Morrison and Quitely!
589756
One can never go wrong when these two get together. Giving the X-Men a new look and the typical outside of the box storyline breathed new life into the comic. Highly recommended!
726765
Here we go!

Stephanie Brown's two years as Batgirl have been out of print almost since they ended. This collection, though not fancy (there are no real extras in either written or art material besides already released variant covers), is long deserved by my favorite Batgirl. Bryan Q. Miller knocks the story and dialogue out of the park, creating an exciting, fun story with a real sense of unity through repeated catchphrases and thematic elements woven throughout showing Stephanie's developement and relationship deepening.

Lee Garbett's incredibly appealing facial features on pencils are supplemented by Phil Noto's mysterious covers and Artgerms lovingly rendered pinup covers in the second half of this volume. Pere Perez, the unsung hero of Steph's tenure as Batgirl, also assisted in the Flood arc, with his clean, cheery but sometimes spooky renderings of the world of Steph, Babs, and Wendy.

I eagerly anticipate the concluding volume in January!
1124264
This album finally arrived today after my long and eager wait. I think I've played it at least six times already! "Songs of Mose Allison" oozes charm and it will put a smile on your face and a skip  in your step.  I have been a fan of Van Morrison's music for some time and  now thanks to him I've realized the amazing talent of Mose's songwriting.  Who knows, maybe some day soon my collection of Mose Allison's albums might  rival my collection of Van's...
751901
This is a phenomenal collection of music.  No, it's not for the casual Van Morrison fan that only wants to hear Brown Eyed Girl.  It has Blues, Rock, Gospel with Van and other singers.  It is a fabulous CD that any of Van's fans should own.
3451634
Morrison is a truly gifted writer.  Although I am not sure this is her best book it is certainly excellent.  I was completely absorbed in it and highly recommend.
2132395
This entire series is excellent and wrongly maligned by those who don't read the full title.  These are Van Morrison songs, but rather the classics that he listened to and have credited with establishing his creative background. As a series, there is a lot of overlap (who isn't inspired by Robert Johnson?), but overall, well worth it.
4493018
if you love grant morrison's work you'll love it.
 if you're new to his work it may seem strange and maybe even confusing, however, this is will make a fantastic gift for any comic book lover and gives any comic book fan a new christmas tradition. The gold trim of the paper and the gold outline of the illustration on the cover makes this hardcover look magical before opening it and reading the origin story of the legendary santa claus. Now, there is some violence and blood and gore, but it's not too much to where it would be inappropriate to give to kids 12 and over, and there's nothing to worry about in terms of sexual content either.
definitely worth buying!
1474426
This time period known as the Harlem Renaissance,  was a perfect place for Morrison to pick up from.  She used the expressiveness and freedom of this time, to show the struggles within the culture, and the chaos, as the music  of jazz can be at times.  Jazz is a blend of so many different rhythms,  beats and instruments and the "City" was a perfect place to house  this breakthrough music and struggles among the characters as well.  All in  all, this is a book that is definitely worth a close read, and as always is  an exemplary piece to showcase Morrison's talent as a well-rounded  contemporary author of our time.
1790092
Witty and tremendously fabulous! I can now see the little troll in me.
2203922
Despite the fact that most people thought the Doors were done after Jim Morrison's untimely death, I bought both of the post-Morrison Doors albums as soon as they showed up in my local record store.  While I like both of them, I consider "Full Circle" to be the better of the two albums from a musical standpoint.

The album opens with "Get Up and Dance", a pleasant enough number.  The second track, "Four Billion Souls", is a standout.  Robby Krieger's vocals were never better.  "Verdilac" is a little bizarre for my tastes-the lyrics are nonsensical- and Ray Manzarek's spoken part at the end of the song sounds like he's trying to channel Count Dracula.  "Hardwood Floor" was probably the most radio friendly release on the album and a favorite of mine.  Listen for Manzarek's excellent Hammond organ playing on the third verse.  Side one ends with the standard "Good Rockin'".  Manzarek is in fine form doing this song and his vocal actually sounds pretty good.

Side two starts with the album's strongest track "The Mosquito" which features some first rate jamming from three very good instrumentalists.  Forget "The Piano Bird".  Robby Krieger's "It Slipped My Mind" is a fun song with great harmony vocals and for my money is one of the best songs he's ever written.  The album ends with "The Peking King and the New York Queen", a somewhat overindulgent song with dumb lyrics.  As big a fan as I am of Ray Manarek, I simply can't give him a pass for this one.

Overall, "Full Circle" is definitely worth a listen and although I thought it was rather dated I heard a cover version of "The Mosquito" on a local jazz station a few weeks ago.  Maybe this album has more staying power than I originally thought.
1298759
James Morrison has such a unique voice and is a great song writer! His voice has a rasp that draws you to him. This is the CD that made me fall in love with him as an artist. He's very stripped down and has an acoustic sound to almost all of his music. The CD will make you want to see him live!
180781
This story begins with a very timid Miss Molly Dade on her way to a new life as a companion for Mrs Digby, who, strangely, also seems rather timid. Four year-old Joseph Digby is also a timid, delicate-looking child. So much timidity! Mr Digby returns home after a short absence. Is he yet another timid person to add to the household? Indeed, dear Reader, he is not! But wait! Do not relax too soon, for we soon come across a village lass, one Hetty Yallop, and bless my soul, she, too, is timid! The cup of timidity runneth over! I am 13% into the book and it is my very sincere hope that the author has not peopled her book with any more timid creatures.

