5 comments about Interpersonal Communication Book, The (11th Edition) (MyCommunicationLab Series).

1. The book was in the condition as promised! Great and informative book, especially for communications majors. This book even discusses signs of break ups or divorce and ways to avoid this. It also gives great details on how to avoid and handle conflict. Interesting self assessment test all throughout.



2. This book is intersting and covers communication points very well. I also like the web site because it gives summarys for the chapters as well as test and powerpoints.



3. This book is very easy to read and understand! I wish there were short answer questions to test our vocabulary word retention.



4. I recently purchased this book for a class and was very impressed after only reading chapter 1. It is a very complete book and has a lot of extra information if you want to further study a topic. It has examples that are modern and from everyday life and helps students (like me) to better understand the importance of communication. I also liked the format and the inside is very colorful which does not make reading dull. I highly recommend this product.



5. Many college students go to school filled with the idea that they will learn the subjects they chose to study. No one tells them that the most important thing in their life is going to be the ability to communicate. Even Einstein with all of his brilliance worked at a low level in the Swiss patent office until he published his famous papers.
   
   Study after study shows that after college communications: be it written, oral and interpersonal communications is the most important thing in the minds of recruiters, teachers, and of course the other gender. While we all know how to talk, write and think we can communicate, there are basic rules about communicating that will improve our abilities.
   
   This book is now in its eleventh edition. It continues to be better polished based on feedback from users. It reflects the latest research to report on the best theories we have on communications. Finally, this book discusses the American culture. Culture provides the common basis we have in order to be able to communicate at all.

5 comments about Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

1. I bought this because I keep on getting flashbacks of the play I watched, with the Kathleen Turner and gang revival. Nothing like watching this powerful, brutal and extremely clever play by this master of metaphors - bravo to Albee - on stage...and feel yourself squirming in your seat, yet enjoying every gut-wrenching moment of it. Not for the faint-hearted this. A play written ahead of its time. This is a keeper on my shelves.



2. I was shocked to see that the new revision omits the end of Act II, "Walpurgisnacht". George and Honey have a key confrontation. George says "How to you make your secret little murders stud-boy doesn't know about, hunh? Pills? PILLS? You got a secret supply of pills? Or what? Apple-jelly? WILL POWER?"
   
   Several pages are omitted; perhaps Albee wanted to decrease the run-time of the play. I have no idea. The shortening and the omission of key speeches are not worth the addition of the "F" word. Honey and Nick become a less complex and nuanced couple; her participation in secrets and her ambivalence about child-birth and motherhood are, essentially, removed from the text.
   
   It's an unkind cut.



3. If you ever get the chance to see a live production of this classic American drama, run and get your tickets. You will not be disappointed. Edward Albee's drama stands the test of time. George and Martha are in the throes of marriage abyss where the lies, unhappiness and frustration rules the relationship. Theirs is a game not to be played by amateurs, enter Nick and Honey, a young married couple about to get stuck in the web of deceit. The booze flows, the barbs fly and the game is on. This is above all else one of the great dramas of American theatre. I was in a production of this great play a few years back, playing Nick. It was probaly the most challenging play I was ever a part of. To totally divest yourself in it by night's end I was wiped out, emotionally and physically. Awesome experience.



4. I won't bother to go into how terrific a play this is (the five stars should indicate that), but having just seen the touring production with Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin, I have to wonder which version has been published here. The current touring production "is based upon the revised text of 2004" and differs from the original in several significant aspects. Perhaps the most significant change is that the new version never makes it explicit that George is the same character who accidentally killed his own parents--a crucial plot point in the original. Nor do we any longer hear Honey admit that she doesn't want to have children. There are other changes, with several other significant cuts and some rewritten lines here and there. But is this book, which was published in 2006, the "revised" text of 2004 or not? It would be nice to know.



