The story of Walter (Waltharius in Latin, Waldere in Anglo-Saxon) is moving on many levels. Like all good heroic poems, it is more than just blood and guts. The poem Waltharius is about friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice, and these things are not treated abstractly, as in an allegory, but concretely, for Walter lives in the poem. He is a person, not an idea, and he must make choices that will certainly change and perhaps destory his life and the lives of those he loves.

Ruodlieb, on the other hand, lacks much of the concreteness and feeling of Waltharius. The setting is dimly conceived and the actions are not heroic on the grand scale. Most great Germanic poems (such as Beowulf and the Nibelungenlied) deal with one or two momentous actions. Ruodlieb is more like an Arthurian romance: episodic, drawn out. But it lacks much of the wonder found in Arthurian romance. Yet it is interesting as a specimen of medieval Latin poetry, and the literary value of Waltharius makes the book worth buying, even if Ruodlieb is ignored.

I think it takes a lot of courage to write a book about your own life especially when you come from a family of celebrities. Lorna Luft is getting the same flack that Christina Crawford got because she wrote about her experiences and people don't like that because it means having to see their idols as human and not as the Hollywood gods or godesses they prefer.

This book made me laugh and cry, and it made me angry too, but not because she "badmouths" her mother. It made me angry to see a beautiful, talented, woman like Judy Garland, give in to the addiction that took her life. But just as Lorna said, "Judy led a happy life regardless of what others may believe."

As for name dropping, it's a silly phrase. If your are raised in a celebrity family and live among celebrities, who are your friends going to be? You have to write about your experiences and that is just what Ms. Luft is doing. Let's remember that this is her point of view. People can argue and disagree over her motives but in the end it's still her point of view.

The book has many beautiful family photos and is very well written. Congratulations to Lorna Luft for writing such a wonderful history about her family and not shying away from the grim, sometimes tragic, aspects. It is a life filled with all the colors just like everybody else's--only she lived it in the spotlight.

I think Lorna Luft has written a very good biography on her mother Judy Garland, without being to tell-all or cruel. I think it's a pretty good book and to tell her story through her own eyes. The only part I didn't agree with is towards the end when she starts bashing Liza. Otherall its a very good book, very poignant and honest. I think Ms. Luft has a lot of courage to write from her heart and tell how it really was to live with her mother Judy Garland and also tells of how her Moms true and dedicated love of her children. Though it is a biogrpahy of Judy Garland it is more a biography on Lorna Luft. It's worth reading.

Having been a Judy Garland fan for 40+ years now, I looked forward to Ms. Luft's book with great anticipation. For once, to have an "insider's" look at a piece of the personal life of Ms. Garland and in this I was not disappointed, for Ms. Luft showed us that her mother was after all, just human. She had her faults and her many talents. More importantly, she had great love and affection for her children. Unfortunately, her weaknesses overcame her in the end. A testament to her great talent is to walk down any video or CD aisle and see that almost 30 years after her death, she still sells!

My one disappointment in reading this book was the fact that Ms. Luft chose not to shine a stronger light on her father's role in the management of Ms. Garland's career and finances throughout most of her adult life. There can be no doubt that she amassed a fortune through the years and yet, she was dogged by the IRS until she died, being forced to live in England because of the nightmarish state of her finances. I am sure that Mr. Luft would have more specific answers, other than the one used by Ms. Luft in the book, that of a mansion with a huge staff of servants eating up most of the money. I'd expect that sort of reply from a gossip columnist, not from Ms. Garland's daughter, who lived in the same house as her parents. Dysfunctional is one thing, catatonic another completely. The money went somewhere and definitely NOT to secure Ms. Garland's financial future or that of her children's. We'll probably never know. Of course the other perspective lacking in this book was that of Ms. Luft's characterization of her brother, Joseph Luft. Truly, the mystery of the Luft family.

