The Listener's Bible NIV

Book Description

All 66 books of the Bible, read dramatically and powerfully by Max McLean, celebrated stage presenter of the Bible. This 66-CD set comes with a leatherette carrying case which is perfect for your travels near and far. The recordings are all digitally mastered and come with a lifetime replacement guarantee. Bestselling author Chuck Swindoll says that these recordings of the Bible are, quite simply, "the best."

Customer Reviews:

Dramatic reading is enthralling, keeps me focused.......2007-07-19

Max McLean reads the Bible like it really means something to him, as if he has almost memorized it. (And, in fact, the man stands up in front of audience all over the country and quotes, word for word, from whole chapters of the Bible. I have watched in amazement as he has recited from Mark and Acts, and he is completely on with his recitation! Both times I was in the audience he received standing ovations.) I use the CD set with my daily Bible reading every day and feel it helps keep me on track with those passages that can sometimes feel long and boring. But Max reads Leviticus 18 as he does John 3, as he never lets up and treats every verse as if one's salvation rested on it. He even gets into the hard-to-pronounce names, and while I'm not always sure if his pronounciation is correct, it sure sounds correct. There are some instances where Max misses a word or adds in one of his own--perhaps somebody should have really been listening along with him in the studio and then edited these small errors--but they really are far and few between, and they never change the meaning of the passage. In fact, I could never come close to his incredible accuracy. Overall, this is a big thumbs up for what ought to be considered a spiritual investment.

Splendid!.......2007-05-06

Max McLean's audio bible is a masterpiece. McLean's delivery is lucid, powerful, and skillfully engaging. I listen to this Bible daily. Mclean gives you "the story" or the panoramic view of the scripture. The NIV translation lends itself more to a fluid listening of the scripture. McLean certainly communicates with conviction the inherent authority of God's word. He brings the scripture to life, putting you into the time period in which it was written. Purchased this product along with Scourby's KJV through Amazon and it is a timeless investment.

A Great way to "Read" the Bible by hearing it!.......2007-03-13

I have truly been blessed by this item. It has allowed me to listen to the Bible when I don't have the time to actually sit down and read it. I highly recommend this item to anyone wanting to get to really know God and the word of the Lord. Max McLean is and English trained actor and unless you like hearing an Englishman talk you may not like it, but of course, that is why he was called into service for the Lord.

A vibrant, energizing delivery..........2007-03-10

Max McLean has the most beautiful, soothing voice I have heard on any audio recording. His delivery of the Bible texts is superb. I purchased both McLean's "The Listener's Bible" and "The Valley of Vision" recordings for my husband as a Christmas gift, and he has enjoyed immensely his daily commute of two hours ever since.

One reviewer mentioned attempting to read along as Mr. McLean delivered the beautiful biblical verses and having difficulty with the theatricality of Mr. McLean's voice. I disagree that his voice is theatrical; I do find it dramatic and moving and precisely how I would expect to hear the Word of the Lord - dramatic enough to know who is speaking but lovingly delivered.

As a teacher, I would suggest a method which might help persons reading the Bible and having difficulty with older, non-modern versions of any text. As with other fine literature, the modern, untrained reader must develop a knack for reading and understanding older literature and other texts correctly over time. One way is by hearing it again and again before attempting to decipher it in print.
In other words, listen to develop a familiarity with how the text would have been spoken, the inflections of voice, and the emphasis on certain words in order to "translate" concepts into modern terms. Then when one sits down to read the written word, it becomes much more clear and revealing. (Try this with Homer or Shakespeare as well.)

The best way I have found to fully appreciate Max McLean's narrative talent and the soul-soothing balm of the Bible is to close the drapes, lie back, exclude as many outside sounds as possible and devote an hour or more solely to LISTENING. Allow McLean's lovely voice to read to you. Just ENJOY it!

Then, if you can force yourself to stop the CD ("only ONE more chapter..."), go about your work or play. Later on or the next day, open your Bible and read what he read to you. It is amazing how more vivid the text will have become to you. I think this method will help much more than trying to read along. Sometimes our limited knowledge of words and their older meanings, our lack of proper inflection, and our unfamiliarity with the subject, history, or traditions and customs causes us to stumble over words and passages and to totally miss the concepts we might understand if we were not attempting to keep up with a reader. This is akin to "listening" to what another person is saying while, at the same time, thinking of some rebuttal or formulating a counter-speech in our heads. Listening is a wonderful skill.

