The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women & the Artists They Inspired

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In The Lives of the Muses, Francine Prose writes a spirited and enlightening exposé of nine women who fired the imaginations of some of the most inimitable artists and thinkers of the 19th and 20th centuries. With wicked wit, she shows how these women were both exemplars of their times and iconoclasts struggling to assert their own identity within the unconventional relationships they formed with these men. In doing so, she undertakes an examination of the concept of the muse in all its permutations--from the static nine Muses of classical Greek mythology, through Dante's oft-recycled Beatrice, to its ironized figuration in contemporary popular culture.

In addition to Alice Liddell, Prose looks at the following women: Hester Thrale, a long-suffering brewer's wife whose romantic friendship allowed the depressive Dr. Samuel Johnson to continue writing; the tormented Elizabeth Siddal, an opium-addicted artist who became Beatrice to Pre-Raphaelite painter and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti; Lou Andreas-Salome, who captivated and aroused a triumvirate of original thinkers: Friedrich Nietzsche, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Sigmund Freud; the "imperious" Gala Dali, who continued to sleep with her ex-husband, poet Paul Eluard, even as she transformed herself into a phenomenal marketing machine for surrealist Salvador Dali; Lee Miller, a model who mastered the techniques of Man Ray and others, and became a talented photographer; Suzanne Farrell, a ballerina who incarnated, animated, and was inspired to great heights of artistry by the compositions of choreographer George Balanchine; Charis Weston, one in a long line of the erotically restless Edward Weston's cast-off art wives and lovers; and the infamous Yoko Ono, who fought fiercely for recognition as an avant-garde artist as she sought to subserve John Lennon into the role of muse.

Prose draws on photographs, diaries, correspondence, memoirs, and original works of art that reveal the complexity of these artist-muse relationships, and that direct her readers to other books should their curiosity be piqued (as it undoubtedly will). Author Prose has a talent for writing provocative, invigorating prose that engages and excites the reader, inspiring them to undertake wider reading. --Diana Kuprel, Amazon.ca

Book Description

All loved, and were loved by, their artists, and inspired them with an intensity of emotion akin to Eros.

In a brilliant, wry, and provocative book, National Book Award finalist Francine Prose explores the complex relationship between the artist and his muse. In so doing, she illuminates with great sensitivity and intelligence the elusive emotional wellsprings of the creative process.

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"In a brilliant, wry, and provocative new book, National Book Award finalist Francine Prose explores the complex relationship between the artist and his muse. In so doing, she illuminates with great sensitivity and intelligence the elusive emotional wellsprings of the creative process. There is no ideal muse, but rather as many variations on the theme as there are individual women who have had the luck, or misfortune, to find their destiny conjoined with that of a particular artist. What are we to make of the relationship between the child Alice Liddell, who inspired Alice in Wonderland, and the Oxford don who became Lewis Carroll? Or the so-called serial muse, Lou Andreas-Salomé, who captivated Nietzsche, Rilke, and Freud -- as impressive a list as any muse can boast? Salvador Dalí was the only artist to sign his art with his muse's name, and Gala Dalí certainly knew how to market her artist and his work while simultaneously burnishing her own image and celebrity. Lou, Gala, and Yoko Ono all defy the feminist stereotype of the muse as a passive beauty put on a pedestal and oppressed by a male artist. However, it's rare to find an artist and muse who are genuine partners, true collaborators, such as ballerina Suzanne Farrell and choreographer George Balanchine. What do the nine muses chosen by Francine Prose have in common? They were all beautiful, or sexy, or gifted with some more unconventional appeal. All loved, and were loved by, their artists, and inspired them with an intensity of emotion akin to Eros. For these artists, the love of - or for - their muses provided an essential element required for the melding of talent and technique necessary to create art.

Customer Reviews:

Not a Must-Read, but Enjoyable Enough for the Writing.......2007-05-20

Prose's writing here is, as always, enjoyable, but despite all the awards this book has garnered, for the most part it just seems to go round and round, pretty much telling the same story 9 times: the tale of a woman who serves as inspiration to a self-centered male artistic genius of one sort or another until such time, of course, as the man no longer perceives any muselike benefits to be accruing to him from the relationship.

