Amazon.com
Quirk and Schoell's rehashing of the biographical details of Frank Sinatra and the rest of his crew is only intermittently able to disguise its contempt for their personal and professional lives. If there's an opportunity for a pot shot, rest assured this book will take it, from the admittedly deserved (Cannonball Run II, anyone?) to the probably uncalled for (a charity performance for a halfway house for ex-convicts is dismissed with snide comments about Sinatra the wannabe gangster). Much of the source material is drawn from Quirk's footwork as an entertainment reporter in the 1960s; interviews that he conducted with Peter Lawford over the years also provide some juicy tales of sex and drugs, as well as the inside scoop on his ouster from "the Clan" after brother-in-law President Kennedy backed out of his planned Palm Springs vacation at Frank Sinatra's home. (The same stories, with much less venom and some more pizazz, can be found in Shawn Levy's Rat Pack Confidential.)
Book Description
The Rat Pack -- Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop -- had talent, money, and power to burn. They also had something else even more important.
They had fun.
Customer Reviews:
Out-ratting the Rats.......2007-07-16
The back cover suggests that the main reason for the Rat Pack's appeal was the fun they seemed to be having. The contents, however, seem to be intended to deconstruct this premise. One by one, in numbing detail, the five men (and "mascot" Shirley Maclaine) are subjected to jaundiced, gossipy biographies that portray them as pathetic characters. Very little of the information is original - many of the anecdotes related here are familiar and seem selectively drawn from more in-depth biographies. The tone is consistently vulgar and deprecating. There are also tedious reviews of all the films of every Pack member, including critiques of seemingly every cast member's performance, prolonging an already unpleasant read. It is as if the authors wished to undermine the undeniable talent and charm these performers had, and which remains their legacy. This cheap anthology simply exploits that legacy.
fuhgettaboutit.......2006-12-14
I'm going to throw away my copy, too. Perhaps the most annoying aspect, for a film buff, is how the authors add insult to injury with their "film reviews." It's bad enough that they get facts wrong -- most of the score to ON THE TOWN was NOT written by Leonard Bernstein, for example -- but then these ignoramuses presume to pass negative judgment on classics like ON THE TOWN and FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, a right they clearly haven't earned with their "research."
Save your dough.......2004-01-28
The only reason I give this book one star is because zero stars wasn't an option. It took two guys to write this tripe? One monkey could have done a better job. This book is lazy and poorly written and I am ticked off that I wasted my money on it. The definitive book on the Rat Pack has got to be Shawn Levy's. After reading the first two pages of Levy's book I was hooked. The difference between a real writer and a couple of hacks.
CLIFF "RAT" NOTES.......2002-05-15
Here is the deal. If you are just starting to get into the Rat Pack or any of the players individually. Then this book is a good start. I would call it the Cliff notes of the individuals and their movies. If you have seen all the movies including the Matt Helm movies or if you have already read books on Dean, Frank, Sammy's biography then you are way ahead of this book and pass it by.
But if you have not seen the movies and want to learn the basics of each man and then from there search into each one of them seperatly then this is a good starter. There are some great books on all the guys but you will finded Sammy's Biography to be the most fun. Remember to check out deanmartinfancenter.com for more info on the Rat Pack. For the guys who wrote this you could have given us some fun facts or answered some questions, instead they read everyone else book and put together their own version.
Ratty.......2002-01-28
The blurb on the cover of THE RAT PACK says "They had fun" but there's precious little fun to be found here. This book is a tedious listing of (mostly negative) events. It lacks any sparkle and vigor, and if I believed half of it, I'd have to wonder just what the appeal of this group of overgrown adolescents could be. There had to be more.
The Chairman of The Board is the centerpiece as an egomaniacal bully who uses his star power to make the world feel indebted to him. His reported temper tantrums seem utterly absurd. Anyone who used his fists or threats of mob violence as much as the authors claim Sinatra did, should have and would have been locked up, "different era" or no. The Frank Sinatra in these pages wouldn't be a "King of Cool". He wouldn't be anything much.