5. We've all been there: writhing with discomfort as guests in someone's home because the host couple can't seem to stop arguing. That's the predicament Nick and Honey find themselves in after stopping over at George and Martha's house for drinks following a party for the college Nick and George teach at (and which Martha's father owns and operates). But this is no petty disagreement that George and Martha are having; Nick and Honey have become unwitting accomplices in the psychological warfare that George and Martha have engaged in after years of bitter disappointment and rivalry. Where it started is left open for interpretation, although it seems that when George and Martha were married George had his eyes on following in his father-in-law's footsteps, and instead found himself hopelessly stuck after failing to move up in his department (to which Martha nastily insinuates that he just didn't have "the STUFF," a multi-pronged jab at George's career, intelligence, and ability to satisfy his wife). But the depths of their unhappiness -- and other possible explanations for it -- are only revealed in layers, with the biggest twist saved for the final minutes of Edward Albee's diabolical gem of a play. And what of the hapless guests, the newlyweds Nick and Honey? They turn out to have some secrets and disappointments of their own that come out in the course of the evening, but it is George and Martha's pathos that claim the spotlight. Their manipulations, lies, insults, and betrayals may be difficult to watch, but "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is spellbinding drama at its best, and luckily for those of you who haven't seen it performed, the play reads just as well as it plays. I would, however, recommend watching it after you have read it -- even if only as a point of interest, because the roles of George and Martha have inspired many great performances. Kathleen Turner captivated Broadway with her rendition of Martha in 2005, but if you can't get access to a showing the 1966 movie with the inimitable pairing of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor (with George Segal and Sandy Dennis supporting) is far and away the definitive version. This is not to detract from the written play, of course, just to point out that "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is that rare play that excells in both formats, and should be experienced accordingly.

5 comments about Rabbit Hole.

1. If you like the dramatic and enjoy plays that move your heart and soul, then Rabbit Hole is for you. This wonderfully written play revolves around a family still coping with the death of their four-year-old son, Danny, who is killed when he accidently chases the family dog into the street. It is a play about bereavement, loss, coping, family and finally, forgiveness. The great thing about Rabbit Hole is that it is very contemporary and ready for the modern theatre audience.



2. Dealing with the most traumatic event any parent can endure--the death of a child--David Lindsay-Abaire manages to involve his audience in the grieving process and illustrate how we all grieve differently and for different lengths of time. Despite the subject matter, this 2007 Pulitzer Prize-winning play is often extremely funny, setting up emotional contrasts between ironic humor and infinite sadness which make the loss of the child more poignant, without dissolving into bathos.
   
   Danny, a four-year-old chasing his dog, has been struck and killed by a car driven by a seventeen-year-old driver, and the family is trying to cope with their grief. As the play opens, Becca, the child's mother, is folding the laundry--Danny's clothes--which she has just washed in preparation for giving them away. She has internalized her feelings, refusing group therapy, any religious counseling, and especially the advice of her overbearing mother. Her husband Howie goes to work, attends group therapy, becomes friends with some of the other grieving parents, and tries to coax Becca into becoming a wife again.
   
   Among the other characters, Nat, Becca's mother, has all the pat answers, and she equates the loss of this child with her own loss of her adult son, something she insists on emphasizing to Becca. Izzy, Becca's sister, an off-the-wall case of arrested development, has been having an affair and is now pregnant, an eventuality with which Becca must now learn to cope, especially since Izzy has used Danny's death as an excuse for her irresponsible behavior. Jason, the seventeen-year-old driver of the car, is also trying to come to grips with the events, blaming himself, reliving every moment, searching for some sort of forgiveness which he is not sure he deserves.
   
