Captivating - Gipstein lit the way for us
583578
Todd Gipstein's 1800's historical account of how lighthouses were constructed in hazardous areas was a perfect segue to the Race Rock legend of the "Legacy of the Light".  He expertly describes Race Rock and Fishers Island, Groton and New London including the crippling events of the 1938 hurricane. He paints a vivid picture of the critical and demanding, yet lonely job of a lighthouse keeper and uses powerful imagery, great photos and a vivid cast of characters to bring this realistic, compelling story to "light". The riveting description of the treacherous storms at Race Rock provide a haunting vision of what the characters encountered.  A love story, a mystery, and good vs. evil, "Legacy of Light" is an engaging, entertaining read you won't want to put down.  Along with Nathanial and Caleb and Jennifer and Elliot, one almost feels that the lighthouse is also a well-revered character.  We read the book together and anxiously looked forward to discussing our thoughts on what happened and what would happen next.  We can't wait to see what Gipstein does next.
1284734
Levit had already established his credentials as a master performer of both Bach and Beethoven in his earlier releases. This variation collection takes his sensitivity and intelligence to another level. I have long loved the Goldberg ' s of Gould and Schiff  (both from both) among many others.  Levit has the structure, sequence and sorority that reveals new insights.  I have over 15 Diabelli's in my collection and stream others as they appear.  Levit constantly surprises with further insight, particularly into Beethoven's wit and depth. His was my first exposure to the Rzewski. I expected to dismiss the work's inclusion with the other epic works. I'm still learning it but my early exposure is surprisingly positive and I give Levit credit for advancing it.
3091522
This was one of the best acted and sung Ring's I've seen and heard. Tomlinson as Wotan is fantastic. Anne Evans as Brunnhilde carried things vocally and was an attractive stage presence. For a person who grew up on Hildegard Behrens' belching for The Met it's great to listen to a pleasing Brunnhilde. Siegfried Jerusalem as Siegfried was a pleasant surprise. I didn't like him much in The Met's production, but the Bayreuth air must agree with him. He nails his performances, both visually and vocally. Phillip Kang is decent as Hagen but needs more lung to match the likes of Matti Salminen. Then again, who's better than Salminen? The production is predictably schlocky in that familiar Euro-trash way, but at least the vision is consistent throughout the four operas. Too many modern productions simply don't cohere through the 15 hours, so desperate are directors/producers to rub our faces in their anarchic vision. For me, the stripped down staging in sections like the 3rd Act of Siegfried helped focus viewers attention on the fine acting, so it was no great loss that I didn't see a full blown flaming Brunnhilde's rock. I thought the Rhein maiden scene at the start of the cycle was great. They actually looked like they were swimming in the green light. Stage designers should take greater advantage of modern light projection techniques, including holograms, to build more compelling Rings. How many times has Fafner the dragon looked ridiculous on stage, a problem that's bedeviled production since the first performance when Wagner was alive? The text keeps assuring us that Fafner is the most terrifying vision on earth and then we get flailing paper mache claws and a cartoon head. We the viewers should be scared of Fafner, making Siegfried's bravery more impressive. Modern lighting could project a frightening, almost 3-D Fafner, if they'd just give up on the creaky contraptions. Same thing with Grane, Brunnhilde's horse, an animal that's repeatedly referenced but never seen believably. Project a shimmering version of Grane with modern lighting and forget about hobby horses and other cutesy stuff. Overall, I thought this production the most satisfying I'd seen on video.
1229948
Gregor Collins' talent as a writer is overshadowed only by his devotion to take care of Maria, in this real-life story. I read this book during a vacation on the beach and I could not put it down! The story - which time-travels between Maria's past, Gregor's own, and their time together - was captivating and fascinating.
The level of detail about Maria's dramatic life is delivered beautifully; better than the movie.
Gregor is sure to continuing wowing his readers and audience with his upcoming work - stay tuned...
3392437
Until I read the Kindle sample of this book, I wasn't sure it would be worth the asking price. Once I had read the sample, I couldn't wait to finish the rest of the story. My wife and I then spent the next two days listening to it as we drove from Houston to Chicago, via the text-to-speech feature of our Kindle Keyboard, and were thrilled with how listening made the drive effortless.