The need/desire/failure of the muse to be recognized in her own right is a major issue in most of the cases discussed, but the fact remains that most people will recognize only a few of the muses for their own celebrity, much less for any enduring accomplishment. I'll therefore accept the risk of being struck by a lightning bolt here by listing the book's contents by reference to the men rather than the muses, and you can decide for yourself: Dr. Samuel Johnson (Hester Thrale); Charles Dodgson, i.e., Lewis Carroll (Alice Liddell, i.e., Alice in Wonderland); Dante Gabriel Rossetti (Elizabeth Siddal); Nietszche, Rilke & Freud (Lou Andreas-Salome); Salvador Dali (Gala Dali); Man Ray (Lee Miller); Edward Weston (Charis Weston); Balanchine (Suzanne Farrell); and John Lennon (Yoko Ono). If any of these folks are of particular interest to you, I'd encourage a reading of at least the chapter devoted to them, but the whole "muse" theme itself is not one that needs this much repetitive elaboration, even given the fact that the duos discussed span a time period where things supposedly have changed for women generally.

A Twist of Feminist Lemon.......2006-07-05

Francine Prose is a fierce, frequently eloquent and extremely intelligent writer. Her refreshingly snarky style makes this one of the most dare-I-say fun biographies I've read. Gala Dali, Charis Weston and Yoko Ono inspire the best of her sharp wit. There are even some lol moments: "...Charis Weston's marriage to the photographer Edward Weston...illustrate(s) what her sister muses were resisting: the unpleasantness that can result when a muse's duties change from posing nude in the sand dunes to cataloging negatives and shopping for organic crackers." That's so bitchy, I love it. Or: "In the early 1970's, Gala [Dali], approaching eighty, developed a consuming passion for an ethereal Midwesterner named Jeff Feinholt, who was playing the title part in the Broadway production of 'Jesus Christ Superstar',and who displayed a tendency to conflate himself with his stage role." And this, on John and Yoko's "Two Virgins" (gag): "The recording features whistling, caterwauling, groaning, wailing, moaning, shrieking, samplings of old records, the sound of guitars being tuned and strummed, background noise, scraps of conversation. The result is so dull that only incipient passion and the promise of sex (that is, some appropriate reenactment of the circumstances under which it was made) could persuade someone to listen until the end... One would have to be in the grip of a very high sexual fever to be charmed by this, or to imagine that it was art, or that it should have been distributed and sold. It's no wonder that Beatles fans... felt gloomy about the prospects of further Ono-Lennon collaboration." Ouch! Ballerina Suzanne Farrell gets the best treatment, as Prose believes (with cause) that it was Ballanchine who was Farrell's muse, not the other way around. Lee Miller, Man Ray's model/assistant, gets the praise she well deserves for her own art, but Prose never mentions the appalling misogyny of Man Ray's life and work, which might have been relevant to Lee Miller's troubles later in life. Similarly, in deference to his contribution to literature, she shies a bit around the very smarmy reality of Charles Dodgson's "hobby." Prose saves most of her ire for photographer Edward Weston, who comes across as a total jerk. I only wish she'd included the picture of Charis naked in the gas mask: "Clearly, Weston's view of his muse had come a long way - straight down - from his vision of the gorgeous, radiantly sensuous angel sprawled on the sand dunes at Oceano." In fact, my only complaint about this book is - I wanted more pictures. It's frustrating to read descriptions of art without a plate to refer to. And, though it's obvious why she limited herself to 9 women, there are others who might have been more interesting, perhaps, than Elizabeth Siddal or Lou Andreas-Salome. I'd have loved to read Prose's take on Scott and Zelda. And - for something more contemporary -- what about Eminem and Kim? Now that would be funny... This book is definitely not for everyone, but if you're interested in Women and Art, and you don't mind a twist of feminist lemon in your writing, you might enjoy it very much.

"Muse-hood".......2006-06-30

Unlike many other reviewers, who thought the author expected too much knowledge of their readers in terms of who the artists depicted in this book are, I actually enjoyed not knowing too much about them. I would think that if I had known much about them, I would have had some pre-conceived notions and may have looked more towards the life of the artists rather than the ones that are really taking the focal point in Francine Prose's unusual book - the muses.

