Book Description
Inspired by Robinson Crusoe and Jack London, Michael Modzelewski, jettisoned all baggage accompanying life in the comfortable middle class and set out to find raw, unharnessed wilderness. He found it on Blackfish Sound ("Blackfish" is the Kwakiutl Indian word for the killer whale) in the Inside Passage, the rugged coastline between Seattle and Alaska.
Leaving his home in Aspen, which had become a false Shangri-La for him, Modzelewski settled on a desolate island in the Inside Passage, a place which "after seducing you with beauty would shake you with fear. An unpredictable place that kept you always prepared, honed to the keen edge of life." Here he lived alone for months on end.
Inside Passage describes his experiences in this unspoiled setting, where the sky is his ceiling, mountains are his walls, and physical challenges test him down to the marrow. He also forms unusual friendships with passing yachters, salmon fishermen, Kwakiutl Indians, loners, and the owner of the house he is staying at, Will Malloff, a man of oversized personality -- a healer, builder, woodsman, and thinker. Modzelewski writes with a love for nature and gentle humor about his interactions with the native animals (eagles, whales, wolves), local animals (cats, dogs, "tame" wild boars), and other settlers.
Inside Passage is the powerful story of one man learning the ways of self-reliance in a soul-filled search through the northern wilderness.
Customer Reviews:
Real Deal.......2006-04-25
I live in Alaska and a friend recommended Mr. Modzelewski's book. And now I recommend it to the world. Sure, there's the usual descriptions of animals, ocean, weather and solitude but what makes this book special is the author goes so much deeper into the Spirit behind things. Haven't stopped thinking about his experiences and it's been a month now since I finished the book.
PURE DRAMA.......2005-06-19
I'm an actress and read scripts, rarely books -- but after a producer friend recommended Inside Passage to me, I couldn't put it down! In fact, I read it three times. It was like watching a movie -- that's how vividly Michael Modzelewski writes. Alaska is a far different world than Los Angeles and I escaped completely to a pure and inspiring reality. Thank you, Michael! You are gifted and blessed. And who knows? Maybe we can turn this captivating story into a film, with the author and animals the main characters and could there be a more beautiful setting than the Inside Passage to Alaska -- as evoked so wonderfully in this poetic prose.
Interesting but too idealistic.......2005-04-01
Quick read. Definitely worth it if you have been or are going to be in the region. Some of his scientific stuff is a little off but it's not the right book if you are looking for exacting detail on these subjects. Modzelewski's perspectives were very idealistic and I found it a little difficult to believe that the experiences he relates were quite a spiritual or mind altering as he sometimes makes them seem. The author does pull series of stories or facts together well. The chapters addressed themes - like the tribes, animals, the island's owner, etc. Modzelewski doesn't try to tell you everything there is to know about any of these subjects but selects what he thinks is interesting and relates it briefly. Often the points he makes or the stories he chooses to tell are not ones that you might have expected.
Inside Passage -- Captivating!!!!!.......2004-09-08
A wonderful voyage in mother nature's womb, evoking feelings of awe, and revere at the colossal universe, inhaling the powerful imagery of wilderness through Michael.
Beyond Human.......2004-08-11
Michael Modzelewski writes like a wild animal. If the beasts could speak it wouldn't come out much different than how Michael describes them. The author knows no limits -- extending into and giving shape to all animate matter in super insightful poetic prose.
Book Description
This is the most thorough work ever about historical swordsmanship. It is both a general reference and an instructional guide for advanced and beginning sword enthusiasts, students of military history and martial artists. Includes rare historical info and 100 original drawings.
Customer Reviews:
An important book, but now far surpassed........2007-07-03
Renaissance Swordsmanship was around when there were not many resources on... renaissance swordsmanship, and this should be applauded. However, the main use I continually hear for this book is as a starter book for beginners.
As someone who followed this advice a few years ago, let me tell you that this is NOT a particularly good book for beginners. There is a fair amount of information that must be taken with a grain of salt (particularly stances, footwork, and the ability of the rapier to cut), and a beginner is likely to be either misled or forced to spend unnecessary time sorting out what to believe. In addition, the organization of this book is fairly poor, with no good way to find what you are looking for.
