Singer Reviews

I first discovered the work of Noel Virtue on a trip to New Zealand years ago and immediately became faithful reader. Eventually I have read his entire body of work. There was some serious searching online and in used bookstores. It is a challenge to find many of his books in the U.S., but certainly worth the effort. It is hard to understand why Noel Virtue hasn't received the recognition he deserves in America. I chanced upon Lady Jean earlier this year in London. I am delighted that it is being offered on Amazon - it'll be my gift of choice this year at Christmas.
Readers familiar with Noel Virtue's works will recognize a number of themes and character types from earlier works. They are familiar, but it certainly is all very new and fresh. Reaching the end of Lady Jean you have not merely finished a story, but feel you know an entire household of characters as intimately as a group of your own close friends. The only regret is that just as you feel you get to know these wonderful and interesting people, the book comes to an end. The story is told in Virtue's familiar and straightforward style. Like his previous work, the genius of his style is that Lady Jean seems to just read like a good book, when in truth it is a highly refined, important work of literature. It is Virtue's, clean, unpretentious writing with the ability to tell a good story that reminds me of one of my other favorite authors - Willa Cather. Anyone who has enjoyed his earlier works, will certainly adore Lady Jean. For first time readers, it would be a fine introduction to Noel Virtue. Though be warned, you'll often find yourself hoping to get lucky in the "V's" of every used bookstore's fiction section.
While I would recommend a number of Noel Virtue's works, Lady Jean is in a category by itself. It's the most significant work of literature to come out of New Zealand since Keri Hulme's The Bone People. Lady Jean confirms Noel Virtue's status as one of New Zealand's leading writers.

I am a devotee of Mr Virtue's books and was lucky enough to obtain this one as soon as it came out. The quirkiness of the characters is a joy to read; each one is different and so well observed, it is as tho' one is present and eavesdropping in the background. The writing has an air of comedy and mystery about it; a cross between Charles Dickens in its delineation of the characters and Oscar Wilde in its wit. I am lucky in that I have lived in both St Johns Wood and Brighton and know the big houses in the former and the slight seediness of the latter. Eccentrics abound in both places and Mr Virtue has captured the essence of both. I wanted the book to go on and on far beyond its final page; the writing is so full it makes one want to know more about all the characters. A veritable tour de force. A must for anyone who appreciates true literature.

Helen L McNidder Sinclair, Brighton, UK

This is a really wonderful, funny, shocking novel, with such true British characters, an excellent plot and a completely satisfying ending.It could well become a modern classic. Just excellent.

Southern, scarey, beautiful, mysterious, but never boring are the words which come to mind. But enough about my wife (cha boom teesh). This is a wonderful book! Dr. Williams skillfully draws you in and holds you tight, like a needy orangutan, to this wonderful story of relationships and dreams draped over a musical chair, called the Trybald Trio. The hard, raw emotions of this story remind me of Mississippi's Larry Brown and I was captured by the subtle beauty of Williams' clear voice describing the band's desire to play great music in the cesspool which is the music business. A great read.

"Lake Moon" is a story of shattered dreams and unrealized greatness. Superbly crafted with rich, moving passages this novel defines a period of time in the south when a generation of rock musicians came of age. Told with deep feeling and subtle humor, this book is a powerful work of fiction with memorable characters. Author John Williams has firmly established himself as a gifted storyteller following in the tradition of the great southern writers Pat Conroy and James Dickey.

Anyone who has played in a rock band--and taken the music seriously--will appreciate this saga of a group of musicians who should have captivated audiences throughout the Southern counterculture of the '70s. Just why the Trybald Trio failed is the subject of this eloquently written novel. Musicians and serious fans will recognize that the plight of the Trio was the plight of many real bands that transcended race and class differences and played stunning music--but who were no match for the egomaniacs, sharks and leeches infesting the entertainment business. Highly recommended.

I loved the book when I checked it out at our library. It had some good information about the girls and you felt you knew them better.

