The Big Book of Noir
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A great reference
  • Essential
  • This one walks the walk, not just talks the talk.
The Big Book of Noir

Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  5. Pulp Masters Pulp Masters

ASIN: 0786705744

Amazon.com

Penzler Pick, December 1999: It took the French, with their word for "dark," to give an identity to an important mystery sub-genre. Something more than hard-boiled, noir--whether in film, book, or television--must also speak to a sense of existential nihilism, where betrayal is how romance best expresses itself and fear is only another name for foreplay. But while we all now know what noir is, when it was starting to coalesce as a coherent style back in the 1940s and early 1950s, it was more spontaneous, less self-conscious. It was wholly representative of a world then at war, not just with visible enemies, but with unseen ones as well.

Editors Gorman, Server, and Greenberg have brought together a fine galaxy of contributors (among them, William F. Nolan, James Sallis, Mike Ripley, Bill Pronzini, Gary Lovisi, Max Allan Collins, and many more) to cover the waterfront in all areas of noir artistry. Even Stephen King weighs in with a tribute to Jim Thompson, wonderfully titled "Warning! Warning! Hitchhikers May Be Escaped Lunatics!" (Thompson fans will get the joke.) Charles Willeford, Chester Himes, Patricia Highsmith, Dashiell Hammett, Mickey Spillane, Orson Welles, John D. MacDonald, Leigh Brackett, Billy Wilder, Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Gunn, Joe Friday, Lew Archer, and Lawrence Block--they're all here, and more, of course. It's 386 pages deep in noir references, lore, and opinions. But of special interest to book collectors are the chapters on the old publishers and imprints: Lion Books, Gold Medal, and others. There are conversations too, among them a rare chat with cult favorite Peter Rabe (who died in 1990), an interview with the always lively and urbane Donald E. Westlake, and a talk with Abraham Polonsky (screenplay writer, director, and blacklistee). Even kid stuff is not exempt from the bleak world of noir. Ron Goulart explores comic book noir, and, as a well-respected expert in the field of comics and cartoon strips, leads us back to such forgotten figures as "Steel Sterling," "Madam Satan," and "Johnny Dynamite."

If you've ever enjoyed a book by James Ellroy, Jim Thompson, or Richard Stark, or any movie with Veronica Lake or Lizabeth Scott, this book is not to be missed. --Otto Penzler

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A great reference.......2002-05-02

If you're looking for an intriguing, informative, and overall enjoyable reference work on both noir fiction and film, look no further. The Big Book of Noir, co-edited by Lee Server and Ed Gorman, is chock full of terrific pieces on great directors and writers including Cornell Woolrich, A.I. Bezzerides (writer of the classics Kiss Me Deadly, On Dangerous Ground, and Thieves' Highway), Harry Whittington, Peter Rabe, Fritz Lang, Leigh Brackett, Gil Brewer, Mickey Spillane, and many more.

One of the best things about the book is that several of the above-mentioned pieces are actually interviews; Lang and Bezzerides fall into this category, as do Daniel Mainwaring (writer of Out of the Past), Abraham Polonsky (writer of Force of Evil), Peter Rabe, Charles Willeford, and Donald Westlake.

Several of the non-interview pieces are written by some of the best known writers in suspense fiction around including Stephen King (on Jim Thompson), William Nolan, Ed Gorman, Barry Malzberg, Bill Pronzini, and Max Allan Collins. Other pieces are firsthand accounts--by Leigh Brackett and Malvin Wald (writer of Naked City).

There's an interesting checklist of 100 favorite noir films (including a few by Jean-Pierre Melville, one of the all-time great French directors--a powerful inspiration for Tarantino), another checklist of 100 noir novels, and even a section on noir comics!

The Radio and TV section goes into Peter Gunn, of course, but also mentions the lesser-known (and by all accounts, far more interesting) Johnny Staccato which starred John Cassevetes who was infinitely edgier than Craig Stevens' Gunn character.

These guys have done their homework and more, and it definitely shows. It's a shame this book is out of print; it's terrific!

