shop after her visit. With the Mobil series, she'd have to flip through pages of restaurants, and then map them out herself before finally finding something she could walk or drive to.
Organization is also a problem because there is no table of contents. You have to flip through hundreds of pages to find what you want. You'd have better luck just stopping by your destination's Office of Travel and Tourism. There, you will find dozens of maps and brochures, complete with live people to respond to your questions.
With so many alternatives and other travel guide book series these days, there's really no need to use the Mobil books. It leaves so much to be desired that your money and time are better spent elsewhere.

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Mobil Travel Guide offers 15 Regional Travel Planners for 2008, featuring extensive reviews of destinations to visit in the United States and Canada.Updated annually, each book features in depth profiles of the best lodgings, restaurants, sights and attractions that each easily drivable region has to offer.Comprehensive and easy to use, each Regional Travel Guide is full of exciting new tours and loaded with maps.--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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