THIS BOOK IS A GREAT BOOK TO READ. IT HAS STORIES ON LIFE, LOVE AND OTHER MYSTERIES THAT EVERY ONE GOES THROUGH AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO FEELS THAT THEY ARE OUT IN THE WORLD ALL BY THEIRSELVES AND THOSE WHO THINK THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS PROBLEMS LIKE YOU TO READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS YOU BUT JUST LIKE YOU THEY ARE JUST AFRAID TO TELL ANYONE ELSE ABOUT THEM. THIS BOOK CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO KEEP GOING. JUST LIKE POINT OF GRACE SAID IN THEIR FIRST ALBUM CALLED POINT OF GRACE IN THE TOP SONG "WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE LOST IT ALL AND YOU HAVEN'T GOT A PRAYER; JESUS WILL STILL BE THERE.

THIS IS A GOOD BOOK AND I RECOMEND THAT YOU READ IT FOR SENSATIONAL SPIRITUALLY MOTIVATED TIME.

One of the best Mariah Books I've read. This has lots of Info for mariah fans!

She is so great.So is this this book."Very Informational". There were facts in this book That I just found Out . So for all the MC webmasters you should buy it because it's great . That's all I can say!

This book is Great. It has lots of Information about mariah. SO BUY IT. Thats why I give it 5 stars. It has tons of facts about Mariah Carey. There were thins I just found out about just reading this book. It's not like other books that say things you know It has differnt things about her.So go ahead get.I recomend it.

This is a great book. The illustrations are fantastic. My fifth grade class loves it!

Singer and Grimley have offered a disturbing look into what makes children tick. While presenting themes of exploration into what makes us frightened they have revealed the horrible duplicity of children's literature - good clean kiddie fun and the conflict with societal pressures as defined by what lurks in the closet/future.

Singer's poetic skills are not enough to release the monster within. Grimly, however, skillfully makes the whole message possible. His art focuses the reader's attention to the horrors at hand. The graphic depictions implying the grotesqueness of rote learning are on display for all to judge.

This book will be a delight for both young children and adults with Phd's in litural critique.

One of the best books of poetry for young children to come out in years. Cleverly done and with pleasing (not scary) illustrations. Some of the poems are too long for my 3-year old (so we skip the ends) but the older kids think they're a riot. The monsters give this book something of a Halloween theme, but it's general enough to remain on the bookshelf all year long.

Altough the book is the best we (Olivia fans) have along the lines of a biography, I found that her birthdate is listed incorrectly. Maybe someone will write a biography that spans Olivia's career to the present.

If Peter Ruffs' book followed Olivia's career till the nineties,it would have been the perfect ONJ-biographie.Unfortunately it stops in 1979 when her pop career was merely starting.Except that fact it's a very good book which tells us in details all about Olivia's life and career.It contains lots of pictures in B&W and a discographie for singles and albums.This book has become a real collectible for Newton-John fans.

Taking in consideration that this is a black & white paperback, it does a superb job of recounting "Lovely Livvy's" meteoric rise from a member of the failed group TOOMORROW, to her record-breaking Physical album. This was the very book that introduced me to Olivia, & I've been a steadfast fan since! Sensitively written w/ plenty of candid & publicity photos. Highly recomended if you're an ON-J fan. And it may make you one if you aren't

Bryan Garman's book provides an indepth study of those singer-songwriters who, according to the author, follow in Whitman's footsteps. He analyzes Woody Guthrie and Springsteen's work thoroughly. The consideration of Guthrie's "hurt song" is fascinating. The author also makes a good case for expanding our horizons beyond the white male heterosexual dominant order. I was rather taken aback to learn that some of my old favorite English folk club singalong songs smacked of homoeroticism. In particular, we are told that Tom Paxton's "Rambling Boy" is "a love song that contains and expresses a homoeroticism that permeated the work of socially engaged artists from Whitman to Traubel, Hughes to Guthrie" (p 159). Gosh, I wonder what Paxton would say about that! I agree with Mr. Garman, however, that much of this New Left rhetoric marginalizes women. That is why folks like Ani Di Franco seem far more engaging and even revolutionary than Springsteen. A Race of Singers has proved an invaluable book for me as I prepare my PhD dissertation at a Spanish university. I recommend it to anyone studying contemporary folk music and its place in recent history.

