Seven Stairs: An Adventure of the Heart (Touchstone Book)

Book Description

Memoir

Customer Reviews:

The Seven Stairs by Brent Stuart.......2000-09-17

Good books by book sellers are hard to find, and this one is not only good, but definitely a pleasure to read. I wish it had included more details about how to succeed in the business of selling books, but I quickly realized that the author lived in an entirely different era than the one we have now of internet book selling. The author started in business at a time when the world was not sure that television would last and many wiser than he had not survived in the business of selling books.

Originally published in 1962, this book is the autobiography of Brent Stuart, a successful Chicago book seller. His venture into book selling started after World War II, when as a young man fresh out of the Army, he opened a small book and music store. He admits he knew almost nothing about business, and he shares what he learned while struggling to survive. He also shares about the people he knew, many of whom were very helpful to him in his early years. He drops a lot of names, no doubt many of whom were very well-known in that era, among the most famous of whom are Katherine Hepburn, Gore Vidal, and Ernest Hemingway. Unfortunately, the book does not have an Index, which would be helpful when one is looking to find an interesting part that is worth reading aloud to friends.

One of the parts of the book I found most interesting was his account of his business and social dealings with Dr. Lionel Blitzsten, a wealthy psychoanalyst. Dr. Blitzsten encouraged and helped him to develop a current catalog of psychiatric books, and the sales of those books greatly helped his business to prosper. He describes his first impression of Dr. Blitzsten in almost poetic yet graphic details: "What was really arresting (and somewhat terrifying) about this fat, puffing little man was the face. Above the glasses, the skull seemed all forehead; beneath, the clean-shaven skin was baby pink and the mouth shaped like a rosebud and just as red. That was it, the mouth -- and when he spoke, the voice was musical, no longer deep, but rather high in pitch." Dr. Lionel hosted social gatherings which many clamored to attend. The author defines the social atmosphere at Dr. Lionel's home as a coterie, and his eloquent description of it is:

"The machinery of a coterie is simple; the reasons behind its operation and its subtle influence on the lives of those drawn into its orbit are complex almost beyond endurance. Essentially, the coterie consists of a number of people who hold similar views on unimportant things. Everyone admitted must observe a cardinal prohibition: to say nothing fundamental about anything. All must follow the leader, employ a common stock of expressions, adopt the same mannerisms, profess the same prejudices, affect the same bearing, and recognize a common bond of impenetrable superficiality."

The author also provides details about early television in Chicago and his role in a daily TV program titled "Books and Brent," in which he reviewed books. He also briefly gives details about his personal life, the businesses of publishing and writing books, his favorite cabin retreat at Bark Point in Wisconsin, and his adventures in a summer stock theater in suburban Chicago. Some of his secrets about how to succeed in the business of selling books include hosting chamber music parties and author signings at his book store, as well as having the help and support of good friends.

Save this one for a treat on a long winter night. It is an easy and entertaining read, yet very interesting for its portrayal of the author and his era. While the author does not preach or make recommendations about how to succeed in the business of selling books, his philosophy is shared in the telling of his stories. His life is an American success story packed with interesting details about life and business in the 1950s.

Book Description

The wild adventure begins once our trash hits the canas Elizabeth Royte boldly follows the things weve disposed of to their ultimate (often surprising) destination. Her highly praised book melds science, travel, anthropology, and a strong dose of clear-headed analysis as it reminds us how our decisions about consumption and waste have a very real impact.

Customer Reviews:

Who knew garbage could be so interesting?!.......2007-05-03

This book is an interesting, in-depth look at what exactly happens to garbage after you do your part in throwing it out. While I never thought this was a subject I would be interested in, I gave it a shot and found it fascinating!! Royte is a strong reporter and researcher, as well as a good writer. I recommend this book for any who has ever wondered "where does it all go?" And for a comedic angle on the subject of trash, check out Robert Gussin's "Trash Talk," a funny, fictional account of an environmental meeting overrun with professional athletes.

