5 comments about Last and First Men and Star Maker : Two Science Fiction Novels.

1. Last and First Men has been my favorite book for almost 30 years. W.O.S. is my favorite author of all time. I find myself re-reading it every few years to marvel at the accuracy of his predictions. The chapter on the Americanization of the planet and the conflict with China is eerie in it's accuracy. This from a book written before WWII. I've loaned out several copies and they always wind up on extended journeys. I bought this paperback edition to give to my 17y.o. This book is a must for any serious SF fan!



2. These books are fiction, but they are not novels. There is no plot, no character development, no dramatic tension. Nothing about them, structurally, is like a novel. There is a great deal of creativity, and the occasional dose of mysticism, but it is all bent in the service of an endless assault of over-the-top communist propaganda.
   
   I was quite surprised by this, since I loved Stapledon's novel "Odd John", which is anything but egalitarian or socialist.
   
   Human spiritual evolution is Stapledon's basic theme in all his works, but in these two, he went down the wrong road. Evolution takes place when individuals separate themselves from the unconscious masses. Socialism can only lead to the masses dragging conscious men down to their own level. Freedom alone can lead to evolution. Stapledon was a victim of the sick philosophies of his time, now, of course, utterly discredited. It clearly destroyed his later works, where he went against his every artistic instinct to pen this socialist tripe for transparent political reasons.
   
   But do read "Odd John", which has none of this gobbledygook in it, is an actual novel, and indeed a bona fide classic.



3. Olaf Stapledon was an immensely deep-thinking philosopher who utilized science fiction for his expansive ruminations on the place of humanity in the universe. The two books combined here are an excessively heavy read and are considerably more dense than his two well-known character-driven novels - the also weighty Odd John and Sirius (the volume combining those two classics is highly recommended). Last and First Men and Star Maker could be faulted for reading less like novels and more like philosophical tracts, but this is not a sign of weakness because Stapledon's philosophy is robust enough to make the method work. Meanwhile, reviewers who harshly criticize Stapledon's political leanings are members of ideologies that are inherently hostile to creativity and deep thinking. Stapledon was a philosopher, not an ideologue, and his fully developed conceptions of the small place of humanity in the cosmos ultimately revealed his humanist faith. He achieved these philosophical insights with a science fiction vision of an immensity that has never been equaled in the genre.
   
   Last and First Men (1931) gives a future history of the human race that is incredibly far beyond the few thousand years that most sci-fi writers can come up with. Stapledon maps out human progress and evolution over a whopping two billion years, with a narrative scope in which all of human experience as we know it can be glossed over in a single paragraph. Though Stapledon's predictions of future progress are hokey at times (for instance, he was a few hundred million years off on the first human space voyage), his vision is stupendous in its range and depth. The spirit of humanity survives through 18 different species, many near-extinctions and evolutionary dead-ends, and three different homeworlds.
   
   Star Maker (1937) has, amazingly, a vision of universal history that is orders of magnitude beyond Last and First Men. That story's two billion years become but a single paragraph here. Via thought experiments in dream-like omniscience, Stapledon presents the history of the cosmos as a tragedy taking place over hundreds of billions of years, with the rise and fall of galaxies and dimensions serving as the action. Eventually Stapledon envisions the universe as a sentient deity of a vastness and complexity that even his nearly-omniscient narrator can't put into words. Stapledon's works are essential for big thinkers who are obsessed with understanding their place within the billions of years and trillions of light years of the vast infinite universe. Stapledon's ability to shed light on mankind's inconsequential yet fully worthwhile place in the uncaring cosmos was profoundly astonishing. [~doomsdayer520~]



4. Stapledon's epic ages of man tour-de-force. This is by no means a detailed character study, but a study of a theme - the evolution of humanity, and its spread. You are not quite sure how one man could get his head around this at the time, but he managed, in a masterful way. Very influential and exciting, this book.