The rest of the boys orbit around Frank like some kind of an inebriated solar system. The boozing and skirt-chasing is leaden, so where's the thrill? Where are the laughs? If this book is at all accurate (and it isn't, listing Dean Martin's date of death incorrectly), it means that this group of supremely talented entertainers valued nothing, not even themselves.
The bulk of the book is made up of mostly scathing summaries of the Rat Pack movies. Nary a word is said about either Frank or Dean's musical careers. Sammy Davis Jr. is dismissed as little more than the Rat Pack houseboy. Peter Lawford is depicted as a sexually confused drug addict craving the attention of the others. Joey Bishop is virtually forgotten. The Rat Pack Mascots (Shirley MacLaine and Angie Dickinson) get barely honorable mentions (MacLaine far more than Dickinson). One has to wonder why Shirley MacLaine would continue to associate with The Rat Pack after being assaulted by mobster Sam Giancana twice in their company. The book begs an answer. MacLaine is no slouch, so obviously more and better was happening with the "Clan" than this sordid book deigns to tell us.
To really appreciate the Rat Pack give a listen to The Rat Pack Live at the Sands or The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection: Live & Swingin (CD & DVD).
Customer Reviews:
A good place to start learning blues rhythms and licks.......2004-01-14
I enjoyed this book along with the companion Blues Harmonica Licks because the one page lessons focusing on one lick were simple enough to feel like you were accomplishing something. This layout fosters confidence in harmonica playing such that by the end of the book I was comfortable improvising to the backing music with the numerous riffs and techniques learned in this book. The shortcoming of the book is that the volume 1 stops right at bending. This wouldn't be that bad, but as I understand it, volume 2 was never finished or published. Without bending, you really are not playing the blues. I would still recommend this book over other beginner books because it sticks to teaching licks without all the goofiness of books like Gindicks. I am left though to ponder how much less of a struggle learning to bend would have been had they published volume 2.
For harmonica beginner with no previous music experience.......2000-08-31
This book is perfect for a beginner to blues harmonica who is also a beginner to music theory. The tunes in this book are easy and progressively get more challenging. I could play decent sounding stuff from the first attempt but had to work hard to do the harder stuff later in the book.
If you already play another instrument and/or can read music another book would be better as this one doesn't use standard notation. This book is best for someone who has no musical experience. Also, If you have no experience playing with other musicians the CD is very helpful - you play along with other musicians (drums, guitar, bass, keyboard etc) on the CD so that you will learn correct timing and rhythm. And with the CD you can listen to the harmonica on the CD, play with it and then play on your own as the CD leaves a verse or two free from harmonica for you to play along.
Great value for a harmonica beginner who is also a musical theory beginner. I also have the accompaning book "Blue Harmonica Licks Vol.1 - it has more of the same but doesn't feature bending notes. Some of the tunes are simple and you may want to move onto something by David Barret or Jerry Portnoy later.
Book Description
Please see the Homespun Listen & Learn section of this catalog for a complete description.
Customer Reviews:
John Sebastian - Harmonica Instruction.......2007-05-14
You know John Sebastian as an accomplished harpist. What you may not be familiar with is his unique ability to teach. Mixing instruction with humor, he communicates many years of experience in a way which is easily accessible without being dry. This course is definely recommended for beginners who want to get started. It could have been called "Everything You Need To Know - Blues Harp 101".
Average customer rating:
- A Must For Learning To Play The Harmonica
- If You Really Want To Learn The Harmonica, Buy This Book!
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The Natural Blues and Country-Western Harmonica: A Beginners Guide
Jon Gindick
Manufacturer: Music Sales Corporation
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How to Play Country & Western Harmonica: A Complete Guide for Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Players (Harmonica)
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Mel Bay Deluxe Harmonica Method
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Lee Oskar Major Diatonic Harmonica, C
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Rock n' Blues Harmonica: A World of Harp Knowledge, Songs, Stories, Lessons, Riffs, Techniques and Audio Index for a New Generation of Harp Players (Includes ... book and 74 minute stereo CD Jamming Buddy)
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Hohner 560/20 Special 20 Marine Band Harmonica, Key of C
ASIN: 0825699231 |
Customer Reviews:
A Must For Learning To Play The Harmonica.......2002-01-24
There are a plethora of books out there on how to learn to play the harmonica. Jon Gindick, one of America's best harmonica teachers has written a book that will definitely set you on the right track for learning how to play this wonderful little instrument.
