This book brilliantly depicts the outstanding role Ralph Cooper played in shaping American music as we know it today. His genius and forethought has yet to be matched in this century. I enjoyed the book immensely!

A history not only of the Apollo Theatre, but of Black entertainment in this country. Mr.Cooper is very knowledgeable and gives a wealth of information about an exciting era. A good reference book, giving me a better understanding of the roots and important of Black entertainment and its influences in the U.S.

Jane Cooper Chambers takes her readers on a trip back in time with this story of life growing up in the 50's and 60's. A fascinating retrospect of a gentler time, Chambers captures the era with grace and dignity. A fine first novel.

This first novel by Jane Cooper Chambers is a story about two sisters who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s of North Carolina. Iris tells the story, but it is really her sister, Helen's tale. The childlike opening reminds one of Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Daddy and Mama Gia Ashley loom large and strong in the lives of the young girls, but sadly tragedy interferes. The house, Ashley Hill, is both a nurturing and a formidable influence. All the happy, and the unfolding tragic events, take place at the big house. I read this book in one sitting. Great!

The work of great artists is inexhaustible. In Beethoven's case, his music remains a stunning achievement. His achievement as a composer, together with the nature of his character, his deafness, his thwarted love affairs, and his relationships to his musical predecessors and successors, has led to a fascination with him and to a literature that is likely to be written and rewritten as long as people listen to his music. As is Beethoven's music, and is is history, Beethoven's life and character, and the means by which one is to understand them, are open to a multitude of approaches.

In his Preface, Cooper writes (at x) that "surprisingly little is known for certain about Beethoven." He points out that some studies, such as Maynard Solomon's fine biography that appeared shortly before Cooper's own, featured a psychoanalytical approach to Beethoven that attempted a fuller explanation of Beethoven's character than those that had been attempted by other writers at the cost of questionable psychological theory and speculation in the face of a scarcity of evidence. Cooper endeavors to write a biography that holds closer to the known facts about Beethoven's life and to emphasize those facts that may shed life on his activities as a composer.

Cooper also spends a great deal of his book analysing the music itself. There are lengthy accounts of the origins of the symphonies, concertos, quartets, sonatas,songs, masses, of Fidelio, of the folksongs and other parts of Beethoven's output. There are generous musical analyses and quotations. I was particularly impressed with Cooper's attention to some of Beethoven's work that is not as well known as it deserves to be, such as the Opus 7 piano sonata, the Creatures of Prometheus Ballet, and the oratorio, Christ on the Mount of Olives. These works are analyzed insightfully and lovingly.

As Cooper acknowledges, his study is perhaps less detailed than is Solomon's on Beethoven's life. His book does, however, offer its own perspective on Beethoven. Broadly speaking, Cooper is more sympathetic to certain aspects of Beethoven's actions than has been the case with many other writers. Unlike Solomon, Cooper takes Beethoven's side, for the most, part, in his dispute with his sister-in-law over the custody of Karl, Beethoven's nephew. Also, he disputes Solomon's account that Beethoven frequented prostitutes. In both these matters, I am not sure that Cooper has the better of the evidence. The portrayal endeavors to see Beethoven favorably without making him something different than a human being with fallibilities.

I also found interesting Cooper's discussion of Beethoven's religious views. Beethoven's views on such matters, as is the case with the views of any thinking person on these matters, were highly personal and difficult for a third party, such as a biographer writing 250 years after the fact, to ascertain and expound. Cooper acknowledges that Beethoven was not for most of his life a practicing Christian but finds him a devout believer in God as the source of human morality. Solomon's account emphasizes more Beethoven's predilection towards the Enlightenment. A difficult question, and I suspect that Beethoven had components of both views in him.

Too many recent biographers feel a need to deprecate their subjects. This is definitely not Cooper's approach to Beethoven. (For that matter, it was not Solomon's approach either.) Cooper writes of Beethoven that "despite much sniping from twentieth-century critics, his reputation as a giant among composers remains intact as we enter the twenty-first century." (Preface x)

This book is not hero-worship but it presents an inspiring and historically plausible account of a composer and a man who is worthy to be revered for his vision, attainments and character. This book will be treasured by those who love Beethoven's music. May it encourage the reader to become acquainted or reaquainted with these works of the human spirit.