Eyeless in Gaza.......2007-03-07

Hey! I gave Elizbeth Royte's book 5 stars (not 2)! The secret wonders she works in this book! Elizabeth Royte is a transformative writer, an unassuming genius who wings hers way over the jellied mundane, putrefyingly prosaic, definitively overlooked, commonly rejected stuff on earth, your dear garbage. She takes us on a grand reverse journey to rejected digesters and backs up to smelly sodden transfer stations, and we are magically rewound, swathed in strange new currents. I was surprised by my own puddled reflection, puzzling in an oily rainbow shimmer. When she asked, What can we recover? What can be reclaimed? Who will redeem the Land? I wanted to answer her Powerful questions.

Let's Talk Trash.......2007-02-20

I found "Garbage Land" extremely informative and entertaining. For those of us who are trying to make informed choices on how to live our lives in ways that benefit the environment, this is a great read. I highly recommend it!

Garbage Land.......2007-01-23

The san man cometh and freelance science writer Elizabeth Royte is along for the ride. Yes, Ms. Royte is talking trash and is not afraid to get a little dirty along the way.

She starts in her own kitchen sorting and weighing her outgoing refuse for an entire year, but then embarks on a quixotic journey to wherever her garbage goes. Her local san men tolerate her ride-alongs, but the landfill wanted nothing to do with her (especially after catching her snooping around the back of their property anyway). So after a series of slammed doors and abruptly ended phone calls, she decides to cast a wider net and ended up touring (legit this time) a dump site in Nantucket and an incinerator in upstate New York.

Her writing is strong and descriptive (sometimes TOO descriptive). Her transitions can be a rough at times, and some of her far too New York-centric stories are obviously filler.

I would think she would know better than that since her book was printed on "virgin paper." Thus pointing out the main problem she found with recycling - there are no economies of scale (and manufacturers are fighting long and hard to keep it that way). Sure, recycling may save natural resources, require less energy and reduce carbon emissions, but without a market to ship the reclaimed materials to they often end up back in the landfill.

Her third section deals with another kind of household waste and is not to be read over morning coffee. Even our author admits that this section "pushed me over my personal gross out level," but she still bravely follows her excrement from point of departure through the pipes and into the treatment system. The plant manager even offered to let her touch some of their semi-processed materials, but she passed. She talks about how most "biosolids" are turned into fertilizers that are eventually spread onto our nation's citrus fields (just imagine the pills, medical waste, personal hygiene products, and other contaminants that flow through our sewers on a daily basis, and you'll never look at orange juice the same way again).

Eventually, Ms. Royte switches gears from toilet sludge to table scraps interviewing a woman in a large warehouse who dreams of turning New York's leftovers into high quality compost. Feeling inspired, our author tries the process herself with little result noting that composting isn't as easy as its proponents make it sound - especially in a NYC apartment.

After a year of sifting, sorting and snooping, what lessons does Ms. Royte have to offer us to save us from drowning in our own rubbish? A simple, but reluctant, refrain of "Reduce, reuse, recycle."

*** 1/2 out of 5.

Funny stories about garbage?.......2007-01-15

If you didn't think it was possible, try reading this book. The author has a way with words and provides an informative trail from trash can to landfill. You'll think about throwing your garbage away differently after this book.

Follow the refuse: Elizabeth Royte's weirdly informative investigation of what happens to our trash.(On Political Books)(Garbage Land On the Secret Trail ... Review): An article from: Washington Monthly

Average customer rating:

Follow the refuse: Elizabeth Royte's weirdly informative investigation of what happens to our trash.(On Political Books)(Garbage Land On the Secret Trail ... Review): An article from: Washington Monthly
Jamie Malanowski
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Washington Monthly, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1243 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Follow the refuse: Elizabeth Royte's weirdly informative investigation of what happens to our trash.(On Political Books)(Garbage Land On the Secret Trail of Trash)(Book Review)
Author: Jamie Malanowski
Publication: Washington Monthly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 37 Issue: 9 Page: 53(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Read it.......1999-04-06

Read i

Average customer rating:

EASY TO READ

Basic But Beautiful

basic information, will help you get started with PCs

Demystifies as it informs...