   As the characters interact, we see them as individuals, not just as participants in the terrible drama of their shattered world, but we also see that grief is not and cannot be a full-time activity. Many moments of humor make their lives more realistic and provide relief for the audience. As the eight months from Danny's death until the end of the play elapse, we see changes in all the characters, but the play ends (blessedly) without pat answers. Each character is different, reacting differently to the Danny's death, grieving their loss differently, and learning to cope differently. The audience, drawn into the events, will also react differently, respond to different characters in different ways, and imagine differently how they themselves would respond. Moving, memorable, and ultimately uplifting. n Mary Whipple



3. While well written, this is a standard movie-of-the week script which belongs on the Lifetime channel.



4. The story is a very well plotted look of a family after a horrific death in the family. Starts out in the very middle of the family's struggle to get through their ordeal. There is turbulance with the parents and siblings and of course, ends with a bit of a surprise. The actual production would be a great one to see performed - definitely worth reading then watching a performance.



5. Dramatist David Lindsay-Abaire says his Pulitzer-winning Rabbit Hole "is not a tidy play," and he urges companies to resist smoothing out the show's edges. Those rough edges are understandable, though, in a story about a couple traumatized by the accidental death of their four-year-old son. Nothing about that could possibly be tidy.
   
   Of course, if Rabbit Hole decided to be a melodrama, then it could easily be tidied up. Fortunately, Lindsay-Abaire resists that at all costs. He keeps the play real and, in doing so, keeps it immediate and, at times, emotionally painful. It's not a ball-your-eyes-out kind of emotional pain, though; it's a punch-to-the-throat emotional pain. There is a rawness to it.
   
   While Rabbit Hole would certainly carry even more impact if performed--since that's why plays are written--it holds up extremely well on the page. From the first scene, Lindsay-Abaire unfolds the story gradually, using adeptly written dialogue to offer one small surprise turn after another. As a result, you learn about the characters in little steps, which keeps you interested in them and what they're up to.
   
   At the core of the play is probably the most horrific scenario any parent can imagine: the death of a child. In Rabbit Hole, the child's death has happened eight months prior to the start of the play. We meet the parents lost in the wilderness of their own separate griefs, unable to find their way out or find each other. The play is about that search and what a parent might find.
   
   The play may be affirming...but it might not be, either. That's up to the reader. One thing's for sure, though: Whatever you find, it will be heartfelt and real.

5 comments about Actions: The Actors' Thesaurus.

1. I picked up this book to help me with my acting and I have to say it has helped! It gives me quick access to actions that I can use with my paperwork. If I don't know quite what I am looking for I can look up the type of action I am looking for and go from there. Not bad for a few bucks.



2. "Actions" is the perfect size to carry around, and I've found it invaluable in preparing for auditions as well as fleshing out a role. The juice in this book is in the concept of characterizing a theatrical beat in one action word. Since theater is visual, it is critical for an actor to physically demonstrate the inner workings of the character, and this book is a great jumping off point. I did purchase a pocket size thesaurus to use with it, since on several occasions this book did not contain the exact word I was looking for. I've played four widely different roles since acquiring this book, and consider the hours I've spent looking for that perfect "aha!" word well worthwhile. I'm making much more confident acting choices, and I think my characters are more assured, clearly defined and authentic. Highly recommended!



3. I'm an acting teacher in the theatre department at a university. I've found one of the biggest problems for actors was naming their goal/objective/victory...whatever you want to call it...and coming up with tactics that were compelling and ACTABLE. This book offers a goldmine of ideas for actors. Now, hopefully, they can move on from "convince" and "avoid"!!!
   
   
   
   [ASIN:0896762521 Actions: The Actors' Thesaurus]]



4. This book is wonderful as a reference when trying to find the perfect action to express your intentions and achieve your objective in the scene. It won't be too helpful if you're not sure what action to start with at all, but if you have a sense of the action you are looking for, this thesaurus will help you find the strongest choice. I will carry this with me at all times.



5. Decent first section discussing the use of actions, but the actual thesaurus included many words that don't work practically as actions. Maybe 20% of the list is useful in practice

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Ballroom Dancing, DVD Edition (Complete Idiot's Guide to).

1. This book uses a lot of words, but fails to make clear how to master a dance step. Disappointing. It makes a good coffee table book (one leg was shorter than the rest.)



