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Books: Computers: Mac Write
Write Now: The Complete Program For Better Handwritingby Barbara Getty and Inga Dubay Available from Amazon $13.95 On 7-22-2006 
See Item's Page Charles A. Kessler, M.D. "These two women are not your dad’s handwriting teacher. They are totally awesome!" Paul O. Jacobs, M.D. "Italic handwriting is legible and handsome. I recommend Write Now. Long live legibility!" |
Blue Monday: Fats Domino And the Lost Dawn of Rock 'n' Rollby Rick Coleman List Price: $26.95 Available from Amazon $16.98 On 7-22-2006
See Item's Page From Publishers Weekly "When people get started dancing and having a good time, they don't care what color you are," reflected Herbert Hardesty, one of Antoine "Fats" Domino's band members, on the ability of Domino's music to break through the color barrier in postwar America. It is a recurring theme in Coleman's biography, as are, not surprisingly, segregation and mainstream society's reception to rock 'n' roll, particularly songs by African Americans. Based on interviews and years of research, Coleman's book is well-written and full of lively details about life on the road, recording sessions and how things worked in Domino's inner circle. After making quick work of Domino's grandparents and childhood, Coleman begins a chronological journey through Domino's life, peppering his narrative with important events in music and the civil rights movement. Although Coleman touches lightly on some of Domino's irresponsible behavior-his drinking, womanizing and ambivalence to curtain times set the mold by which later rock stars would be cast-the book borders on hagiography. Also, Coleman's suggestions that the earliest African-American performers of rock 'n' roll are largely forgotten and that there still persists a myth that it all began with Elvis are outmoded at best. However, Coleman's book succeeds as a warm tribute to an American music icon. Copyright © Reed business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Coleman launches the first book-length biography of a New Orleans legend by contending that Fats Domino's 1949 "thunderous rocker," "The Fat Man," has a more legitimate claim than Elvis Presley's "That's All Right" to being the first rock 'n' roll song. He argues that Domino's seminal role in rock history is underappreciated, and it's genuinely easy to agree with him. Coleman intertwines Domino's biography and the story of an American society changing in the 1940s and 1950s so that race and pop music often merged. Domino became a reliable hit maker on the mainstream charts and a smiling TV presence, which was then still odd for an African American. Fats' indomitable spirit pervades the book, even in discussions of his gambling problems, inspiriting the story of an excellent musician who provided a link between such older Crescent City R&B giants as Professor Longhair and young rockers like Ernie K-Doe. Fats Domino's story is central to rock history, making this a must for the pop music shelves. Mike Tribby Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved |
All Things Bright and Beautiful (All Things Bright and Beautiful)by James Herriot Available from Amazon $7.99 On 7-22-2006 
See Item's Page From AudioFile We meet an unforgettable cast of characters, animal and human, in the second volume of Herriot's memoirs. Herriot is now Siegfried's partner in the country veterinary practice, and we go with him on his rounds, cheering his successes, mourning his losses, and smiling at the humor he finds so often. Christopher Timothy, who played James Herriot in the BBC version of "All Creatures Great and Small," recreates a variety of rich Yorkshire accents impeccably and brings these stories of small town and country life before WWII vividly alive. Each character has a distinct voice and personality, and you end the book wanting to hear more about each one. Masterfully narrated, this is a joy to listen to. J.D.P. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition. The Philadelphia Inquirer "The kind of book that makes an evening seem a little warmer and your pet a bit more important." --This text refers to the Paperback edition. |
Dialogue: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Effective Dialogue (Write Great Fiction)by Gloria Kempton List Price: $16.99 Available from Amazon $11.04 On 7-22-2006
See Item's Page Book Description How do some writers craft conversation so authentic, it feels like they've been eavesdropping? What's the secret behind getting characters to talk to each other? How can writers make their dialogue sing? Answers to all of these questions and more can be found in Gloria Kempton's in-depth look at this crucial component of fiction. Readers will learn how to create dialogue that sizzles, with tips on: * Creating dialogue for specific genres * Bringing characters to life with revealing dialogue * Identifying and fixing common dialogue problems Each chapter features numerous examples of successful dialogue drawn from bestselling novels, and chapter-ending exercises help readers apply the lessons learned. This is one book that will get readers talking!