The book is divided into sections that will walk you carefully through the first steps of learning about the harmonica. These sections are broken into smaller, easier-to-digest pages which will make is simple to understand the basic concepts of playing. By the time you have worked your way through the book you will have a solid foundation in the instrument and will be ready to play with other musicians or to work on more complex forms of music.
Either way I found this book enjoyable to read and would even suggest that more experienced players go through the lessons in order to hone their basic skills. This book is a definite must for any harmonica player.
If You Really Want To Learn The Harmonica, Buy This Book!.......1999-12-22
Sometime in the mid-80's, I took a delivery job with a small company. I had alot of time on my hands between deliveries; to break the tedium, I decided to learn to play the harmonica. Fortunately, I came across "The Natural Blues/Country Harmonica". Of all the books for beginner harp players, this is by far the best. Without taking himself too seriously, the writer lulls the student into a calm, relaxed approach to playing the harmonica, which is perfect for this instrument. With the helpful illustrations and clear instructions, students new to the harmonica will find they can play with confidence before they even realise how much they have learned. This is a must buy as a gift for young harpists, or if you are giving a beginner their first harmonica.
Product Description
This book shows you all the techniques, including vibrato, wah-wah, note-bending and cross-playing, which are necessary to become a great blues player. The companion CD demonstrates all the exercises, solos and techniques that are in the book. There is a full band backing the harmonica playing.
Average customer rating:
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Blues Harmonica for Beginners
J. Fletcher
Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0882849263 |
Product Description
With CD - Get started playing right away. Friebdly step-by-step approach. Teaches authentic blues licks and techniques. Includes easy to read harmonica TAB and standard notation.
Customer Reviews:
good starter to intermediate book. Great story to follow to.......1999-09-25
Great book to get you started goes through theory straight harp cross harp and slant harp. very good teaching book. Goes through some theory. A quick read that you'll be reading over and over again. Great blues riff to get you wailing. I would suggest getting the cassettes with this or any blues instruction book.
A great place to start.......1999-07-30
I just started blowing on a harp I picked up and wanted something to learn some simple blues by. Although the premise of the book is a story of some cave men who learned the harmonica, there is a great deal of information here. I even found it a bit inspirational. I would recommend to those of you with a sense of humor who want to start learning for fun. If you are looking for strictly technical don't buy it.
I didn't know I could play music until I tried this book........1999-05-13
It was a birthday present from my sister and I use it all the time. I think if you want to learn to play harmonica, this is a great way to start.
Makes beginners feel like they can learn to be accomplished.......1999-05-07
This book is a wonderful blend of music lesson and story-telling. If you get hung up on something technical, there is plenty of lore to pull you through the rough spots and keep up your interest. Who knew making music could be so easy, and so much fun?
5 pages of information hidden in an entire book.......1999-03-06
Jon Gindick trys to teach playing the blues in way that is entertaining and non-intimidating. But in the end the message is lost in a sea of meaningless chatter and storytelling. There are some good pieces of information in the book but they are difficult to root out.
Customer Reviews:
excellent beginner's tool! Fun as hell too!.......2004-03-31
Wow. I'm glad I went out on a limb and bought this. It's worth it for the CD alone. The book is a nice aid as well, but, ummm the whole caveman blues-band narrative is a tad cheesy, and would be a little racist (a white, Tarzan-esque hijacking of what is essentially a black music) if it weren't so obviously bone-headed. Oh stop, I can't help with the cultural analysis. It's a reflex at this point. at least you don't have to sit with me in a movie theatre...
Back to the point, I would go so far as to guarantee that if you simply play along with the CD and skim the book for about 20- 30 minutes a day, you will MASSIVELY improve in skill. And the harmonica sounds really damn good on the CD- which makes you try harder. You want to be that good. Oh- Learning to Bend the notes on holes 2 and 3 takes TIME. I still can't hit them all when I need to.
But I can jam along with my favorite tunes by Mandrill, The Clash, The White Stripes, and many others... I feel like I have bounced moths ahead in week's time!
