_Bootleg_ is a fascinating, enthralling book, which I expect would be interesting to anybody regardless of their particular position on the morality of bootlegging. To be sure, Heylin comes solidly in the corner of "let the music be free," but is hardly obstrusive about that fact. Small research errors aside, Bootleg is an amazing look at a once-thriving musical subculture.

Which is, I guess, my one point of reservation here. The bootleg scene has changed so massively and, perhaps, immeasurably, during the past ten years that _Bootleg_ begins to read as more of a pure history book on days long past than as a record of something vibrant. The advent of CDRs, in particular, has totally changed the dynamic in which bootleg recordings are distributed and manufactured. A 21st century update which recognizes the birth of these trends would be very appreciated.

Growing up in Los Angeles. I remember going into music stores that had rows of Bootlegs. I did have Zeps (or not zeps) Blueberry Hill. Lots of Deep Purple & Alice Cooper. It was true! You could see a show,10 days later? Thar she blows! RECORD WORLD in LA PUENTE did have the best! You can tell the world was Bob Dylon for Clinton Heylin. Listening to the Beatles fart was about the leval of most Bootlegs. But thats what we wanted to get a wiff of,right?,lol! }:-D My step-brother Rick had at least 200 or more! But for me nothing like the real deal.

I really like this imperfect book about the beginnings of rock and roll bootlegging -- as distinguished from the jazz and opera boots which are another, equally interesting story.

This story will have resonance with those who know the theology of rock music from the '60s and '70s -- why Dylan or the Stones were so "important" to so many people. If you know what I'm talking about, you will enjoy this tale of serious fandom.

In the interest of full disclosure I must admit I know a couple of people written about in the book -- their reaction to it was a good deal more ambivalent than mine, and I'm sure the author did get some things wrong. After all he wasn't there, and they were.

But if you are at all interested in this topic (there must be a few out there) by all means buy this book.

P.S. I'm happy to see from the last (and only!) comment that Scandinavia remains a bastion of serious pop music fanatics.....

British stage idol Fanny Kemble (1809-93) married a wealthy American slave-owner in 1834. Although the marriage turned out disastrously, it provided a bonanza for historians. No shrinking violet and a prolific writer, Fanny wrote profusely on slavery, America, and women's issues till her death.

The Kembles were England's leading theatrical family. Sarah Siddons was her aunt, but Fanny became equally celebrated. Despite this, her family were chronically in debt, and the American tour was one of innumerable unsuccessful efforts to make money. Soon after arriving she fell in love with Pierce Butler, a Georgia plantation owner, who made her stop working after they married. She quickly regretted her decision, but there was little a woman could do in that era. When Butler moved to his plantation, Fanny encountered slavery first hand and did not like what she saw. She complained bitterly and protested the slaves' treatment. Worse, she outraged her husband and the neighbors by expressing her opinions in print and in the north. Perhaps her most impressive accomplishment was getting a divorce, a nearly impossible feat in the nineteenth century. It took fifteen years. Except for public readings she never acted again, but her personality and writing sustained her celebrity until the end of the century.

Like many nineteenth century figures, Kemble seemed to spend half her day writing. She kept a journal, sent and received a torrent of letters, published a dozen books and scores of articles and essays. Catherine Clinton, Professor of History at Baruch College (The Plantation Mistress, 1982) has obviously read it all and transformed it into an entertaining account of one of the most colorful women of her time.

I checked this book out from the library and read it the week prior to our family's vacation to Charleston, SC. I found it very informative and I enjoyed recognizing the names of families, towns and historical landmarks mentioned in the book, especially St. Simon's Island, which I enjoyed reading about in Eugenia Price's series of books on that particular area. I have a great interest in women's experiences, pre and post-civil war, and would not think twice about adding this book to my ever-growing collection of that era.

A combination of excellent writting and the fascinating subject -Fanny Kemble - make this a book you'll find difficult to put down. After reading this book, I, too, long to know more about this charismatic woman. Regardless of whether or not your interests lie in learning more about women during the Civil War, Fanny Kemble's life and times is a thoroughly compelling story.

I originally saw Catherine Clinton on C-Span Book TV (yes, I admit I do watch it! LOL). Her enthusiasm regarding Fanny Kemble was clearly evident and the book does not disappoint. I do want to point out that I've chosen to read Clinton's book before I've read the journals which she edited.

With respect to Fanny Kemble, I find her to be a study in contrast. On the one hand she craved independence of thought and financial means yet she appears to have despised the very things that would bring her either independence, financial security or both. For example, she clearly was an excellent performer - something which would have allowed her independence of both thought and financial security - yet it appears she in many instances indicates she disliked performing.