The Harvest is a great example of our favorite genre: religious science fiction. Starting from the premise that Judgment Day has arrived (again), but this time the Creator has decided to handle it differently, hoping to avoid some problems with the previous two Judgment Days. Thus, this is not simply the end of the world expected from the Book of Revelation, nor the coming of the Messiah expected by Judaism, nor the 13th Iman of Islam. Rather, it is a very thorough and enjoyable exploration of every conceivable aspect of such a day, from pretty much every possible perspective, even including some New Age ideas, along with lots of plausible ideas from hard science, and plenty of thrilling action.

There is some "adult" language, but not enough to bother us. I suspect it will be enjoyed most by those with open minds and extensive education. I am also sure I will be reading it again, more slowly, to savor and further consider its ideas. Although it does not exactly match my beliefs, like&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Great-Divorce/dp/B002BD2US4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Great Divorce</a>&nbsp;by C.S. Lewis, this book includes many interesting ideas about the afterlife that I would love to find true.

Highly recommended!
2826381
If you are like me, you'll be captivated by Terri Fivash's DAHVEED: YAHWEH'S C HOSEN. It would be a very worthwhile adventure to sit in a history class taught by her. She has masterfully taken the almost "bare-bones" biblical account of David, and intricately interwoven historical facts about the culture of Dahveed's time.

Since I'm a person who lives what they read, I catch the sound of Dahveed's harp, and all but feel the attack that almost left him dead as a young child. As in Fivash's preceeding books, choices made are key to understanding the plot.  I also got a real sense of the importance of Yahweh's presence in Dahveed's life.

Fivash's Front Material enlightens the reader as to the book's suitability for children, and how to pronoounce the Bible characters' names.  Actual Bible names used have an asterisk preceeding them.  The cultural notes also flesh out the story. This book is not only captivating, but educational.

You will definitely want to get each volume in her series as fast as it becomes available!
1498276
Rudolf Buchbinder performed all five Beethoven Piano Concertos in the course of a Saturday evening concert and a Sunday matinee the following day. They were recorded in May 2011 in the main concert-hall of Vienna, and Buchbinder directed the orchestra from the keyboard. The performances were filmed for DVD and recorded for CD release by Sony, and here they are. I imagine the prospect of taking on the challenge of playing and directing these pieces in such a short space of time might get the adrenalin going, and that seems to be the case here: these are terrific performances, with Buchbinder playing as if inspired, fully responsive to the tenderness of the slow movements, which he is not ashamed to linger over in places, and as a result the energy he brings to the finales is all the more exciting and engaging. For all that, nothing seems exaggerated or overdone, and the piano playing is simply magnificent. One could quibble here and there -- are the opening movements of Nos. 1 and 2 really "con brio"? -- but you'll get no arguments from me. Buchbinder clearly knows what he wants, and one gets the feeling that his eye is always on the bigger picture -- the impression the audience has at the end, rather than just milking local effects (not that the playing, phrase by phrase, is anything but enlivening!).

I really need to play some pieces again to fix my thoughts about them, but it seems to me so far that No. 4 is especially outstanding. The short strange slow movement is gripping here, and the following finale -- which I think of as not disconnected from the slow movement -- has energy, charm, and wit to burn. It is simply outstanding. And in this concerto, you can hear Buchbinder bearing down AND having fun with Beethoven's cadenzas. Indeed, the playing of the cadenzas throughout the set is so absorbing that you wish that they were separately tracked. In the two early concertos, we can hear Beethoven seeking to both entertain and amaze with the variety of material in the cadenzas, the sudden changes from lyricism to showy passage work, and the big splashy stuff as well. Buchbinder has it all well in hand, and the playing never strikes one as labored or awkward. It all makes perfect sense as you listen. I have been listening to Andsnes's accounts, which are smaller scaled but with plenty of energy and beautifully lucid -- but if you hanker after the big sound, the Vienna Philharmonic brings it. The combination of well-upholstered tone and forward-moving energy is something special -- I was reminded of the great Boehm symphony recordings with this orchestra in the 1970s, and for me there's no higher praise.