Overall, the book was enjoyable and added somewhat in filling out the personal side of Ms. Garland's life, written by her daughter Lorna Luft, who truly carries the "Garland Touch," when it comes to talent. Ms. Luft has an incredible singing voice. She can knock you out of the back wall of any theater. The book is a tribute, both happy and sad, to the greatest entertainer of our time. Judy Garland, the woman whose talent defines the term, "entertainer." She could do it all, and DID.

Sorry, but the book never teaches soccer techniques, the drills never become gamelike, and I can't imagine 10 year olds tolerating drills in this book for more than 5 minutes.

The trick to getting young kids to improve their skills is to keep them getting lots of touches during practice participating in games that are fun. These drills may not seem "gamelike" but they will improve the skills required to become better players. The matrix at the front helps coaches tailor practice to the drills that target the specific skills that you want to work on (dribbling, passing, shooting, etc,). I've used them with great results and recommend this book.

It is amazing to see just what kids can do when they are instructed properly and challenged to make decisions and think about their actions. The drills in this book not only work to teach young players a new way to learn the game but the fun they get by being successful is echoed by their smiles and cheers and by their parents on the sideline. We use these drills in our youth recreation program with players ages four to seven. It is our 5th year with the book and it works.

This book is written in the first person as if Merlin had written it himself. It appears to have a Wiccan perspective, which I'm making no judgement about. It's simply an observation.

The accounts of the Arthurian legends are fuzzy and don't agree with other similar accounts, but since they're legends anyway, who knows...

I'm still slogging through it. I'm hoping it will improve. In any case, as the book is based on legends, use of the first person point of view cannot be seen as any thing but absolutely ridiculous.

OK, I finished the book and the second half was much better. The second half gives the feasts of the seasons and a few ideas about spell making.

The other reviews I've read here on this book tend to describe it as informative and uplifting. The content is a good read, enjoyable for sure; to be honest though, I've been having trouble reading it. The artwork is magnificent; it keeps stealing my attention.

As to the actual content, it is much more complete than I had anticipated from a book that isn't terribly long. Elements to festivals, divination to candle magick, spellcraft to visionquesting; it touches on a little bit of everything.

I don't know why the publisher went out of stock on this one. The beautiful writing and the beautiful artwork make this...well....a beautiful book! If you can get your hands on a copy, I highly, highly recommend it.

I loved this book. I felt that I got ten and more biographies of the most famous actresses in the world.It's well researched, and it's fun to read. The author emphasizes the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. I've read all of Jane Ellen's books and enjoy her style. The Golden Girls of MGM is one of her best.

I enjoyed Golden Girls of MGM very, very much. I consider it a Hollywood reference book. Although Jane Ellen Wayne has a humorous writing style at times, she gets her facts straight and documents the iives of Hollywood legends accurately. So much has been written about Lana Turner, Greta Garbo. Liz Taylor, etc., but Wayne comes up with facts that weren't previously known. For those who are not acquainted with the Golden Era, this book is an excellent chance to read about it. There's much to learn about MGM and the great LOuis B. Mayer and the star system. It's a very good read. I recommend it highly.

I am an avid fan of old films so I was delighted to find The Golden Girls of MGM in my book store. Though I knew a lot about MGM, I discovered a great deal more in Wayne's thick and delicious book. These beautfiful and talented actresses are a great study. Wayne dishes the dirt, but she sticks to the basics as well.The book is written in a breathless style. I will read it again and agin over the years so that I can relive those Golden years that were magical, but not forgotten, thanks to this book,

Having read "The Beach" some time ago I was elated to see that Garland had written another novel. I went into "Tesseract" expecting it to be similar to "The Beach". It isn't. At all. It's dry, sparse & moody. If you liked "The Beach" and are wanting another read like it, then know beforehand that "Tesseract" ain't it. Saying that, I must set forth this: "Tesseract" is a good novel. Sort of a "Pulp Fiction" or "Short Cuts" in novel form. It's interesting how Garland sets up stories for different sets of characters & then has them finally interact in a showdown at the end. "Tesseract" is entertaining, very well-written and altogether a satisfying read. I enjoyed it. Just not as much as "The Beach". And that's the problem when a reader comes to a novel with a mindset or an idea of what to expect. If you pick up the book not expecting it to be "The Beach" all over again, I think you'll like it.

