Book Description
Hairspray is the 2003 Tony Award winner for Best Musical! Based on filmmaker John Waters' affectionately subversive homage to his Baltimore youth, Hairspray takes place in 1962. Chubby Tracy Turnblad (Marissa Jaret Winokur, 2003 Tony winner for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical) is transformed into a teen celebrity on a local TV dance program. With her irresistible stage mother (Harvey Fierstein, 2003 Tony winner for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical) at her side, she attempts to win the heart of the local heartthrob and integrate "The Corny Collins Show" at the same time.
Customer Reviews:
One of my favorite musicals despite never having seen it!.......2007-08-13
"Hairspray" is the musical based on the writer's childhood in the sixties when he lived in Baltimore, Maryland.
After leafing through the pages, even trying to portray one of the characters, this is a great start to my new Broadway book collection! I suggest you start one of your own!
Hairspray - the best musical ever!!!.......2007-07-26
This book was just right for what I wanted. It had exactly what I was looking for. Lyrics and script. Great !!!
Misled.......2006-07-11
At first, this item was advertised as the complete book and MUSIC of Hairspray, but I should have known that would not be available for purchase. I expected at least a couple songs of the music, not just the lyrics, because of the advertisement. Really pay attention to every specific word before you order anything.
FANFLIPPIN'TASTIC.......2006-04-06
Hairspray can only be described as a big HUGE bubble of joy that pops off of the stage and into your lap. It is so fun, bright, colorful, and exciting that I can't help but giggle with delight when I think about it. To answer the previous poster's question, this is the complete libretto; that means it has the book (script) and song lyrics. It also includes cute and colorful pictures of the Original Broadway Cast.
Hairspray is love. If you love Hairspray, you'll love to own and re-enact it every day with your very own script. If you haven't seen Hairspray (you poor thing!) you can read the script and enjoy it just as much as I do! It's super duper funny, hip, and has a lot of heart.
I also highly recommend the OBC recording. Not as good unless you've seen it live with all it's super high-energy goodness, but amazing none-the-less!
Is this the complete script? .......2006-03-13
I am wondering if this is the COMPLETE script of the show (ie the dialogue and the songs) What about the songs? Is it just the lyrics, or is it the piano music? I can't seem to find an answer anyway, can anyone help me?
Product Description
Hairspray is the latest feel-good Broadway blockbuster musical, based on the 1988 John Waters movie of the same title. The music is by Marc Shaiman (who wrote the clever score to the musical film South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), with lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The story is set in Baltimore, 1962, and the songs are a snappy, affectionate homage to the rock and pop of the period. Our deluxe folio features 8 pages of wonderful color photos from the Broadway production, and piano/vocal arrangements of 12 songs: Good Morning Baltimore The Nicest Kids in Town Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now I Can Hear the Bells It Takes Two Welcome to the '60s Run and Tell That! Big, Blonde and Beautiful Timeless to Me Without Love I Know Where I've Been You Can't Stop the Beat.
Customer Reviews:
The feel good factor continues.......2007-09-24
As the saying goes, seen the movie, got the T shirt and now have a book of the sheet music. It's fab. I could not wait to play the music from the movie, that I just adore, and from the CD that I have on constantly in the car, and I was not disappointed. Twelve great songs that are really quite easy to play, lyrics too, to sing a long with. If you loved the music from the movie, and you are itching to recreate it a 'tad' from the comfort of your own home, you will love this book.
Great for Christmas uh uh uh oh!.......2006-12-11
Bought this for my daughter for the vocal and she loved it. Has all the best songs and nice for even a casual vocalist!
Book Description
In Hairspray, it's 1962--the fifties are out and change is in the air. Baltimore's Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion: to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program, The Corny Collins Show, and overnight is transformed from an awkward overweight outsider into an irrespressible teen celebrity. But can a trendsetter in dance and fashion vanquish the program's reigning blond princess, win the heart of heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her 'do? Only in Hairspray!