My husband came home last night in a joyful mood, because in spite of his hectic day at work, rude drivers and heavy traffic on the highway, he had listened all the way home to the lovely, encouraging voice of God lovingly narrated by Max McLean.

If you purchase this item (and I also suggest "The Valley of Vision" -both the book and McLean's reading of it), you will most certainly benefit. Your listening skills will improve (might help at home and work, too), your appreciation for the Word of God also will be markedly changed, and the next time you read to someone, maybe McLean's dramatic and enthusiastic influence will spill over to your own reading.

Superb.......2007-01-11

Max is a master at what he does. Narrate. I play these all night and in the car. A perfect gift for everyone including self.

Average customer rating:

A great tool to saturate your mind in God's Word
The Best Whole Bible On Audio CD I Know Of
Good product!
How to make your iPod holy.
Fantastic

The Listener's Bible - ESV (4 MP3 CDs)
Max McLean
Manufacturer: The Listener's Bible
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1931047456
Release Date: 2004-10-01

Customer Reviews:

A great tool to saturate your mind in God's Word.......2007-10-05

I bought this to listen on my ipod. It's one of the best thing I did to help my mind to be more saturated with and to meditate on the Word. With ESV as the most accurate and readable translation, Max McLean's calm and not so dramatic reading helps the listener to focus on the content rather than on the reading itself. Its background ambiance track is faint yet appropriately present that adds to the weight of the passages. For those who have not tried audio Bible, I highly recommend it as it is how most of the original audience of the Scripture heard, through oral reading.

The Best Whole Bible On Audio CD I Know Of.......2007-10-03

This was a gift to me by a member in my congregation. Previously they had given me the NT as well. I've already started using this product daily. At the time of this review, Amazon's price was almost $14 lower than the discount Christian book sites I checked. So this is a great place to buy this item.

First let me say that the CD packaging is solid. Leather case, with easy access sleeves that are durable.

Second, the version that is read here is the finest available in English in my opinion. I came to this conclusion after carefully comparing it to the Greek New Testament for about a year, my own translation work from sermons last year, and about 7 other English translations (including the NIV, NLT, NAS, NKJV, KJV. The ESV maintains a tight mirror image to the original text, yet it sounds like a pleasant English. For more on this, you may wish to read my review on the ESV Outreach Bible here on Amazon.
If you have access to them, ask any Greek scholar about the ESV and I think you will find they give it extremely high marks. So I prefer this audio bible mainly because it is the ESV. On to less important details...

The CD labels and finishing quality are fine. No problems.

A few CD's had data read problems with feeding the track labels to Windows Media Player. One cd I was able to get it to load onto itunes, and then it worked on Windows Media Player after I loaded it onto itunes. On another cd that didn't work, so I had to type in the track titles manually. I was unable to get five of the 62 cds to load the info labels on the tracks. The actual tracks played just fine. I don't know if it was from my software, my cd drive or the product.

Otherwise, the product is flawless. A light touch of music in the background is not irritating and is soothing/meditative. The Max McLean speaks at a 'walking pace' throughout, which I find very pleasant.

I saved this onto my Windows media player, and then whatever passage I am preaching on that week I simply load onto my MP3 device so I have the scripture right there. I highly recommend this product.

Other ways this product can be used include listening while working out (I find the music background helps a bit). Also, it is good for a family devotional primer or even for use in a congregational setting. I often use it in a leaders meeting or in a small group meeting.

Good product!.......2007-09-28

How does one review the Bible? Just to say the production is clean and crisp, and easily downloaded to your Itunes program. This MP3 product [[ASIN:1931047456 The Listener's Bible - ESV (4 MP3 CDs) is all it is cracked up to be, well worth the price.

Lee Copeland

How to make your iPod holy........2007-09-08

Yes you can now fit the entire Bible on a 4GB iPod if you happen to get this wonderfully presented CD set from Max McLean and it is worth every penny. The total file size is actually 2.01 GB (2,165,853,978 bytes). The files do need some tinkering (some batch file renaming is necessary) to get everything in order for the iPod (or whatever MP3 player) so that it runs from start to finish through every chapter break properly but in the end you will be able to listen to the entire Bible in the space of a few weeks (as opposed to hourly reading daily on a year bible reading plan) if you put your mind to it. This is also a great way to refresh oneself after reading a book of the bible or for casual listening. Max McLean has the best voice for it to date too (as if he is introducing or narrating a movie like the Ten Commandments or Jesus of Nazareth). If you are going to get an audio Bible this is the one to get.