As a Beethoven fan I was initially attracted to the cover of this book, until I discovered its contents. The amount and quality of information is outstanding and Barry Cooper doesn't spare any words to guide us through the life, creative process and personality of this incredible composer. In a nutshell, a book not to be missed by any classical music enthusiast.

Before Lift-Off is a wonderfully detailed look at the entire process that a Space Shuttle crew goes through in preparing for a mission, from selection, through all their training, and on to the flight itself. You get a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes, and you get a glimpse of just how much work goes into it, not just from the astronauts, but from the thousands of people in the background. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to work in the space industry, or just dreams of being an astronaut.

I read this book for the first time in probably 1988 for a junior high assignment, and it was an epiphany. I knew what I wanted to do with my life - train astronauts. And lo and behold, from 1996 through 2000, I did, and it was as amazing (and as much hard work) as the book described.

This book allows the reader to trail along the astronauts & their instructors during training, and it also lets the reader get to know the people involved. It's a wonderful adventure with the crew of 41G!

As someone fortunate enough to actually own several of Bill Henson's photographs (measuring appx. 6 feet by 5 feet) I was a bit skeptical that his work would translate well in book form. I was dead wrong ~ and more than impressed with the publisher for getting it right. A large book, with few words ~ one has to let the work speak for itself ~ and does it ever. I have collected hundreds of photography books in my lifetime and consider Lux et Nox in the top 10. A must have for anyone who enjoys moody, mysterious, exquisitely beautiful,large scale photographic work. Bill Henson is a master printer, and someone who deserves a lot more attention in the American market than he has received.

Bill Henson is an Australian artist with a well-earned reputation as a passionate and visionary photographer. His images explore the twilight zones separating day and night, nature and civilization, youth and adulthood, male and female. His use of light and composition transform photography into a genuine art form while providing the viewer with insights and memorable impressions beyond the boundaries of static rationalism. Drawing from twenty-five years of photographic efforts, Lux Et Nox showcases the best of this master photographer's work to date. Lux et Nox is very highly recommended for students of photography and an invaluable addition to professional and academic Photography collections.

This book is a 20 ct. diamond. I have used it for four years to plan birding trips. If you want to go where the birds are, this book is a must. It not only tells you where to go, it also gives you a detailed iteneray, tells you when to go, and tells you how many day to plan for your trip. If that isn't enough, it refers you to other more detailed birding books to help you plan your trip.

A do it yourself guide to birding trips around the country including detailed itineraries. Professionals in the nature tours trade may want to keep this book a secret since it allows anybody to reproduce many of their trips at a significant cost saving.

i think steve biko was a man of right he is so wonderful and when i read the book and wached the video i was tuched by the words that donnaled woods had used i have his book under my bed and i pray evey night that i can be just like steve biko i wish that the people that did that to him should have died strate away and go toHELL. i would love to have seen him and tell him HE HAS MAKE A DIFFERENT I LOVE STEVE BIKO PEACE OUT TO THE BLACK

This book is an excellent source for seeing the experience of apartheid from which the theory of black consciousness emerged. Biko lucidly articulates both the people and the regime he found himself in conflict with, and parallel's between his appraisal and his idea's are made clear. A must read for anyone who wants to get a full understanding of black consciousness.

Breaking the Heart of the World is the most complete study of Woodrow Wilson and the "League Fight" since Thomas Bailey's Woodrow Wilson and the Great Betrayal and WW and the Lost Peace. Professor Cooper eloquently retells the events from Wilson's return from Paris to his infamous stroke, and finally toward his fall from grace. Cooper has read everything and includes everything that is important to the fight. No one knows Woodrow Wilson better. And what you take away from Breaking the Heart of the World is a better knowledge for why the United States did not join the League of Nations in addition to an understanding of Wilson's personality and immense intelligence and foresight. Indeed Wilson saw that need for a League of Nations. America was just not ready for an international league to enforce peace. World War Two would make this clear. Professor Cooper also presents an unbiased account of Wilson. Wilson has been lauded and excoriated by historians. Cooper avoids both and instead presents the matter critically.
Also recommended: The Warrior and the Priest (John Cooper's dual biography of Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt), Woodrow Wilson and the Politics of Progressivism (Arthur Link's important volume in the New American Nation Series), Woodrow Wilson: Revolution War and Peace, by Arthur Link. These are all important books about Wilson and the Progressive era.