Garman's analysis of Springsteen, Dylan, Guthrie, and Whitman is very provocative. Especially his insights into Springsteen and the way in which his music played off against (or was interpreted as being in sync with) Reagan's politics, and pop culture in the 80s, such as Rambo. Definitely a worthwhile read for someone who considers her or himself a fan of any of the aforementioned singers, or someone interested in an in-depth analysis of the politics of these singers.

As a cultural figure of the late 20th century Bruce Springsteen has long been admired as well as the object of derision in some circles. Garman's work places Springsteen in a context far removed from the fickle nature of fame. By linking Springsteen with Guthrie and with Whitman Garman allows us to appreciate Springsteen as far more than his icon status as "the boss", but rather as the latest in a long line of cultural critics who allow us to "hold a mirror up to nature" as Shakespeare had Hamlet say long ago. Garman's book is not just for an admirer of Springsteen, but also for anyone with an appreciation for social commentary and its long rich history in the US.

James Drake's previous biography of Rosa Ponselle (styled an "autobiography," but in fact written entirely by Drake), was an excellent book and, until this new offering, served as the only biogrqaphy of an artist many consider the greatest opera singer America has produced, and one of the greatest, of any nationality, of all time. Prof. Drake's new book on Ponselle is not merely a rehashing of his earlier effort, but in fact entirely supersedes it. Unorthodox in organization, it gives us a complete picture of Rosa Ponselle, both as artist and woman. Prof. Drake has given us one of the finest biographies of an opera singer ever written.

Each chapter in the book is divided into four sections. First, there is an introductory overview, by Drake, of the period of Ponselle's life covered in that chapter. Next comes "The Interview," which is a transcript of interviews Ponselle gave to various persons (including the author) in the later years of her life, again dealing with the period of her life covered by the chapter. Here, Ponselle herself speaks. Then follows an account by some other person closely associated with Ponselle, dealing with the same events - her manager, Libbie Miller; her secretary and longtime companion, Edith Prilik Sania; her husband, Carle Jackson; and a close friend, Lena Tambourini. Finally, there is "The Written Record," which looks at what was actually written about Ponselle at the time of the events in question - reviews, articles, interviews, etc.

The overall effect of this sequence is to give a full, well-rounded and sometimes conflicting account of Ponselle's life. Not infrequently, Ponselle's own spoken recollections will be contradicted either by the recollections of others or by the written record. Perhaps the most important contribution of this book is to scrutinize - and in part, explode - the "Cinderella" myth surrounding Ponselle's "discovery" by Caruso and her subsequent engagement by the Met. Edith Prilik Sania's account gives a fascinatingly different perspective on these events. (She was there when they happened.) Another example of a fresh and varied perspective is the account of Ponselle's relationship with her manager early in her operatic career, William Thorner. Ponselle always maintained that Thorner never gave her any voice lessons ("I wouldn't have let him touch my voice!"), contrary to his own claims, and she downplayed Thorner's role in her engagement by the Met. Ponselle's recollections were no doubt colored by her personal antipathy to Thorner. (She later sued him, and one gets the impression that she never forgave him for steering her to Columbia records, rather than to Victor, where she would have been able to record with Caruso). What the written record and Edith Prilik's recollections show, is that Thorner may in fact have given Ponselle some voice lessons (he was a well-known vocal instructor at the time), and he had a lot more to do with Ponselle's "discovery" than she later let on.

Perhaps the major difference between Prof. Drake's old book and the new one, is the extent to which this new book gives us an unblinking look at Ponselle's personal defects, only hinted at in the "autobiography." Ponselle was apparently a very high-strung, almost neurotic individual. She could be petty, mean, greedy, and very difficult to live with. (Admittedly, not uncommon caracter traits among opera singers generally.) She also had many positive qualities, including loyalty to her family (she supported most of them), and she obviously inspired considerable devotion in her friends.