Fantastic.......2007-09-02

If you want to listen to a great translation of God's Word, you will not be disappointed with this product. Max McLean has a powerful voice, and the background music is never too loud.
Excellent product.

The Listener's NIV MP3 Audio Bible by Max McLean

Average customer rating:

wonderful product
Awesome!
Very easy to listen to
Cruising with the Word
Excellent product

The Listener's NIV MP3 Audio Bible by Max McLean
Max McLean
Manufacturer: Fellowship for the Performing Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

ASIN: 1931047308
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Product Description

4 MP3 CDs (77 hrs) New International Version

Customer Reviews:

wonderful product.......2007-09-18

i love it. after searching for so long for bible on c.d, i decided on this one and i dont regret it. its very good. i could f fwd or go back to any book i want including the chapter on my MP3. i love the way it's being read too. give it a try, you might just fall in love with it.

Awesome!.......2007-08-26

I loaded the NIV Audio Bible MP3s into my iPod and I take them with me everywhere. It is a pleasure to always listen to the word of God where ever I am at (work, doctor's office, on the road, etc. Max McLean provides the perfect audio texture and performance to describe the different characters. I am very happy with this purchase.

Very easy to listen to.......2007-07-20

This product is excellent. It is really easy to load onto your ipod. Once you get over the accent and some of his pronunciations (I bought it from the US and shipped it to the UK), he is easy to listen to and peaks very clearly.

Cruising with the Word.......2007-05-21

The Listener's NIV MP3 Audio Bible is well organized and catalogued. This makes it easier to navigate between books and passages. Max McLean does a fantastic job of reading with emphasis. It is clear that he believes what he is reading. He is skilled at capturing Punctuations properly. It is wonderful having just 4 discs to deal with rather than 16...

The absolute best thing about this product is the price!! You cannot beat the price for such a quality product. I searched hard to find the right product at the right price, and I did!!!

Excellent product.......2007-03-30

I had listened to Max Mclean read the Bible for years online; for free. However, I just wanted to support his work because I was always so impressed by the passion he brings to the Bible.

I highly recommend this product.

I downloaded the cd's to my Sansa E260, and it's great to have the Bible with me in the car, walking my dog, working in the yard or wherever I am.

Note: Be aware that although these are cd's they are in a Mp3 format. Unless your cd player accepts the Mp3 format these cd's will not play.

Average customer rating:

Exactly what I hoped for, and more
Top-notch tome
Excellent
Basic libraries coverage with a good example application.

Prototype and Scriptaculous in Action
Dave Crane , Bear Bibeault , and Tom Locke
Manufacturer: Manning Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1933988037

Book Description

Prototype and Scriptaculous are libraries that extend standard Ajax. They make it easier to program Ajax and provide powerful features like drag and drop and animation. In this book, developers learn by playing and see how the libraries work in the real world.

As experience with Ajax increases, developers want the standard Ajax capabilities they repeatedly use to be preprogrammed for them--and that's exactly what Ajax libraries do for them. They reduce the pain of handling cross-browser inconsistencies, they add useful language features, and provide sophisticated functionality. Of these, Prototype is the most popular JavaScript and Ajax framework for low-level user interface features such as animation, drag and drop, and pre-built widgets. Together, they free the developer up to concentrate on building the application. They make a rich user experience easy to achieve.

This book guides the reader through the Prototype and Scriptaculous libraries feature-by-feature. In just 350 pages, readers will find over 100 small working examples to help them explore the libraries. As well, they will develop a web-based image gallery that teacher them how to use Prototype and Scriptaculous in the real-world.

Customer Reviews:

Exactly what I hoped for, and more.......2007-10-11

I'm not even halfway through this book yet and I'm already satisfied with my purchase. I look forward to reading about Scriptaculous, but to me the book is already worth it for (a) the treatment of JavaScript in general and the details on object-oriented JavaScript, JSON, and especially JavaScript prototypes and function closures, (b) Prototype, especially how prototype extends JavaScript itself by modifying various object prototypes, and (c) AJAX, including historical perspective, details and gotchas of AJAX request/response versus traditional GET or POST via browser, and the utilities Prototype offers to ease AJAX communication. Additionally, I know this book will make a great reference for it's coverage of the DOM basics and it's appendices on HTTP basics and traffic. There's even some useful contrasting of different server-side options (PHP versus servlets/JSP, etc.) I don't mean to sound like I'm fawning over this book but it's exactly what I hoped to find after working for the first time with all these technologies on a recent project; I wish I'd had this book during that project.