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How to Write a Winning College Application Essay, Revised 4th Editionby Michael James Mason List Price: $14.95 Available from Amazon $9.72 On 7-22-2006
See Item's Page Product Review When there are kids out there reading How to Write a Winning College Application Essay and taking author Michael James Mason's College Essay Workshop, you can hardly afford to be left behind. Mason's method requires a lot of hard work, but, as he says in his introduction, "There is no shortcut to writing an essay you are proud to send to the colleges of your choice." Mason recommends putting aside two hours a night for two weeks straight to accomplish this onerous task, which in the long run isn't much of a hardship, considering the possible payoff. During those two weeks, you will come upon your best subject matter by exploring 26 different aspects of yourself. "You don't have to be a star scholar or a superhero to write a great application essay," Mason says. "You just have to show on paper that you know some things about yourself and that your life has meaning and perspective." Mason knows what admissions officers are looking for, and he knows what they dread (he happens to be married to one). This terrific book also includes insightful chapters on the SAT II: Writing Test, financial-aid essays, and graduate-school application essays. --Jane Steinberg --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Product Review Get into the College of Your Dreams |
How to Write Songs on Guitar: A Guitar-Playing and Songwriting Courseby Rikky Rooksby List Price: $19.95 Available from Amazon $12.97 On 7-22-2006
See Item's Page Guitarist "An extremely valuable source book for wannabe songwriters as well as a highly readable journey of the popular song." Dirty Linen "A useful source of knowledge for those just beginning with either writing or guitar." |
Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela Tag: The International Bestsellerby Nelson Mandela List Price: $17.95 Available from Amazon $11.67 On 7-22-2006
See Item's Page Product Review The famously taciturn South African president reveals much of himself in Long Walk to Freedom. A good deal of this autobiography was written secretly while Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island by South Africa's apartheid regime. Among the book's interesting revelations is Mandela's ambivalence toward his lifetime of devotion to public works. It cost him two marriages and kept him distant from a family life he might otherwise have cherished. Long Walk to Freedom also discloses a strong and generous spirit that refused to be broken under the most trying circumstances--a spirit in which just about everybody can find something to admire. From Publishers Weekly Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and the first democratically elected president of South Africa, Mandela began his autobiography during the course of his 27 years in prison. Copyright 1995 Reed business Information, Inc. |
Obasanby Joy Kogawa List Price: $12.95 Available from Amazon $9.97 On 7-22-2006 
See Item's Page From 500 Great books by Women; Review by Erica Bauermeister When Naomi was a young child living in Vancouver, British Columbia, her mother left to visit relatives in Japan. Soon after, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Naomi's mother was not allowed to return and Naomi's family was "relocated" by the Canadian government. When Obasan begins, Naomi is thirty-five, a woman determined to ignore her past. But the death of the man who helped raise her and her aunt's who refusal to forgive the Canadian government force Naomi to remember. Naomi's initial memories are of a big house with a backyard and a father who loved music, of handcrafted boats and communal baths with her great-aunt. Then the memories shift and she remembers families divided, chicken coops assigned as "houses," parents dying away from their children, and a government that took away rights based on ethnic heritage, not actions. Obasan uses a combination of personal narrative, lyrical outpourings, official letters, and dreams to protest the treatment of Japanese-Canadians during World War II. Differing in style and emotional intensity, the voices clash and mesh, building upon each other until they reach the ending, which both stuns and forces us to reconsider all that has gone before. -- For great Reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great books for Readers 2-14. Product Review "This quiet novel burns in your hand." --Washington Post. |
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