Author Dan Gookin will not let you down...

PCs for Dummies, Ninth Edition
Dan Gookin
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

For Dummies: General | Introductory Guides | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
PCs | Hardware | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Windows XP For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Troubleshooting Your PC For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics (4th Edition) (Absolute Beginner's Guide)

PCs For Dummies Quick Reference (For Dummies: Quick Reference (Computers))

The Internet for Dummies

ASIN: 0764540742

Book Description

Find out what you need to know about using your computer!

The fun and easy way® to get your PC up and running in no time!

Want to burn your own CD-R? How about e-mailing digital pictures to friends? Completely updated to cover the latest technologies, this bestselling guide demystifies Windows XP, spam blocking, digital imaging, and much more. Dan Gookin takes you from startup to creating a Web page, helping you get the most out of your PC!

Discover how to:

Set up your computer - painlessly
Understand PC jargon and acronyms (really!)
Network your computers
Have fun with digital cameras and burn CDs
Protect your PC from viruses

The Dummies Way

Explanations in plain English
"Get in, get out" information
Icons and other navigational aids
Tear-out cheat sheet
Top ten lists
A dash of humor and fun

Customer Reviews:

EASY TO READ.......2005-09-12

This book is very informative ad even enjoyable to read. It has been a big help and explains things so anyone can understand.

Basic But Beautiful.......2004-11-28

This book is about the very basics of computers, but it completely covers all parts of a computer, inside AND out.

basic information, will help you get started with PCs.......2004-08-09

This book is aimed at complete beginners, which is not a bad thing; too few computer books really are. It covers the basics of how to use a computer (with an emphisis on the XP OS). Covers basic hardware and software, what part of the computer does what, the difference between an OS and application software (many people don't have a clue) and other basics. It won't make you a computer geek, but it will certainly, for many people, increase thier computer literacy significantly.

Particularly valuable for most people will be the explination of the basic hardware and software, as opposed to the basic instructions for using XP. I work in an office supply store that sells PC components, and I'm always amazed when people don't know the difference between RAM and their processor. The basic, painless, introduction to the hardware would alone be worth the price of the book. He details most of the major PC components well enough that you understand what role they perform in running your PC. He's also good about explaining basic software categories (i.e., an OS as opposed to an application program).
The instructions for using XP (Managing files, etc.) are basic enough that they could probably have been left out, as most people figure it out pretty easily and intuitively.
Overall, the writing is done tolerably well, and in an easy manner that doesn't intimidate or condescend, which is nice. The information is sound, and basic, enough to provide a good foundation of knowledge so that you are not totally in the dark about your PC.

Bottom line? If you don't understand what a processor is, or the difference between XP and Office, buy this book. It will help. If you can't tell the difference between RAM and your hard drive, buy this book. It'll make the computer age easier on you .

Demystifies as it informs..........2004-02-07

Here is the 9th edition of PCs for Dummies, dedicated to Windows XP. Dan Gookinfs book is the anti-geek guide to what you need to know about computers. All aspects of PC technology, hardware and software have been completely updated. Youfll learn about the common mistakes beginnerfs make along with a bunch of helpful tips. No geek gobbledygook or clutter. PCs for Dummies demystifies as it informs.

This edition contains mostly new information. Tutorials on burning CD-Rs and creating musical CDs, information on broadband technology, wireless networking at home, having fun with digital photography; advice about how to protect yourself from internet plagues such as spyware, pop-up windows and viruses. Dan Gookinfs inimitable style makes understanding computers easy for the not so techie.