Top-notch tome.......2007-06-25

Javascript has exploded onto the web development scene in the last few years, and powers much of the web 2.0 and Ajax revolution. Every web developer now needs to know how to do common Ajax tasks. Thankfully, Prototype and Scriptaculous In Action makes it both easy and enjoyable.

This is a comprehensive book. The size (510 pages) was initially intimidating, but Prototype and Scriptaculous In Action is exceedingly well written and a genuine pleasure to read. The thorough and thoughtful organization of the book provides some real structure to the discussion, making complex subjects easily digestible. This is the defacto bible of Prototype and Scriptaculous, and these days I turn to this book more than anything else on my shelf.

The book is divided up into four multi-chapter parts, any of which could stand on it's own as a definitive guide. The chapters are full of useful examples, and there's strong emphasis given to migrating existing sites to Prototype and Scriptaculous, which is a major plus. You could turn to any section of the book and immediately see how to inject some new behavior into your existing application, but if you take the time to read from cover-to-cover you'll be rewarded with some deep understanding of both the libraries and Javascript itself.

I'll summarize the four parts of the book:

Part 1, Getting Started, introduces the Prototype and Scriptaculous libraries, focusing heavily on Prototype and Ajax. There's a lot of information on re-designing an existing site for Ajax. Two full chapters are devoted to Prototype's Ajax features. You can get up and running VERY quickly after glancing through these chapters. There's also a lot of depth, and consideration is given to the pervasive effects Ajax has on architectural issues and the new ways that an application will have to manage HTTP traffic.

Part 2, Scriptaculous Quickly, covers effects, controls and drag-n-drop. This is hands-down the best Scriptaculous documentation currently available, anywhere. The core effects are explored and tweaked, and there's lot of very practical examples demonstrating some of the niftiest stuff, like running effects in parallel versus sequentially. And the drag-and-drop coverage is incredibly clear, making it easy, almost trivial, to implement. The Scriptaculous coverage is indispensable, and you'll return to it again and again if you implement Scriptaculous-enabled pages.

Part 3, Prototype in Depth, explores Prototype's Javascript-oriented features. There's a fantastic chapter on functions contexts, and the discussion of closures is one of the best I've seen. There's a lot of information about Javascript fundamentals, and how Prototype can be used to implement inheritance, address arrays, and manipulate the DOM in the browser.

And finally, Part 4 Advanced Topics, has two unrelated chapters. The first chapter overhauls an example app, giving it a Prototype and Scriptaculous makeover. The last chapter is about integration with Ruby on Rails. Prototype was initially written as the Ajax interface to Rails, so there's some strong integration.

As a long-time enterprise web developer, dealing with Javascript has always been a chore. But now I actually (gasp) look forward to tasks that involve Javascript. I'm a convert, and I have Prototype and Scriptaculous in Action to thank.

Excellent.......2007-05-22

I wrote a longer review that Amazon has apparently lost. Oh well. This is an excellent book, very well written. The authors are the rarest kind of technical author: they can actually construct prose that is pleasant to read, not deadly boring, but which works well as a reference book later. The book's organized thoughtfully--it's certainly much more than just an API reference. There's also quite a lot of general advanced Javascript information here, too.

There's at least one other book on these libraries in production from Pragmatic Programmers. If you're considering that, I strongly suggest downloading the sample chapters of both books and comparing. The Crane book is much more appealing to me (not to mention it's available now, not in six months).

