5 comments about Midlife and the Great Unknown.

1. I bought this to listen to as we traveled through Scotland.(Seems like an odd plan, but I wanted to do some reflection on my own mid-life.) I LOVED it! David uses poetry in such a meaningful manner, and he's an excellent story-teller. I've listened to this many times since that trip, and each time I REALLY listen. I have to say that I am a little better for the listening.



2. A friend told me he was going to listen to David Whyte and it intrigued me enough to look him up and download this CD for a long drive this weekend. I find myself rather numb from the depth and breadth of it all. So very much to think about and what its implications are in my life that I'll be having to relisten many times I'm sure (I've already listened twice). He gives us his experiences with such clarity I can almost smell the Celtic grasses under his feet and feel the mists swirling around his vision, occasionally parting for a view of distant and promising lands. This wrapped up in his and others poetry that he reads and his reflections about it has caused me to further explore new poets, to talk about them with my friends, and to ask what can we do with this. David has obviously thought about such matters deeply and I can think of no higher tribute to a person than they made me think profoundly about profound matters.
   
   A NEW NOTE OF CAUTION: I purchased this as an introduction to David Whyte, thinking if I liked this "unabridged" version I'd buy his "Clear Mind, Wild Heart" (CMWH) audio. Long story short: this is actually CD 2 and 3 of CMWH. I think this is like taking all the odd chapters of a Tale of Two Cities, renaming it "Story of a Town (Unabridged)". It is misleading labeling. I will keep the five stars because it is an amazing foray into poetry and life in general but beware--if you're thinking you'll buy CMWH then go straight there. Fortunately the audio download server with a name almost identical to the publisher of this CD refunded my money so I could just buy the 6 CD set.



3. As awkward as it might be to consider oneself at mid-life, it is a genuine relief to have such a clear and open-hearted guide such as David Whyte help make sense of it all. This CD is profound and inspiring. I could listen to Mr. Whyte's voice all day long. He draws on not only poetry (his own and that of others), but on basic life observations and recollections. The only caution I'll give is that some material seems to be lifted directly from another of his CDs, entitled "Clear Mind: Wild Heart". It's possible that it's just the same words and themes...I haven't done a side-by-side comparison. The duplication is a bit disconcerting, but has more to do with the publisher than the author. Anyway, David Whyte's talents are amazing, and this material is one that I'll listen to again and again. Best wishes,



4. This CD is one that you will want to listen to over and over again, and with friends. It is not just for people in midlife, it is for anyone in life. Get it and you will learn what life is all about and how to live it.



5. I wish the "midlife" reference were not in the title as it made me hesitate and delay trying this product for way too long. It is such an exquisite treat and so powerful in way more ways than I can convey through words. David Whyte's uniquely powerful delivery adds further punch to his great insights that reach ever deeper the more one listens. Thus I found it amazing the first time I listened and keep being blown away by finding it ever more powerful every time I listen. In addition to the content, the place David Whyte speaks from is itself profoundly impactful. At the time I ended up deciding to buy this product I had greatly lamented Amazon not selling David Whyte's "poetry of self-compassion" as I had adored that tape. Although I still regret not having yet been able to find it on CD as it is even more powerful yet, I am so glad that it ended up pushing me into giving this product a try as both are invaluable and well worth owning and repeatedly listening to over the years as special treats that get ever better over time.

5 comments about Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life.

1. I bought the CD version, which is read by Steve Martin himself. I listened to it while commuting to work. It was so funny, interesting, and touching! My only sadness came when it ended, because I was so absorbed in it.



2. In this book, Steve Martin writes about his former career as a stand-up comedian. He struggled for many years before he finally made it big and quit at the height of his popularity. He details all the highs and lows of his on stage career in a very entertaining style. If you are a Steve Martin fan, you will definitely enjoy this book.



3. A 2008 Summer Reading List Mini Review.
   
   Comedy, Steve Martin, once surmised, is not pretty. I just finished listening to his memoir Born Standing up: A Comic's Life and I must beg to differ.
   
   May I please differ? Please oh please could I differ? I haven't differed in such a long time. May I please have your permission to differ? (That's me, begging)
   
   Well no one said anything, so I am going to differ.
   