After reading Catherine Clinton's book, I can't help but wonder what the literary world lost when she married Pierce Butler. Would we have another Jane Austen if she had remained unmarried or if she had a supportive or better match for a husband? Unfortunately, we're only left to guess.

While reading this book, it was plainly obvious to note that it is all common sense. If you have no common sense buy this book, and if you do, use it and don't waste your money. There are many other books out there that will more than amply be able to teach you proper etiquette.

Now this is a great book. It has everything I need to do well in the office, from looking the part to Golf Etiquette!

This book actually helped me to get a new job! I read it on the flight to my interview, studied Greenleaf's techniques for dress and presentation, and knew what I had to do. I had never given thought to the intricacies of modern ettiquette in the business/ business casual world, but I certainly am glad I read this book!! My boss turned out to be an avid golf player, and what Greenleaf's book taught me about the basics of golf-- the businessman's hobby of choice-- helped me to establish common ground. This book has just about everything that you absolutely MUST know before immersing yourself in the world of business. Business is all about networking, and the better versed you are in proper business ettiquette, the better your chances of succeeding.

There was a very promising start to this book. Very engaging characters in Antonio Burns, a special narcotics agent, his Air Force Colonel father, and his live-on-the-edge, drug-addicted brother. They have a complex and compelling relationship with each other. I loved the parts of the book where they interacted with each other. Great scenes involving rock climbing. The problem is that the main plot has been done hundreds of times before. I didn't feel the characters outside of the Burns men had any special chemistry together and I never really cared about what happened to them.

Anton, Leonard and Roberto Burns characters make this a better book than it is and make it worth reading. A special mention for Anton's dog, Oso, who stole every scene he was in and should probably have a story of his own.

It seems every time Special Agent Antonio Burns goes climbing somebody happens to die. You would think he would learn his lesson.
I wasn't excited to read this book. I am not a big fan of climbing or camping or outdoor sports. I enjoy legal thrillers and thought I would trudge through the obligatory adventure scenes. Surprisingly, it was the action that takes place on the mountians and lakes of this book that win you over. Burns is an instantly likable character. What makes him even more likable is the people that surround him. McKinzie has a knack for creating extemely dispicable character. During the reading of this book and his other Burn's book Edge of Justice I found myself getting really angry at the corrupt characters. At points I was squeezing the edges of the books until my hands turned red.

Fast, exciting and well written.

This is definitely a difficult book, and understanding certain critical passages may require several readings. In short, this is NOT a good book for an introduction to presidential politics and leadership. For a more readable and still highly regarded account, Neustadt's seminal work is a good choice. However, none of this is to say that Skowronek's book is not brilliant--it is, and reading it carefully is a very profitable experience and will enhance anyone's understanding of the presidency, agree with Professor Skowronek or not. Through all the technical references, Skowronek proposes a paradigm for assessing presidential leadership: Reconstruction, Disjunction, Articulation, and Pre-emption, all of which are based on the nature of the government and its commitments (vulnerable or resilient) and on the president's relationship to that regime (opposed or affiliated). Reconstruction results when presidents are opposed to a vulnerable regime--here are the "great" presidents: Lincoln, FDR, and Reagan, for example. Affiliation with a vulnerable regime produces Disjunction. Articulation results from affiliation with a resilient regime. And Pre-emption is the product of opposition to a resilient regime. Of course, this merely scratches the surface of Skowronek's argument, for which he argues quite well and which he approaches from a fairly historical perspective. I highly recommend this for anyone wishing to gain a deeper, fuller understanding of presidential leadership, especially in considering how much a president's skills affect what type of leader he is and how much circumstances shape his presidency.

I read this as part of a course (taught by the author himself) in my sophomore year of college. Skowronek is I think to be applauded for his historical approach to presidential politics, and for his style of writing: it seems more as if youre reading a story than a political science book. Time and time again, Skowronek comes back to his thesis and main themes (legitimacy and presidents ability to correctly understand and manipulate their historical moment. The book never loses focus as Skrownek discusses different presidents or as he tells stories about a particular president. And hes done his research really really well. In particular his use of presidential quotes is very very impressive. Numerous times he gives examples of Presidents who attempt to build political legitimacy using words that fit very well into Skowronek's conceptual framework ("preserving foundations", recovering old sacred truths, continuing work that has already begun). The problem with Skowronek's book is that I think, given the sort of analysis hes doing here, its not very naunced. Im sure for example, articulation presidents often distanced themselves from their predecesors in some form or another. Some may not have a problem with this: after all S. is trying to prove his point and prove it well. However I thought at times that the book could have been more nauanced. Just my thoughts....OHH BUY THE BOOK!