5 out of 5 stars Essential.......2002-03-15

A wonderful collection featuring some of the world's best noir scholars and historians. There's a wealth of information between these covers, but the book is worth its weight in platinum for the magnificent, definative essay on Gil Brewer written by Bill Pronzini.

5 out of 5 stars This one walks the walk, not just talks the talk........1998-11-03

As the lowly web guy behind The Thrilling Detective Web Site, I'm always looking for good reference books, and this one's a keeper! It collects some of the very best articles, essays and critiques in one handy volume, covering everything from film and fiction to radio, television and comics. Passionate, diverse, opinionated, cranky, illuminating and enlightening, it's like a Greatest Hits of Noir Criticism.
The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps: The Best Crime Stories from the Pulps During Their Golden Age--The '20s, '30s & '40s (Vintage Crime/Blck Lizard Orig)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps: The Best Crime Stories from the Pulps During Their Golden Age--The '20s, '30s & '40s (Vintage Crime/Blck Lizard Orig)

    Manufacturer: Vintage
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0307280489
    Release Date: 2007-11-06

    Moderne Kinderbuch Illustratoren Europas =: Modern European children's book illustrators
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Moderne Kinderbuch Illustratoren Europas =: Modern European children's book illustrators

      Manufacturer: Bohem's Artists
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Unknown Binding

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      Modern European Children's Book Illustrators
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        Modern European Children's Book Illustrators

        Manufacturer: Hutchinson
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

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        ASIN: 0091493501

        Handbook of Video Camera Servicing and Troubleshooting Techniques
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          Handbook of Video Camera Servicing and Troubleshooting Techniques
          Frank W. Heverly
          Manufacturer: Prentice Hall Trade
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          ASIN: 0133827895

          The Zen of Oz: Ten Spiritual Lessons from Over the Rainbow
          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
          • Oz From a Different Angle
          • Buddhas and Tao and Void, O-Mu!
          • Philosophy, Courage a Brain and a Heart!
          • To the Young at Heart.
          • are you kidding me?
          The Zen of Oz: Ten Spiritual Lessons from Over the Rainbow
          Joey Green
          Manufacturer: Renaissance Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

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          ASIN: 1580630200

          Book Description

          Does The Wizard of Oz touch a spiritual chord in each one of us because it has a certain Zen to it? Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, is clearly a Zen Master. She sets Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road to spiritual enlightenment. When Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion let go of their conscious yearning and free their minds to function spontaneously and inharmony with the cosmos, brains, heart, and courage flow easily and effortlessly. Ultimately, Dorothy attains satori, the Zen experience of "awakening." She finds her true Self, her higher consciousness, her ultimate Oneness with the cosmos--and her home.

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Oz From a Different Angle.......2007-07-12

          This little book is a gem. The Oz story is viewed through the lense
          of Zen, yielding yet another perspective on a tale that continues to find
          new interpretations. The beautiful illustrations elegantly fit the tone
          and style of the book. The Zen interpretation rarely feels forced or trite
          but seems perfectly fitting. A quick read, this is a thought
          provoking look at a familiar story.

          4 out of 5 stars Buddhas and Tao and Void, O-Mu!.......2007-07-02

          Um, I like it. And I'm a Zen Buddhist and and Oz fan. So on a cute-scale I give it a higher rating than the actual writing. The pics are fun, the approach is fun... And after all those years of wondering, why did MGM have to make Oz all about a DREAM?! (Some of us hate that.) But I love the Dream, because there are no mistakes in the MGM film, from the metaphorical perspective. (Well, actually, those actors had a helluva time; a nightmare.) The problem with this book is that it's not linear. It doesn't correspond to the run of events in the film. And that drove me winged-monkey-bananas. I suppose that approach could be similar to the Buddhist Bardos?? But I wanted some order. Some editing. I had to keep reading and re-reading in order to figure out where we were in the Tao of Oz - or zen, or what have you? Well, I would have liked some more insight on The Good Witch Glinda's role in things, too! That could have been worked on. So I took that personally and my feelings were hurt. Because we really want to know what makes Glinda tick! That was too vague. You know how the movie ends, Glinda bops back in with her bubble, and is all like, in her extra-terrestrial voice, "You always had the power with you". (See my review on Gangaji's Diamond in Your Pocket.) Fans are so let down by that part of the film! Why put Dorothy through all that junk when she could have just clicked her heels 3 times? And we don't get that answer in this book, so I felt gyped. Also? I felt as if I were being preached to. So I actually gave my first copy of this book away! But I still DO appreciate someone's insights; so I bought it again! Finally?! My feeling is, when a writer writes everything in "we" terms and not in first person? I'm assumming he's talking about that blackberry in his pocket, and not me. Because-b-coz-b-coz I'm perfect! Ok? (And that's my Dream, so I'm stickin' to it.)