For those interested in learning about historical fencing, particularly with the rapier, I suggest William Wilson's _Arte of Defence_. It is important to keep in mind that this is also ONLY a beginners guide, and not to be taken as authoritative.
In the long term, interested persons would be advised to look at Capo Ferro's 1610 manual, translated by Jared Kirby, and Fabris' 1606 manual, translated by Tom Leoni.
Worthless.......2006-11-01
Even when this book was written, long before the marvelous scholarship and historical undertaking of translating and interpreting the original treatises of the Renaissance Masters, it was a piece of garbage. The only difference between then and now is that we know better. Anyone with an hour and an internet connection can now discover just how ridiculous, bizarre, and plain silly Mr. Clements's so-called research and conclusions presented in this book truly are. Almost all of it is completely made up, with hardly any actual genuine teachings from the original treatises and manuscripts of the Masters themselves, and when he does include a tidbit or two he gets it completely wrong. There is no discussion of tempo and measure, of the stringere or guadagnare, or counter-action, counter-time, parry/riposte actions, proper footwork and stance, and so on, ad nauseum.
This certainly is not a manual on how to "fight" with swords as opposed to modern sport fencing, it is a collection of personal conclusions based on flawed or non-existent research, and then another 100 pages or so of insults to anyone else that does not agree with his ludicrous statements. Anyone who thinks that they are going to learn anything martially effective from this book is deluded, five minutes using Clement's advice against a "worthless" sport fencer will pound that delirium out of their skull for good. I learned more in a 45 minute conversation with an instructor of Capo Ferro than this entire book, which I have now made good use of as my thrusting target at home. Please don't waste your money or time, especially if you are a beginner in need of a good introduction to the art of swordsmanship. It will take you more time to get this nonsense out of your head than it took you to read this stinker.
I say pass.......2006-05-25
This book may have had some worth when it came out nearly 10 years ago. Most folks didn't know there were historical texts on European swordsmanship, and had no idea there were other people in the USA curious about how to study and practice these arts. And this book brought many people together. Now, though, there are tens of highly-respected researchers and practitioners all over the world studying the three weapons presented in this book together with the actual stances, techniques, terminology and pedagogy pertaining thereto. Unlike Clements, whose experience is instinctive, these researchers have gathered their information strictly off the period texts. And they have made their research available either through articles and publications or on the web. Therefore, this book has become perfectly obsolete.
Sorry to all the reviewers saying that unless you agree with Mr. Clements' exposition of "techniques" you must be a sport fencer. This is a false dilemma, one of the most trite and asinine of logical fallacies.
According to this flawed logic, the following may also be true (bear in mind the book is on the use of the rapier, the cut and thrust sword and the smallsword).
Fabris, whose 1606 rapier treatise "Lo Schermo" (available in English) describes and illustrates the standard four rapier guards along with their names of prima, seconda, terza and quarta, must have been a sport fencer. Because Mr. Clements doesn't even mention them.
Fabris, whose same treatise (again, available in English) describes and illustrates four rapier and dagger and rapier and cloak guards along with at least ten variations, must have been a sport fencer. Because Mr. Clements does not show or name a single one of them.
Capoferro, whose 1610 rapier treatise "Gran Simulacro" (also available in English) describes and illustrates a famously long, powerful and dynamic lunge, must also have been a sport fencer. Because Mr. Clements shows a "rapier lunge" that looks more like a goofy boxing jab of his own invention.
Di Grassi, whose 1570's wrote his treatise "Ragioni" (available in English) clearly says that you should not skip or hop while fencing, must have been a sport fencer. Because Mr. Clements says "there must have been a lot of skipping and hopping."
Manciolino and Marozzo, whose 1536 treatises "Opera Nova" (available in English for the most part) name and even illustrate the standard guards of "cut and thrust sword" must have been sport fencers. Because Mr. Clements does not show a SINGLE ONE one of them.
L'Abbat, Angelo and Olivier, whose 1700's smallsword treatises (all written in English) describe the guards and technique that had been smallsword standards for almost 100 years, must have been sport fencers. Because Mr. Clements shows nothing of this in his particularly empty chapter on the smallsword.