What is a muse? What does the word mean and what do we as readers in a modern society think of a muse? What is the muse's actual influence on the artist who they serve and do these special relations always include romantic notions? These are the types of questions the author tries to examine in the book. In order to do so, the reader is introduced to nine women who lived at different times, range in their age, economical and social status and have very different influence on the artists they serve. While the artist generally plays a minor role in these short examinations, the muse is examined through excellent research of historical data, letters and personal notes as well as the artwork they influenced. We get to know each muse extremely well and learn how she became involved with the artist, what her exact role was and how the artist used her in his quest for creation. Some women stumbled into becoming muses, some pursued being a muse. Some took a very active role in their "muse-hood", some were more passive. Some of these women used the power they had over their artist, while others were unaware of the their influence. Some became artists themselves and some pursued an ordinary life. These differences are what kept me interested in the book and its thesis.

Francine Prose does a fine job at drawing lively portraits of the characters that fill the pages of her book, the social and economical situation they find themselves in, who they are as individuals and ultimately, what became of them. I found the book wonderfully organized with each chapter standing as a self-contained story. While together they draw a very encompassing picture of "muse-hood". I may not want to become a muse myself, but I certainly learned much about some of them and found their life stories worth spending time on.

Lots of inspiring information.......2006-02-28

I didn't know much about any of these women except Lou Salome and Yoko Ono before I read "Lives of the Muses," but I enjoyed learning about all of them. I found Lee Miller's ability to be both artist and muse especially inspiring.

The "Low" Lives of the Muses.......2004-11-18

This book aimed to sell on its claim to fame which hinged upon the juicy account of the lives of 9 femme fatale who purportedly launched the careers many great men in history. This book sucked precisely because these "juicy" accounts teetered toward tacky sensationalism; the writing no more refined than tabloid-style prose; and the manner in which the author attempted to connect the unconnected lives in a bid to justify the publication of the title was incoherent and done in poor taste. The book is an eye sore and an abomination...avoid it at all cost.

The Lives Of The Muses - Nine Women And The Artists They Inspired

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The Lives Of The Muses - Nine Women And The Artists They Inspired
Francine Prose
Manufacturer: Harper-collins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QU77U0

Eros unseated.(The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired)(Book Review): An article from: American Scholar

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Eros unseated.(The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired)(Book Review): An article from: American Scholar
Cristina Nehring
Manufacturer: Phi Beta Kappa Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008EUK12
Release Date: 2005-07-30

Book Description

This digital document is an article from American Scholar, published by Phi Beta Kappa Society on September 22, 2002. The length of the article is 1871 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Eros unseated.(The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired)(Book Review)
Author: Cristina Nehring
Publication: American Scholar (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2002
Publisher: Phi Beta Kappa Society
Volume: 71 Issue: 4 Page: 141(4)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

For centuries birds and their magnificent ability to fly have inspired tales of mischief, mystery, and enchantment. In a collection that is as beautiful as it is timeless, award-winning author Howard Norman and Caldecott medalists Leo and Diane Dillon offer five bird stories from around the world--including one about an elusive bird that sings like a warthog and another about a much loved quail dying of thirst.

This glorious collaboration is the perfect gift for any family library, a book that children and parents alike will treasure.

Customer Reviews:

Delightful and Diverse Bird Tales from Afar.......2004-10-03

One bird tale each from the diverse countries of Australia, Norway, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and China is retold in this lovely collection. All of them are beautifully illustrated by Caldecott medalists Leo and Diane Dillon. The stylized art work has the feel of stain glass, with heavy outlines framing various shaped colored pieces and their complimentary shades and tones. Many of the pictures are full page size enhancing the effect of these highly ornate visuals. In all cases the illustrations match the action and mood of the story and help to reveal the personalities of the characters involved.