Basic libraries coverage with a good example application........2007-04-19

This book lacked detailed coverage of the programming techniques and advanced topics of prototype and scriptaculous. The authors covered the basics by discussing only the API's of the libraries (more attention was given to scriptaculous API's, even though its usage is obvious and prototype API's are more extensive). With 500 pages and the libraries as the title, I expected details about the inner workings of the API's and discussions about its usages/ applications. Instead, 150 pages were devoted to verbose repetitive coverage of scriptaculous' API, which could easily have fitted into 50 pages at most. ALL of the info on scriptaculous could easily have been read online at its wiki site - the book provided no further insight (ch. 5 is especially useless)! Prototype's coverage was decent, but lacked details on several parts of its API. Although prototype and scriptaculous are tightly integrated with Rails, there was only 1 chapter devoted to its discussion, which served more like an overview than a usage guide. Based on content on the libraries alone, I would give this book 3 stars. However, if you're in need of an example application, then it may deserve 4 stars. This book provides a good example of applying prototype's ajax and scriptaculous web 2.0 techniques to a photo gallery website. It shows the advantages these libraries have over plain javascript and dhtml. The extra 100 pages wasted on scriptaculous would better serve Rails' RJS templates or a more complete/ thorough discussion of prototype. Of course it can be argued that the book is not titled, "Prototype, Scriptaculous, and Rails in Action," but it should be.

The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation

Average customer rating:

Best training book ever!
7 IMPROVEMENTS
"Must have" for any dog owner!!
Effective. Helps establish foundation for training your dog!
New perspective for me!

The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation
Jan Fennell
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0060089466
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Book Description

In The Dog Listener Jan Fennell shares her revolutionary insight into the canine world and its instinctive language that has enabled her to bring even the most delinquent of dogs to heel. This easy-to-follow guide draws on Jan's countless case histories of problem dogs—from biters and barkers to bicycle chasers—to show how you can bridge the language barrier that separates you from your dog.

This edition includes a new 30-Day Training Guide to further incorporate Jan's powerful method into every element of pet ownership, including:

Understanding what it means to care for a dog
Choosing the right dog for you
Introducing your dog to its new home
Overcoming separation anxiety
Walking on a leash
Dealing with behavioral problems
Grooming
And much more

Customer Reviews:

Best training book ever! .......2007-10-04

This book was reccomended to me by a friend when I bought my two puppies and I had them trained before they were 3 months old. You have to remember that the tecniques in this book are a way of life and you must continue to do them at all times. You get used to it and it becomes second nature and the outcome is very rewarding. Puppies can be very frustrating to train but by using this book, I am actually enjoying the energy of my pups and they are respecting me.

7 IMPROVEMENTS.......2007-09-19

Jan Fennell deserves high accolades for this book and 30-day training manual! I have 7 dogs and after 4 weeks, the change is very noticeable. I have largely achieved the behavior I want with 7 dogs inside the home and they are much improved in the back yard. Soon I will move on to the car and the world outside. Traditional dog training classes just didn't cut the mustard - there was little if no discussion on how to have your dog look to you as its leader. I so enjoyed Jan's informative, fast-reading, couldn't-put-it-down book that I am reading it a second time. It's almost as if she could read your mind as to problems and questions we owners have with our dogs and the frustration we are faced with not knowing how to solve them. I only wish more people in the U.S. knew about Jan like they do about Cesar Millan. Maybe her time is coming!

"Must have" for any dog owner!!.......2007-07-03

This book was recommended to me by my dog trainer, and I am so glad! I use this book so much - Jan really understands dogs. She has the solution to any training issue or behavioral difficulty you can think of. It's all about thinking like a dog, and trying to relate to them in order to understand and work with them more effectively. Training is so much easier and quicker when you apply her methods! And the dogs seem happier and more relaxed, just like she says! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who owns a dog, or is thinking about buying a dog!

Effective. Helps establish foundation for training your dog!.......2007-04-16

A must read for all dog owners. Helps you to establish leadership within your "pack" using her 4 basic principals. I used this book as a building block to understand my dogs and establish an "Alpha" position within my pack. Once this is established, it makes training a lot easier. Other good books for understanding your dogs are "Other End of the Leash" and "Power of Positive Dog Training". For basic training I recommend "Clicking with Your Dogs" and Karen Pyor's "Clicker Training for Dogs."

New perspective for me!.......2007-04-03

We are expecting a new puppy later this year and I've been educating myself on being a responsible and informed owner. We always had dogs, cats, lizards, rabbits and such growing up. I didn't think about it until I read this book but several of our dogs had, shall we say some interesting habits. Jan Fennell shares a little of the common history man shares with our beloved dogs, as well as what happens in a wolf pack in the wild. I have to say that my entire perspective regarding dogs behaviour and training have changed. Now, I see people walking their dogs or rather the dogs walking their human and I understand what their relationship is all about. I can't wait for our new puppy and so look forward to a happy and healthy life for her. If you want to know and love your dog on a whole new, healthier level this is a must read.

p.s. If you haven't already, please read up on a raw diet for your dog.