And we could go on and on and on.
So what is it that this book gives? In my opinion, only a shot in the arm to those who may think that European swordsmanship is necessarily confined to today's sport fencing, which indeed is in a sad state compared to its glorious martial past. But that's it. There is not a single meaningful historical technique, and if there is, I find it peculiar that not one in over 50 reviewers has mentioned it specifically. Even those who are clearly Clements acolytes are curiously silent on the subject, keeping their statements safe and generic.
So let me give you a dilemma of my own: you either agree that this book falls way short of being a competitive introduction to actual historical swordsmanship techniques; or it is clear that you have never actually cracked open a swordsmanship text from the 1500's, 1600's or 1700's.
There are so much better books available.......2006-03-13
It is hard to think that less than a decade ago, such unadulterated tosh could have been seriously presented as the cutting edge of research into historical western swordsmanship. Quite apart from the author's vociferous criticism of anyone with a different opinion to himself (where, oh where was the editor?), there is more misinformation in this book than information.
We are told that the rapier "is incapable of delivering edge blows that cut" despite every original rapier master teaching such cuts. The author writes, "Its ability to riposte (counterattack)", suggesting that he believes the riposte and the counterattack to be one and the same (they are not). We are told that there were three basic rapier stances, Prima, Seconda and Terza, which are "roughly equivalent to a high, middle and low sword position." Then we are shown three guards, one high, one middle and one low, which bear no resemblance to guards shown in surviving rapier manuals and which show that the author doesn't have the first clue what Prima etc. actually mean. We are shown parries that bear no resemblance to the defensive actions shown in rapier manuals. I could go on and on.
Except for a few areas, (where the author gets it wrong) this book contains no discussion of any of the fundamentals of rapier fencing. There is no mention of distance, tempo, stringere etc. It is clear that the author hasn't read any of the major rapier works. The inaccuracy of the illustrations suggests that he didn't even look at the pictures.
Once upon a time, despite this catalogue of errors, this was the best book out there. Thankfully that hasn't been the case for a long time. Arte of Defence is itself dated, but is a better introduction to the rapier. In the last year a couple of very good translations have been produced, Italian Rapier Combat, a translation of Capo Ferro's manual and Art of Duelling, a translation of Fabris. These are two of the most significant works on the rapier, and they show just how far Clements was from reality. Most of the English language rapier manuals, Di Grassi, Saviolo, Swetnam and Pallas Armata are freely available on the net. All are better sources than Renaissance Swordsmanship.
No doubt in the future, more books on the rapier will be produced that will elucidate the works of the masters. Renaissance Swordsmanship should be withdrawn from sale immediately. It was a poor book when it was published. For it to still be available when it has been so comprehensively superseded is disturbing.
Renaissance Swordsmanship is a fine introduction to our Western martial arts heritage. .......2005-12-14
John Clements' Renaissance Swordsmanship is a fine introduction to our Western martial arts heritage. It is a book about swords and about swordsmanship ~ but it isn't an instruction manual on how to fence.
Renaissance Swordsmanship begins with a chapter describing the rapier, followed by a chapter each comparing the small sword and the cut-and-thrust swords. The heart of Renaissance Swordsmanship however is the `Illustrations: Weapons and Their Use'. Herein we see examples of blades and hilts. We learn about proper grips, stances, and techniques.
John Clements then explains the use of sword and buckler, and sword and dagger, and the use of the rapier and common cloak or cape.
The illustrations throughout the book are clear and give a basic understanding of the techniques described.
Clearly, John Clements has a strong foundation and good knowledge of swordsmanship, and this is reflected in Renaissance Swordsmanship.
I enjoyed reading Renaissance Swordsmanship, and find it to be a good beginner's reference. I recommend this book to anyone with a basic interest in the use of the rapier or an interest in Western martial arts in general.
Book Description
Writing That Works is unique among business and professional writing textbooks. The book's advice on the writing process, abundant workplace samples, guidance on working to deadline, and practical assignments all draw on the author team's real-world and academic experiences. Honed by the suggestions and contributions of more than a hundred teachers and writers over nine editions, Writing That Works is an invaluable resource for both students and practitioners of business and professional communication. Streamlined for ease of use, packed with fresh examples and assignments, and now available for course management systems, Writing That Works works better than ever before.