Based on John Waters's 1988 film, the musical comedy Hairspray opened on Broadway in August 2002 to rave reviews. Hairspray: The Roots includes the libretto of the show--along with hilarious anecdotes from the authors, to say nothing of dance step diagrams and full-color bouffant wigs to copy and cut out--along with all the creative energy, brilliant color, and full-out emotion that have made the musical "a great big, gorgeous hit . . . [that] is a triumph on all levels" (Clive Barnes, The New York Post).
Customer Reviews:
AMAZING Book for all Die-Hard Hairspray fans!.......2007-01-19
I was intorduced to this musical in the Fall of 2006, well after the hoop-la surrounding the original cast. I bought this book and was very happy with the care and detail that went into its production. WHile it focuses on the original cast, any true fan of this show will be amazingly happy to see behind-the-scenes of the show, hear thoughts from the creators and original stars and see pictures, pictures, and more pictures of the Nicest Kids in Town and those close to them!
You Can Get it Cheaper.......2006-01-05
Okay I love this book alot. It includes almost if not the entire show but I think its ridiculous how much they are charging. I bought it for literally $1.07 at the Dollar Tree, so I bought 3 for family and friends.
But I just wanted to say that the book is awesome. If you get the book, you won't regret it. It has so many pictures and little extras so go to the dollar tree and buy it!
Almost as much fun as the show!.......2003-04-23
I have loved this show since I first listenend to the recording, and after seeing the show I think I may be obsessed with it. The show is completely fun and entertaining and this book does a good job at capturing the spirit and energy of the show. I particularly like all the full color photos and candids of the cast offstage as well as the "diary" entries from Marisa Jaret Winokur (Tracy) and Harvey Firestein (Edna). This book is worth it!
Excellent yet imperfect companion to the hit Broadway show........2003-04-17
If you're a fan of the Broadway musical Hairspray, then you need this book. It's really that simple. In addition to a detailed history of the show, tons of photos, insider information, detailed analyses of previous versions of the script and the script that was eventually used, and even more information in general than you could possibly digest in one (or even two) readings, it's full of exactly the same kind of wacky, irreverant style and humor that's found in the show and that's helped to make it such a big success on Broadway. Hairspray: The Roots is hip, hilarious, colorful, and, in its own way, very musical.
Only one thing prevents the book from being the perfect example of its kind and earning a five star rating: it does not preserve the entire complete libretto of the show, choosing instead to eliminate the dialogue in places and replace it with scene descriptions. While this is unthinkable and incomprehensible given the sheer amount of information that was included and the great care that has been put into every other element of it, in the end, this particular frustration remains minor. If you can live with that, you'll find no other flaw in this remarkable, must-own volume.
Book Description
Audiences have fallen in love with Hairspray and its heroine, Tracy Turnblad--a girl with big hair, big dreams and an even bigger heart--since John Waters created this original, subversively hilarious film in 1988. Next the hit Broadway musical won countless more fans and an armful of Tonys in 2003. Now Hairspray returns to the screen as an innovative movie musical from New Line Cinema, the producers of Chicago, and director-choreographer Adam Shankman.
This lavish companion book celebrates the singular phenomenon that is Hairspray, and the supremely talented cast and crew who brought this new incarnation to life. Features about the cast, locations, sets, and costumes give readers an intimate look behind the scenes. Here are profiles of Hairspray's extraordinary actors, all of whom do their own singing and dancing in the film. John Travolta stars in a career-bending twist as Edna Turnblad, the role created by the late Divine. The dream cast also includes Queen Latifah (Motormouth Maybelle), Michelle Pfeiffer (Velma Von Tussle), and Christopher Walken (Wilbur Turnblad) as well as rising young stars led by new talent Nikki Blonsky as Tracy.
Hairspray captures the spirit of a time when everything was changing, in music and in society. This special volume captures the essence of the film's creative achievement with more than 200 vivid production photographs and first-person contributions by Waters, director Shankman (Bringing Down the House), and producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. From casting and scripting to rehearsing, shooting scenes and recording the music--it's all explored and depicted in a unique collector's edition.