A wide range of human feelings and attributes are portrayed in these stories. In "The Disobedient Pelican Daughter," a story from Sri Lanka, we encounter the curious, bold and disobedient daughter of Goolayyahlee pelican. In the Norwegian tale "The Troll and the Scarf Made of Crows" we meet clever Olav who outwits the mischievous troll by using his knowledge of the habits of the familiar crows. "The Beautiful Quail" is a melancholy tale which takes place during a time of extreme drought in Sri Lanka. In a moving show of sympathy other creatures, recognizing that a world without quail would be keenly lacking, forsake their own needs to come to the aid of beautiful quail as she tries to lay her eggs under duress. "The Bird Who Sang Like a Warthog" comes from the African country of Matabeleland. Kumala, a good man, but a braggart and prone to jealousy, and Sibanda, a blind man with much insight are the main characters. Sibanda has a remarkable gift of being able to identify animals, especially birds, by their voices. Kumala is jealous, so much so that he tricks Sibanda and lies to him. The taunting cries of the birds-"liar, liar, liar...." drive Kumala insane. Kumala's recovery process and his wonderful symbolic gesture of atonement bring the story full circle as he rejoins his village. The last tale in the book, "The Swan-Scholar's Great Secret" is set in China at the foot of the Dragon Gorge Mountain. It tells the secret of the swan-ancestors of the people in the village of P'o-lo, and the unending love of family.

How the book came into being is an interesting story. Participants from eleven countries talking together at the International Folklore Workshop in 1989 and 1990 at the University of Maryland in College Park spoke of their profound homesickness for their birth countries. Folk stories were shared first in their native tongue and then in English and a decision was made to craft a book. A three and a half page afterword in the collection discusses how the idea progressed to reality and shows how deeply the participants felt during the process.

Why There Is No Arguing in Heaven: A Mayan Myth

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Why There Is No Arguing in Heaven: A Mayan Myth
Deborah Nourse Lattimore
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Punga: The Goddess of Ugly
The flame of peace: A tale of the Aztecs
Mario's Mayan Journey
Medusa
Cinderhazel

ASIN: 006023718X

Children of the Moon (Tales of Heaven and Earth)

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Children of the Moon (Tales of Heaven and Earth)
Christian Rudel
Manufacturer: Child's World
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Fairy Tales | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0886828295

The Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven

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More Money King Please!
A Magical Hooray!
Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven
Amazing, enjoyable, and whimsical read for all ages.
Good version of Journey to the West for kids

The Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven
Ji-li Jiang
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Monkey: A Superhero Tale of China, Retold from The Journey to the West
Adventures of Monkey King
Monkey: Folk Novel of China
The Monkey King Volume 1 (Monkey King)
Monkey: A Journey to the West

ASIN: 0060295449

Book Description

"I am Stone Monkey, born of Heaven and Earth," he said. "I'm so brave, I'll do anything."

"Bragging! Bragging!" the other monkeys jeered.

Monkey did not say a word. He just laughed then he jumped. He jumped higher than the highest trees in the forest, somersaulted, and landed on his feet in front of the astonished monkeys.

"Will you truly make me your king?" he asked.

Chinese children grow up hearing stories about the Monkey King. Here is a series of these stories retold with humor and affection by Ji-li Jiang, the author Of Red Scarf Girl (an ALA Notable Book), and charmingly illustrated in the style of classic Chinese prints by Hui Hui Su-Kennedy.

Customer Reviews:

More Money King Please!.......2007-08-20

I've read or recommended Ji-li Jiang's retelling of the classic Monkey stories to dozens of kids, and have never met a kid who wasn't completely captivated. This selfish, boastful, impulsive, hilarious creature causes the worst kinds of trouble, and seems to get away with it all.

The more chaos Monkey stirs up, the more stunned we are that no one can stop him.

Kids seem to zero in on the unfairness of a creature being so powerful, and yet so unworthy of the power he's been given. We hope against all evidence that Monkey will gain some wisdom.

This volume contains only the beginning of the Monkey saga. And we hope the rest will be published soon.

A film based on Monkey King is in production now with Jet Li and Jackie Chan which I'm sure will fan interest in the original stories, once it is released.