2. I had high hopes when I bought this book. I have never danced before so perhaps that is why after reading it, I did not think this book was entirely for dummies who did not know how to dance. The book had much advice about dancing and the preparatory stages before dancing, but when it came down to the actual explanations of dancing it was difficult for me to follow the sequences especially looking at a book while trying to copy what it said. I felt it focused to much on the wedding day event, which is old news for someone who has been married for a while- perhaps including a section about how to animate a reluctant spouse to dance would have been more appropriate! The book wasn't the main disappointment. It was the DVD. I had hoped for more explicit instruction when viewing the DVD and there was none. He spoke some advice during the clips but did not explain what was going on. It was like watching a performance which although beautiful to behold was still mysterious. Not having had any prior dancing experience but lots of desire to want to teach myself, I suppose I expected too much from this book and it left me naturally let down. Those who have some dancing experience will find this book much more enjoyable and will benefit from it more fully.



3. This book will take you through the basic patterns of popular social dances and does a fairly adept job of doing so. This is purely a footwork book, as there is little mention of styling, but for the absolute novice it will get you out on the dance floor.
   
   I particularly enjoyed the section on rhythm and the emphasis that dancing is about doing the same motion, the exact same way every time, so you don't really have to have rhythm to dance, you just need to perform the same motion the same way consistently. I have a friend struggling with this same issue in his dancing and recommended this book to him, with the practice exercises included, to help him improve.
   
   All in all, a well written book for the novice dancer and one I recommend.



4. If you are taking lessons and are serious about putting some hard work into learning how to dance then this book is a great resource. As a 50-ish beginner, I loved the background information but did skip ahead to the "lessons", only to come back later and see how important the background and foundations were! Like anything else, there are no shortcuts if you want a quality result. You're not going to pick this book up and be dancing in a week, any more than you could learn to paint a landscape or play the piano in a week. Dancing is music, art and body control. Idiots, - It takes practice!
   One suggestion: I would like to have seen some footwork diagrams as many "Idiots", like myself, need a visual diagram in addition to photos and the lengthy "Step" descriptions.



5. To bo honest I have not read much of the book, I started dance classes (ballroom and latin)about 2months ago and I am able to pick up the moves pretty fast cause I love it. So I focussed more on the CD here which I was very impressed with. It was more than I expected to find, covering a few basics two or three patterns per dance, having a little knowledge of dance already it was a nice review and practise. However to thos of you that are interested in the book you will find explanations for both the man and woman's steps and also pictures as guidelines covering waltz, foxtrot,tango, viennese waltz, rumba, merengue, samba, cha-cha, mambo, east coast swing...that's a good spread for your money, of course the Cd is necessary to also help explain.

4 comments about Spring Awakening: A Play.

1. I heard Franzen speak about how unfaithful the recent NY production was to Wedekind's anarchistic perspective. This is a brash and funny send up of modern society's sexual hypocrisy. Fast read, too.



2. Spring awakening explores the sexual awakening of teenage boys and girls in Germany in the late 1800's. It was shocking in its day, and still is somewhat today, despite the openness of our society.
   The Frank Wedekind play has been updated, set to music, and will open as a major Broadway Musical in Spring, 2003. Watch for it, you will be blown away! And be sure to read the play first. You'll be amazed at how true the production is to Frank Wedekind's fine work.



3. as an actor I have just performed this play I was Mechior one of the lead roles this book has a mixture of teenage experiences, a must read for all directors and actors if you ever get a chance to perform it then make sure you do



4. Hughes' translation seems as rich, exciting & electric to modern readers as the original text must have been to audiences a century ago. It avoids the stiff awkwardness that former English translations have been known for, while still remaining true to Wedekind's dark symbolism and expressionistic overtones. A must-read for theater-lovers and practictioners alike.

5 comments about Animal Farm.