Professor Cooper's book is an essential volume in the study of an exceedingly important historical event: the failure of the United States to join the League of Nations. Cooper is incredibly unbiased in his approach neither totally defending Wilson nor constantly excoriating him. Breaking the Heart of the World extends deeply into the League debate and is a masterful example of historical research. There are so many players and therefore numerous sources to analyze in addition to the prodigious volumes of Wilson's own papers. Cooper has synthesized these and provided his audience with a rare and exceptional analysis of the events leading to the failure to join in an international League of Nations, followed by Wilson's repudiation, and more than a decade of international isolation.

I find myself flipping through this book at least three times a month. The author, Scott Howard-Cooper, did a wonderful job. I've seen several of the memorable games he selected. After reading his book, I feel as though I've seen all 100. Bravo, Scott.

I got lost in this book, just flipping page by page and remembering stuff I'd forgotten and reading stuff I never knew about Wooden and Bibby, Baron and Goodrich, Harrick and Hazzard... I loved the way the author interspersed the GIANT games that everybody remembers--the 1968 loss to Houston, all of the national title games, Tyus Edney over Missouri--with the little moments that really make you think and wonder. About Wooden's first game as coach, about Rafer Johnson's first start in 1958, about Cal's Pauley Pavilion upset in 1995, about Reggie Miller and Kris Johnson and Pete Blackman, about Gene Bartow and Harrick's firing and Ed O's goodbye... about some incredible things and some sad things and always memorable things. You can read this book from start to finish, or just drop in and out, from game to game, and relish the details. From Kareem's foreword to the great stat package in the back, and all the great, evocative story-telling in between, this is a tremendous book.

"This is a deserted lot. It sits between two buildings not far from downtown. It's mostly dirt, with a few tufts of grass, some weeds, and two trees with peeling bark. It's covered with broken glass and trash. A chain-link fence keeps people out..." So begins Elisha Cooper's tribute to construction. An architect arrives with plans and surveyors. Then a backhoe "scoops up dirt like a messy eater." Soon trucks filled with building materials come, along with the many workers ready to transform this once vacant lot into a new and beautiful building. Watch workers spread and smooth concrete, saw and nail boards, seal and caulk the roof, windows, and doorways, install insulation, and build new floors, walls, and stairs. Next come the electricians, plumbers, and painters to finish the inside and get it ready for people..... Mr Cooper's lyrical text is engaging and fascinating as it moves up, down, and across the pages mimicking the building process. His watercolor and pencil illustrations capture the small details in the text and complement the story beautifully. Together, word and art offer a creative and informative lesson in how a building comes to life. Perfect for youngsters 5-10, Building is an imaginative and evocative experience. "This is a building. It stands between two other buildings not far from downtown. It stands empty, waiting to be filled with people. You can't hear the hammering, can't smell the concrete, can't taste the fried chicken, can't see the measured beams. But they are all part of the building, and you can feel them."

My older boy, now three, has been having books about building and trucks and the like read to him now for well over eighteen months. Even with this potentially numbing single-issue reading list, we have cycled through a good number of books of this "genre" at bedtime. This is the first book that we have seen that has mentioned a port-a-john. While this might seem like an unnecessary thing (after all, why shouldn't folks who work on big rigs, drive trash trucks, fight fires, etc be like movie stars who don't go to the bathroom), it makes this otherwise simple book very effective, even after all the others we have seen. Together with other details-- the workers swap jokes, chat about last night's game, eat fried chicken, nap at lunch, etc.-- the cumulative effect is that the builders, who might otherwise seem abstractions, are made more like our boy, and us, and all of us. Our lad goes to the bathroom, why shouldn't workers? He likes jokes, etc. Their efforts seem more honest and real as a result and the book was, after all the others we have read, still was able to spark a conversation about building and like between my boy and me.