Ji-li Jiang's retelling is the best available in English for intermediate students. We look forward to her finishing the story. And seeing more of You-shan Tang's energetic and fresh ink painted illustrations.

A Magical Hooray!.......2007-05-29

I purchased this book, hoping it would stimulate my ten year old grandson to enjoy his introduction to The Monkey King, and want more. It did just that! He has enjoyed the action, and the unique stories, and is now ready to delve further into a more mature rendering of The Monkey King. This book is an excellent first step into this magical world.

Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven.......2007-02-19

Excellent!. These Monkey King episodes have kept the interest of middle school students examining the idea of heroes and superheroes.

Amazing, enjoyable, and whimsical read for all ages........2004-08-08

Also available in a paperback edition (1885008255, $6.95), The Magical Monkey King is a retelling of classic Chinese folktales by Ji-Li Jiang. Ideal reading for children ages 7 to 10, and enhanced with black/white drawings by Youshan Tang. The Magical Monkey King tells of the Monkey King's rambunctuous adventures, from his studies with a wise sage to learn the secret of immortality, to taking a job as royal gardner in the Kingdom of Heaven, and his encounter with the great Buddha. Simple yet delightful prose of Monkey King's fantastic exploits make The Magical Monkey King an amazing, enjoyable, and whimsical read for all ages.

Good version of Journey to the West for kids.......2003-06-17

My kids are a bit familiar with this story already, because we live in Hong Kong and have seen parts of the series on TV and because they've also read parts of it extremely abdridged in Chinese "comic book" form.

They (aged 7 and 5) loved this book. It is written in clear English, that nonetheless gives a feel for the names amd action of the characters. It is abridged enough so the kids don't get bored, but is complete enough to be faithful to the full-length novel. We just finished reading it aloud 5 days ago and the kids REALLY wanted to know what happens next.

Unfortunetely, the second installment of the story is not yet published. So, my family is now waiting impatiently for the next bit.

The only thing that could be better were the illustrations. They were small and in black and white. While I know that making the book larger and with color illustrations would have made it more expensive, I would have been willing to pay for it.

Book Description

Lee Moo Gi saves Sojun's army from a losing battle, and becomes his right-hand agent of vengeance and death.

Book Description

Hollywood Drive: What it Takes to Break in, Hang in & Make it in the Entertainment Industry is the essential guide to starting and succeeding at a career in film and TV. Written by a Hollywood insider, Honthaners invaluable experience and advice will give those attempting to enter and become successful in the entertainment industry the edge they need to stand out among the intense competition. Because while film school prepares students to write a script, direct a scene and operate a camera, few newcomers enter the job market understanding how this business truly works and how to land a first jobmuch less succeed in the industry.

Hollywood Drive is not merely a book about what it takes to get your foot in the door. It goes beyond that by offering you the tools, attitude, philosophy and road map youll need to give yourself a good fighting chance at success -- whether youre looking for your very first job or for a strategy to move your career to the next level. This book will allow you to proceed with your eyes wide open, knowing exactly what to expect.

Hollywood Drive explores the realities of the industry: various career options, effective job search strategies, how to write an effective cover letter and resume, what to expect on your first job, the significance of networking and building solid industry relationships, how a project is sold, and how a reel production office and set operate. Youll learn how to define your goals and make a plan to achieve them, how to survive the tough times, how to deal with big egos and bad tempers, and how to put your passion to work for you.

* Hollywood insider with 20+ years of experience provides realistic advice and tips on getting a first job and moving up in a tough industry
* Covers a variety of career choices and the basics of how a production is set up and run
* Includes must-have information on breaking into both Hollywood and smaller markets nationwide

Customer Reviews:

Good resource for Writers.......2006-11-19

You wouldn't know this book is a great marketing book and writers should read this one. The book focuses on the film industry but there is a wealth of information in here about marketing yourself that writers can benefit from. There are some great excercises you can use to start defining yourself and begin your publicity. Whether it is for your book, screenplay or yourself.

Excellent read.......2006-06-16

I just received this book today, and cannot put it down. Honthaner writes with such ease, it's almost as if she's sitting there discussing the entertainment industry with you. As a recent graduate and an intense drive to make it in Hollywood, this book suits all of my needs in seriously knowing the ins-and-outs of the business. I would definitely reccomend Hollywood Drive to anyone with a similar passion to want to know all and be in the mix of the entertainment industry.

