Monopoly Capital: An Essay on the American Economic and Social Order (Library of Holocaust Testimonies,)

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Period Piece.......2007-08-30

"Monopoly Capital" is a classic of radical literature. Written in the 1960s, it argued that oligopolies had taken over the U.S. economy and that oligopolistic industries inevitably generated more "surplus" than the economy could absorb under peacetime conditions. As a result, although huge military spending during World War II and the Cold War had staved off depression, the U.S. economy would tend toward stagnation and idle capacity in the long run. Meanwhile, capitalism would divide the races and ruin the quality of sex and leisure activities.

It's hard to know how to review an old masterpiece like "Monopoly Capital." A few parts were plainly goofy, such as the pop-Freudian analysis of the American family. Other parts were only marginally relevant to the central argument, such as the diatribe against the American school system. The book was shockingly blind about the defects of the Soviet Union. Most damaging of all, central parts of the analysis were overtaken by later developments, such as the rise of corporate takeovers (which empowered financial markets) and globalization (which subjected oligopolies to gales of foreign competition). I suspect the book would be quite different if Baran and Sweezy were writing today.

But none of these criticisms can detract from the brio and sheer brilliance of "Monopoly Capital." After all, Marx and Veblen are dated in many ways, too. By combining analytical rigor, clear prose, and moral indignation, "Monopoly Capital" is still a great read in 2007. In fact, it's so good that it almost restores one's faith in the power of social science to rise above convention and triviality, and to probe deeply into the economic basis of society. Bravo to Monthly Review Press for keeping it in print all these decades!

Monopoly Capital: An Essay on the American Economic and Social Order

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Brilliant Period Piece

Monopoly Capital: An Essay on the American Economic and Social Order
Paul A. Baran , and Paul M. Sweezy
Manufacturer: Modern Reader
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P8RMV2

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Period Piece.......2007-09-02

Monopoly Capital: An Essay on the American Economic and Social Order (Pelican S.)

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Monopoly Capital: An Essay on the American Economic and Social Order (Pelican S.)
Paul A. Baran , and Paul M. Sweezy
Manufacturer: Pelican
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000LLY1QW

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MONOPOLY CAPITAL. An Essay on the American Economic and Social Order

Manufacturer: Monthly Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I6ZIE4

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Monopoly Capital; An Essay on the American Economic And Social Order
Paul A.; Paul M Sweezy Baran
Manufacturer: New York Modern Reader 1969.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MT7XC2

Book Description

Today's investors face a challenging environment like none before. The factors that affect financial markets are evolving rapidly and the changes may surprise unprepared investors with investment performance that is below the average of recent decades. Jeffrey Kleintop, author and financial expert, understands that these conditions place a premium on adaptation and innovation-making proactive investment decision-making more valuable than ever. He also knows that in today's investment environment, a new approach to active portfolio management-one that incorporates both strategic and tactical allocations to various asset classes-is necessary to exploit opportunities, manage risk, and achieve financial goals. In Market Evolution, Kleintop offers his unique view of today's financial markets and the trends that may shape investment performance during the next ten years. This book is a practical guide that provides investors with the robust framework that they need to meet the challenges of this new market environment and win.

Jeffrey Kleintop (Philadelphia, PA) is the Chief Investment Strategist of PNC Advisors, one of the largest wealth managers in the United States. He is also the coportfolio manager of PNC's Advantage Portfolios. Recently named by the Wall Street Journal as one of "Wall Street's Best and Brightest," Mr. Kleintop is regularly quoted in many national publications, such as BusinessWeek and the New York Times. He is also a regular guest on national radio and television financial programs.