I wasn't sure what to expect after reading Alex Garland's incredible debut, The Beach. I was hoping for similar excitement and fast-paced adventure. Well, I definitely got that in spades! The Tesseract is so much more realistic and dramatic, and I was feverishly turning pages to find out how this tesseract would unravel.

Told in four parts, The Tesseract begins with Sean, a sailor on the shipping waters of Manila, waiting in a seedy, run-down motel for the gangster, Don Pepe, and his motley crew. Then the story switches gears entirely and begins the tale of Rosa, a woman who remembers her first love, Lito, through flashbacks. This part of the story is told gently and almost romantically. The next story follows two Filipino street kids, Vincente and Totoy, as they wander the streets of Manila in search of hand-outs and a little excitement. Finally, the fourth part, a gritty and fantastic conclusion, has all three stories violently entwined.

I'm positive this novel was no easy feat to write; however, Alex Garland has done it flawlessly. The stories within this novel are powerful and dramatic, some violent, one wistful and romantic, and all are stunning and solid. A perfect novel to pick apart and invoke energetic discussions. Some things might go over novice readers' heads (when one of the characters, Alfredo, waxes philosophic), but for the most part it is easily understood. A highly recommended novel about how your destiny can be shaped by strangers, and how forces beyond your control can come crashing into your life in a moment's notice. Brilliant.

Let me first say, that if you are picking up this book in the hopes of another story like "The Beach" you will need to re-adjust your view of Alex Garland before jumping in. The Beach was one of my favorite books of the last few years, but with The Tesseract, Garland has surpassed my expectations. His new novel is a thrilling read and an experiment in plot construction. His gritty style is out in full force as usual, this time on the streets of Manilla. Fans won't be disappointed, as Garland weaves another complex tale set in a foreign tropical surrounding that, once again, allows you to lose yourself in another world. If you have read The Beach, you already know that it is an incredible book. Once you read The Tesseract you will see that Garland is an incredible writer as well.

Students were asked to purchase this textbook, and most students in the class agreed that it was more or less a waste. In six terms of lab, we did no more than three experiments out of the thirty or so in the book. The discussion is often at such
a high level that the 'trees in the forest' are hidden
by the surrounding fog. If you're taking the 300 or 400-series
lab courses at OSU, just stick with what's in the
handouts...that's what I did, and I got A's on about 90%
of the reports. Even if the profs tell you to read S-G-N,
don't waste too much time on it. As a research or reference book, S-G-N is fine and probably very useful (today I'm
an industry chemist, not a researcher). But if you're
an undergrad student taking labs at OSU or any school,
put S-G-N back on the shelf for a rainy day or
return it and get a refund.

(...)IN ORDER FOR MY CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERS TO MAKE USE OF THIS TEXT SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES NEED TO BE REVIEWED (OR IF THE STUDENT HASN'T HAD P-CHEM LECTURE THEY WILL ALSO NEED A GOOD LECTURE TEXT).

AS AN EXAMPLE LET'S TAKE SPECTROSCOPY AS A TOPIC...STUDENTS COME INTO MY COURSE LARGELY QUITE CONFUSED ABOUT HOW ALL THE PARTS IN THIS BROAD, BUT VITAL AREA FIT TOGETHER. OUR STUDENTS TAKE THIS COURSE AS JUNIORS AND LESS OFTEN AS SENIORS (ENGINEEERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SENIORS) AND MOST WILL NOT HAVE HAD DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS.