Features:
Film poster and postcards
Booklets that highlight various behind-the-scenes production details
Character profiles including a tip-in "45 RPM single," key facts and Hairspray trivia printed on the facsimile record's sleeve
Customer Reviews:
A MUST HAVE BOOK FOR COLLECTORS!.......2007-09-03
If you've never seen one of Insight Editions books on films you don't know what you are missing. These are not just books that you read, but they are the next best things to actually seeing the films. You actually can experience the movie through words and pictures but also through the dozens of little surprises that pop out at you as you journey through the pages. The smash Broadway hit musical Hairspray came to the big screen in July to rave reviews from both film critics and fans alike. Newspapers and magazines such as the Boston Globe, Chicago Sun Times, Entertainment Weekly, New York Post, and Rolling Stone all gave the film a grade of an A or an A-. It just proves that film fans still love a good musical when its done right.
In conjunction with the film, Insight Editions has released their wonderful book that brings the film home to fans in a unique way. Beginning with a foreword by John Waters, the book explores the making of the film from the original version, to the stage, and finally this Summer's blockbuster re-make, all in full, bold color. The book contains literally hundreds of photos from the film as well as exclusive, behind-the-scene shots of cast and crew.
John Travolta not only plays the most unique role in his illustrious career as Mama Edna, but he supplies own thoughts on the role and why he decided to do the film. Travolta discusses his approach to the role in trying to make Edna a believable character, from her voice right down to how she walks. From his words, you can see that John had a great time making this movie, particularly the climactic dance number. Besides Travolta you'll meet the rest of the fantastic cast such as James Marsden as Corny Collins, Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma Von Tussle, Amanda Bynes as Penny Pingleton, Jerry Stiller as Mr. Pinky, Queen Latifa as Motormouth Maybelle, and Christopher Walken as Wilbur Turnblad. (Man! That is some cast!)
But this isn't just some dry narration on making a movie. As you begin to negotiate the pages you start encountering some of those surprises I talked about earlier. There are all sorts of inserts placed in the book...faux posters for TV shows that were seen in the film, postcards that have nostalgic, period designs, cling-on stickers, and envelopes that you have to open that contain other special treats. I'm not going to play spoiler, you'll have to get the book and open them yourself!
There's also great articles about the films song and dance numbers and lots of trivia about the early 1960's like the top Juke Box hits of 1962, as well as styles of clothes and hair from the era. From cover to cover this is just a treat for the eyes and will put a smile on your face. A great collector's book!
REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON
Average customer rating:
- Hilarious and Original
- A Blood Pumpin great read!!!!!
- Well worth the wait!
- Don't read it in church...
- A fun indulgence
|
Blood in My Hairspray
Steven Schreibman
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Comic
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Gay
| Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Gay & Lesbian
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1403326177 |
Book Description
A hard-bitten Mafia wife suddenly drops dead at the Beauty Shop, sending hotshot hairdresser Damian Shtup's tony Manhattan life into a tailspin. A twisted, hilarious comedy of manners full of passion, pathos and faaaabulous hair. A great read! A must-read!
Download Description
A hard-bitten Mafia wife suddenly drops dead at the Beauty Shop, sending hotshot hairdresser Damian Shtup's tony Manhattan life into a tailspin. A twisted, hilarious comedy of manners full of passion, pathos and faaaabulous hair. A great read! A must-read!
Customer Reviews:
Hilarious and Original.......2005-11-14
This is the best "whodoneit" ever written. It's a totally original concept and is a must read for anyone who loves a good dark comedy!! Mr. Schreibman's work is Jacqueline Susann meets John Waters (I'm a fan of both - or I rather all three!!) And having met Mr. Schreibman at a book signing I can honestly say he is as charming and funny as he is talented. When you enter a book store and an author greets you with a book and tells you you'll fall off the toilet laughing then you simply must buy that book!!! I hope to one day see this made into a movie!! It would be a classic...