          5 out of 5 stars Philosophy, Courage a Brain and a Heart!.......2005-12-27

          I got this book as a gift from someone with a serious jones for the Wizard of Oz. At first, I just liked it because it reminded me of my friend and tossed it in a corner. Then one day I got around to reading it. Now, it stays where I can pick it up and open to read a simple passage in the moment. It is a fun and brilliant way to explore a different philosophy, or at least question how you choose to do things. I can't imagine many people in this culture being unaware of the examples and characters. Now when the Wizard of Oz comes on, I tend to filter it through this!

          5 out of 5 stars To the Young at Heart........2004-09-22

          On one of my recent journeys through the Land of Oz, the Ozarks, I visited with my friend Roger S. Baum, the great-grandson of L. Frank Baum-the author of the "Wizard of Oz". I asked him what he thought about the theory of his great-grandfather being a Zen Master. He admitted he really didn't know. That he hadn't read "The Zen of Oz". That it has been his experience that such things were only done by people that saw an opportunity to make money off Great Grandfather's work. After I explained the gist of Joey Green's premise I did notice a slow smile take over Roger's face. He was intrigued. Though he would not corroborate Joey's claims he did state that Great Grandfather would probably not turn over in his grave if he knew about "The Zen of Oz". The one caveat Roger then mentioned was that first and foremost the Oz Series is a collection of fantasies for the young at heart. Meant to be taken with sincerity but not too seriously. The rest of our conversation was private.

          As for me, I find "The Zen of Oz" quite clever and entertaining. It has added to my enjoyment of the classic movie. I see the movie in a whole new light. Almost as though I am seeing it for the first time. We are Dorothy. Prodigal sons and daughters venturing out into the world on our own only to find out that there is no place like home. That the Wizard can't really give us anything we don't already have. That there is an inner spark of the Divine within each of us. That the Yellow Brick Road is an inner path that leads to the great beyond and that each of us must make the journey for ourselves. To realize that no matter where we are we are already over the rainbow for we make the rainbow. That life is a great mystery and that we are the greatest mystery of all. That life is full of wonder and joy, as well as pain and sorrow. That as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

          A personal thought that I would like to add to "The Zen of Oz." Totality, "Toto", is a synergetic organic unity greater than one but less than two. The whole of ultimate reality is greater than the sum of its parts. We are not alone. Though there is more than one of us there is not a second. We are family and there is no place like home. And dogs, and cats like Slimmy, really are man's best friend.