Film School in a Book.......2005-11-08

I attended author Eve Honthaner's class at USC in 2004. Titled "Breaking In, Hanging In and Making It," the class gave me all the skills and tools necessary to make it into the film industry in Hollywood. Her encouragement and burning desire to help people succeed in following their dreams translates well from the classroom to the page. For those who don't have 6 weeks and $2,000 to spend on her enlightening course at USC, this book is a real bargain. If you are serious about pursuing a career in Hollywood, "Hollywood Drive" will teach you the importance of networking and all the other skills necessary to get your foot in the door. Using the tried and true methods of Eve Honthaner, I got my first job in Hollywood with Fox -- and many more to follow. I now recommend this book to everyone who dreams of Hollywood and has the courage to pursue that dream.

Ms. Honthaner's book is a must read!.......2005-09-20

As a fulltime industry professional for over seven years in Los Angeles, I can highly recommend Ms. Honthaner's book. If you are moving to Los Angeles or are a resident but want to "up your game", this book is for you. Additionally, it should be a required text book for ALL university level film departments.

A real and honest book about the Biz.......2005-09-14

For anyone who's serious about a career in the entertainment business, this book is a must. It's real. It's honest. I just wish I had it when I moved to Los Angeles a decade ago. It would have helped save me from making a lot of bad, naive decisions. Whatever you do make sure you read this book cover to cover.

Average customer rating:

Highly readable

The Life of Music in North India

The life of music in north India: The organization of an artistic tradition
Daniel M Neuman
Manufacturer: Wayne State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Theory, Composition & Performance | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books | Appreciation | Composition | Conducting | Exercises | Instruction & Study | MIDI, Mixers, etc. | Sheet Music & Scores | Songbooks | Songwriting | Techniques | Theory | Vocal
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ASIN: B0006DWTPA

Customer Reviews:

Highly readable.......2003-12-04

This book is a highly readable description of the relationship between music and society in North India. Topics include: becoming a musician, being a musician, social organization of specialist knowledge, gharanas (musical traditions), adaptive strategies of Hindu music culture, ecology of Hindu music culture, and the cultural structure and social organization of a music tradition. As an outsider, Neuman is quite attuned to the special characteristics of Hindu music culture that make it unique. He points out that in the Indian culture, "there is a high premium on musical knowledge. The more esoteric, the more it is valued," which goes a long way towards explaining the complexity of Indian rhythms and modes. In the chapter on becoming a musician, Neuman relates how beginning students are evaluated not so much on how well they play, but on the thicknesses of their calluses. Students are expected to practice 8, 12, even 18 hours a day, just as mature performers do. Neuman describes the relationships between the teacher and the student, and between the soloist and the accompanists, between the musicians and the audience. In his chapter on gharanas, he discusses the history of gharanas and how this ancestral system of musical `heredity' works. He also provides an informative discussion of All India Radio, and what it means to be employed as a musician at AIR. The appendices include a variety of material, from charts diagramming connections and marriage links between gharanas, to types of musicians employed at AIR and the fees they receive. There is also a glossary, in addition to a list of references and index.

The Life of Music in North India.......2000-01-19

This book is a must for all those interested in the tradition of Hindustani music (the 'classical' music of North India). It covers the cultural structure, social organization, and adaptive strategies of the musicians, from both an historical and current perspective.

Book Description

BradyGames’ Resident Evil 4 Official Strategy Guide includes the following:

A comprehensive walkthrough leading players through the entire game.
Expert boss tactics to defeat all beasts, including the new enemies.
Highly detailed maps.
Complete item and weapon rosters, bestiary, and character bios.
Signature Series guide includes bonus coverage, an exclusive foldout and more!

Platform: PlayStation 2

Genre: Action/Adventure

This product is available for sale in North America only.