A Blood Pumpin great read!!!!!.......2005-08-27
I have to say that this book is a great laugh out loud read. I read the book while on vacation at a beach house with others and they were constantly asking me what was I laughing out loud about. The names of the charactures and their individual personas were dead on and the whole comical nature of the story made for a great light read. I can't wait to read Steve's next book and hope that this one hits the big screen. I've been racking my brain on who would make the perfect Damian Shtup-perhaps...maybe I should leave that up to Steve.
Well worth the wait!.......2004-10-25
I ordered this book along with Augusten Burroughs new book and had to wait almost 3 months for them to arrive. It was well worth the wait on both books! This was such a fun book to read. The main character Damian is both despicable and loveable at the same time. The book is campy and reads like a John Waters movie. It's a "saver" meaning I'll be keeping this in my permanent book collection. I'd recommend it definitely. After reading it, I found myself walking around grandly expressing "That's fabulous dahling" until my family begged me to stop.
Don't read it in church..........2003-09-09
Good luck reading Blood in My Hairspray without laughing out loud. This is the funniest book I have read in many years. I loved it! From the very creative story line to the endearing and involving personalities, this murder-mystery should appeal to anyone who likes to laugh.
Hats off to Mr. Schreibman for what I consider to be the best first effort since John Grisham.
Genius!
A fun indulgence.......2003-09-09
I found this book to be a great peek into the indulgent gay persona. Steven Schreibman did a wonderful job helping me, a naive straight from Arizona, enjoy great humor in a very foreign world of gays, New Yorkers, hairdressers, and more. While centered around a mystery, the unique and in-your-face humor is the core of this book. It was "marvy!"
Book Description
Here are three more of John Waters's most popular screenplays — for the first time in print, including an original introduction by Waters and dozens of fun film stills.
John Waters, the writer and director of these movies, is a legendary filmmaker whose films occupy their own niche in cinema history. His muse and leading lady was Divine — a 300-pound transvestite who could eat dog shit in one scene and break your heart in the next.
In "Hairspray," a "pleasantly plump" teenager, played by Ricki Lake, and her big-hearted hairdresser mother, played by Divine, teach 1962 Baltimore about race relations by integrating a local TV dance show. "Female Trouble" is a coming-of-age story gone terribly awry: Dawn Davenport (again, Divine), progresses from loving schoolgirl to crazed mass murderer destined for the electric chair — all because her parents wouldn't buy her cha-cha heels for Christmas. In "Multiple Maniacs," dubbed by Waters a “celluloid atrocity,” the traveling sideshow "Lady Divine's Cavalcade of Perversions" is actually a front for a group of psychotic kidnappers, with Lady Divine herself the most vicious and depraved of all — but her life changes after she gets raped by a fifteen-foot lobster.
Average customer rating:
|
305. Hairspray
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0634069373 |
Book Description
Tony-winning musical Hairspray is the feel-good Broadway blockbuster based on the 1988 John Waters movie. The music is by Marc Shaiman (who wrote the clever score to the musical film South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut), with lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The story is set in Baltimore, 1962, and the songs are a snappy, affectionate homage to the rock and pop of the period. Our E-Z Play edition features great arrangements of 12 songs: Good Morning Baltimore * The Nicest Kids in Town * Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now * I Can Hear the Bells * It Takes Two * Welcome to the '60s * Run and Tell That * Big, Blonde and Beautiful * Timeless to Me * Without Love * I Know Where I've Been * You Can't Stop the Beat.
Product Description
Hairspray blasts its way into theaters this summer with a fresh new twist on the original 1988 classic. With stars like John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Christopher Walken singing and dancing to these outrageous tunes, there is no doubt fans across the nation will want to try this at home. The Tony-winning musical has been wowing crowds since 2002. Now moviegoers can become a part of the action, the comedy, and most importantly the music.
Alfred presents the sheet music to the hit Hairspray tune, Come So Far (Got So Far to Go). The song includes lyrics, melody line, and chord changes with professionally arranged piano accompaniment.