WHAT S-G-N REALLY LACKS ARE SIMPLE CLEAR EXPLANATIONS OF BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SPECTROSCOPY (OR KINETICS ETC.)INCLUDED IN THE TEXT. NOT ALL THE DETAILS, BUT THE BIG PICTURE E.G. RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY... THIS IS THE FIRST MULTI-PHOTON EXPERIMENT MOST UNDERGRADS HAVE HAD AND, SADLY, THE LECTURE TEXTS OFTEN DO A POOR JOB (HERE I AM NOT COUNTING THE NUMEROUS CONCEPTUAL ERRORS THAT HAVE CREPT INTO SOME OF OUR LARGEST SELLING TEXTS) GIVING A SIMPLE EXPLANATION. TWO PHOTONS STRIKE A MOLECULE (SAY THEY ARE GREEN) AND A BLUE ONE AND A YELLOW ONE ARE EMITTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT ENERGY IS CONSERVED. IF POSSIBLE EACH EXPERIMENT NEED THIS.

P-CHEM LAB TEXTS GENERALLY DON'T GIVE A SIMPLE PICTURE OF THE CONCEPT (WHAT IT IS AND WHY ARE WE DOING THIS EXPERIMENT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT) IN SIMPLE BROAD TERMS FIRST BEFORE WE GET TO THE DETAILS. S-G-N, AS WELL AS OTHER P-CHEM LAB TEXTS NEED THAT.
YES, THERE ARE REFERENCES, BUT IT IS WISHFUL THINKING THAT STUDENTS WILL GO TO THEM WITH THE FOUR OTHER ADVANCED UNDERGRAD COURSES THAT THEY ARE TAKING. IT STILL IS THE BEST AROUND, BUT AS AN UNDERGRAD REVIEW NOTED HANDOUTS ARE OFTEN CRITICAL BECAUSE OF THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS. I LECTURE FOR HALF THE SEMESTER TO OVERCOME THESE AND OTHE PROBLEMS; SHOULD THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN?

One of the most comprehensive physical chemistry lab text, SGN discusses about calculations and presentation of data, uncertainties in data and results, background and theory for each experiment. Experimentals are extremely clear and detailed, though individual instructors might develop modifications. The uncertainties section might be supplemented by John Taylor's "Introduction to Error Analysis" for more in-depth reference.

Experiments are groups into topics like Gases, Transport Properties of Gases, Solutions, Electrochemistry, Kinetics, and Spectroscopy, etc. The text also devotes incredible amount of pages on electronic devices, vacuum techniques, instruments and lab procedures for reference. Many lab texts are published, yet SGN might be the best for students.

My son read this book at the beginning of this school year (5th grade). He struggles with reading and spelling. He so totally identified with the main character, Sam, that he labeled himself dumb, stupid and learning disabled. This is not a triumphant story. This is a tragic story. The protagonist does not feel he has overcome or mastered his learning disablity. Instead, he feels worn out and akins his small victory to having swum a great distance, only to realize that he must do it again and again. I believe that there is a political agenda at work here. Masked behind an attitude of sympathy is the deeper message that children should equate special education with learning disablities. Furthermore, it excuses the classroom teacher from having to deal with student difficulties by making it not only okay, but acceptable BY THE STUDENTS to send children from the room to another, "special" teacher. Basically, this leaves the gifted and talented in the main classroom and separates the "normal" from the "not normal". This book is subversive and an insult. It should not be in the classroom. It gives children access to a vocabulary that they cannot possibly fully comprehend (nor, I suspect, does its author). It provides students with tools to label themselves, thereby easing the burden of the school systems. Proponets of this book can only have the political and monetary protection of the institution in mind when promoting it for classroom reading. While seemingly innocent on the surface, a critical reader will see beyond the surface to the deeper meaning and hidden agenda. Of course, fifth graders aren't critical readers, they are victims of school politics.

I agree with everything the review below stated about how this book is triumphant and affirming of the main character. Furthermore, it is affirming of all of the main characters. Everyone, from Mrs. Glass, who learns not to sell herself short as a working woman; to Alicia, who learns that although "book smarts" come easy to her, she will have to work hard to develop her "people skills"; to Sam, who learns to value his mathmatical abilities, and stop considering himself as stupid because he has difficulties with reading.