In "The Politics Presidents Make,"Stephen Skowronek presents a sweeping indictment of the Neustadtian view on presidential leadership made famous in Richard Neustadt's classic text, "Presidential Power." Skowronek challenges Neustadt's assertion that presidents after FDR represent a distinct group of incumbents, who, because of the constant challenges of modernity, cannot make due with the formal powers of the president--which is a mere "clerkship"-- and must instead utilize informal authority to "get things done," something "pre-modern" presidents did not have to do consistently. Skowronek views such a notion as a conceit of modern times, and he incorporates "pre-modern" presidents into his analytical framework, which gives the reader a better understanding of the presidency as it is weighed against the emergent structures of power and in relation to the recurrent structures of authority. Skowronek also disputes the idea that each president is at liberty to "be as big as he can be." The differences in "great" presidents and "incompetent" presidents arises not out of differences in skills-- i.e. bargaining ability-- but instead out of differing political identities vis-a-vis the current political order. Because the presidency is, in constitutional terms, an order shattering, order-affirming, and order-creating political institution, successful presidents are those-- like Jefferson, Jackson, Lincoln, FDR, and Reagan-- who are able to reconcile the order-shattering and order-affirming impulses by creating new standards for constitutional governance. This type of leadership stance-- reconstructive leadership-- is the most potent form of leadership because it allows for a reconciling of the order-shattering and order-affirming aspects of the presidency, which enables such incumbents to legitmate their actions, the key to successful leadership. Skowronek has written a superb book-- one of the best books on the presidency ever written-- and it is valuable because it correctly identifies legitimacy as the most important aspect of leadership and not skills.

If you are looking for a book about bartending, look elsewhere. This is not it. If you are one of the millions of conservatives who can't think for themselves and thus consider themselves "dittoheads" ("Think for us, Rush! Think for us!") then this book will be right up your alley.

This is one of the funniest books to come out this year, if not the funniest. I'd like to be a fly on the wall when (and if) Bill sees it. This book should've probably come out a couple of years sooner, but with the pardon investigations looming, maybe it will turn out to be well-timed after all. But certainly I agree that a Bill Clinton Bartender's Guide is the surefire life of any party or a day's conversation at the company water cooler. I guess there's not much danger in America forgetting Bill Clinton anytime soon! Very original, and well written humor.

In no uncertain terms, this is the best book around for those who wish to catalog Bill Clinton and his numerous escapades. This is THE best Clinton humor book I've ever come across. Those with the curiosity should check out "Midnight Marijuana" - a very funny recipe.

Media Bias & the theft of the '92 election is the supposed topic of this book, which interested me enormously. Unfortunately, the book only works if you're so anti-Clinton that you blindly agree with the biased view of the authors. The so-called "facts" and "figures" are indeed numerous, and meant to beat you into bleary-eyed submission. I don't doubt there's a great book to be written on media bias & politics, and I thought that's what I was buying here. But it's just standard Clinton-bashing, with selective research and shoddy leaden prose as well. I'd love to see a companion volume by the same crew on the 2000 election, and compare their reporting. But if you just want to rant & rave like an uneducated toddler, this will probably make a tasty pacifier. Otherwise, I'd say save your money.

If you ever get the feeling that the media is slanting the political playing field, this book is for you. The author calmly lays out the bias of the national media, statement by statement. Very good read...but be prepared to get angry.

Astonishing facts from a group that monitors media. THE THEFT OF A UNITED STATES PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. (Facts, Numbers & Details)

READ THIS BOOK!!! If it's the Only Book You Read this Year!!! The Truth about Media is Shocking!

COULD BE CALLED, "MEDIA-GATE."

When I first saw this book at my local pharmacy, my inner skeptic warned me that it would be a load of horse manure. He was wrong, of course; a load of horse manure will fertilize a garden nicely, while Dr. Jarvis' book is too light to even serve as a doorstop.

A great deal of factual inaccuracy is forgivable, since the book itself was written before 1960 (however, his chapter on 'race' is not, especially from an alleged man of science...I gather that if you're not from Western Europe, you don't have anything to gain from it). The decision of Fawcett Crest to publish this as a medical guide rather than as a piece of folklore. (Notice that the prominent blurb on the cover is from the New York Daily News, a tabloid slightly more respectable than the Weekly World News).

There's some value in folk remedies...but there are more of them that simply don't work, or that don't work as well as conventional medicine. While this book contains some interesting factoids about New England folk medicine, there are enough glaring errors and faulty assumptions to make the whole thing questionable, cover to cover.