Product Description
Entertainment magazine featuring Bart Siimpson, covers all the latest movies, television, music and books.
Product Description
Entertainment magazine featuring Marge Simpson, covers all the latest movies, television, music and books.
Average customer rating:
|
Umberto Eco and Football (Postmodern Encounters)
Peter Trifonas
Manufacturer: Totem Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Popular Culture
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Social Theory
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Aesthetics
| Analytic Philosophy
| Ancient
| Consciousness & Thought
| Criticism
| Eastern
| Epistemology
| Ethics & Morality
| Free Will & Determinism
| General
| Good & Evil
| Greek & Roman
| History & Surveys
| History, 17th & 18th Century
| Islamic
| Logic & Language
| Medieval Thought
| Metaphysics
| Methodology
| Modern
| Modern Renaissance
| Movements
| Ontology
| Philosophy of Religion
| Political
| Reference
| Religious
| Science
| Social Philosophy
| Theism
20th Century
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
Postmodernism
| Movements & Periods
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Linguistics
| Words & Language
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Movements & Periods
| History & Criticism
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
20th Century
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Popular Culture
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
| Culture
| General
| Marriage & Family
| Race Relations
| Rural
| Social Groups
| Social Situations
| Urban
Linguistics
| Words & Language
| Reference
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Science
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Making of High Performance Athletes: Discipline, Diversity, and Ethics
ASIN: 1840462809 |
Book Description
Umberto Eco's work--whether analyzing the psychological sources of our fascinations with sports celebrity or presenting serendipitous misreadings of great books dares to go where no theory has gone before--to the very turf of everyday life.
Book Description
Lucy: I didn't tell a soul, and they all promised to keep it a secret.
Here at last are the greatest quotes, wisecracks, and jokes from the television program that's entertained millions of viewers for more than 50 years. Fans of the show will be delighted to encounter, once again, Lucy Ricardo's unique views on marriage, love, friendship, money, success, and holidays ("It's not the gift that counts. It's the lack of thought behind it!"). But Lucy's not the only quotable one: enjoy Ricky's lessons on American history ("All I know is that Columbus discovered Ohio in 1776."); Ethel Mertz's thoughts on her pal ("If I'd known this was what friends are for, I'd have signed up as an enemy!"), and Fred's memories of rice ("I had it thrown at me on one of the darkest days of my life").
It's all here, and more in a hilarious tribute to the best program ever.
Customer Reviews:
Who doesn't love Lucy?.......2002-10-10
"The Quotable I Love Lucy" is an absolute treasure! With hilarious pictures and quotes, how can one not love Lucy and the gang? The style of the book is great and the introduction is insightful. If you ever wondered what Lucy was saying during "Vitmeatavegamin," wonder no more, as they have that quote in here! I must have for Lucy lovers - I recommend.
A welcome giftbook for fans.......2002-04-10
With its informative introduction by Tom Watson, The Quotable "I Love Lucy" is a wonderfully presented, memorable volume filled with a superb selection of the best moments and wittiest verbal gags of a truly classic television show that has become an icon of American popular culture from the 1950s down to the present day (thanks to perpetual reruns on Nick At Night). Black-and-white photographs of the unforgettable Lucy and Ricky Ricardo spice up this hilarious selection of classic vignette quotes and mini-scenes. The Quotable "I Love Lucy" is a welcome giftbook for fans of one of the greatest comedy series of all time and a "must" for all Lucy fans everywhere!
Tottally Ausome For a fan of I Love Lucy !!!.......2002-03-06
If you are a I Love Lucy fan this is the book for you.