What there is no dispute about by anyone in this book is Ponselle's greatness as a singer. Her magnificent voice, unique in its dark, voluptuous timbre, apparently conquered all who heard it, and her recordings, technically primitive though they are (and which Ponselle herself disliked), are her passport to operatic immortality. Prof. Drake's excellent new book gives us a good look at the life and career behind the indescribably beautiful sounds one hears from a Ponselle recording. "Rosa Ponselle: A Centenary Biography" is fully worthy of its glorious subject.

If Flaubert was in love with Emma Bovary, surely James Drake must be in love with Rosa Ponselle. He has made her live for us, just as Flaubert made Emma flesh and blood. For me, opera singers are made of glass; they shine, and they may even seem transparent, but rarely do they seem human. Through the clear, admiring eyes of James Drake, Rosa could be our next-door neighbor. The dignity of Drake's writing, his clear love and respect for his subject makes her life shimmer like crystal. This book one of the best of the summer

Biographies of the great opera singers are not plentiful. The truly good, well-written biographies are even more scarce. The biography of Rosa Ponselle by James Drake belongs in that handful of well-written and well-reseached biograhies that are not only readbale but are difficult to put down (to sleep). This is not a reprint of the earlier book written by Ponselle with Drake but is an entirely new volume drawing on interviews and documents that were either unavailable or suppressed by Ponselle in "A Singer's Life". Drake constructs his narrative judiciously and fairly giving us a complete (or, rather, as complete as possible) picture of one of the greatest sopranos of this century. In addition, it also provides fascinating glimpses of some of her colleagues such as Caruso (with whom she made her Met debut in 1918) and Martinelli as well as the rigors of making records during that era and the everyday workings of the Met. This is a fascinating volume that belongs in every opera lover's library. My only quibble is that Amadeus didn't include a CD with the book (as does Baskerville Publishers). No, not of Ponselle's recordings. Those who buy this book will find her complete recordings readily available on Romophone in superb sound. Rather, it would have been nice to have been able to listen to some of the interviews used throughout the book rather than just read them. Having met Ponselle, it was a delight talking to her and that comes through on the recorded interviews. Despite this small quibble, I can't recommend this book strongly enough. But, be forewarned, it's as hard to put down as a good Agatha Christie!

With dismissive foolishness, I was skeptical of one reviewer's remark about this four-author autobiography to be the best biography she ever read, assuming she hasn't read a whole lot of books. But I suspected it might be a pleasant read to find out in greater detail what life was like through the years for four icons of the sweeter side of American culture, so I ordered it. I've seldomly made better decisions in life, and I apologize to my fellow reviewer for my condescending thought. I wouldn't rank this book above the Bible or the novels of Dostoyevsky for example, but as a middle-aged man who has read somewhere between one and two thousand books during his life, this book making his top twenty all time list, regardless of genre, says a great deal.

It is hard to avoid invoking the obvious superlatives about how The Lennon Sisters have embodied beauty, friendly charm, and an ability to sing like angels, but this book, rendered in a conversational style, is an articulate, serious account of their own self-understanding, of what it meant to them personally to be so adored while preserving their sense of professional obligation, loving their fans along the way, and allowing themselves to find ways to enjoy it all. It wasn't always easy. They experienced their share of identity confusions, but coming from a large, affectionate family, twelve siblings and a huge extended family, there were many providential strengths on which to draw. The sisters take great joy in their memories, and this is precisely what makes this book so appealing. During the course of reading it, the reader feels as though he or she is invited to become an honorary member of the family. There are a lot of very personal admissions that always manage to invoke humor or joy for the happy events, or deep empathy for the family tragedies.

Achieving fame in the wholesome setting of The Lawrence Welk Show made the sisters objects of countless adolescent crushes across the nation, especially Janet, the youngest, the cute one, who most assumed might be available long enough to be approachable. Okay, I admit it; I harbored one too. Alas, she married at nineteen. There is a hilarious anecdote of one of her unacquainted suitors presenting himself at the family front door greeted by a consternated father and equally mystified daughter.