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more information would have been helpful

very capable casebook

Incredible Case Book

Worst case book I had in law school

Contract and Related Obligation: Theory, Doctrine, and Practice (3rd ed)(American Casebook Series)
Robert S. Summers , and Robert A. Hillman
Manufacturer: Lawyers Co-Op Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contracts | Business | Law | Subjects | Books
American Casebook | Series | Law | Subjects | Books
Private Law | Law | Subjects | Books
Contracts | Business | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Pleading and Procedure: State and Federal Cases and Materials, Ninth Edition

A Civil Action (Vintage Books)

Selections For Contracts, 2003 (University Casebook)

Cases and Materials on Torts

Washington Legal Research

ASIN: 0314211497

Book Description

This edition continues to emphasize not only contract doctrine, but also contract theory and practice. As with the first two editions, the book is predominantly a casebook and includes many important old and famous cases, along with many more recent opinions that facilitate comprehension of the leading rules and principles. Part One stresses the function of contract law to support social exchange and addresses the major theories of obligation and associated remedies. Parts Two through Four present important stages of contractual activity: consummation of agreements, performance or breach, and the cessation of contractual relations. Part Five treats rights and duties of third parties.

Customer Reviews:

more information would have been helpful.......2007-09-09

I don't know if it was because I was stressed and in a panic about getting my book in time before classes started (bookstore was out of this...) but I could not find the edition number in the information, so I purchased the wrong one. I blame myself but wish it was more apparent when I was doing my searches. I was supposed to buy the 5th edition as opposed to the 4th but they're basically the same- just make sure the cases in your assignment are in the book- if they're not there you just need to do a little additional searching on your own.

very capable casebook.......2006-05-18

The two previous reviewers of this casebook were probably both right about it - on one hand, it is an excellent guide for covering difficult material if someone is able to glean the broader meaning from the cases through self study. To some extent, that's part of the law school experience for better or worse. On the other hand, this book could have made that process easier, as one reviewer noted.

The cases and discussion, though, are quite interesting and are appropriately edited to focus on the important material. There are far worse casebooks in general use in law school, so I'd put this one towards the top of my limited experience.

That said, this casebook coupled with Hillman's Hornbook (blue paperback) would be an OUTSTANDING way to tackle a moderately difficult subject. I did that and I learned a ton from them as a combined resource. Either one alone just won't be sufficient.

Incredible Case Book.......2004-05-15

This was the best law case book I've ever used. If you want the law spoon fed to you, yes, this book is a difficult tool. Professors Summers and Hillman, however, are firm believers that the best way to teach the law is by motivating the students to teach themselves. Their approach with this book is thought-provoking, thorough, and, yes, challenging. If you want an easy read, use a commercial outline. The law, however, is not supposed to be easy. You are supposed to wrangle with every word, to challenge every opinion, and search why the judges' reasoning is faulty. Professors Summers and Hillman triumph mightily with their text. Their holistic approach to teaching contracts is, undoubtedly, revolutionary. Much like Lon Fuller's text Basic Contract Law, it is a departure from the normal format. In fact, you won't find Hawkins v. McGee anywhere in the book, save for a footnote. If you are lucky enough to use this casebook, take advantage of it, and the incredible learning opportunity it presents. By the end of the course, you will have a view of the entire forest, to use the oft-used metaphor, as well as an in-depth understanding of each tree.

Worst case book I had in law school.......2004-02-01

They don't get much worse than this. The book is worthless, and made Contracts almost impossible to understand. The cases are sliced into strange, sometimes tiny portions, making it hard to elucidate anything from them. Compounding this problem, the authors themselves give nothing in the way of guidance before cases, not even a couple of lines to explain cases or put them in perspective. This is the only case book I have had that gives so little guidance in digesting cases or the general material. Essentially, the authors slapped together some articles and case excerpts without adding anything themselves. There are NO endnotes whatsoever.

Additionally, the book is filled with long excepts of law review articles which you can't understand or appreciate. It is pretty tough to learn any legal subject as a 1L from law review articles.

Basically, with this book you are thrown in the ocean and have to swim to shore yourself. If your professor uses this text, I recommend trying to move to a different section.