          1 out of 5 stars are you kidding me?.......2003-05-28

          An interesting idea behind the book... finding the spiritual connections and philosophy behind the story of the wizard of oz. The writing style of the book is poor, redundant, and not terribly smooth (inconsistent pronoun usage, repetitive sentence structure, etc.) The book has its glimmers of insight, but in general, I think it looks way too much into the Wizard of Oz- and that means a lot coming from someone who usually gives new-age, self-help, and spiritual books more credit than they probably deserve sometimes. The very basic connections between the Yellow Brick Road and intuition or following the true self, and the basic metaphors of each the scarecrow, lion, and tin man are backed by literary evidence and are argued logically... and I think these basic connections are compelling. Prevelant is the idea that each of the characters, whether his/her search is for brains, courage, a heart, or home, actually possesses these qualities already... it's just a matter of discovering this truth. Green also goes into the philosophy of love, intelligence, courage, and one's personal "home" or the self, and that too is interesting (but at times can be a stretch when relating it back to the story). The book sometimes takes great dives into detail, jumping to conclusions that are based 100% on speculation ... of the author, and not at all on a logical connection. An example you ask? Well, the Lion, while being primped at the Wash & Brush Up Co. in Emerald City, the author observes, gestures "with a decidedly limp wrist, possibly insinuating that his sexual orientation is a `fate I don't deserve.'" The author continues to discuss the lion's inability to come out of the closet to come to terms with his true self, assuming that his limp wrist gesture and interest in fine fabrics means the he is gay. Frankly, I think the lion was just acting like a wealthy king. He also suggests Ms. Gulch is a "victim of her own repressed sexuality." To come to this conclusion would require pure speculation based upon [standards], and though the idea has good intentions, it actually weakens his overarching statement. The idea of the book was obviously very interesting to me, but ... the book has left me disappointed and unsatisfied. The kernels of truth in the book are cluttered by details that are not fully developed. But the pictures are cool, I guess.

          Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial in Film
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial in Film
            Cynthia Lucia
            Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

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            1. Feminism, Media, and the Law Feminism, Media, and the Law

            ASIN: 0292706502

            Book Description

            "The book asks important questions about the seemingly taken for granted quality of feminist perspectives on gender and work, about the ways in which both the codes of law and those of genre "frame" the female lawyer, and about the persistence of anxious constructions of successful women."

            Cineaste

            "This book shows how the professional woman of popular film has so often been given a half measure of authority and agency in narratives which, though they may register patriarchal crisis, are also deeply dedicated to patriarchal restoration. Lucia convincingly illustrates how the female lawyer's status as a figure with access to the public sphere and to the law most often necessitates that she herself will be interrogated and put on trial."

            —Diane Negra, University of East Anglia, author of Off-White Hollywood: American Culture and Ethnic Female Stardom

            As real women increasingly entered the professions from the 1970s onward, their cinematic counterparts followed suit. Women lawyers, in particular, were the protagonists of many Hollywood films of the Reagan-Bush era, serving as a kind of shorthand reference any time a script needed a powerful career woman. Yet a close viewing of these films reveals contradictions and anxieties that belie the films' apparent acceptance of women's professional roles. In film after film, the woman lawyer herself effectively ends up "on trial" for violating norms of femininity and patriarchal authority.

            In this book, Cynthia Lucia offers a sustained analysis of women lawyer films as a genre and as a site where other genres including film noir, maternal melodrama, thrillers, action romance, and romantic comedy intersect. She traces Hollywood representations of female lawyers through close readings of films from the 1949 Adam's Rib through films of the 1980s and 1990s, including Jagged Edge, The Accused, and The Client, among others. She also examines several key male lawyer films and two independent films, Lizzie Borden's Love Crimes and Susan Streitfeld's Female Perversions. Lucia convincingly demonstrates that making movies about women lawyers and the law provides unusually fertile ground for exploring patriarchy in crisis. This, she argues, is the cultural stimulus that prompts filmmakers to create stories about powerful women that simultaneously question and undermine women's right to wield authority.

            Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial on Film.(Book review) : An article from: Cineaste
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial on Film.(Book review) : An article from: Cineaste
              Yvonne Tasker
              Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Digital

              GeneralGeneral | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
              ASIN: B000FHYN7O
              Release Date: 2006-04-18

              Book Description

              This digital document is an article from Cineaste, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2005. The length of the article is 1776 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: Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial on Film.(Book review)
              Author: Yvonne Tasker
              Publication: Cineaste (Magazine/Journal)
              Date: December 22, 2005
              Publisher: Thomson Gale
              Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Page: 79(2)

              Article Type: Book review

              Distributed by Thomson Gale
              Framing Female Lawyers : Women on Trial in Film
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Framing Female Lawyers : Women on Trial in Film
                Cynthia Lucia
                Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback
                ASIN: B000ORNUP6
                Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial in Film
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Framing Female Lawyers: Women on Trial in Film
                  Cynthia Lucia
                  Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback
                  ASIN: B000ORMAHU