Customer Reviews:
Writing That Works .......2007-10-10
This book is a great reference for doing exactly what the title says," Communicating effectively on the job". We used it as our main text for a business writing class I took and I would never sell this book back after the fact. It's an easy read, clearly explained, and there are several examples as well as a corresponding website. It's the first thing I reach for when I need to write any business correspondence. Good buy.
Writing That Works.......2007-10-10
This appeared to be a brand new, unused book, although it was sold as "almost like new". Great quality, and quick service.
Great reference.......2006-03-10
This book was a great reference for me when I wanted to write a business proposal, memorandums, and a rhetorical analysis. Great grammar tools in the back as well and easy to follow.
Book Description
An exclusive first look behind the scenes of the popular Broadway musical.With its cast of furry puppets, its shockingly politically incorrect lyrics, and its hilarious upending of children's television,Avenue Q took Broadway by storm. The New York Times declared it "a breakthrough musical," and after a two-year run, the Golden Theater is still selling out eight shows a week. Its success is not limited to the Great White Way, however: This summer, the cast will be swearing, drinking, and ennui-ing their way across the country.As smart, risqu+, and downright entertaining as the show itself, Avenue Q is a must-have companion book. In addition to the complete Tony Award-winning book and songs (perfect for those who can't get enough of the lyrics to "It Sucks to Be Me"), Avenue Q is packed with exclusive interviews with the cast and creatures, and features puzzles, connect-the-dots, and other "educational" activities to prepare readers for life after college. With a distinctive cover and chock-full of gorgeous photography and original illustrations, Avenue Q is a jam-packed thrill ride of a book.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Companion Book.......2007-10-10
This book is illustrated like a Children's book would be, think "Sesame Street Library". Bearing that in mind, keep this book away from your kids! It's just as R-Rated as the stage play (which is also wonderful).
The exterior covers of the book are furry, like the fur of a muppet-type monster.
My favorite part of this book is that it contains the entire script for the Broadway show in the last chapter, including all song lyrics. It also includes deleted scenes and song lyrics (including the rare "Tear It Up And Throw It Away" song). This book is good for a laugh. I use it to reminice about seeing this show from the front row in Broadway's Golden Theatre in New York City. Check out AvenueQ.com for the North American tour dates!
Bob's dad review.......2007-09-06
I actually bought this book as a gift for my son at his request after he saw excerpts from the Broadway show. He loves the book and is using it to make his own puppets at home. He's also going to see the show on Broadway. Learned all the songs from the book and thinks it's great. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star rating is because his copy of the book came through with the fuzzy orange cover attached upside down, or backwards, or both. Not a big deal - as long as we don't have to vacuum it every few days.
A Must Have For An Avenue Q Fan!.......2007-08-13
This is an amazing book! I ordered it from local bookstore for $30! Then I checked here and it was $7!!! Needless to say I returned the other one and bought this one! The book does shed, but not too bad. There are great in-depth biographies of the puppets and hilarious illustrations inside! An absolute must buy!
The Fuzzy Book.......2007-07-08
This book gives you an inside look at what was going on when the writers were thinking about when they conceived Avenue Q. The book is purely for fun, much like a children's book for adults.
Add an extra star if you are an Avenue Q fan.
(Buyer beware: the fuzzy cover of the book sheds orange fur everywhere!)
Everything you need about Av Q.......2007-03-08
This book has everything you want to know about the musical Avenue Q. Why they made this musical. Why they chose puppetry. Why is Rod blue? Why is Trekkie played by two puppeteers? How they made the marketing. What do the actors think about their puppets/characters/political view. And also contains the complete textbook, and deleted scenes. And everything is designed in a fun and extravagant colorfull playfull way as if its a kidsbook.
The fuzzy cover alone is worth the effort.