Customer Reviews:

The best way to live through Resident Evil 4 .......2007-07-29

A friend introduced me to Resident Evil 4, and after several gruesome deaths during the course of the game I thought that maybe I should by the walk-through book. I first purchased one from a differant company, but found it to be unsatisfactory, and looked for and located a copy of this Bradygames version, which I have been extremely pleased with. The information and maps provided for game play are excellent, to the point where you can be totally prepared for what's around the next corner if you decide to read ahead, or you can just forge ahead, and then go back and read in the book where you messed up after you die, and do it better the next time. Some people might think it spoils the game to be prepared before hand, but it can easily make the game more enjoyable, and this walk-through definately makes it more so, if you decide to play that way. It's an excellent resource, and a definate must for any serious player.

Great Guide - But do You Need It?.......2007-07-09

The Guide for RE4 is a beautifully rendered one, covering all the places things hide, all the ways to combine items, and how to get every detail out with regard to outfits and the oddity of "other" weapons. The first time you play it you could probably use this, too, but only if you want to make one run at the game and only if you need it to fast-forward all of the puzzles. The problem with this is that a guide is simply a guide and, in the end, RE4 is player-friendly enough that you won't need it. You might need to find out about what to beat to get something bizarre, but there are things in game that allow for everything else.

First, the merchants in the game are really useful and they sell maps that highlight out all the treasure. While this doesn't tell you how to combine everything, you can simply keep all your odd little items and try combining them until you manage a priceless artifact. Second, you can look at the guns and see how they "stat up" to figure out what you want. The guide give advice that works if you want to edge up from one weapon to the other, but some of the weapons are pretty playthings and their use is what makes the experience unique. Third, this is the friendliest game as far as enemies are concerned, and you should be able to beat anything with a little practice and a few lucky shots. The same can be said for the puzzles - none of them are really difficult and finding out stuff on your own makes you feel strong. Finally, just play through the minigames in the game, kick it up and beat the game more than once, and power up your weapons all the way and see what you end up with.

So, you really don't need a guide and maybe you know it. Still, if you have to have one because you just need it or if you are buying this for someone who you might think needs help, it thrives here. This book is sexy, too, and I was impressed by the quality of the maps and the excellent care taken by the designers of the walk-through. I am of the opinion that a walk-through is either (1) a compulsive need to get everything or (2) a way to even the playing field. If you need either one of those, this is a golden ticket out of Las Plaga land. If not, you know how to run and gun.
Regardless, try to run the game first! The play-through is exciting when you have no idea what to expect AND you are better than you think. I wish i could wink when saying this, too, and add "trust me" for good measure. Resident Evil 4

this book is a MUST BUY.......2007-05-01

You can't do anything wrong in Resident Evil 4 as long as you have this guide. The maps show everything down to the ground texture, and the screenshots look like they are still on the TV. The guide covers playing strategies, characters, weapons, enemies, and just about anything else that has to do with the game. Resident Evil 4 is an extremely complex game at times, and this guide makes it a breeze. The only problem that I had was that the first few pages fell out, but the guide is better then any online walkthrough. BUY THIS BOOK!!!

Good guide.......2007-03-10

Overall, this is a pretty good strategy guide. If you are just a "dabbler" in the gaming community it is a great tool. I probably would never have made it through the first 10 minutes w/o it!

my son loves the book i bought for his game .......2006-11-11

i bought the book for my son for his game and he was most happy to get the book you delivered it is the fastest time allowed and he was very impressed with it and got right back in the game with the book to help me more with the game. you made him happy so i am very much happy thank you for all the help in making my son happy :) i have used [...] for my books before and i will use them again in the future thank you again

Resident Evil 4 Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Signature Series)

Average customer rating:

good guide
Resident Evil Player's Guide
A must-have guide
This guide vs. Gamefaqs free contents
too many spoilers; not enough "walkthrough"

Resident Evil 4 Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames Signature Series)
Dan Birlew
Manufacturer: BRADY GAMES
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0744003466

Book Description

BradyGames' Resident Evil 4 Official Strategy Guide includes the following:

Comprehensive walkthrough leading players through every scenario.

Expert boss tactics to defeat all beasts, including the new enemies.

Highly detailed maps.

Complete item and weapon rosters, bestiary, and character bios.