Given the book's honesty, it is sad to later read how finding lasting happiness in life seemed to be more difficult for Janet-no one's fault-but gratifying to read that it eventually did occur. The authentic courtship stories of the sisters are very warmhearted, even for a generally non-sentimental type like me. This book is so infectious, one even ends up enjoying all the incorporated family photos. A favorite has to be the image of Dee Dee and her fiancé, Dick Gass, gazing back towards the camera personifying a happy young couple of the early sixties.

A second favorite has to be of Peggy in her favorite Halloween costume, St. Therese of Lisieux. That the pressures of being young entertainers who helped support the family, spending much time on the road, did not cause destructive strains in the family is testament to the strengths of their two loving parents, not affluent, but very hard working and able to instill a deep religious faith in each of them, as well as the rest of the family. This is a family that seems never to have lacked for a knowledge that love is the most important thing in life.

For all the innocent crushes on America's sweethearts, there were clearly a few mentally unbalanced stalkers they had to contend with. But even here their unyielding support for each other gave them unusual strength. When one of the stalkers pursuing Kathy seemed to be getting close, while they were on the road, the sisters were forced to take up arms. One wonders what ever happened to that poor night-tour window washer who, after rattling a window pane on the exterior of their hotel room, underwent the startling experience of watching a rapidly opened set of blinds revealing the Lennon sisters, in dainty pajamas, holding raised wooden hotel room hangers poised for combat.

As symbols of what is best in America, the sisters drew the whole spectrum of attention. Publishers produced coloring books and children's novels. And at the peak of popularity, they may have been the all time target of mendacious scandal tabloids, a situation they handled with humor. More catastrophically, a severely mentally ill man did strike tragedy on the family when he killed William Lennon, father and business manager to the sisters, the family patriarch, a man who knew how to be a proper patriarch by loving his family intensely. A testament to the incredible strength of this family, prayers for the killer were made at the wake.

I am writing these comments at a time when a sociological study is being publicized that describes how average personal net worth achieved in later life is inversely proportional to the size of a family from which one emerges. The study's authors seem to believe that the success of families is measured in affluence rather than the character of its members. The truth that the moral strength of a nation exists in direct proportion to the strength of family life rather than government schemes of social engineering is an insight cynical politicians manage to constantly mangle and more-enlightened-than-thou academics manage to constantly seek to undermine. But the inspiration of becoming a temporary member of such a beautiful family is a tour de force of anti-cynicism, a graceful expression and invitation on how to live life better.

This is in my opinion the greatest autobiography ever written because it is the collective memories of four wonderful women - Dianne (Dee Dee), Peggy, Kathy, and Janet Lennon. America watched them grow up from little girls to young women on the Lawrence Welk Show, and now for the first time America can relive those wonderful days while reading along as Dee Dee, Peggy, Kathy, and Janet share their memories. The girls take you on a "sentimental journey" with them as they remember their childhood growing up as the oldest four in a family of eleven, their exciting days on the Lawrence Welk Show, and so many more touching and inspiring memories, both good and bad. This book will make you laugh as well as cry, and it is asured to make you love the Lennon Sisters even more.

The book "Same Song--Separate Voices" by The Lennon Sisters is a touching, personal account of these talented women's lives. It is the only quartet-authored autobiography written today. It is an excellent book in that it takes the reader through a spiral of personal memories; both good and bad. The informal conversational style used by Dianne,Peggy,Kathy and Janet Lennon gives the reader a feeling that the sisters are actually talking to him or her. The book can make the reader laugh, cry, and just feel good all in one chapter. I consider this to be one of the most well-written autobiographies I have ever read and recommend it to those who love.

I searched a long while for a great planner and this had all the features I wanted: plenty of blank space, great teaching tips/suggestions and a sturdy cover. I will definitely buy this one again next year.

Every year I try a different plan book. The past scholastic plan books haven't been so great, but I think they finally figured it out with this one. I really like the pockets and the page size. The classroom tips are also fun and helpful

After years of trying different weekly planners, I've finally found one that I'll stick with. It's over-sized so there's plenty of room, and it has pockets to keep all the various papers and memos that usually fall out.

Each week there's various classroom teacher tips, some of which are really excellent.