Product Description
Playbill.com describes Avenue Q, a decidedly adult puppet/human show, as a meeting of Sesame Street and South Park. This deluxe songbook features all 20 songs in standard piano/vocal format (melody in the piano part), more than 20 fabulous full-color photos from the production, and a bio of the writing team of Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, who've scored big with their first Broadway show! Tunes include: The Avenue Q Theme Fantasies Come True I Wish I Could Go Back to College I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today If You Were Gay The Internet Is for Porn It Sucks to Be Me Mix Tape The Money Song Purpose There Is Life Outside Your Apartment What Do You Do with a B.A. in English and more. PARENTAL ADVISORY: EXPLICIT LYRICS
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful!.......2007-10-10
I bought this book because the other Avenue Q book I have was only the "Vocal Selections" and it was missing several songs. This songbook has every song from the Broadway Cast Album, with the exception of "School For Monsters/Money Song (Reprise)" and "There's A Fine Fine Line (Reprise)/What Do You Do With A B.A. In English? (Reprise)". Other than that, every song is here.
This book, unlike my other Vocal Selections book incorporates the melody into the right hand, but it can be easily removed to make room for vocalists if needbe.
The best songs to play/sing in this book are "Schadenfreude", "There's A Fine Fine Line", "It Sucks To Be Me", and "Fantasies Come True". At least, that's what I think. To each his own.
Good Buy.......2007-06-27
I like the book I bought. It had all the songs I wanted. It came in a decent amount of time from when I bought it.
The Way It's SUPPOSED To Be Played.......2005-11-16
If you haven't seen the show, go and do it. If you have, well done.
What many piano arrangements for recent Broadway musicals nowadays such as Wicked, Mamma Mia, and Spamalot have in their respective arrangements is a lack of a challenging score to play, though it may sound easy, and how oftentimes, they composer tries to alter the original score into something more adaptive for the public. Although this may sound like a good idea, it really isn't, because as soon as you play it based on the arrangement or sing it, you quickly realize it's not as good as the original, which is what everyone wants, right?
The Avenue Q Piano arrangement, however, keeps all the songs in their original context, letting everyone emulate the classic songs the way they're supposed to be sang. No one wants to sing "Defying Gravity" from Wicked without the chorus back-up or Glinda singing in every now and then, right? Avenue Q gives you the score straight from the source, without awkwardly messing up the original greatness of the music. A must-buy.
Fun to play.......2005-09-15
As a casual piano player and a Broadway fanatic, I was so jazzed to play some of the songs from Avenue Q. The book contains everything you find on the CD and includes a few production photos.
Of course the little details are fun, using terms like "manilowesque" "Huey-Lewis shuffle" "prissy sonata" and "funky a** groove" to describe some of the songs. Fun fun fun
awesome.......2005-08-14
I love this musical and I think it is so fun! I am glad that I got the vocal selections and it was exactly what i wanted!
Book Description
2004 Tony Award winner for Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical! Playbill.com describes Avenue Q, a decidedly adult puppet/human show, as a meeting of Sesame Street and South Park. This songbook features 13 songs with vocal line and piano accompaniment. Tunes include: The Avenue Q Theme * Fantasies Come True * I Wish I Could Go Back to College * I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today * The Internet Is for Porn * It Sucks to Be Me * Purpose * Special * What Do You Do with a B.A. in English * and more. PARENTAL ADVISORY: EXPLICIT LYRICS. Also available: P/V/G edition: #00313269
Customer Reviews:
Amazing product!.......2007-05-12
This is a great songbook who anyone who loves Avenue Q, or any modern musical. My best friend and I spend hours playing the songs and singing along!
It was a great buy!
Great musical, great score.......2005-09-13
The arrangements here are great: They're in keys that are easy to play, yet aren't overly simplified. This is Vocal Selections only; it doesn't include "If You Were Gay," "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist" (a real shame), "Mix Tape," "You Can Be as Loud As You Want," "There Is Life Outside Your Apartment," "Schadenfreude" (another shame), "The Money Song" or "School for Monsters."
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on May 11, 2004. The length of the article is 949 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: Tony Award nominee hails from Coos Bay.(Entertainment)(Jeff Whitty's play "Avenue Q" nabs six nominations, including best musical)
Publication:
The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: May 11, 2004
Publisher: The Register Guard
Page: d1
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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