I would like to take issue with the reviewer who criticized the book because Sam claims that his small reading victory is comparable to swimming a great distance. Why is that statement so offensive? In my mind any educational process, if you're really trying to learn and not simply going through the motions, feels exactly like that. I've always been a good student, but that doesn't mean that I didn't have to work hard to learn new things. That feeling of exhaustion and pride that you've really concentrated your efforts to learn something new shouldn't be a source of shame, it should be a source of pride.

I first read this book with my father when I was seven. I am now 23 and have re-read it many times. It deals with serious issues in a clever and funny way. I think most kids can relate to this story on some level. Everyone has felt like they are behind, or unable to follow a class. Everyone knows what its like to not fit in. Many people know what it's like to be the new kid in school. I had a lot of problems in school for my first three years. I didn't have a learning dissability, I just had trouble focusing. Consequently, I was often behind in my classwork and felt ashamed and slightly outcast. Finally, my parents realized I needed a more creative type of education and enrolled me in an experimental school. I excelled and proceeded to a brilliant academic career. I think this book suggests, not that students with different learning needs be sent to "special classrooms", but that their problems may result from a failed approach in the classroom. I think different kids, just like adults, need to be stimulated in different ways in order to absorb information. Sam's regular teachers failed to give him the skills and confidence he needed. Sam taking a few out of class tests dosen't mean he will spend time being in a "special" environment. It means he had someone help him in a new and creative way. It also gave him the confidence to believe in himself. This book is a total triumph. He starts out feeling like a friendless loser. By the end of the book Sam has two great friends, is begining to believe that he is smart, starts to see the skills he took for granted such as his math abilities, learns responsibility and that adults trust him. What isn't triumphant about that?

I loved this book. I have been a Garland fan all of my life. I have read almost everything written about her. Reading this book I found out things I didn't know. It's so interesting to follow Judy's path from great star to a woman that must live from friend to friend. At one point she even sang for $100 a night. I was totaly taken with this book. I couldn't help but be left with a profound sadness after I had finished. Judy was loved but just never was able to see it. Even though I knew she was going to die at the end I kept hoping she would get it together and come out on top. If you love Judy READ this book.

If God is in the details -- and she is -- then this book is heavensent because Judy is revealed in the fantastically extensive details offered here. This book is one of those gotta-have-it, can't-put-it-down must-reads. I mean it. Nothing like it's ever been done before. The people who slam this book don't "get" it. It's "The Osbournes" in print. It's the ultimate reality supershow because it's about the day-to-day details in the life of the greatest -- and most utterly fascinating -- star in showbiz history. If you want to know Judy -- really know her -- treat yourself to this book and stroll through her days with her, spy her shopping lists and address book, take a dance class with Judy, go to Sammy Davis Jr.'s birthday party with her on your arm, even read her last will & testament. Scott Schechter tosses all the usual stardust aside and points his spotlight on Judy's REAL LIFE, which has never before been illuminated so brilliantly, so carefully, so thoroughly - and lovingly, too.

How could anyone say "ugh" in reponse to this book? Read the professional reviews under the editorial section on this page ("read all editorial reviews"), and you will see that this book has been greatly loved by the professional critics.

Of the 80 photos here, I counted 17 or 18 that I have seen in other books (books that are out of print for the most part).

One thing I have not seen is this book in remainder bins. In fact, I have heard it has done very well, selling three times the original estimate, and that over half of its initial very large printing has been sold already. So much of the information posted here is not true and is obviously quite personal, but the book is wonderful and loved. It is a loving tribute to a great talent.

Mel Torme's THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW WITH JUDY GARLAND ON THE DAWN PATROL was the first book about Garland to appear after her death, and it paints a portait of an out-of-control star struggling to endure the rigors of a television series that debuted with tremendous fanfare and then degenerated into chaos and total failure. Garland's family, friends, associates, many of those who actually worked on the television series, and later biographers have been extremely, extremely critical of this book, denouncing it as one-sided, self-serving, and mean-spirited.