   Steve Martin made comedy pretty. As the premiere stand up comic of the late 70's early eighties, he made being funny an art form. It does not surprise me that he is an avid art collector. Martin does an excellent job of describing his life and the part he played in the comic landscape of the sixties and beyond.
   
   Listening to his book was a revelation. Martin does an excellent job of describing his life and the part he played in the comic landscape of the sixties and beyond. If you have not yet read his book yet, I would highly recommend listening to it. Instead of reading as he describes his routines, I actually was able to hear him perform some of them. And if you don't like listening to books? Well, in the words of Steve Martin: excuse me!



4. this book was a delight, a fascinating look at the way Martin developed his craft. For anyone who loves comedy or anyone who does public speaking it is a great primer.
   
   Martin is a gifted writer and observer of life, and this book reflects both of those gifts



5. Steve Martin has written a surprisingly sad look back at his life that glosses over most of the major things he is known for while focusing on his dysfuncational family, his inabilities with women and his bad relationship with his father. The book is not very funny, a bit depressing and not as revealing as you would hope an autobiography would be.
   
   The book is very short--at 200 double-spaced pages it takes only a couple hours to read--and the first half of the book is devoted to his life to age 22. He then quickly goes through his early TV years without really telling any stories about the famous people he worked with, then doesn't get to his movie career until 20 pages before the end. He doesn't mention his marriage--but doesn't once alude to his divorce. And doesn't mention anything about family except his distant parents and sister.
   
   It sounds like he just look through some old scrapbooks and started writing his minimal recollections of what happened 40 to 50 years ago. There aren't a lot of details and little insight into how he developed his comedy. Jerry Seinfeld writes on the back cover that it's "One of the best books about comedy and being a comedian ever written," but that is so far from the truth that it's doubtful that Seinfeld even read the book.
   
   There are a few interesting tidbits--like his continued crush on his first girlfriend, who turns out to be Christian prayer book author Stormie Omartian. And some of the photos in the book are great inclusions. Plus Martin opens up about his serious anxiety disorder, which leads him to come across as aloof when he is being interviewed on talk shows.
   
   But this is not a book about his entire career--it's a book about his recollections of being a stand-up comedian decades ago, so there is almost nothing in it from the past 30 years. If you are looking for inside stories about Saturday Night Live or Sonny & Cher or his movie successes you won't find them here--just a rather sad story of a man who never really got his dad's approval, who concludes that true comedy is really very serious.

3 comments about David Cerone Performs Suzuki Violin School (Volume 2).

1. Ordered the Book and CD together, received the book, but now over one month later am still waiting for the CD. It would be nice if could have had the CD with the music book.



2. Part of the Suzuki Method relies on hearing the music about 8000 times before the child graduates the particular "book". If you (and your child) do the method properly, you will have this entire cd memorised and may even be sick of it by then. It is well done, nicely clear for advanced beginners and has a clear piano part.



3. We own this cd and, well, one can hardly comment on the music without 1st having experienced working with the Suzuki method of helping their child learn to play an instrument and read music.
   The cd is most useful and my child learned very quickly by listening to this cd. There are other versions of the Suzuki books on cd and when your child advances you can see and hear the differences of each. The way your child plays, once having worked long enough, can reflect the style in which the artist plays. My son took to playing violin very quickly. And could choose which cd he wanted by book 3.
   He still listens to the old cd,s (he added the music to his ipod, btw) for refreshing his memory and improving his critique of music. He is 16 and loves all music.
   If you are considering this method for someone you love, remember musical literacy is a lifelong treasure and pleasure no matter what your talent level. You can't go wrong even if you just want to listen. Get the book if interested, because even if you want this for yourself you can read along and definitely help your own musical literacy skills.
   It's a whole other language and nothing can beat hearing the language of music.

5 comments about Suzuki Violin School (Suzuki Violin School Cd): Vol. 1 (Suzuki Violin School CD).