A nice touch is the wide margins; make use of them for sticky notes or jottings. Before reading this book from start to finish, first read the three chapters in part V: The Parts of Ten, and thereafter dip into this book often. A must read before you go computer shopping. Of course you may ignore this advice at your own peril and miss the chance of saving the cost of this book and avoiding regrets by buying the wrong parts. Have fun!

Author Dan Gookin will not let you down..........2003-11-24

His style makes any tech topic easy and fun to learn. This new edition covers broadband, digital photography, beating back spam, Tablet PCs, and all kinds of other great things. To keep up with new things your computer can or should do, or as a safety net for anything that might pop up, this book is the handiest reference you'll find anywhere!

Book Description

The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul is a comprehensive, chronologically-ordered study of every aspect of the group's musical life--composition, performance, recording and reception histories--from its beginnings in 1956 through 1965. Richly authoritative interpretations from every available reliable musical document are interwoven through a documentary study of many thousands of audio, video, print, and multimedia sources. The text will enable general readers and musicians as well as educated music theorists to learn new levels of beauty in the music of the Beatles.

Customer Reviews:

Serious scholarship.......2007-03-13

Walter Everett subjects the music of The Beatles to the kind of theoretical examination usually reserved for classical music. This book, along with its companion volume, is serious-minded, intellectually rigorous, extremely well-conceived and yet, for the informed reader, not at all tedious. I know of no other instance where popular music has been subjected to this kind of analysis with such compelling results.

These volumes seem to implicitly ask whether The Beatles' music is actually good enough to withstand the rigor of intensive analytical scrutiny. As Professor Everett ably demonstrates, it truly is. His dissection of the famous medley on side two of "Abbey Road" (in the companion volume) is eye-poppingly brilliant. In all, both volumes are superb treatises, books that set a new and very high standard for scholarship in popular music. They are also a welcome addition to literature on the band that is still the standard by which all others are measured.

A Fine Review Of The Beatles' Early Music.......2005-07-14

As I indiciated in my review of Everett's companion book, which traces the music of the Beatles from "Revolver" through "The Anthology," these books are the definitive works about the music of the Beatles. There are so many books about the Beatles' cultural iconic significance, their sociological and gender influence and a whole host of other irrelevant topics. What matters most is that the Beatles were timeless musicians who defined the music of the 20th century. Everett reviews their music as he would any great composer. If his perspective is too technical and professorial, you may want to consider Riley's "Tell Me Why," which is still my favorite book about the Beatles' music. It provides succinct and probing insights into their music. Everett's book is nevertheless excellent, and I highly recommend it.

Dense, but wonderful........2002-12-10

Yes, this book is very dense and technical, I am not a musician and was a bit lost at times, however, the author structures the book in such a way that you can skim or skip what is over your head (a lot for me) and still get something out of this book.

For me, one of the most important and rare things about this book is the way the author does not fall into the John vs. Paul biases like so many others who have written on this topic. He gives both men the written ananlysis and technical break down of their work they deserve and does not short change Paul in favor of John. This is appreciated as I believe it gives the best description of how the songwriting evolved through the talents of both men.

He also gives the same critical analysis of George Harrison's songs, this is rare indeed.

For these reasons I highly recommend the book for serious Beatle fans.

I am already burning through the second book.