Once I read this book it opened my eyes to what folk medicine is really about. Just taking what you see in nature and applying it to your health is so simple,yet so perfect.

This book and Jarvis' other book on "Arthritis" should be read together. They cover the same topic and are complementary. Both record this classically trained M.D.'s experience coming to grips with and subsequently proving to his own satisfaction, the wisdom of Vermont Folk Medicine.

All the other books have hardly any value besides telling you how to use vinegar for disinfecting, cleaning and household tasks (which are good, but secondary in my opinion). What little value they MIGHT have is because they have read and either quoted or plagiarized Jarvis. Sometimes because these people know more about typing than science, their statements on one hand present Jarvis' concepts then contradict it a few pages later by quoting some unproven babble.

While I don't think his work is the end all of nutrition, I wish I had ten times as much information from his pen and notes as "fodder" for interacting with other nutritional studies.

Unless you just want to know how to use vinegar to wash windows, these are the only "Apple Cider Vinegar" books I reccommend that I've seen on Amazon.

There is one exception to this rule. You might also want Natural Healing with Cider Vinegar by Hellmiss too. These three are "IT". The rest will at best duplicate what you can get in these books or at worst, babble on incessantly. Mindell, while a top health writer, offers only a booklet with nothing much more to add to these three works. One topic Jarvis didn't address was the difference between the old fashioned apple cider vinegar which had many vital components retained and the filtered stuff which has been cleaned up to look nice but is the bottled equivalent of white flour... the good stuff has been taken out.

Buy Jarvis, read the books and put the information to work!

Knowing Kenneth R. Timmerman's reputation as a journeyman, I read this book with quivering anticipation hoping a professional would, at last, address our nation's continuing refusal to address the ramifications of the China-Lube Proclamation. Despite a perky warm-up in the introduction (congrats to Chris Cox!), short shrift is given to China-Lube. Readers who are interested in the West's increasing dependence on Lube Technology and its possible misuse by rogue elements of the Chinese small device industry should look elsewhere.

Timmerman's latest book is one of the most important books that any citizen of the United States can read. It is especially a must read for any person who is a part of the defense, aerospace, or computer industries in this country. He really fills in the blanks for the questions that so many of us with industry experience have been asking since the late 1980's about what has happened to our national security with regard to technology transfer and why no action has been taken by the Administrative, Legislative or Judicial branches of our government to correct the problems that his book so well describes. My husband and I have spent 40 years in the defense industry, and this book says it all. Thank you Ken Timmerman for having the courage of your convictions.

Mr. Timmerman, a long time investigative reporter with impeccable credentials has compiled and published the results of his investigations (formerly published in different publications) in his new book, entitled 'Selling Out America.' The collection of his published stories in one volume details the chilling breach of US national security and the connections within the Clinton administration. Also included in this well-laid-out publication are his personal notes and insight into how these dealings have been covered up by US officials, including how the Clinton administration removed government employees that failed to follow the new policy of wholesale appeasement to the People's Republic of China and the media counterattack against the Cox Report and any others who dared to investigate.

'Selling Out America' provides the reader with a clear understanding of how the US policy of engagement with the PRC has gone well beyond engagement and entered the realm of kow-towing to the Chinese Communist leadership.

This book is a must read for the American people as the next US president will either clean up or continue this foreign policy disaster.

As citizens, we can make a difference, in the words of Mr. Timmerman: "Resistance is not futile"

We reviewed this book for our library's book club but unanimously threw up our hands and declared "no way!" The author appears to hate smart women and the First Lady in particular. Made us wonder just how insecure he is and why. There is no documentation, a lot of "hmmmmm"s to try to insinuate something, but the reader can't be sure. We told our library not to purchase any of this title. We asked them to spend the resources wisely, i.e., forget this one!!

I am often skeptical about "unauthorized" biographies, they're usually no better than tabloid trash. However every rule has an exception and She Took a Village is just that book.

Gottlieb certainly knows his stuff, his display of the First Lady shows exactly where she stands or in most cases where she stands until confronted. Gottlieb exposes things in this book you will not find anywhere else.

From the early days of college to Whitewater to every other scandal of this administration, a woman who is power hungry and will stop at nothing to get what she sees as hers confronts the reader.

After reading this book I had to stop and think - just who is the president of the United States. After reading this book the jury is still out. With a great price tag, this book is certainly one for the collection.

This book contains extensive footnotes for all the disclosures about Ms. Clinton so the reader can check out the facts for themselves. I found it fair but not good for the Clinton campaign for the New York Senate.