Originally released in 1955 and reprinted at least into 1962, this is an amazing time capsule looking back into the very early days of jazz. While in 2002, when I write this review, almost everyone in the volume is gone, including J.J. Johnson and Miles Davis, in the perspective of 1955, these two and many others were at the tail end of a long history of jazz to that point. Keepnews and Grauer had at their disposal hundreds of jazzmen who were still alive and could provide firsthand accounts of the days of jazz back to before the turn of the century. Charlie Parker was alive, almost all the swing and Dixieland greats were still around, and the "history" comes off more as a time capsule than a dusty history book. Jammed with photos and minutiae, such as early recording session logs, promotional posters and cards, etc., this is the sort of book that can never be written again. I waited months to find a used copy -- it's worth it. An excellent and encyclopedic volume with few notable gaps.

Borodin's list of musical works was very short but his brilliant works like "Polovtsian Dances" and "In the Steppes of Central Asia" shown in this study score more than make up for it. I keep both pieces close to my heart. They are some of the most colorful and beautiful music ever made, never straying from their ethnic and Russian roots. By reading and studying Dover's wonderful release of the original score I can further appreciate the mastery of his works. The only small gripe is that the Polovtsian Dances score left off a small introduction piece that was included in the recording of it I had. Regardless, this score is essential for any serious classical music lover.

A very interesting look at the house Thomas Jefferson built as his personal retreat away from the crowds who visited him at Monticello. This is especially informative for those interested in historic home restorations, particularly of the colonial era. It's fascinating to see the progress made over the years!

Amazing is all that can explain this book. The pictures in this book are some of the best photographes I have ever seen of the City of Roses. If you are interested in Portland, or even if you live there, you must see this book. Nothing is any better.

Begin at page 3 and don't stop until page 219 and you will feel as exhausted as if you had just called "CUT! PRINT! That's a wrap!" It was thrilling to read this book. It is a working guide to carry around in either novice or professionals back pocket.

January 6th 2002 Barron's chooses "Protect Your 401(k)"
one of "Best Investment Books of 2002"

With an eye toward investor safety in the wake of last year's corporate scandals the editors at Barron's have singled out "Protect Your 401(k)", by Larry Chambers and Ken Ziesenheim as one of the best books of the year for reducing portfolio risk and safeguarding investments.

"Investing is an art where gut calls and vague feelings can play a pivotal role", says Jay Palmer, editor of Barron's annual guide to books on investing. "But it's also a science of...numbers and...techniques that can be learned. This year we looked through more than 300 books and have chosen "The Ultimate Safe Money Guide", by Martin Weiss and "Protect Your 401(k) by Larry Chambers and Ken Ziesenheim. Both offer nuts-and-bolts advice on how to protect retirement money. Anyone nearing retirement should read one or both of these books."

If you're looking for clever tricks to get rich quick, forget this book. It's focus is on the steady accumulation and growth of capital, the approach with by far the highest success rate. Actually, if you think you can outpick the market, you really owe it yourself to read this first. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than being wrong about investment decisions.

For me, reading this was an eye openning experience. The book is solidly based on academic research, and essentially proves that attempts to time the markets and pick the perfect stock are largely futile. In essence, research shows that for every person who timed the market perfectly ten times in a row, someone else timed exactly wrong ten times in a row. The only difference between the two is that the second guy didn't get anybody to come to his seminars.

Good explanations, and a clear presentation of the economics of investing. Combine this with practical advice on building a portfolio for the long haul. Great stuff.

BTW, I made a fair amount of money picking stocks before I read this book. I now realize I was just lucky and any stock picking I do now is just a fun hobby. To make money, I follow the book.

As a college educator, I've begun to notice that people ofevery age are beginning to wonder, "What in the world is the matterwith the world?"

Here's a small, elegant book with 120 answers that will ring true to the deepest level of your soul.

On every page you'll find ancient, timeless wisdom that will slice like a lazer through layers of confused politically correct thoughts and twisted emotions. For example, from deep in the heart of every human being who has ever lived has sometimes come the anguished cry, "Why is life so hard?"

Oswald Chambers' response to that question is found in Quiet Moments with Oswald Chambers.

For years Oswald Chambers has been turning on the lights for millions with My Utmost for His Highest. This rich, new material, lovingly compiled by editor Heidi Hess, is from lesser-known Chambers' works but is entirely congruent with My Utmost.

"Have you ever met God?" Heidi asks. "If not, look for Him in these pages. If you have met God, meet Him again and more deeply here." END

This is the journal of the wife of a country doctor. Her life revolved around the quilts she made for her community, and her daily journal reflects this, naming her trials and successes, especially with her quilts. The pictures of the quilts were beautiful, and made me use her quilts as wonderful patterns for my own quilts. Reading her journals made me feel as if I were in her shoes, taken back in time. I enjoyed this book very much.

Ready, Set, Read: Building A Love Of Letters And Literacy Through Fun Phonics Activities by educator and experienced classroom teacher Janet Chambers embraces multisensory education, the idea of using phonics and other methods to reinforce reading skills in whole-body ways. Explained techniques include word walls, personal flashcards, drawings, word books, and other parallel extension activities in this superb guide for teaching young ones preschool through third grade to read well and love it. Although primarily designed for traditional classroom instructors, Ready, Set, Read is also very highly recommended (and "user friendly") for homeschooling parents as well.