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Teachers Manual to Accompany Contract and Related Obligation: Theory, Doctrine, and Practice
Robert S. Summers
Manufacturer: West Group Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Theology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0314251464

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Contract and Related Obligation: Theory, Doctrine and Practice
Robert S. & Robert A. Hillman Summers
Manufacturer: Lawyers Co-Op Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTS3FQ

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Contract and Related Obligation: Theory, Doctrine, and Practice (American Casebook Series and Other Coursebooks)
Robert A. Hillman Robert S. Summers
Manufacturer: West Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

American Casebook | Series | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OU5N0S

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Contract and related obligation: Theory, doctrine, and practice (American casebook series)
Robert S Summers
Manufacturer: West Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

American Casebook | Series | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OTT6RA

Book Description

The question of origins is inseparable from a web of hypotheses that both shape and explain us. Although origin invites examination, it always seems to elude our grasp. Notions have always been produced which seek to interpret the genesis of life, mind, and the social order, and these notions have all been found to be unstable in the face of theoretical and empirical challenges. In any given period, the central ideas on origin have had a mutual resonance, frequently overlooked by specialists engaged in their particular fields.
The main purpose of this truly interdisciplinary book is the drawing together of contributions from biology, the cognitive sciences and the humanities into a joint exploration of some of the main contemporary notions which deal with the understanding of origins in life, mind and society.
The book consists of four central chapters (on social organization, symbols and money, life forms and perception) followed by acute and perceptive discussions. The book arose from an international meeting held at Stanford University.

Book Description

Nearly 50 years ago it was discovered that the fundamental particles, such as the electron and proton, have `left-handed' interactions - they do not respect mirror symmetry. This experimental fact motivates the idea that a set of `mirror particles' exist. The left-handedness of the ordinary particles can then be balanced by the right-handedness of the mirror particles. In this way mirror reflection symmetry can exist but requires something profoundly new. It requires the existence of a completely new form of matter called `mirror matter'. Remarkably the mirror matter theory is capable of simply explaining a large number of contemporary puzzles in astrophysics and particle physics. The evidence ranges from observations suggesting that most of the matter in the Universe is invisible, to unexpected properties of ghostly particles called `neutrinos'. This book explains this fascinating theory and its evidence at a level accessible to the non-specialist.

Customer Reviews:

Essential Spot on Physics Landscape.......2005-08-30

R.Foot is one of the few physicists that seriously investigates the "Mirror Dark Matter" model today,in a field crowded by supersymmetric or quantum gravity models of the still 'dark' contents of our universe.His exposition is very clear and represents a good start for those interested in a different pathway of our quest for the understanding of our strange universe.

HIGHLY ENTERTAINING AND INTERESTING.......2002-10-11

While I bought this book because I wanted to learn more about antimatter (and it did explain anti-matter) it explained so much more. Antimatter was predicted to exist more than 70 years ago and subsequently discovered. Antimatter exists because of Einstein's theory requires it. Mirror matter is something else altogether, which is also predicted to exist if nature obey's mirror symmetry.

The book also explains dark matter, the discovery of new planets, isolated planets, supernova's, white dwarfs, gamma ray bursts,
neutrinos and even the Tunguska event. These topics are explained in a lively and entertaining way that even a novice like myself is able to understand! I was a little disappointed that there was not much discussin about black holes.

The book explains how these puzzles can easily be explained by the mirror matter theory. Along the way the book contains interesting historical info and is full of witty remarks. The book emphasises the distinction between the 'traditional' scientific approach whereby ideas are developed and compared with observations and experiments and the more recent 'popularist' approach embodied in superstring theory which seem to have no experimental support at all, but survive because of their popularity.

The book should be of interest to students, scientists and lay people, perhaps anyone interested in recent developments in science.

A possibly new type of matter.......2002-10-03

Dr. Foot's book "Mirror Matter" is an extremly convincing work about one of the sharpest cutting edges of science. Not only does his book make a great aurgumant for his proposed "Mirror Matter" (which shouldn't be confused with anti-matter) The practical uses of such a subtance boggles the mind. If the photon/mirror photon interaction proves to be strong enough mirror matter could be he answer for gaining real control of antimatter and using antimatter as a practical energy source. I would recoment anyone who has an interest in alternate energy sources to space flight to astronomy read this book.