1. 2008 is the ideal time to apply the principles that we have learned from Animal Farm and apply them to November's 2008 Presidential election. Just as Napolean, the pig, instigated a rebellion against the owner of the farm (Jones) by talking about how great things will be once the animals ruled the farm, today we are told by the Obama Democrats that once Bush and the Republicans are thrown off the farm (Washington), that all will be well, that things will look wonderful, and that none of us will ever be hungry again. In Animal Farm, though, the animals were far worse off after Mr. Jones was kicked off the farm. Like Obama, Napolean also did not have any experience in running a farm, but this did not stop him from stating that he would be more competent and able to handle the farm. Further, once Napolean took charge of the farm, the interests of the other animals started to decline more and more. He started to remove any sense of democratic principles by eliminating the need for public comment and strongly took action against any potential dissent. This is exactly where the Obama Democrats want to take our country--first, by stating that they (and he alone) can manage the country -- even though there is no experience to suggest that he ought to, and secondly, by eliminating any form of dissent by destroying talk radio and also by heavily regulating and taxing the internet in order to suppress the one free and open medium that is available to counter their message. The lesson of Animal Farm is clear: those who claim to provide us with utopia on earth often will create hell instead through dictatorship, centralization of authority, and a desire to obtain power for power's sake. If we learn the lessons of Animal Farm, our nation will be far better off.



2. Wow- I was a little nervous to read this book, while at only 130 pages it is very unassuming...after reading 1984 in HS, I was dubious of enjoying anything of George Orwells. Perhaps I have grown up, or perhaps this is a much easier, and more interesting/intelligable read. Either way, I enjoyed Animal Farm!
   
   Some parts I couldn't help but laugh at the subtle irony, other parts got me thinking on a deeper level but all through out the book I was curious where the story was going, how it would end and what "the point was". (I chose to read the Foreward, last, so as not to get any spoilers.)
   
   I think this was a great subtle novel. I can see why it may be required reading in school, one of the reasons I enjoyed it was that it was an "easy", straight forward read! Gets you thinking...that's always a good thing!



3. Once Upon A Time, there was a farm called the Manor Farm, and the animals on the farm are very mistreated. One day, the animals rise up against their human masters, and establish a near-utopian society. But promises of equality and plenty soon begin to be forgotten... until conditions are worse than they were under the humans.
   A cautionary tale of the corrupting effects of power, George Orwell intended this to be a commentary on the depradations of the Soviet Union. A very facinating book.



4. Animals Gone Wild...
   By Lily Starbuck
   
   George Orwell's fable, Animal Farm, tells the tale of frustrated animals who overthrow their master Mr. Jones, who owns the Manor Farm. Through many hard times and conflicts it comes down to who can survive the new farm life. New leaders, new problems, new jobs, everything is changing for the better. Or is it? Orwell is able to portray the idea "absolute power corrupts absolutely." Animal Farm is a quick read and has a loud and clear message, which Orwell shows through a microcosm of the 1917 Russian revolution.
   
   The animals have one goal in mind after they defeat Mr. Jones. That goal would be change. And through this change there will be laws, the Seven Commandments that will help keep the animals equal with one another and make sure the animals don't acquire human-like habits, because the animals don't want to become like the humans who have treated them so terribly and striped them of their freewill. While reading the book you see some animals are starting to create a different status for themselves on the farm, making them more important and able to instruct as well as make decisions for the other animals. I know that while reading Animal Farm I felt angry at the animals that let a new leader control them. Only some of the characters didn't remain loyal to their new leader, and that to me showed bravery, for standing up for something they knew had to be stopped.
   
   George Orwell used farm animals to illustrate the struggle for the control of the Soviet Union. The two pigs, Snowball and Napolean, from Animal Farm resemble Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stallin who both fought over power in Russia. Both Napolean and Stallin took all the power for themselves and became greedy and selfish, therefore not fulfilling their promises to their followers. The struggle for authority, throughout history, is an ongoing process.
   
   I truly enjoyed reading Animal Farm. It wasn't a book where you couldn't put it down but one you find time to read in the oddest moments. George Orwell was an amazing writer. He made learning a life lesson and learning part of history simple and enjoyable. And I don't even like reading books about talking animals and yet I'm recommending this fabulous piece of literature.