All of this wouldn't matter if the engineers hadn't got the sound right. Well, they have . . . this is about as good as recordings of live performances get in music of this scale. The balance between piano and orchestra is very well-judged, and from top to bottom in both orchestra and piano, the sound is clear and undistorted, with plenty of presence for both. I hear it as better even than the Sony studio sound on the excellent Perahia/Haitink set, and much better than the Pollini/Abbado sound from the early 1990s. In other words, this is indispensable, and at its current price (under $30.00 for the set) it's a bargain too. Just get it.
4312731
I saw a clip of this on YouTube and realized I HAD to buy this.  The DVD reveals the magic,brilliance and artistry of Bernstein at the piano and conducting Rhapsody in Blue -- first playing solo piano, then standing to conduct, then merging his playing with the orchestra.  Bernstein's love of the music pours our of his hands.  The DVD was especially well done:  showing Bernstein's hands at the piano, then focusing on the solo performers in turn.  What a thrill it must have been to be there.  What a thrill to see it now.  (There are other pieces as well on the DVD.)
538174
I loved the restoration of the Hebrew Names of our Father and His Son, which Christopher Jones brings to life in this book.  I found it to be an easy read and captivating.  Yonah is a story I have heard many times as a child through adulthood and the author's comparison of Yonah in the belly of the whale to Mashiach's rising from the grave  is masterful.  You will enjoy reading this book and will find it difficult to set it down once you begin. Be watchful and be prepared for our Savior's return as no one knows the day or the hour, but we must be ready.  What a wonderful study tool we have here at our fingertips.
242423
Baum is an incredibly visual writer. It's easy to see why Hollywood snatched up "Grand Hotel:"  stunning and insightful characterization and a marvelous presentation of the human character in all its complexity, drama, and sadness.  Even if you loath some of the characters (and you will), it's hard not to empathize with them.  In our deepest selves we all have a bit of these people in us, struggling with each other and with life.  This should be on everyone's "must read" list.
493088
I finished reading Fortunate Son in the wee hours of this morning and found myself sad to leave the characters behind.  Mr. Marlett easily draws the reader in with his descriptive style and extensive knowledge, creating a fictional story woven around the real-life 18th century trial of  Annesley v Anglesea.  You'll follow tenacious young James, stripped of rightful title by his murderous uncle, as he loses all that is dear to him as a young boy, sold indentured servitude, incarcerated, but is finally is able to defend what is his.  The imagery is vivid and no detail is lacking - I could see the beautiful Laura tearfully encouraged James to return to Ireland from the Colonies, the events that unfolded during the tinchal, and the Scottish barrister,  Daniel Mackercher, at the trial as he powerfully laid out the case regarding James' heirship.

I wanted the story to continue, to know more of James and Laura's life, as well as those with whom they were close.  But, as with so many wonderful stories when ending, we become the interloper and must leave, lest we become intrusive to the characters.  So, wistfully we close the pages and allow our minds to fill in the blanks.
4807432
This is more than just a pretty book about art, or graphics; much more. Seidman manages to give a fascinating glimpse of history throughout much of the world, done so deftly through a lense of political persuasion and social movements. Of course, there are abundant amounts of incredible and often beautiful posters; I marked over 20 of them, trying to find my favorite, and each time "topping" a previous selection.  I was particularly intrigued by the audaciousness of the British and French offerings, some sinking (or rising?) to shockingly caustic negativity that makes our modern campaign propaganda seem tame. It was fascinating to see the strategy of poster design and distribution in countries where political television advertising is restricted. There is also plenty of good insight into our own political marketing system and how modern media has affected poster design and distribution in the U.S.