1. It's really unfortunate that the performance on this CD does seem to sound too sharp as pointed out by a previous reviewer, who's a Suzuki teacher. Our violins (both mine and my daugther's) always sound quite a bit flatter than this CD after being tuned by my daughter's Suzuki teacher, who has perfect pitch. One time earlier on, I also tried tuning our violins w/ this CD as aid (thinking our violins had gone too flat), and the teacher thought they were oddly out of tune more than usual (or in an odd way I guess since they were sharp, not flat) -- well, she didn't really say so, but her facial expression and gesture said it all. :-) I never really brought this up w/ her before, but I think I will in our next lesson. And perhaps, I'll buy a different CD for this series as well -- maybe the David Nadien version as suggested elsewhere.



2. Several people have commented on this recording sounding sharp. I suspect it has to do with different tuning standards. the standard tuning pitch here in the States is A 440, but in other parts of the world A 445 is often used. It would sound sharp by comparison, but is not necessarily "wrong".



3. I have been taking a lesson from Suzuki method teacher, and this CD has been a great suppliment in my busy life. Just listening to this CD for 5-10 minutes a day ( during the commute or cooking time) has been helping me to understand what I need to work on. My daily practice time is avarage 15 minutes or so, but I have been making good enough progress because of this listening program.



4. I received my delivery in a timely manor and was able to enjoy The Suzuki Violin CD Volume 1 I ordered. It was exactly what I expected being from volume 1, it concentrated on strings A, and E. This CD was recommended by my daughters Suzuki Violin Teacher to help her learn by ear what the these two strings used in various songs sound like. It was worth the purchase since my daughter is a beginning Suzuki student, ... I may have to go out for volume 2 soon since she's fallen in love with her violin.



5. I've been a Suzuki teacher for 12 years. I found that this CD is really out of tune and in many cases sloppy. It has one cool feature and that is it's Suzuki playing Suzuki and he was in his 80s (I think) when it was recorded. The two other CD's available, however, in some cases have lightning fast tempos. The new Midi CD-ROM seems to have solved that issue.

5 comments about Meditation for Optimum Health: How to Use Mindfulness and Breathing to Heal Your Body and Refresh Your Mind.

1. I am just a beginner at Meditation, and I am trying to learn this for my health.
   I think this is a good CD to listen to if you are just starting out. I got some good ideas from this recording, and I am sure I will be able to use what they taught.



2. Terrific 2 CD set - enjoyable to listen to, highly informative, short and sweet. You are on your way to using the techniques immediately. Nice addition to my "arsenal" of self-healing techniques.



3. This CD was recommended to me and I have heard good things about Dr. Weil, but I have to say the CD's were a let down. The lecture was too long and i thought it would have been better to simply be text. The actual breathing exercises were not that inspiring and quite short. Although it was instructional to go through the breathing exercises along with the CD it would have been better if that part was expanded.



4. this is a great cd. you just listen to it and follow the instructions and can actually learn to meditate. great



5. I have several meditation/healing cd's from Andrew Weil, which I enjoy. This is not one of them. Perhaps as an introduction to meditation there is some useful content, but I did not find it helpful.

5 comments about Secrets of a Passionate Marriage.

1. This tape is great! I'm remarried and want to get it right this time. Dr. Schnarch offers a different approach. I bought his book, but wanted to get an overview in his own words. I have recommended it to several friends and a support group for Vietnam Vet's significant others.



2. I listened to several sections of the CDs and thought it was junk. I do not recommend it for anyone. I threw mine in the trash.



3. If you want to leave the traditional marriage solution thoughts for a real answer, this is the book.



4. The information that Dr. Schnarch has provided in this work is extremely helpful in understanding the dynamics involved in having a much more passionate relationship. It was recommended to me off of a dating website by an e-mail friend. I can never thank him enough!



5. Needed more action rather than words. Too clinical and not practical. Had some good explanations, but my fiance and I just got bored with his suggestions. Has a lot to do with changing your thought process, but then what?

5 comments about 5 Audio CD Set for Music: An Appreciation.

1. would buy from again everything just as promised and recieved book fast



2. This book does a good job of putting music in an overall historical context. For example, it notes how Baroque productions, whether sculpture or music, meant to "fill space." That accounts for elaborate melodies in music, and movement in painting and sculpture.
   