I don't know any other 'teach your self blues harp,' guides, because this one is working so well I haven't felt the need to purchase another. I enthusiastically reccomend this without reserve!
I loved this book.......1999-08-30
This book really made me start jamming the minute I started reading it. You are not supposed to know anything about music, or musical theory, to understand and follow the lessons. It brings everything from understanding music to knowing deeply the instrument, and I still use it from time to time, when I need more info about harp playing.
Product Description
Covers how to get started (choosing a harmonica, blowing and drawing), positions (first position and cross harp), playing individual notes, bending, and learning blues phrasing. Also teaches developing vibrato and trills, playing octaves and chords, and mastering phrases in the style of blues harp legends Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson.
Average customer rating:
- Guiding Starlight
- THE CATCH
- Good guide :)
|
Mario Party 4 Official Strategy Guide
Paul Edwards , and
BradyGames
Manufacturer: BRADY GAMES
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Mario Party 5 (Prima's Official Strategy Guide)
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ASIN: 0744002095 |
Product Description
Brady Games Mario Party 4 Official Strategy Guide
BradyGames' Mario Party 4 Official Strategy Guide is a player's invitation to the winner's circle! Complete coverage of all the game boards, including how theywork, board-specific events, as well as the secret Bowser's gnarly party board! Expert tactics to lead players to victory in every single mini-game, plus in-depth coverage of Party Mode, Story Mode, Extra Room, and more, to help gamers get the most out of the game. Essential tips for earning all the hidden items, extras, and mini-games!
Customer Reviews:
Guiding Starlight.......2005-06-18
While Nintendo hasn't released any guides for the Mario Party games series, third party companies have cashed in on the plumber, and his list of board games. The guide for Mario Party 4 really is no acception. Brady Games made a very simple guide that tells you about all the challenges and games to unlock. It is very descriptive, and details all of the hidden stars and challenges that can be unlocked. For some, they might feel this guide isn't a must to buy, it really details everything you need to know about how to beat the game, and make Bowser's party into a nightmare in the story mode. This is a great help, for Mario Party 4 owners.
Book: B
THE CATCH.......2003-02-20
The cover looks "Wow! This guide must be really good!" but the game is already simple enough. This guide is like a blank peice of paper. But the game gets
Levels: B-
Graphics: A
Sound: A-
Fun Factor: F- and beyond
Good guide :).......2002-12-13
The Mario Party 4 guide is filled with descriptions and tips for winning the many mini games. Having it definitely makes playing the game more enjoyable, especially if you have limited time to play.
Strategy guides are a great idea for parents with kids who like to play video games but don't like to read -- definitely helps with reading...... and spelling. :)
Amazon.com
Like many of the offerings from Amacom, the publishing arm of the American Management Association, High-Impact Interview Questions: 701 Behavior-based Questions to Find the Right Person for Every Job has a no-nonsense, practical bent. Focused on both the art and the science of effective job interviews, it's clearly intended as a manual for everyday use by hiring managers and human-resource professionals across a wide range of organizations. Author Victoria Hoevemeyer has worked for over 20 years in organizational development and leadership coaching from her home base of Illinois, and her expertise shows through in the direct, straightforward tone suffusing this book.
If the interactions between job seekers and job interviewers can resemble a cat-and-mouse game, with each group trying to outwit and to stay one step ahead of the other, High-Impact Interview Questions serves as recruiters' foil to the books popular with candidates, such as How Would You Move Mt. Fuji? and Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions . It opens by describing three different kinds of questions which dominate most modern job interviews: conventional questions ("What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?"), situational questions ("How would you handle a crisis in which your boss asked you to do something that you considered unethical?"), and brainteaser questions ("Why are manhole covers round?"), and analyzes the shortcomings of each approach. These techniques for sorting good job candidates from bad are fundamentally flawed, according to Hoevemeyer, because they are far too predictable and artificial, and don't illuminate the qualities that actually make a difference to new employees' success.
Instead, Hoevemeyer advances a philosophy which she terms "Competency-Based Behavioral Interviewing" (CBBI). Her basic premise is that past performance is the best predictor of future performance, and that the more recent a particular behavior, the stronger of a predictor it will be. If you accept those assumptions, then much of what follows in the book's explanations of CBBI are highly logical.