5. It is the rare political book that is both entertaining and thought provoking. Rarer still to be unforgettable and insightful and life-changing. Animal Farm, for me was all this.
   
   The allegory is powerful and the use of farm animals both clever and entertaining, and helped makes the story all the more vivid and memorable. The story is well know, a group of farm animals eventually led by the boar Napoleon, overthrow the capitalist farmer and create an idealistic worker's paradise. Little by little and bit by bit they become not only as corrupt as the former system, but even worse as exemplified by their ruthlessness and hypocrisy. The reader comes away much more cynical about utopian ideals, which sounds like a bad thing but is actually a good thing. Incredibly powerful book, with the weight of truth and some kind of native energy that makes a despairing fairy-tale into a life-changing lesson. I've read plenty of books that I've enjoyed more, but few I've been so drastically impacted by. This book is a must for an adolescent, and if you missed it then even if you're eighty-five pick it up and read it now. It's both historical and timeless.

No comments about The Return of Ulysses: A Cultural History of Homer's Odyssey.

5 comments about Self-Working Table Magic: 97 Foolproof Tricks with Everyday Objects.

1. This book is amusing but not spectacular, I would go for the street magic, Mindfreak and blaine books for something more espectacular. Decent for beginers.



2. I purchased this book thinking that it would be a good beginning magic book for a group of middle schoolers interested in learning magic tricks. It seems that even though the objects are everyday, the tricks are not. This is a great book if you are willing to do the practice to master the tricks, but if you are looking for a quick trick, then keep looking.



3. Karl Fulves has been putting out these kinds of books for what seems like an eternity. They are good books for kids and even a skilled performer can pull some good material from these books.
   [...]



4. i think that this is a great book and it rocks my socks



5. Many beginners to magic (and others who should know better) are of the opinion that a magic effect has to be difficult in order to be worthwhile. While there are many killer effects that take months or years of practice, there are equally wonderful tricks that rely on psychology, subtlety, and/or advance preparation. The Self Working series of books are a treasure trove of great magic. This book is no exception. Many of the included tricks are used by successful professional magicians. Admittedly, these are best used in a program with other, more elaborate tricks, but for those moments in your act where you need a short, sweet effect, something in this book might just fill the bill. And as you get more proficient in magic you will find ways to further embellish these tricks and make them your own private miracles.

4 comments about Balanchine Variations.

1. Ms. Goldner's response to Balanchine is almost as much a pleasure to read as Balanchine's ballets used to be to watch. She brings forward the intricacies of physical movement musicality and emotional intent inherent in the choreography without missing a single element's importance and depth. She does it succinctly easily and pleasurably, in a kind of way Balanchine himself would have done. He must have been looking over her shoulder.
   How she makes me miss dancing these wonderful ballets. For the dancer who knew Balanchine she offers a joyful nostalgia at what in his work is immortal. If you have never seen a Balanchine Ballet read this first. If you go to New York City to see the Company go to the Lincoln Center Performing Arts library as well just so you know what she and I were looking at during the time Balanchine was there.



2. I knew very little about ballet before diving into this book, and while reading it, I didn't feel that I was at a disadvantage. Reading it is like sitting next to a trusted friend at a ballet, having her point out bits of backstory, criticism, and praise. You can tell that Goldner really loves Balanchine's ballets, and without having seen most of these, I loved them too.



3. Writer Wellness: A Writer's Path to Health and Creativity This is a valuable and unique work of dance history from the keen eyes of dance critic Nancy Goldner. While there are many books on the life of Balanchine, this is a first for a book that explores and explains many of his greatest choreographic achievements. Dance students, dance history scholars, all libraries, and any person interested in Balanchine's legacy will appreciate the concise writing and interesting details that Goldner includes.



4. This book is written and researched with care and detail. The author has a superb degree of observation and understands the subject matter, as well as being familiar with the person for whom the book written.