It has some of the neatest quotes, Funniest quotes, and your favorite quotes. It may be short but it is worth long time and effort. So this is the book for you Lucy fans !!!!!!!!
something Lucy to read even when your not watching it!!.......2002-01-24
I loved this!! i saw it at the store and i was like "o my gosh i gotta have this!!" so i bought it and read thru it. its a bunch of quotes, some of them are really cute, and pictures from episodes. its a nice hard cover and i just loved it! Recently i have seen episodes that i hadn't seen before and just reading that book i knew a dialouge by heart and could recite it along with the person saying it. such as when lucy is asking Ricky to be in the show at the Palladium and she says "...if you dont let me be in that show at the Palladium i'll give you such a punch you'll talk funnier than you do now!" and "Do you know how many times i'll have to sing 'Babalu' to pay for that house?"~Ricky. its really an adorable book that i treasure. they also include the entire Vitameatavegamin speech before and after she is drunk. its definetly for ANY Lucy fan. And i am definetly a Lucy fan!!!
"Its not the gift that counts. Its the lack of thought behind it." ~ Lucy
What A Lucy Treasure Chest!.......2001-12-06
I was out finishing the very LAST of my Christmas shopping when what do my wonderous eyes see? This Quotable "I Love Lucy Book"! What a treasure!!
I leafed through the book and immediately had to get it as a Christmas gift to myself! Any Lucy fan whether it is yourself or a friend or family member will LOVE to get this book!
Although it is by no means a hard read and is full of quotes from Lucy, Ricky, Ethel and Fred with wonderful clear pictures, the Lucy afficenado can tell a lot of time went in picking the quotes out of the many episodes and formatting them into this handy book (129 pages for those who like page counts). I should say a lot of time and a lot of Lucy TLC for the fans of "I Love Lucy" were given from the compiler (Stephanie Chizek)of this work.
As a Lucy fan, I was taken very much by this little golden nugget of Lucy quotes and highly recommend this book for the many Lucy fans and for those with Lucy libraries. This is a MUST and you won't regret one minute for buying this book!
Book Description
Written for developers and programmers, this guide acquaints users with the basic technologies and their interrelations that will be instrumental in the development of the Semantic Web. Key technology areas are covered, such as knowledge modeling (RDF, Topic Maps), agents (DAML, FIPA), and Trust and Authentication. This broad introduction takes a basic conceptual approach so that developers and programmers with a wide range of backgrounds understand the essential nature of the Semantic Web, how it works, and which technologies are being used or proposed for the Semantic Web's development. Important points are illustrated with diagrams and code fragments to help develop a familiarity with the latest Semantic Web initiatives.
Customer Reviews:
A layperson's read...........2005-10-21
I am a semantic web researcher and as someone actively working in this field, this book was a breath of fresh air. Since lots of the other SemWeb books either seemed like conference proceedings or hoity-toity handwaving. This book is an excellent read for people who have some basic understanding of web technologies and want to learn where they are headed next. Business analysts, CEOs, CIOs, Computer Programmers, poets and painters- anyone and everyone with an interest in web-related development should read this book.
The only reason that I did not give a 5-star is because it tried to be more concise than necessary, when I felt more detail should be given.
A mixed bag..........2005-01-26
This book is a bit of a mixed bag for me. The book's organization, content, and layout were well thought out. There are excellent high
level explanations of RDF, OWL, and other Semantic Web concepts. This is all well and good, but it fails with respect to one major point:
what exactly am I supposed to be exploring? The Semantic Web as described in the book sounds great... but there are more technologies
required to make it work than those described in this book. The most telling thing in this book is the fact that most of the technologies
are already available, smoe in limited form, some better defined, and yet, the author has difficulty coming up with practical applications
for almost any of it, outside of the passing mention of RSS, and an appendix detailing Friend of a Friend (FOAF).
Bottom line: if you're looking for a good, high level explanation of the various technologies, this a very good book to read. If you're
looking for something that can provide you with a springboard to develop ideas for the Semantic Web, this is definitely not the book for you.
Science Fiction or a possible future?.......2004-12-17
The semantic web is an intelligent web, that is, a web that can be intelligently used by computers. There are two things you need to know about the semantic web. First, it doesn't exist. Second, it may never exist. If this isn't enough information for you, and you want to look at what the future may hold in the area of an intelligent web, then I can't think of a better way to get an introduction to the technologies and ideas that may be part of the semantic web than by reading this book.