                  Music for Piano and Orchestra: An Annotated Guide
                  Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                  • A Book For Serious Musicians
                  Music for Piano and Orchestra: An Annotated Guide
                  Maurice Hinson
                  Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

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                  5. Piano Duet Repertoire: Music Originally Written for One Piano, Four Hands Piano Duet Repertoire: Music Originally Written for One Piano, Four Hands

                  ASIN: 0253208351

                  Customer Reviews:

                  5 out of 5 stars A Book For Serious Musicians.......2004-01-05

                  As with the author's other works (Guide To The Pianist's Repertoire, etc.) this book is comprehensive and probably the best one of its kind. Not only are the mainstays of the concerto repitoire included, but also virtually every concerted work for piano and orchestra that has been published. The amount of literature in this genre is huge, and the author tackles it all with information galore. Recommended!
                  Music for Piano and Orchestra : An Annotated Guide
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    Music for Piano and Orchestra : An Annotated Guide
                    Maurice Hinson
                    Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback
                    ASIN: B000OQ99J8

                    Understanding the Chess Openings
                    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                    • Exceeded my expectations!
                    • GREAT concise book that covers a lot of territory....
                    • BEST FIRST OPENING BOOK
                    • A survey of the openings, easy-to-read but is it ultimately useful?
                    • Unique and worthwhile
                    Understanding the Chess Openings
                    Sam Collins
                    Manufacturer: Gambit Publications
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

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                    5. Chess Openings for Black, Explained (A Complete Repertoire) Chess Openings for Black, Explained (A Complete Repertoire)

                    ASIN: 190460028X

                    Book Description

                    This major new work surveys all chess openings, providing a guide to every critical main line and featuring descriptions of the typical strategies for both sides. These commentaries will be welcomed by all club and tournament players, as they will help them to handle the middlegame positions arising from each opening better, and will equip them to find the best continuation when their opponents deviate from the standard paths.

                    Covers all chess openings, with verbal explanations of the ideas. This is the first book of the modern era to do this.

                    Customer Reviews:

                    5 out of 5 stars Exceeded my expectations!.......2007-04-23

                    This book is very well organized. I am very pleased with it. By playing several of the openings in the book I have found myself (finally) able to defeat the computer at chess at levels where I couldn't do so before. I have also learned which openings are to be avoided as well, that way I don't have to spend time memorizing all of them. But it is still important to understand why some openings aren't good.

                    5 out of 5 stars GREAT concise book that covers a lot of territory...........2007-01-18

                    There are many different openings books which focus on different aspects of opening play. This book is like a survey of the territory and covers the most likely openings to come up and the many variations of each. What I most like about it is that it is logically organized, well-written and easy to follow. It includes commentary, but the commentary is not comprehensive. This good or bad depending upon what you are looking for in a book on openings. In short, the text gets to the point with respect to the major tactical advantages and disadvantages of particular openings. However, it doesn't cover any of them in great depth.

                    I like this book because it doesn't repeat a lot of the ground covered in other books. It is a small volume at less than 225 pages of many different openings and the MOST important points about each. This makes it a great reference book to get one started with a particular opening. However, you need something with more depth to go along with it.

                    I am sometimes "turned off" by chess books which are 1,000 pages with very little text or diagrams. This is a bias that I have and learning anything sometimes seems overwhelming. This book strikes a nice balance between text, diagrams and presenting a series of moves. It makes the content more digestible and because of how its organized, easy to learn.

                    As far as I am concerned, this is a MUST own book for a serious chess player and particulary for someone transitioning from the beginner to advanced beginner or early stages of intermediate play. It uses modern notation and it is extremely well thought out with respect to layout. Both the author and the editor did an excellent job!

                    This book WILL help you to improve your opening play. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to any player and if you are turned off by poorly organized or cumbersome large volumes, you will like it even more.