5. This is a classic?
   
   Written between WWI and WWII, I found the Last and First Men interesting only in that the author completely missed predicting the future. Example: Germany becomes a 'peacenik' state. Then there is the boring writing style. This novel read like a laundry list--first this happened, then that, then they did this, etc. It was a completely detached perspective with no sense of connection to the story, no compulsion to find out what happens next. Someone described this as a history book, but history books are more interesting than this.
   
   I gave up after a couple chapters.

5 comments about The Recorder Guide (Recorder).

1. This is an excellent introduction to the recorder. One need not know anything to get started. A great project to work through with your kids! It uses nursery songs and music we all know, in simple arrangements, including solos, duets and trios, for soprano and alto recorder.



2. If you want to learn the recorder this is a great book to start with. It teaches both soprano and alto recorder and has some wonderful folk tunes from around the world. It includes a short introduction into the mechanics of music, great for those who don't already read music. I bought this book twenty years ago, and I have been playing recorder ever since. (I even had to purchase a new edition recently.)



3. I found this book in a used bookstore & compared it with another recorder instruction book that I have (from http://oakmeadow.com). Both books teach the notes in pretty much the same order, but this book also teaches ALTO recorder, right along with soprano... if you already know how to play soprano, and want to learn Alto, it really helps to have the soprano music notes alongside the alto...
   
   The lessons are very clear & the songs are nice...



4. This is an excellent book! I learned the soprano/tenor recorder using Zeitlin's "Basic Recorder Lessons" (the Omnibus edition) along with a number of other good books, and was sorry to find that he did not write a similar book for the alto. I ran across this book while searching for instructional books for the alto, and I'm very glad I bought it! It teaches both soprano and alto side by side, making it a double value for your money. In addition to the usual folk tunes and dances, it also has quite a number of exercises to build up your fingering dexterity and breathing technique. Highly recommended.



5. This is an excellent beginner's guide to soprano and alto recorders. It pairs the instruction for both recorders so they can learn together and soon begin to play duets. I use it in an elementary school program.

No comments about Harmonica For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

4 comments about Art of Clarinet Playing (Art of).

1. This book has been an indispensible aid in learning to play the clarinet. Not only does it answer a myriad questions I had as a beginner, but it gives detailed advice on infrequently documented procedures. For example, there are chapters on the mouthpiece, reed, clarinet, embouchure, relaxation, breathing and support, voicing the tone, tonguiing, fingers, tone quality, intonation, high-register playing, technique, resistance, rhythm, legato, and phrasing. I haven't found any other book that covers half of the subjects. Much less with the lucidity and detail of Mr. Stein. I highly recommend this book.



2. This book is a must for both amateurs and professionals. The book has many solutions to common and uncommon problems, as well as detailed instructions. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.



3. Light print on all pages pages fades into almost unreadably light in a few pages. The print quality of this booklet detracts from the content of this book. If you want some good information about clarinets, but don't mind straining your eyes with an inferior quality publication, this would be for you.



4. It's easy to play a clarinet poorly. Plenty of people do just that. They learn how to play the clarinet in order to be in their high school bands, and they don't learn it all that well.
   
   That's why there is a need for this book, which teaches the basics really well and explains how to avoid many of the more fundamental errors made by those who are learning to control this marvellous instrument.
   
   Even if you are a young clarinetist, it isn't too early to read this book. And if you want to learn the fundamentals of how to play the clarinet, this is the place to start.
   
   One more suggestion: don't stop with this book. Try some of the clarinet music the author suggests. And I'd also recommend Brymer's book "Clarinet," for some useful but more advanced material on clarinet acoustics.

5 comments about 100 Solos: Flute.

1. I purchased this book for my daughter who just completed her first year of flute in school. I was hoping to help he keep her interest through the summer with fresh material. I learned that although she is very good for her level, most of the book was a little intimidating, but she readily picked out a few she wanted to learn. Secondly, she has started a second instrument, the electric guitar this summer. She is practising her flute with the school practice book. Maybe she will use this book later.