Michael Hissom

Response to Jorgen Danielsson's comment........2002-05-18

In defense of my book (which this reviewer has NOT read),
let me simply quote from it. On page 148 (in the chapter
about the mirror matter interpretation of the Tunguska
event) it states:
"The mirror body may have some embedded amount of
ordinary matter, so a tiny amount of ordinary
extraterrestrial material is possible."
Thus, the discovery of a small amount of
extraterrestrial ordinary matter -- if correct --
does not disprove the mirror matter hypothesis
for the Tunguska event (perhaps the book description
needs a slight re-wording). Let me just add, that
the Tunguska event is only a small part of the evidence
for mirror matter, and comprises only about 10 percent
of the book. Nevertheless, it is perhaps the
most interesting because it suggests the
possibility that mirror matter could be extracted
from the ground at the Tunguska site.

SHADOWLANDS: THE QUEST FOR MIRROR MATTER IN THE UNIVERSE;.......2002-05-15

SHADOWLANDS: THE QUEST FOR MIRROR MATTER IN THE UNIVERSE; by Professor Robert Foot(University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia, 2002). Reviewed by Richard L. Gibbens.

The best kind of scientific theory, wrote Sir Karl Popper, the Oxford philosopher of science, is one which is easily in principle falsifiable, because even if one's hypothesis turns out to be wrong, one will find new unanticipated facts about nature. I believe,after sampling the work that I am now reviewing, that Robert Foot's theory of mirror matter fits testing in the best Popperian tradition of experimental science.

Near the beginning of this work, Professor Foot talks about the essential role that the concept of symmetry plays in predicting the possible nature of different physical phenomena. The only symmetry that does not seem to work in the discipline of physics at present is mirror reflection symmetry, a problem that showed up in the late fifties when three American physicists overthrew the "law of parity," by experiments with colbolt atoms. The ordinary matter that makes up our world and our bodies appears to be "left-handed." Foot has proposed that mirror reflection symmetry could be restored for the universe if we postulate that in addition to the ordinary matter that we are all familiar with, there is mirror matter which is in every respect like our own except that mirror matter and mirror photons only usually interact with our world of ordinary matter by means of the gravitational field and not by the electromagnetic, weak and strong nuclear forces. A mirror object would pass right through our hands, and Foot has suggested that the so-called dark matter that is supposed to make up about ninety-six percent of our universe may be the mirror matter.

Robert Foot wants to emphasise that mirror matter is still an unproven hypothesis yet, but he gives up to seven reasonswhy it is the best candidate to explain some of the anomalies that particle physicists and astrophysicists have discovered in the last thirty years. One is the problem of the missing atmospheric neutrinos, another is the problem of the hot Jupiter like planets that orbit close in to their primaries, and the phenomenon of isolated planets that seem to be wandering through interstellar space. Professor Foot even suggests that the Tunguska impact on Siberia in 1908 was the result of a collision with the Earth by a mirror matter object. He reviews the evidence and suggests how we might prove this conjecture one way or the other.

Robert Foot explains in his book that observations and experiments to test his theory are relatively inexpensive compared with many physics experiments in elementary particle physics--for example, searching for the Higgs Boson using the multi-billion dollar Hadron Super Collider in Switzerland and France. He suggests where we should look remainsf mirror matter on Earth, and how we could carry out experiments with neutrinos both on our planet, and observing neutrinos coming from a mirror supernova where a star does not seem to exist. Foot goes on to say that the hypothesis of mirror matter could be decided within five years if the funding is forthcoming.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone going into a career in physics who is looking for an area of research, and who may want see resultsin his or her lifetime. I would also recommend to all book stores and libraries that they should carry this work as it may be the seed of a new revolution in our understanding of the Cosmos.