                    5 out of 5 stars BEST FIRST OPENING BOOK.......2006-07-29

                    If you have already read a comprehensive book to get your started on the basics of chess, you may well be interested in a variety of openings. You need to prepare an opening system to get get you going.
                    I have looked at all of the opening books out there (own over 500 chess books) and in my humble opinion (well maybe I am somewhat experienced as a chess teacher and tournament player) feel that there is no better book that covers the ideas behind the different openings. Certainly, this is not a reference book to look up all of the critical variations. But, if you are anyone ages 8 to 108 and want a "general assessment" of what you will get into with each opening this book is perfect.
                    [...]
                    A neat aspect of this book is that is does an excellent job of explaining the ideas and has enough lines to make it a more than worthwhile purchase!

                    4 out of 5 stars A survey of the openings, easy-to-read but is it ultimately useful?.......2006-04-10

                    Opening books tend to fall into categories: "Find a move" encyclopedias like MCO and NCO; "Learn a particular opening" books which go deep in the Accelerated Dragon or King's Indian; and repetoires, which suggest a group of openings for your play. "Understanding the Chess Openings" is something else...a primer to all the openings, something which Collins in his introduction admits has fallen out of favor.

                    Yes, in 224 well-written, often entertaining pages ("Once thought to be merely dull and unambitious, the Petroff is now known to be dull, unambitious and a real pain in the neck for White"), Collins covers a huge number of openings, including not only the current standards, but the oldies, the non-standard, the surprises and the bizarre (Grob/Basman). Thus this book might be categorized as "Find an opening" or "Find a repetoire" or "What the heck was that?"

                    The downside of course is that the coverage of each opening is too brief to be useful. Clearly it is impossible to learn Alekhine's Defense in a page and a half. Very few variations are shown, which makes the book less dense and more approachable, but reduces the chance you will see the lines described "in the wild", especially since Collins admits he chooses sometimes idiosyncratic variations.

                    This is the first book I reach for when a completely unfamiliar opening comes up. It is easy to read, even when I'm tired (how many opening books can you say that about). Especially valuable is the coverage of the obscure openings. However, ultimately the coverage is too limited for more than the most cursory overview of the openings.

                    5 out of 5 stars Unique and worthwhile.......2006-02-03

                    Note: This review first published in the Irish Chess Journal, August 2005

                    Following the success of his first book, An Attacking Repertoire for White, an extract of which was published in the last issue of the ICJ, former Irish Champion IM Sam Collins has written his second book, titled Understanding the Chess Openings.

                    I have to admit that I didn't quite know what to expect from this before I read it. It's not the kind of chess book that gets written any more, having been squeezed out of favour first by databases on dead trees - the likes of MCO and BCO, and later by their software counterparts. The proliferation of modern opening theory seemed to have killed the opening primer off. The thing is, even now, a database is not a friendly tool for the weak to average club player. A high success rate in a particular line against the Grünfeld in my million-move monster doesn't really tell me much. Even if the line hasn't been found wanting after some super-GM decided he'd really like his knight on h8 and won a game or two, statistics, and to some extent, raw game scores don't explain how the strategic complexities of the line work. As such, I'm rather pleased to see this book appear.

                    Sam has really tried to be comprehensive - he's got pages on such off-beat openings as the Grob (1 g4?! - the Basman in Sam's terminology), the Black Knight's tango (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 Nc6!?) and even a little sideline called the Sicilian. That's come at a price. There's only so much room, and devoting pages to the sidelines means that the well-trod paths get less attention than they might have. The Sicilian Dragon, for example, which Sam rightly describes as, "A truly critical test to the viability of 1 e4," receives a mere three pages, which seems almost criminal when compared with the half page of white paper under his assessment of Bird's Opening (1 f4).

                    That said, Sam seems to have mostly done his homework. The main line he gives for each line seems to be the critical test, especially for the slightly offbeat ones. Or, at least that's true for those parts of the book where my own theory goes as far as the book's (no, not just the copyright notice!). Particularly notable to me was the line he gave against the Blackmar-Diemar Gambit, which he seems to have a personal hatred for, 1 d4 d5 2 e4 de 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 f3 ef 5 Nxf3 Bg4 6 Bc4 e6 7 0-0 c6 "And, after ...Be7, ...Nbd7 and ...0-0, where did the pawn go?" This seems spot on and it illustrates the usefulness of the book for its target readership (I guess 1200 - 1900 at least, probably a little wider). Having played against the BDG just once so far in my competitive career (for lack of a better word!), I hadn't a clue what to play against it, but here is a line which will, should I meet it again, let me avoid all of the complicated mire that opening often drags the unwary into.