In light of several later biographies and at least one unbiased and exhaustively researched book on the CBS series itself, those accusations would seem to be true--but the main thing that undermines Torme's description of both Judy Garland and her CBS series is the current availability of the series itself, which has been released to the home market in VHS and DVD. There is little doubt that Garland was tempestuous, drug-ridden, and often difficult to work with during this period--but the actual series itself shows little of undisciplined chaos Torme describes; some moments are weak, some moments are strong, and some moments are awe-inspiring, but all in all the actual series is surprisingly innovative when seen during the context of its era. It is also worth mentioning that many of Garland's most acclaimed recording releases have been drawn from her performances for this particular series.

That said, this does not change the fact that THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW is an interesting read. Torme is clearly angry about the whole thing (he eventually sued Garland's production company, and the book includes transcripts of Garland's depositions during the suit), and he adopts a snide tone that makes the work intriguing--and no doubt his account is accurate in the sense that it conveys the situation as he himself saw it. But to say it lacks any degree of balance would be the understatement of the century: Garland emerges as a has-been harridan and Torme inevitably comes up smelling like a rose.

As one person who worked on Garland's television series later remarked, "as a historian Mel Torme is a great singer." Because of the complete lack of balance and the self-serving and mean-spirited nature of the work (all the more deadly for being hidden behind a facade of affection), I do not recommend this particular book to some one casually interested in Garland; on the other hand, those with a serious interest in the artist who can approach the work in light of unbiased accounts of Garland, Torme, and the history of The Judy Garland Show will find it an interesting sidelight on what was arguably one of Garland's most artistically productive eras. Final word: you'll need to take it with more than a few grains of salt, so keep the shaker handy.

Mel Torme's writing skills create a fascinating and devasting tale. Although he himself was an unabashed fan of Garland's, his observations jive unfortunately with other reports of Judy's very bad, often psychotic behavior. I am a huge fan of both Torme and Garland, but truth be told Judy got sicker and sicker mentally and physically throughout the 60's.Others have described almost the same thing. If his prose tends to be a bit innocent, well he is probably painting a rosier picture of his own behavior. But that doesn't detract from the blow-by-blow descriptions of Judy's paranoia, neediness, demands, and unwillingness to cooperate and be part of a team. She is far from innocent and made life hell for plenty besides Torme.She was also brilliant, tremendously talented and capable, and Torme makes a point of giving a fair even portrait of this very troubled soul. If you like show biz books, give this book a chance and accept Judy, warts and all. Mel Torme is a terrific writer. All of his books are wonderful reading.

Supremely interesting book if you're a fan of Judy Garland and wish to know more about her acclaimed television series and simultaneous tragic mistreatment at the hands of CBS studio execs. No surprises in the book with regards to revelations regarding Judy Garland's addictions and at-times unprofessional behavior, traits well-documented by countless other sources. What was surprising, however, was the apparent extent to which Mr. Torme had bitter feelings towards Ms. Garland. "Catty" remarks (meOOOOW...pfft pfft!!) litter the pages, and Torme seems to absolutely revel in relaying some of the cruel, and at times crude comments he overheard directed towards his boss (Judy in fact owned the rights to her show). No gentleman, here. Torme also often comes off a bit full of himself. Two examples (out of many): at one point he sulks over Frank Sinatra's "insufficient" praise of his singing ability after Sinatra and Garland attend one of his nightclub performances; another time, when Judy asks him if he agreed with her that Jack Jones was the greatest male jazz singer, he decided to "play it cute" and place his hand over his heart and answer "Well, now that you ask, no, I don't"...this right after he manages to inform the reader that Jack Jones had stated in print AND on television (my emphasis) that Mel Torme was his favorite "jazz-oriented" male singer. Wow!!!! Finally, Torme's writing style tends towards the "cute" and he strives too too too hard to be hip, making extended reading sessions unbearable; for that reason this book is best read a chapter at a time. Interesting aside; this book first came out in 1970, the year after Judy Garland's death. That fact alone speaks volumes about the man.