Book Description

Here is the book jazz lovers have eagerly awaited, the second volume of Gunther Schuller's monumental The History of Jazz. When the first volume, Early Jazz, appeared two decades ago, it immediately established itself as one of the seminal works on American music. Nat Hentoff called it "a
remarkable breakthrough in musical analysis of jazz," and Frank Conroy, in The New York Times Book Review, praised it as "definitive.... A remarkable book by any standard...unparalleled in the literature of jazz." It has been universally recognized as the basic musical analysis of jazz from its
beginnings until 1933.
The Swing Era focuses on that extraordinary period in American musical history--1933 to 1945--when jazz was synonymous with America's popular music, its social dances and musical entertainment. The book's thorough scholarship, critical perceptions, and great love and respect for jazz puts this
well-remembered era of American music into new and revealing perspective. It examines how the arrangements of Fletcher Henderson and Eddie Sauter--whom Schuller equates with Richard Strauss as "a master of harmonic modulation"--contributed to Benny Goodman's finest work...how Duke Ellington used
the highly individualistic trombone trio of Joe "Tricky Sam" Nanton, Juan Tizol, and Lawrence Brown to enrich his elegant compositions...how Billie Holiday developed her horn-like instrumental approach to singing...and how the seminal compositions and arrangements of the long-forgotten John Nesbitt
helped shape Swing Era styles through their influence on Gene Gifford and the famous Casa Loma Orchestra. Schuller also provides serious reappraisals of such often neglected jazz figures as Cab Calloway, Henry "Red" Allen, Horace Henderson, Pee Wee Russell, and Joe Mooney.
Much of the book's focus is on the famous swing bands of the time, which were the essence of the Swing Era. There are the great black bands--Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Earl Hines, Andy Kirk, and the often superb but little known "territory bands"--and popular white bands like
Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsie, Artie Shaw, and Woody Herman, plus the first serious critical assessment of that most famous of Swing Era bandleaders, Glenn Miller. There are incisive portraits of the great musical soloists--such as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Bunny Berigan,
and Jack Teagarden--and such singers as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, and Helen Forest.

Customer Reviews:

An incredibly informative mess.......2007-03-15

Where to begin? Schuller wants to talk about everything - he doesn't want to miss a single band. It's not like Vol. 1 - Early Jazz where he aims and fires. Here everything is scattershot, all over the place. And two ideas come back over and over in a kind of subconscious fashion: one, the idea that riffing is a sign of knee-jerk, insufficently compositional thinking; two, that innovation in Jazz is connected to being "ahead of one's time". If I had lots of time on my hands, I'd catalog these recurrences - Oxford University Press, you're supposed to catch these things! For all of his knowledge, Schuller is insufficiently scholarly - the chapter on Basie is absurd in its criticisms of Basie for not being a compositional thinker like Ellington. I hate to get all racial, but it seems like Schuller doesn't appreciate many of the blacker aspects of Black music. And it's fine that Schuller didn't do all of his own transcriptions - but he should've at least approved them all. Bobby Stark's solo showing up next to a passionate discussion of Red Allen's solo on Henderson's King Porter Stomp gave that one away...

What did I learn from this book? Well...it made me go out and check out Bob Crosby's band more. The section on Horace Henderson was really informative. The book is filled with great things, but even on the level of basic syntax and sentence structure there are so many problems. Just to pick out one of many tortured phrases - Page 253:"I am referring to the curious fact that Basie's music is rarely memorable thematically ( nor is it in terms of timbre or color ). Nor is it WHAT? In speech, we'd understand: "memorable" . But this is supposed to be a History...how hard would it have been to bring this all in line?

If it weren't the only book of its kind...but it is. Someday there'll be more, and we'll be able to appreciate the good things about this one, and forget about the anomalies and longeurs. I hope I'll be around to see that day.

Monumental accomplishment.......2004-11-28

To get some idea of the achievement between these pages, just stop to think that Gunther Schuller listened to some 30,000 recordings, famous and obscure, from the period between 1930 and 1945, in chronological order for each band or performer. It took him fourteen years.

Now you might think after all that that he would emerge with brain so fuzzy, ears so buzzed, that he could not write intelligently about the music, so submerged had he been for so long. But au contraire--this is the most lucid, the best anthology of any jazz era I've ever seen. No one could argue it isn't the most comprehensive. Schuller analyzes bands big and small, famous and unknown, national and "territory."

Some of his opinions go against the critically-accepted grain, which seems to have ruffled a few other reviewers here, but his point of the survey, I think, was to go beyong "lazy, complacent listening" and evaluate each work afresh. So we have a Count Basie orchestra that, while indisputably fine, isn't quite the jazz sin qua non that it's often held out to be. As Schuller points out--accurately, I think--Basie's band was a triumph because of the magnificent soloists, but frankly the arrangements were often uninspired and formulaic, the tunes undistinguished, the colors and contrasts minimized. This made me realize why I never liked other midwestern territory bands as much as the Count's: they generally didn't have the soloists, and without stellar soloists (and not just "good" soloists) it's hard to sustain interest in riffs and themes which quickly become routine. This may upset the apple cart with some people, but I think Schuller is on the money.