                    Judging his choices for the mainstream openings is a bit harder for me, as my own repertoire choices tend to be a little offbeat. However, I do note a couple of places where Sam has ignored (or been unaware of) a significant main line. For instance, in the French Advance, he mentions 6 ...c4 in passing, but doesn't elaborate. By way of contrast, Gary Lane, in his book on that opening, devotes 40 pages - the longest chapter, to that line. In the Modern Benoni too, Sam gives the Taimanov as the critical line, which is fair enough, but then totally ignores John Watson's entirely critical 9...Qh4+.

                    Those criticisms are perhaps a little harsh and are certainly nowhere near as important as they might sound, as the intention of the coverage of each opening is more to give a flavour of how it works, combined with pointers in the right direction if you want to explore one further. Certainly, you'd be mad to try playing something like the Modern Benoni having read just two and a half pages on it. That said, the coverage of some openings is really excellent. The four and a bit pages on the Guioco Piano encapsulate the opening like nothing else I've read, including a page and a half on the Evan's Gambit (including a key novelty from Grischuck which I hadn't seen before), an odd but lively and useful possibility in a very normal opening which many readers mightn't otherwise have known existed.

                    Before I wrap up, a note on the structure of the book. Sam organises the openings into Open, Semi-Open, Queen's Gambit, Indian Defences and Flank Openings. At the start of some sections, and several openings, he discusses some themes common in the positions arising from the opening(s) in question. While I would have liked to see more of this sort of thing, what of it is present is well-written and useful, while his notes to the lines as they arrive expand very well on the themes and plans in the positions. The next time I'm looking for something different, I'll open Understanding the Chess Openings, because it is a source of information unlike anything else I have. I've read people criticising books of this sort on the grounds that any strong club player can explain most of this stuff to you, but that argument doesn't hold any weight with me. I don't have a tame IM at home waiting to explain what on earth is going on in the Semi-Slav! I have no reservations recommending it for average to above-average club players as a reference book you'll keep dipping into, and to weaker players as a good general opening guide.
                    Understanding The King's Indian
                    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                    • Apart from some minor flaws in sidelines: quite a good book!
                    Understanding The King's Indian
                    Mikhail Golubev
                    Manufacturer: Gambit Publications
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

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                    5. Chess Explained: The Queen's Indian Chess Explained: The Queen's Indian

                    ASIN: 190460031X

                    Customer Reviews:

                    4 out of 5 stars Apart from some minor flaws in sidelines: quite a good book!.......2006-02-23

                    "Easy guide to the Dragon" and "The Sicilian Sozin" were the first two books written by Grandmaster Golubev. Packed with lots of original analysis, they are just excellent and outstanding. This time, he turns to another favourite opening of his: the King's Indian. Using 56 model games played by Golubev himself, he gives lots of repertoire-recommendations for the second player.

                    I have to admit that my expectations were great, probably because of those works mentioned above. And for some reason, I felt a bit disappointed when the book finally arrived. Why that? First of all there is no list of literature in the book. This is a pity as Golubev cites analysis from Gallagher here and
                    there and I guess there are others, too. Secondly, I doubt if it was such a good idea to only use games of his own as maingames. The problem is that when a variation appeared less often
                    in Golubevs practice, his treatment of it falls somewhat short. This is the case regarding 5. Bd3 and 5. Nge2. For a closer look on those, please check the belonging titles from Watson, Panczyk and Forintos.