2. I bought this as a gift for a floutist friend. Unfortunately, I think they hated it, although she does enjoy playing the flute. I wouldn't buy it for a friend again, but maybe myself.



3. You must love the Beatles and the soundtrack to "Oliver" to enjoy playing from this book. For some, "enjoyment" may not be required when looking for material for practice. This book would be perfect for them.



4. i really like this flute music, it's very diverse and not too advanced, since i've only been playing flute again after about 15 years of not playing.



5. This book provides 100 solos which sounds cool with the flute. I felt that the notation level increases through the book. This means, the book starts with easy solos, and they get harder as you advance.
   
   Most of the solos aren't longer than 1-2 pages.
   
   If you are looking for nice and short solos for the flute, this book would be a good choice. If you are looking for a book to teach you how to play the flute, you may consider other alternatives.

4 comments about On Playing the Flute: Second Edition.

1. Articulation, aesthetics, phrasing, ornamentation, character, tempo, practicing, accompaniment, style, notation, how to give a concert, how to breathe when you're nervous, how to play in an orchestra, ... it's all here. This book from 1752 covers the art of being a musician, not just a flute player.

   Quantz' text is for anyone who cares about any music from about 1720 into the time of Mozart and Haydn. And it's essential performance practice material for anyone who would play this music: required reading for any serious student. It gives an indispensable window into German, French, and Italian taste.

   Modern flautists, string players, keyboard players, and singers can learn a tremendous amount here. The pages about "good" and "bad" notes and varied articulation/tongueing are worth the whole price of the book. They describe the sound that composers were thinking of, the expressive range, the tremendous variety of effects *within* melodic lines. Take Quantz seriously: he was there, and he was a good player and writer.

   What more needs to be said, except to thank the publisher for this edition? The previous issue by Schirmer has been out of print for far too long. This book should NEVER be out of print.




2. I have not read this book from cover to cover. Although, with it's wonderful index, it has provided me with an excellant resource manual for Baroque music.



3. Great book of interpretation of baroque music. Quantz show us about the thinking of playing the recorder and how to execute the notes in Allegro and Adagios. Very nice.



4. This book is a must for any musicial interested in playing Baroque music. The sections on ornamentation is THE definitive work on the subject.

5 comments about The Amateur Wind Instrument Maker.

1. I purchased this volume about two years ago and finally had the chance to make some instruments based upon it. Overall the book is extremely good and it appears to be the only reference of its sort. I enjoy broswing the book and reading Robinson's informative essays on each instrument. It is an enjoyable book even if you never actually make any of the instruments in it.

   I have looked for other references, but this seems to be the only one of its kind. Although there is a need for a more detailed construction-oriented manual of this type, I was able to make a quite satisfactory tenor cornamuse and a slightly less satisfactory tenor racket from Robinson's instructions.

   If you intend to make instruments I would recommend that you find examples of the instrument you wish to make since there are many details that no description could adequately deal with.

   My two major complaints are as follows. First, the instrument dimensions are given in metric units but the grid upon which the drawings are placed is in inches. A consistent use of one system or the other would make the drawings much easier to follow. Second, the drawings are vary highly in their quality. The baroque rackett, for example, is very clean and easy to follow, but the oboe and shawm drawings are of much lower quality.

   The best thing would be a second, expanded edition of the book with better drawings.