Excellent Beatle book but..........2002-09-23

First, let me make it clear that I really like this book (and its companion volume.) It's pretty difficult to write anything about the Beatles anymore that hasn't been written about ad nauseum already, but both of these books contain a great deal of fresh and intelligent information and insight on the Beatles's music. That said, I have a feeling that a lot of folks looking for new Beatles literature just aren't going to particularly enjoy The Beatles As Musicians. I'm a musician, but at times as I was reading this material I felt as though I might as well have been reading Latin simply because Mr. Everett is often very technical and rather esoteric in his discussions. In some ways (and Mr. Everett admittedly touches on this issue) these books seem somehow to fly in the face of what makes rock music so great in the first place...emotion, borderline chaos, an underlying sense of danger and rebellion, limited musicianship that somehow leads to innovation, chance, improvisation, etc etc. Still, as I noted, I enjoyed these books a great deal even when I didn't have the slightest idea what the author was writing about. But if you're not a musician or you are one who is largely self-taught and as technically stupid as I am, I wonder how much you'll like The Beatles As Musicians. Regardless, in appreciation of the freshness and intelligence of his work, I have to give Mr. Everett's books both five stars.

Worth Every Penny.......2002-06-26

I like the way this author compliments his readers' intelligence by writing about musical theory with clear detail. He describes how the Beatles achieved some of the sounds they did and gives good, in-depth analyses of many of their songs.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Notes, published by Music Library Association, Inc. on March 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1262 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul. (Book Reviews: Popular Musics).(Book Review)
Author: Daniel Beller-Mckenna
Publication: Notes (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 2003
Publisher: Music Library Association, Inc.
Volume: 59 Issue: 3 Page: 614(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The Beatles As Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul

Average customer rating:

The Beatles As Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul
Walter Everett
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKLCLM

Book Description

Abenaki Joseph Bruchac and Navajo Shonto Begay combine their talents to tell the tragic story of how, in the 1860s, U.S. soldiers forced thousands of Navajos to march to a desolate reservation 400 miles from their homeland in an effort to “civilize” them. Hundreds died along the way; those who survived found unspeakable living conditions at their destination. When word of the Indians's plight finally gained public attention, President Andrew Johnson sent a Peace Commission to investigate. The resulting treaty allowed the Navajos to return to their homeland, and ho'zho—harmony—was restored. The Navajos prospered and have lived in peace with the U.S. government ever since while preserving their own proud culture.

Customer Reviews:

Navajo Long Walk : Tragic Story Of A Proud Peoples Forced March From Homeland .......2007-09-24

Excellent Research Book. Help make clearer how them like other tribes had to leave there homeland and travel someplace else. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a nations struggle for survival.

Thayer's book review.......2002-11-26

Navajo Long Walk is an exciting book about an Indian family who is forced to go to camps and live the white sholdiers' way. The main characters are Kee, Hasba, Gentle Woman, the mother, Strong Man, the father, and Wise One, the grandfather. This family, like all the other Navajo families, have to move to different for-away camps that are called forts. Some of the forts they go to are Fort Defiance and Fort Summer.

Kee learns that you can be friends with white soldiers like when he neets a white soldier, his horse and his son.

The reader will enjoy this book becasue it is very detailed and you can picture every word in your mind. You will have a great experience reading about the Navajo way of life.

Book Description

Shows that Earth was visited by an extraterrestrial race who bioengineered modern man in its image and taught man how to construct the pyramids

â€¢ Examines the flaws in Darwinâ€™s theory of evolution and presents startling new evidence of intelligent intervention

â€¢ Reveals the messages coded in the pyramids left by the ancients concerning impending Earth changes at the end of the Mayan calendar

For millennia the development of humanity showed a consistent homogenous pattern. Then suddenly, around 3000 B.C.E., great civilizations sprang up around the globe. All the creation myths of these civilizations tell of gods who came down to Earth and fashioned man in their own image, teaching them the arts of agriculture and civilized life. In addition, the dominant architectural design in Egypt, Sumeria, Peru, Mexico, and China was the pyramid, though science has never been able to explain why or where these peoples obtained the advanced technological knowledge to construct such edifices. The abruptness and similarities of these evolutionary leaps calls into question the Darwinian theory of evolution, given that there are no traces of any intermediate evolutionary forms.