                    This is especially obvious in case of the variation 5. h3 followed by 6. Nf3. Neither Redjepagic-Golubev, Bosch-Golubev nor Golubev-Kochetkov really deal with the critical lines. Instead, in the first two examples the first players each fail to play the strongest and known continuations, in the third it is
                    quite the same. Thus, commenting on the critical line b3 on page 96 Golubev "succeeds" in escaping with the comment "with chances for both sides". Here we are talking about an absolute standard-position from the h3-King's Indian, with move eleven just being made. First players equipped with the excellent Chessbase CD-ROM "King's Indian with h3" from Breutigam and the belonging Krasenkov-games surely have a big advantage - they know the
                    resulting middlegame-plans for both sides which is always of great importance. Consulting Watson's "The unconventional King's Indians" or Gallagher's "Play the King's Indian" is strongly recommended in this case. It is quite the same with Golubev's second recommendation against the Sämisch which is 6. Be3 c5. There is just no analysis of 7. d5 at all and only a short note
                    of 7. Nge2 while both of them are played regularly and important to know. Gallagher is much more complete here, too. But luckily, those flaws make just about a tenth of the whole book.

                    Apart from this, Golubev shines in style: the well known Gambit-presentation is clear and well laid out. In most of the cases, Golubev even gives two or more recommendations against the most popular white lines and his strategical explanations can be called good to outstanding. His repertoire-recommendations are well-chosen, especially against the Classical and the Averbakh-System, the Four Pawns Attack and the Fianchetto-variation. You can sense Golubevs great expertise in the King's Indian in every line of the book and he makes a strong case for the black pieces. So in spite of the minor critic above, you can really take a lot out of this book. And in the end, we all have to build
                    our repertoires on our own, anyway.

                    To cut a long story short: 4 stars for quite a good and honest book containing lots of original analysis. Perhaps, Golubev could have treated some of the sidelines in more detail as he actually did. But the brilliant and to-the-point-explanations help very much to grasp the dynamics of the King's Indian
                    Defence - and thus the title naturally keeps what it promises.
                    Queen's Indian defense (Understanding the chess openings)
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Queen's Indian defense (Understanding the chess openings)

                      Manufacturer: R.H.M. Press
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback

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                      ASIN: 0890580510
                      Understanding Ancient Coins (Batsford Algebraic Chess Openings)
                      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                      • Win with the Dragon...
                      Understanding Ancient Coins (Batsford Algebraic Chess Openings)
                      John Casey
                      Manufacturer: B.T. Batsford Ltd
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback

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                      ASIN: 0713427434

                      Customer Reviews:

                      4 out of 5 stars Win with the Dragon..........1999-03-13

                      Indepth analysis of various lines. It will improve your chances greatly with Blk and offer you more opportunities with white to attack. Notation is a bit hard to handle. Also, some games were not in my database. Easy to follow (C/B)
                      Understanding the chess openings: the Caro-Kann defense.
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        Understanding the chess openings: the Caro-Kann defense.
                        Raymond, et al. (Lubomire Kavalek, ed). Keene
                        Manufacturer: Great Neck, NY, R.H.M. Press,
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback
                        ASIN: B000P269X0
                        Understanding the chess openings: the Caro-Kann defense. (ISBN:0890580529)
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          Understanding the chess openings: the Caro-Kann defense. (ISBN:0890580529)

                          Manufacturer: R.H.M. Press
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Paperback
                          ASIN: B000IF3RAW

                          Aled: The Autobiography
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            Aled: The Autobiography

                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Hardcover
                            ASIN: B000HWZ0JC

                            Book Description

                            A British choirboy with a remarkable voice, whose prodigious talent propelled him to international stardom, Aled Jones achieved more as a teenager than many adult singers do in a lifetime. From multi-million album sales before he was sixteen, he has gone on to perform sell-out tours and now has a hugely successful broadcasting career.

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                            1. The Body Art Book: A Complete, Illustrated Guide to Tattoos, Piercings, and Other Body Modification
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                            3. The Complete Colored Pencil Book
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                            6. The Everyday Work of Art: How Artistic Experience Can Transform Your Life
                            7. The Far Side of Eden: New Money, Old Land, and the Battle for Napa Valley
                            8. The History of Hair: Fashion and Fantasy Down the Ages
                            9. The Icon: Window on the Kingdom
                            10. The Old Testament: Through 100 Masterpieces of Art

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