   (As one last note, if you are trying to find the "shell auger" mentioned in the book you will need to search for it from a wood turning catalogue as a "lamp auger")




2. Any where you go the price of even a poorly made fife is around 40$ Then you have things like crumhorns and racketts. Racketts list from 250 on up and good luck even finding a Tenor recorder for less than 300 (U.S.) So just on a plans basis the book is a good investment.
   It's not a shop how-to manual. The book assumes you allready have and know how to use your tools. The author provides the needed information to make simple (Renassance-ish time period) wood wind instruments. It's exactly what it says is, an amature guide and from the stand point, it's an excellant book and an excellant buy



3. this book did not cover what i had hoped that it would so was a waste of effort



4. I would recomend this book to anyone that is seriously considering the crafting of woodwind instruments. The book provides basic plans for an eclectic mix of instruments and helped point out some of the problems that I was having in my own wood working adventures.
   However, there were many areas that I felt were incomplete. The book had brief descriptions of techniques that I felt should have been expanded further and some of the plans should have had views from different aspects and in higher detail.
   What I appreciate about this books the techniques for making your own tapered reamers and links to organizations that will help me to further and expand my knowledge on instrument craft.



5. 
   Tony 'Baldrick' Robinson's 'Amateur Wind Instrument Maker' is an excellent guide to the craft of instrument building. As a semi-professional Pan-pipe player, I have often been disappointed with the timbre of mass-produced instruments. To achieve results here one requires a good degree of competence in various skills, but they are worth the effort. Doreen assures me that my rendition of 'Apache' now comes across far more effectively than on any factory-made instrument. This is a marvellous pre-cursor to his later book 'Amateur Grand Piano Maker'.

2 comments about Play Flute Today! Beginner's Pack: Book/CD/DVD Pack.

1. I bought this along with a book called Learning How to Play the Flute, which I like much better. The Hal Leonard book has fewer songs to play. I just watched the DVD and it's quite funny! Very dated and not helpful. The instructor onscreen just goes into too much picky detail and breezes through the notes too quickly. There's no way you could learn how to play the flute just by watching the DVD! You really need to practice from a book. There is also a CD but I haven't played along to it yet.



2. This DVD and book set is a great combination for beginners. The DVD goes very slowly through the process of learning the proper form. Then leads you right into forming notes. The book works right along with the DVD. My daughter will be way ahead of the game when her classes start.

2 comments about Oboe Method Complete.

1. If there is a required text for the oboist, the Barret Method is it. The etude studies are a standard part of the repertoire for students of all levels, and have been reproduced in other method books as well. I do not know of an oboist who has not worked from this book. Every student has their own favorite exercise and etude, and all learn to live with the yellow volume. While it can seem oppressive at times, the preparation it provides is second to none. It is a must-have for an obosits at any level.



2. This is a great book for teaching musicians phrasing. We're using it in our flute masterclasses.

5 comments about How to Love Your Flute: A Guide to Flutes and Flute Playing, or How to Play the Flute, Choose One, and Care for It, Plus Flute History, Flute Science, Folk Flutes, and More.

1. I knew nothing about the flute when I bought this book. I was pleased to not only learn a lot about the history and variety of flutes, but also to successfully purchase, assemble and begin to play a flute based on the author's clear and competent guidance. When I found a flute teacher, she was also impressed with the range of information the book presents, and added it to her recommended list. I am less than halfway through the book, so I can't comment on the more advanced sections, except to say that they appear to cover all aspects of music theory.



2. This guide to flute history, mechanics and playing technique is an excellent source for the beginner. It is written using understandable concepts that make it possible to visualize what is being taught. If you have not yet begun taking formal lessons with a teacher, this book will give you a good start.



3. This is the kind of book that should be required in band classes. It was nice to see some of the things you could do to repair the instrument, how to select an instrument, different types of flutes.



4. This book is informative, interesting and a great aid for a beginner, and perhaps for more advanced players, as well. It is full of very nteresting historical information and illustrations for wooden and bamboo flutes.
   As I am a rank beginner, I can only speak from that frame of reference. But I definitely think you should give it a try, if you are interested in playing the flute.



5. I have bought a few beginner flute books, and this one is clearly a classic. Many previous reviews cover the book well already, but I must add that the section on emboucher and producing notes was too brief. The most challenging part of learning the flute is making good sounds come out of it, and the book does not seem to adequately address this with satisfactory depth or give more specific tips on what to do about this main obstacle to learning.