Similar, his assessment of Benny Goodman is generally spot-on, though I think I like some of the band's soloists more than he does and give them more credit than he does. However, he is mostly evaluating BG's studio recordings, and that band was far better live. (All bands are better in front of a live audience, of course, but the difference with BG's 30s group is truly stunning.) But Babe Russin was quite the fine understated tenor soloist, Chris Griffin was very underappreciated on trumpet (as was earlier Goodman trumpeter Nate Kazebier--hope I'm spelling that right). Jess Stacy is one of the unsung heroes of swing piano, especially as an accompanist (some of his best comping is on the 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert). Schuller basically ignores these sidemen. Even Ziggy Elman gets the short shrift, with a focus on his schlocky popular stuff instead of some of his logically-constructed solos. But I guess, even with 30,000 recordings under your belt, some performances are bound to escape your notice.

Schuller's chapter on Ellington could itself be a course at a university. You could indeed buy the book just for this section and play through all the recordings mentioned and come away far more knowledgeable about Duke, about jazz, and about music and composition in general. Discussing Schuller's take on Ellington is beyond the scope of this review, save to say it makes for pages and pages of fascinating reading.

Schuller also manages to cut through the Artie Shaw mystique (more BS than mystique, he feels; Shaw, with his verbal fecundity and limited knowledge of European art, was able to snow some jazz and pop writers, but he's just no match for Schuller). And he makes the interesting observation that Glenn Miller played far more true swing than he is credited for (though it was hardly innovative or even often very exciting swing) and Tommy Dorsey played far less, sticking with the Chicago/Dixieland two-beat style long after it had gone out of favor, until about 1940 (!). A lot of Dorsey's music is actually very hokey--"Mickey Mouse"--yet he is usually taken more seriously as a swing musician than Miller.

On the subject of smaller bands and lesser-known leaders from this period, Schuller points out how underappreciated Cab Calloway, Erskine Hawkins and Jimmy Lunceford were, and how relatively overrated Lionel Hampton, Bunny Berrigan and Louis Armstrong (of this period; the innovative Armstrong of the 20s was covered in his Early Jazz book) were. Again, these views--backed up by extremely thorough analysis and stoic discussion, will ruffle a lot of feathers among emotional keepers of the flame, but I find his analysis to be rather spot-on. Also invaluable is his clear-headed discussion of Art Tatum's strengths and weaknesses.

The book is chock full of examples in music notation, and in some instances whole solos and passages are written out. That may scare off some who cannot read music, but it shouldn't. It will largely help to have the recordings in the CD player, ready to go, so the reader can follow along with the notation. And everyone will not follow every discussion of harmonies, scales and chord progressions--no matter. You don't have to understand everything to get a lot from this work, and repeated readings will benefit you as well. Just don't show it to anyone to whom jazz is a religion, and its players are holy priests; they won't appreciate some of Schuller's deconstructions.

Incidentally, Schuller is supposedly working on a volume III that deals with the bebop era and the development of "modern" jazz. (The first volume of this series dealt with pre-1930s jazz and is also a classic.) Considering how much time the present book required, I hope he lives long enough to finish this magnificent project.

Spot-on survey of Swing Era.......2004-08-10

Unlike a previous reviewer, I find Schuller's "biases" quite refreshing. He is unafraid to distinguish the outstanding from the merely imitative or blantantly commercial, whether in comparing bands or musicians or in pointing out the strong points and weak points of individual artists.

While not providing individual biographies, he does manage to put the music into a social/economic context and does better than any other writer in speaking frankly about the interplay between black and white artists during this era without prejudice on either side.