   Music used to be written as much for the mind as the ear. In some vocal pieces, lyrics correspond to melody. For example, if the word "ascending" is used in the song, the notes of the melody also go up. Vice-versa for descending. If the song mentions one person, a single voice is used--three voices come in when three people are in the storyline.
   
   The musical selections are varied and enjoyable to listen to.



3. I ordered this book/ cd set because it was required text for a college class. It is well organized and clearly written. I especially like the way the listening guides in the book refer to specific portions of songs which are recorded so that the entire work can be played seemlessly in its entirity, or specific portions can be accessed individually.
   The only thing this work lacks is impossible for any work that attempts to offer a complete appreciation of music to achieve, complete scope.
   I recommend this set.



4. easy to understand and learn from, it is a textbook so that's what you are getting. Good pictures and diagrams so far. I bought here because it had the best price.



5. The book arrive as described. I thought the audio CD's were included but its still good.

5 comments about Self-Healing With Sound & Music.

1. I absolutely love this 2 CD set. Dr. Weil's explanations of sound therapy are extraordinary and the sound attunements are amazing! I can always count on a great balancing realignment with the holophonic technology used in the recordings. Kimba's instrumentation is so relaxing and joyful that I listen to them over and over. Unlike some "New Age" musical CDs, this set is truly therapeutic in the use of vibration and sound to heal and strengthen the body and Spirit.



2. Self-Healing With Sound & Music by Andrew Weil, Kimba Arem is a wonderful background music source. I enjoy it for ambience during meals and especially when relaxing or resting during an illness.



3. This is a 2 cd pack. The first cd was an interesting lecture by Andrew Weil and Kimba Arens about the theory of healing with sound, with a bit of physics thrown in. They mention how we live surrounded by sound pollutants (car alarms, drilling, cell phone shouters) and how we should be more careful what sounds/vibrations we let in.
   
   The second CD has very lovely music by Kimba, with bells and water and subtle chants, which I find soothing. I find quite a lot of new age music really irritating, so the fact that this one works for me, makes this a very nice find.



4. "Self Healing with Sound & Music" does exactly what the title implies. The first CD is quite informative and I enjoyed Dr. Weil's explanation on the effect sound has on our body and mind. The second CD sends you into another world it is so soothing. If you are under stress, having health issues, or just want to relax and unwind I would recommend this CD.



5. I recommend this CD. A friend gave it to me and I have since bought several copies to give to others.

No comments about Sonic Sing & Play Music (Power Lab).

5 comments about The Pema Chodron Collection: Pure Meditation:Good Medicine:From Fear to Fearlessness.

1. these are wonderful recordings of pema chodron presenting teachings and wisdom about meditation, open heart, and tonglen. she is clear, wise and funny. i've played these over and over and they have helped me so much in my own practice. highly recommended.



2. Have you seen that ad on TV - "Your mind controls you, but do you control your mind?" Pema Chocdron shows you how to stop the incessant noise and criticism of your mind by finding a space where ideas are allowed, but teh spontaneous reaction to those ideas is not. By becoming compassionate towards others, you become more compassionate towards yourself, and learn to laugh at yourself and feel less alone by realizing "others feel like this too".
   
   Buy this - it helps.



3. I put Pema in my walkman (yes, I'm old) and listen to her on my long walks with the dog. I can listen to them over and over and enjoy them. She's easy to listen to and imparts information without preaching.



4. Every CD in this set is excellent, and since they were taped on site at sessions in Cape Breton you feel like Pema is right there in the room with you. Pema's words along with her wonderfully soothing voice will truly heal the aches and pains of living. It's not just the simplicity but the honesty that makes owning everything Pema worthwhile. If I had known about her years ago, I would have lived differently, if not more easily. Now, because of Pema, there are no regrets, just today. This set is very good therapy.



5. This is a very nice collection of three of Pema Chodron's CD's. She is an excellent teacher--compassionate, thoughtful, and very user-friendly. Listening to these CD's has helped open my heart and mind during stressful moments in life when taking a moment to pause and stay with an uncomfortable emotion is the more difficult but, beneficial mode of operation.