Whether you are into history, politics, rhetoric, art, graphics, or sociology, this well written work is a must read and probably one you'll return to again and again as political "machines" around the world cycle and recharge their grand election propaganda strategies.
3328249
David Crossland's The Jewish Candidate is truly a page-turner. I don't remember having read recently a novel about Germany's neo-Nazi scene as impressive as this. Crossland shows us a Berlin totally recognizable to anyone who knows the city, and with it provides the reader a sense of place that enriches his story. The two protagonists, Frank Carver and Wolfgang Renner, the journalists who cover Rudi Gutman's election campaign in his bid for chancellor of Germany, carry the story to an unexpected conclusion with their suspenseful, action-laden investigation of multiple terrorist attacks directed to discredit Gutman. One has to ask, however, if Crossland deliberately downplayed Gutman's characterization as a Jew to reflect the traditional patriotism of German Jews, who are known to consider themselves first and foremost as Germans. The story, which explores the extraordinary possibility of a Jewish chancellor in Germany doesn't benefit from showing little jewishness in Gutman the person, and almost none in Gutman the candidate, although this doesn't make it less fascinating. The Jewish Candidate is a well-written book that keeps one reading until late in the night.
1685083
D.L. Gentsch has joined a small and select group of highly informed and very talented "fiction" writers who have taken to task the challenge of conveying complex concepts that deeply affect our way of life and beg our timely attention. The endeavor is education through entertainment and Gentsch rocks us from complacency as he successfully steers the reader towards difficult realizations, in this case that much of our cherished belief system surrounding our "freedom" is at best illusionary.

Points on a line are just that, seemingly random historical events that when conveyed through the flashbacks and real time experiences of Gentsch's protagonist, Washington insider, Jude Anders, weave a frightening texture of political, financial, and economic control through manipulation and conspiracy.

In an exciting and informative style, Gentsch cleverly exposes the real world financial tyranny that we will either open our eyes to or be forever enslaved by. Jude Anders, a likeable Indie Jones of economics and former Vietnam War protestor, offers the present Washington administration a way out, a highly controversial "Plan B." Difficult but necessary, the fix would more than threaten powerful holders of a dark and secretive status quo. We join Anders as he reflects, often with regret, on his own role in the shaping of global events, while journeying on holiday (into hiding?) to an obscure Greek island.

From the very first page, an alarming scene aboard a C-130 transport 20 minutes out of Buenos Aires, "Points" is an exciting, fast-paced, can't-put-it-down-type read. An historically accurate financial thriller with a twist at the end, "Points on a Line" delivers a message that every freedom-loving individual needs to consider...yesterday!
4708144
I loved this book! I was immediately drawn into Joe Rantz's life and into the previously unknown world of crewing.  I had always thought of it as a sport of the "upper class." It was so interesting to learn more about the spot and it's popularity in the early 20th century America. Then there's the Nazi Germany sub plot. That was also very riveting.  It is the sign of a truly excellent nonfiction story that still can't wait to find out what happens next.....even when history had recorded it already.
3068592
Stories of the Holocaust appeal to me, and this book did just that. All though I am not Jewish, this book still caught my eye. Nolan's changeovers in the book were absolutely captivating. His words roll of your tongue as if they were tiny pieces of candy. He evoked the secrecy of prejudism today, by bringing together to very different young girls.
  As a teenager, I can fully relate to the type of humility it is to learn your family's antiquity. It is so "un-cool", as some may put it, to retrospect on ones life. A young girl, Hilary Burke, loathes the very thought of Jews. It takes a fatal car-accident and a look back in history as a Jew, for her to realize the torture and animosity it took for these human-beings to retrieve respect in common-day society.

  "If I should die before I wake" is a compelling and a deeply written book, describing the living space and privacy of two young adults. Nolans portrayal is filled with melancholy and grief. It truefully brings tears to ones eyes.
2156676
I read a lot of Zionist and early Israel literature. Few books have held my attention and interest as Dr. Uriel Bachrach's riveting account Hemed - The Israeli Science Corps. This was an aspect of Israel's early history that neither I, nor any others among my informed friends, knew anything about. Lovers of Israel have Dr. Bachrach and his colleagues to thank for their contribution to Israel's establishment; we also have Bachrach to thank for bringing this amazing story to light.

I plan to buy several copies and give them to my friends and colleagues.