Excellent reference book.......2002-10-08

As far as I know it, this is the most comprehensive book on swing music available. Gunther Schuller is interested in music, not life histories, so biographical information on musicians is scarce. The music, on the other hand, is described and analyzed thoroughly, with great originality and enthousiasm, including information on cross-links, influences, analyses of arrangements, song structures and solos.
I don't believe anyone will read this book from the beginning to the end: each chapter is about a separate artist, and an overall history is lacking. Moreover, one really needs to be able to listen to the described music to enjoy the book, but this is also its strong point: one becomes really eager to listen to the jazz described, often with 'new ears' provided by the author. As a reference book and as a tool to explore jazz between 1930 and 1945 with, "the swing era" is unsurpassed.

Not bad.......2002-04-25

This book was used for a history of music class that I took at an Ivy League school. The reason it was chosen is that it is the most comprehensive work on the swing era in jazz. However, the book has a huge flaw: although there are tons of scores and technical details as well as personal accounts and anecdotes (to suit all types of readers), the author leaves his pronounced bias on everything. He is very passionate about swing music, it is obvious, but many of his descriptions and comparisons are practically worthless to the student of music. It sounds as if he was getting intoxicated by his own play with words.

I can't figure out who would be the ideal reader -- besides Schuller himself. Musicians would probably be annoyed by the author's strong and poorly supported opinions that fill the pages. People with no musical backgrounds would dislike it because it is too technical in many places (you lose a lot if you can't read notes and don't understand the lingo). The only redeeming quality is the sheer scope of the book, so it may be useful to a student taking a survey course on jazz/swing. Even in the last case, you will be frustrated by the lack of organization. You won't be able to figure out where a certain band played/originated (or it will take you an hour to find out) but he'll tell you how the glissando at the end of the third chorus of their most obscure song was more loaded with energy than Paganini's works combined.

In a nutshell: very comprehensive and yet very biased presentation of swing.

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The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz 1930-1945
Gunther Schuller
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000REI4N4

Product Description

Twenty years after the publication of Early Jazz , French hornist, conductor, composer, educator and broadcaster Schuller brings forth this 900-page second volume in his monumental "History of Jazz." He is perhaps better equipped to analyze style and technique than anyone else who has written about this music. No previous critic has delineated in as great detail how the various styles developed and coalesced. Schuller devotes 40 pages to Louis Armstrong, 110 pages and 62 musical examples to Duke Ellington. He identifies the unique characteristics of each of the big bandsamong them, Count Basie, Benny Carter, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Fletcher and Horace Henderson, Earl Hines, Jimmie Lunceford and Chick Webb; of arrangers Mel Powell, Don Redman and Eddie Sauter; of such soloists as Bunny Berigan, Charlie Christian, Roy Eldridge, Billie Holiday, Art Tatum, Jack Teagarden, Ben Webster and Teddy Wilson; of the small groups of Nate Cole, John Kirby, Red Nichols and Rex Stewart; even of the "territory bands" of the Middle West. He also explicates the contributions of the big white bands of Charlie Barnet, Bob Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Harry James, Gene Krupa, Glenn Miller and Claude Thornhill, who, by codifying and expanding upon the innovations of their black counterparts, played as crucial a role and brought jazz to millions who otherwise would never have heard any jazz at all. Schuller's evaluations are original, trenchant and even-handed: He discusses shortcomingsstylistic stultification, topheavy sound, exuberant vulgarity, for exampleas well as achievements. And he demonstrates the gradual atrophying of swing by repetition, formularization, the reduction of improvisation and loss of spontaneity. More brilliantly than anyone before him, Schuller has explained a glorious period in the history of American music.

THE SWING ERA: THE DEVELOPMENT OF JAZZ 1930-1945

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THE SWING ERA: THE DEVELOPMENT OF JAZZ 1930-1945
Gunther Schuller
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H82NQE

The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945.: An article from: Notes

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The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945.: An article from: Notes
Patrick Hardish
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 March 1, 1994. The length of the article is 1363 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: The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945.
Author: Patrick Hardish
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1994
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: v50 Issue: n3 Page: p994(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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The Swing Era (The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945)
Gunther Schuller
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK349U

Average customer rating:

THE SWING ERA: THE DEVELOPMENT OF JAZZ 1930-1945
Gunther Schuller
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JJT7EW

Average customer rating:

The Swing Era: The Development of Jazz, 1930-1945
Gunther Schukker
Manufacturer: Oxford Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORAEZA

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