The most valuable part of High-Impact Interview Questions is its extensive catalog of sample interview questions, grouped according to the underlying quality which they're meant to uncover. After introducing CBBI and showing how it ties specific and precise interview questions back to the functional competencies job seekers will need in a particular position, the book provides a very handy guide to sample questions which any interviewer can use. Interested in a candidate's decision-making ability? Try "Describe a time you had to make a quick decision with incomplete information?" How about attention to detail? For that, the book prescribes queries like, "Tell me about a time when you caught an error that others had missed."
Esoteric philosophical tome, this isn't. But for those job interviewers who believe in competency-based questions and want an efficient guide to learning about interviewees' true potential, this book is a worthwhile read. --Peter Han
Book Description
Asking behavior-based questions is the best way to elicit useful information from potential job candidates. There's a big difference between asking someone how they might handle a hypothetical situation, and saying, "Tell me about a time you..." By having applicants describe specific situations from their own experience, human resources professionals and hiring managers can better determine whether individuals possess the skills required for the job. But developing such questions can be time consuming and difficult. High-Impact Interview Questions contains 701 questions for readers to use or adapt, matched to in-demand skills such as customer focus, motivation, initiative, adaptabilty, teamwork, and more. Readers can go quickly to the particular skills they want to measure and find just the right tough but necessary questions to ask.
Customer Reviews:
Revealing interview questions...and how to use them.......2006-05-08
Selecting the right person for a job is both an art and a science. To help you improve your chances of finding the right person, author Victoria A. Hoevemeyer proposes that human resource departments and hiring managers should ask applicants explicit questions about their skills and behavior. This approach, known as "Competency-Based Behavioral Interviewing" (CBBI), provides a clear picture of what candidates actually did in their previous jobs. Hoevemeyer's sensible idea is that if candidates succeeded at certain tasks before, they'll repeat their success in their new jobs. She provides a very long list of detailed questions that hiring managers can use to learn the specifics of candidates' skills and past performance. However, the book lacks proof that the CBBI process actually results in recruiting new hires who perform well and have better retention rates. Still, since Hoevemeyer's approach clearly elicits rich information, we believe that managers and even experienced HR professionals may find her interviewing tactics useful.
A Great Resource with Hundreds of Interview Questions.......2005-10-15
"High-Impact Interview Questions" will save you both time and effort in the interview process. It provides hundreds of interview questions that you can tailor to your organization. By asking questions that focus on the candidate's actual performance, you will increase the likelihood that the people you hire will be a good fit for the position and the organization. This book is a great resource for the new interviewer as well as the seasoned HR professional.
Not Only Great for the Interviewer but also for the Interviewee.......2005-10-13
This book is easy to pick up and understand what behavioral interviewing is all about. For someone that is at the other end of the interview process (the interviewee) this book helped to better prepare me for the interview process in this day and age. Interviews no longer entail just talking about your experience. A potential employer needs more information about a person in a short period of time. By reading "High-Impact Interview Questions" I feel more confident knowing what a potential employer could be looking for and what kind of quetions they may be asking. For the price, this book is well worth it!
A Must-Have, Comprehensive Resource for Every Interviewer.......2005-09-26
If I had to recommend one book for anyone who is involved in interviewing candidates, "High-Impact Interview Questions" would be it! It is a practical, thorough, easy-to-use resource and reference guide for behavioral interviewing. The added bonus is that it's organized according to competencies, making it incredibly simply to use in conjunction with an organization's current competency models.
It's great for converting to behavioral based interviewing, enhancing your current behavioral interview process, or even simply testing behavioral interviewing out by converting some of your current interview questions to behavioral questions.
There is no doubt in my mind that if interviewers use the information and tools in this book that they will absolutely find the right person for every job!
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Books Index
Books Home
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- The Wrath of Dionysus: A Novel
Rat Pack Confidential: Frank, Dean, Sammy, Peter, Joey and the Last Great Show Biz Party
Dean Martin: King of the Road
Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams
Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes
His Way: An Unauthorized Biography Of Frank Sinatra