Signature Series guide includes bonus coverage, and exclusive foldout and more!

Customer Reviews:

good guide.......2006-11-03

this book helped me through the levels, the levles are long with no save points so you don't want to die 3/4 thruogh the level

Resident Evil Player's Guide.......2006-07-17

It's hard not to find a satisfactory player's guide, and this is no exception. I buy player's guides for two reasons, and those would be for: 1. collecting 2. Help, because I'm stuck and don't know what to do. This just so happens to be one of those where I needed help to complete the game. I have no problems with this product and would recommend it.

A must-have guide.......2006-03-02

I began the game sans the guide and decided it was to my best interest to start over after reviewing the hints. It probably would have taken me until NEXT Christmas to finish instead of the 3 months.

This guide vs. Gamefaqs free contents.......2006-01-11

Why would you shell out a dozen big ones to get a walkthrough while you can get two dozen walkthroughs for free plus lots of detailed guides for free on Gamefaqs.com? Two reasons: 1. This guide is much better written and edited than the poor-English ones you find on Gamefaqs, 2. this guide includes maps and other goodies. If you are a true RE4 fan this is an indispensable companion to getting the most -- like 100% -- out of your RE4 game. If you just want to play RE4 once through, then one of the free walkthroughs from Gamefaqs should suffice.

too many spoilers; not enough "walkthrough".......2005-08-25

I've relied on really good Guides by Birlew, and this one is good-but in this case it seems like he took the day off; thinking perhaps the 'wow' of the game would forgive. He is usually careful not to spoil any scares or plot points and walk you through tough battles. In this one he would say something more like " Around the next corner a zombie waits to surprise ambush you, you can escape his attack like so....then you will be attacked by a series of 3 waves of zombies totaling 14, but don't enter the tower or the house across the street or there will be 18, one with a chainsaw-fight them your own way." He could/should have offered alot more strategy without giving away so many of the games key 'jump out of your seat' moments. I'm a little diappointed. Otherwise, it's up to snuff if you want a good walkthrough. If you're just stuck on one thing and don't plan on replaying the game or finding eveything-look online.

NINTENDO POWER,THE ONLY OFFICIAL SOURCE (STARFOX ASSAULT ,RESIDENT EVIL 4 SURVIVAL GUIDE, VOLUME 189)

Average customer rating:

NINTENDO POWER,THE ONLY OFFICIAL SOURCE (STARFOX ASSAULT ,RESIDENT EVIL 4 SURVIVAL GUIDE, VOLUME 189)

Manufacturer: NINTENDO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000EHVULC

Product Description

NINTENDO POWER MAGAZINE THE ONLY OFFICIAL SOURCE VOLUME 189 ,RESIDENT EVIL,STRATEGY GUIDES,STARFOX ASSAULT

Book Description

Videos featuring opera singers were initially released in the mid 1980s. This companion volume to Opera Mediagraphy: Video Recordings and Motion Pictures (Greenwood, 1993) indexes opera singers on video and film in concert, recital, and non-operatic feature film and includes VHS videotape, optical video laser disc, CD-ROM, and DVD recordings. Liturgical works, such as masses, and symphonies are also included. Arranged alphabetically, each film entry includes a rating, cites reviews, includes film production information, and lists the film's contents and performers. Films and singers are cross-referenced throughout. Researchers and opera fans alike will appreciate the various features that make this work easy to reference. The alphabetical entries are supplemented by three separate indexes that cross reference data by conductor and pianist, by director and producer, and by production type. An appendix lists distributors and provides available address information including e-mail and website locations.

Opera Singers in Recital, Concert, and Feature Film: A Mediagraphy.(Review): An article from: Notes

Average customer rating:

Opera Singers in Recital, Concert, and Feature Film: A Mediagraphy.(Review): An article from: Notes
Cheryl Taranto
Manufacturer: Music Library Association, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on December 1, 1999. The length of the article is 844 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Opera Singers in Recital, Concert, and Feature Film: A Mediagraphy.(Review)
Author: Cheryl Taranto
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 1999
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 56 Issue: 2 Page: 394

Article Type: Book Review

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