The author of the book takes the layers of the semantic web as proposed by the W3C and looks at each one in turn, skipping over the familiar XML and XML schema layers. The author starts with the RDF layer and gives one of the best explanations of RDF and RDF schema that you will find. RDF is the potential meta-data language of the semantic web and the author makes it clear and understandable. Other than XML, RDF is the most real layer of the W3C layer cake so this section is also the most accessible. The next chapter delves into ontology which is vaguer and less clearly defined. The chapter on web services seems a bit unnecessary except as how they fit into the semantic web. A chapter on how intelligent agents may work is included. The last section deals with how information may be verified for truthfulness and authenticity.
If you are interested in RDF then you may want this book just for that section. If you are interested in what the semantic web might look like then this book may be of interest. If you are looking for practical programming samples or ways to build intelligent agents then this isn't the book for you. This is an explorer's guide for those having no fear to tread into unknown waters. This part of the web is still uncharted but this book will help you learn what technologies may be used to fill in the missing pieces of the map.
Fascinating introduction to RDF, OWL, Web Services.......2004-09-05
I'm not usually a fan of "explorer's guides", but this book is different. Technical books either cover how things are done, or why they are done. Most often it's about the 'how', and explorer's books just spread a thinner 'how to' over lots of topics. The value of this book is in the perspective it provides, the 'why', as opposed to just a 'how to'.
It covers both how and why for RDF, OWL, Web Services, Agents and a number of other topics. And gives you a complete perspective for the entire field. Of course, what you don't get is a complete how-to guide on any one of these topics. Which is fine by me.
I recommend this book for anyone who knows nothing about these technologies, but wants a perspective on the entire field. That's not something you are going to find in reference books on each of these individual subjects. Not that I have been able to find a good book on RDF.
An excellent introduction.......2004-08-07
Curious about the future of the web? Interested for ideas on what the web will be able to do and how it will be doing it? Curious about the technologies being used to develop the semantic web? Looking for ideas from future technologies that you can apply and use today in your applications? Want to know just what the heck the Semantic Web is all about? In easy-to-read, clear, not-over-your-head technical descriptions, Thomas B. Passin's "Explorer's Guide to the Semantic Web" answers those questions, and more.
If the Semantic Web is mostly a new topic for you, as it was for me before reading this book, Passin's book provides a strong base of knowledge and understanding of the emerging Semantic Web concepts and technologies, including describing data with RDF, navigating information with topic maps, annotation, searching, ontology, semantic web services and intelligent agents.
If you're already quite familiar with the Semantic Web and the technologies behind it, while this book might help you to develop a more complete picture of how the technologies and ideas work into the bigger picture, you may prefer a more technical book with larger, more detailed descriptions and examples.
Books:
- Harvard Dictionary of Music: Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged
- History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- How to Make It in the New Music Business: Lessons, Tips and Inspiration from Music's Biggest and Best
- Improvising Violin
- In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Jr
- International Phonetic Alphabet for Singers: A Manual for English and Foreign Language Diction
- Is Jazz Dead?: (Or Has It Moved to a New Address)
- Jackie Wilson: Lonely Teardrops
- Jazz: The First 100 Years (with Audio CD)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Digital Filmmaking Handbook
- Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People
- Computer Resource Guide: Principles of Accounting/Book and 3 1/2 Inch Disk
- Joe Pass Guitar Chords
- Healthcare Finance: An Introduction To Accounting And Financial Management
- Relax Your Way to Thin! Hypnosis Weight Loss Motivation
- Jesus Land: A Memoir
- Depreciation and Wasting Assets and Their Treatment in Assessing Annual Profit and Loss
- G-Forces: The 35 Global Forces Restructuring Our Future
- Hunting Farm Country Whitetails
Hairspray: Piano/Vocal Selections
Hairspray (2002 Original Broadway Cast)
Hairspray: The Roots
Hairspray: The Movie Musical
Hairspray