Now, using the most current research on DNA, Will Hart shows that these gods were actually visitors from other worlds who genetically engineered modern humanity from the beings that then inhabited the planet. He also suggests that the Bible and other creation stories have been interpreted falsely as myth when they should have been read as history. The structures left by our ancestors were designed in accordance with precise astronomical and geodetic alignments to make them visible from outer space and to survive for thousands of years with the intent of communicating information relating to physical and temporal events. Humanityâ€™s current stage of development has finally reached the point where the secret messages of these structures can be decoded to reveal the fate of humanity in the coming Earth changes.

Customer Reviews:

Changing Lives-One Book at a time.......2005-12-16

This has been a great read! I wish I had the chance to read this book several years ago when I began my own research ..delving into areas where science and the Bible run parallel,it boggles the mind. I highly recommend this book.

Really liked this book.......2005-04-25

This book basically tells how we could not have possibly evolved and we must have had intervention. Alien intervention that is. The book makes a pretty convincing case too. I found this book to be a most interesting and enjoyable read. No boring parts, which I hate. There are also some very nice color photographs in the middle of the book. I also recommend Everything You Know is Wrong by Lloyd Pye in addition to this book.

Bogus evidence.......2004-11-22

This book is nothing original (Chariots of the Gods covered some of this before). The author really thinks he is going to be more impressive by quoting some actual scientific facts (like the number of genes we have as opposed to the number a fly has). He also picks on Darwin's theories and talks as if late 20thcentury conventional scientists completely turned against Darwin's theories. Realize this people. Darwin died over 120 yearsa ago. Of course some of the stuff he said about evolution wasn't going to be true. But a hell of a lot of it was. Many conventional scientists now realize Darwin was certainly partially right and furthermore disbelieving a couple of Darewin's many evolutionary theories doesn't mean a scientist is against evolution in general.

Good Job!.......2004-11-07

I am an avid reader of ancient history and ancient theology and found Will's book, The Genesis Race', to be an informative example of what many see in the world relative to ancient writings. For the beginner, and the seasoned alike, this book brings forth the ideas and theories many of us are in search of. It is a great book to have on the shelf when others ask, 'What is our past?' Thanks Will, keep up the good work!

Cheap.......2004-08-23

The reason for the word cheap is that this book contains a bunch of summaries from other books and little of the authors own thoughts.... I used to do this trick in 4th grade to get out of doing alot of work coming up with my own ideas... Im 17, my dad got me this book and I regret that he had to pay so much for it.... It contains a lot of information that is verry difficult to apprehend due to jumping from subject to subject... But basicaly this book contains the summary's of many books.... I would rather read a book focused on one subject, not a book that contains the opinions of many.... Overall it was Ok.

The Genesis Race: Our Extraterrestrial Dna and the True Origins of the Species

Average customer rating:

The Genesis Race: Our Extraterrestrial Dna and the True Origins of the Species
Will Hart
Manufacturer: Bear & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7FK4Q

Book Description

This highly anticipated report presents the results of the second assessment of the state Europe's environment made by the European Environment Agency. The book contains a vast quantity of data consolidated in graphs, maps and tables, with full colour throughout. The first report Europe's Environment, the Dobris Assessment, published in 1995, was a landmark report which highlighted twelve prominent European environmental problems, including climate change, biodiversity and waste.

For this second report, which was used by the Environment Ministers of Europe at their fourth ministerial conference in Aarhus, Denmark in June 1998, the mandate was to report progress on the main issues identified in the first assessment. The report highlights that the policy measures that have been taken have not yet produced a significant improvement in the state of the environment overall. Many environmental policies have led to 'end-of-pipe' measures which have resulted in some improvement in some areas, but not enough to cope with increasing infrastructure development, production and consumption.

The most obvious progress in reducing pressure on the environment has been made in those areas where an efficient international framework of action has been established. The absence of any such pan-European framework has delayed progress, even for the assessment of these problems. The response to this report will hopefully lead to a broad political debate about the programmes and targets needed to deal with the main issues that are addressed.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books