I am very pleased indeed that the author very soon begins to give Miss Molly Dade a wee bit of backbone, that increases as the pages turn. This is entirely due to her protective instinct for the invalid Mrs Digby and little Joseph. Mrs Digby, I am pleased to say, also loses her timidity which happily had only been temporary. Joseph, too, loses his timidity with Miss Dade. The reason Miss Dades protective instinct is aroused is Mr Digby, a thoroughly unpleasant man who seems to have a perverted enjoyment of having his wife and son thoroughly cowed. After a few chapters, Molly has become a much stronger person and well able to hold her own against the detestable Mr Digby. She has also become complicit with the servants in their own methods of dealing with the Master, and to her great dismay, finds herself telling lies as fluently as they do. I find the passages in the story relating to this extremely amusing (I have said before I have an odd sense of humour), and they leaven the thread of menace that runs through the tale.

The characters in this novel are well-described and I can picture frail Mrs Digby, little Joseph, and Mr Digby; the household staff of Mrs Pritchard, the housekeeper, Keziah, the maid, and Brench, manservant and all-round outside worker. They are all well-fleshed out although, strangely enough, I don't feel the H, Isaac Woodford, son of the former owner of Highcragg House, now mine manager, is very well portrayed. Indeed, he appears only intermittently throughout a good part of the book

The author describes the Highcragg and the surrounding area with beautiful word pictures and I can visualise the mountains, the heather, the swallows swirling and drifting on the wind currents, the colourful, cheery red of the whinberries, and so much more.

Summary:
This book has more of an eerie, Byzantine feel to it, rather than an HR, but it held my interest, although the h DID annoy me intensely with her wilful attitude of believing she was her fathers adored only child, when her whole life had shown her that, at best, her father was completely indifferent to her. There were other things about her too, and when she went to bed one night exasperated with herself, she wasn't a fraction as exasperated as I was! IMHO, I thought the author let her stay somewhat nave, and very misguided in her attitudes for far too long. I did find quite a few passages that gave me great amusement, and others that made me smile, so not all gloom and doom.

It is very well-written and edited, the author has a gift of description of people, feelings, atmosphere, and scenery. I am not sure if I will read this book again, but I have read one written by this author and reviewed it, The Eldest Miss Talbot. I enjoyed that one so I may try another book.
920066
Wonderful read. I.Morrison knows how to make you keep reading. You've got crime, passion,traidors all making it a really good  read.
3453548
Indian says "Nothing at all."

...Gently they stir.  Gently rise.  The dead are newborn awakening, with ravaged limbs and wet souls.  Gently they sigh in rapt funeral amazement...

Two things that Jim Morrison was obsessed about was death and his c---.  What is really freaky in "An American Prayer" is when he recites poetry about the death OF his c---!

This album is deep Morrison.  Too deep for the Casey Kasum or Ed Sullivan crowd.  So deep that deep thinkers just might get the true meaning of the Morrison lyrics: "Words got me the wound, and words will get me well if you believe it."

For me, it represents the Fundamentalist's persecution of "gays," and the Fundamentalist's promises of "Reparative Therapy" in those 'ex-gay' ministries!

Highly recommended!
2476159
I do not know what got into "Penguin Egg" or what he was really expecting out of this recording, but let me counter his negativity regarding Van Morrison.

First off, this is one of the most astonishing recordings I have ever heard and I do live recording myself.  The musicianship is of the highest calibre and the singing, to me at least, is top-notch, not what is inferred by "Penguin Egg" at all.  Van is in GOOD FORM!  BELIEVE IT!

The recording seems to have been done mostly live to recording media, and to me personally, sounds an awful lot like it might have been mostly analog in origin, not digital.

If that is not the case, considering the vintage of the recording, it is a milestone in digital recordings during that era.

Kick back and enjoy this one!  I listen mostly via headphones, and all I can say is that this one is AWESOME sounding, not doubt about it at all.  And the dynamics?  The recording was supremely produced and and really quite dynamic, as well.  The heck with that funky MP3!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Richard Links
Links Sound
Berkeley, CA
841614
I really approached this collection of Dylan lyrics augmented by music written by a cast of contemporary musical luminaries with great trepidation. How would 47 year old lyrics "fit" with the modern styles and musical inclinations of the likes of Marcus Mumford, Elvis Costello et al? The answer is just brilliantly! This is an album anyone-not just Dylan fans-will love. And there are reputedly at least two more volumes to come! Essential
1075012
This story shouldn't be read on its own. Morrison's run on Batman is like an H.P. Lovecraft story, it has a lot of details and lead up but it's well developed and the payoff is worth the read. The entire R.I.P. story is great and brings together a lot of storylines that Morrison developed during the last 18 Batman issues.

Talia's as the avenger at the end is hilarious. The Joker is perfect for his part. Batman's part almost seems far fetched but Morrison pulls it off pretty compellingly.