The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music

Average customer rating:

A delightful experience for any classical music lover.
A handy reference
NPR is better
NPR LIstener's Enclyclopedia of Classical Music
The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music

The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music
Ted Libbey
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

Music | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0761120726

Book Description

A complete education in classical music, written with verve and wit. No music lover can pick up this one-volume compendium without becoming a more knowledgeable, discerning listener. • The sonata form revealed, and why it's been deeply satisfying for three centuries. • What to listen for in Brahms, a self-described Classicist who was one of music's great innovators . • Pizzicato, fioritura, parlando, glissando. • The transformative power of Toscanini–who earned more conducting the New York Philharmonic than his contemporary Babe Ruth made with the Yankees. • And throughout, more than 2,000 recommended recordings.

Log on and listen. Created with Naxos, the world's largest classical music label, the book includes a unique Web site featuring more than 500 examples cited in the text. Look up barcarolle. First read about its swaying 6/8 meter and Venetian origins; then log on to the music Web site and hear it performed in Act IV of Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann. If that whets your curiosity about Offenbach, click to hear the cancan in his La vie parisienne. All online samples are marked by an icon in the text.

Customer Reviews:

A delightful experience for any classical music lover........2007-06-24

"The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music" is a delightful combination reference book and video game for all classical music buffs. Besides its nearly 1,000 pages of listings, from Claudio Abbado to Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, the book gives you access to a page on the Naxos Music website which allows you to listen to more than 500 musical selections online. I just signed on to the page for the first time, and listened to the very first listed selection--John Adams' "Shaker Loops." I look forward to hours of fun with this wonderful new toy! I appreciate the breadth and depth of knowledge author Ted Libbey brings to the project, as well as his inclusion of favorites of mine who aren't necessarily well-known to today's listening public, such as the Danish tenor Aksel Schiotz. In his introduction, Libbey notes he tried to avoid the gaps and errors in such standard reference works as Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, and adds, "Doubtless there will be errors still, and for these I accept full responsibility." Alas, I have already caught him in two. The first is the listing of Beethoven's birthday as December 17, 1770, when even "Peanuts'" Schroeder and Lucy know that Beethoven was born on December 16. Of course, that could have been a printer's or proofreader's error, but the second mistake is more serious--when Libbey states that Vladimir Horowitz withdrew from the concert stage in 1953 in a severe depression over the suicide of his only daughter. Actually, Horowitz's daughter, Sonia, did not commit suicide until the 1970s (which caused Horowitz a second bout of severe depression); I'm not sure exactly what caused Horowitz's 1953 breakdown, but I had always understood that an addiction to prescription drugs was at least partly to blame. Nevertheless, these are minor caveats to an otherwise enjoyable and informative volume. Any classical music lover with computer access would be happy to own it.

A handy reference.......2007-06-13

Don't get this if you are looking for an overview of music history, this is a reference book--exactly as advertised.

It comes with a login to naxos.com that allows you to listen to literally hundreds of hours of music from the naxos library for free! This is a tremendous value.

I was most impressed by the sheer amount of information--not just the historic information, even my favorite 20th and 21st century composers were given a fair amount of coverage.

NPR is better.......2007-06-10

Couldn't choose between the NPR ecyclopedia and the Vantage Guide so bought both. The NPR book is younger, more detailed, more information on a wider variety of artists and composers and in my opinion ; much better.

NPR LIstener's Enclyclopedia of Classical Music.......2007-06-08

Even for the true classic music afficiando, this is a helpful compendium of names and selections to use when purchasing albums or for general hands on reference.

The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music.......2007-01-17

What I like about The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music is that it's small enough to fit on my home bookshelf but concise and comprehensive enough to have the information on music terms, biographical sketches of famous composers and performers--from antiquity to present.

Another plus about this book is that at the end of each biographical entry, there is a list of recommended recordings by the artist. It is a handy ready-reference book for both public and academic libraries; it is also a great gift idea for old-time classical music lovers as well as for people who begin to develop interest in classical music. For its size and price, it can be added to any home-music collection.

One small minus point, Joshua Bell is in there, but his "Romance of the Violin"--my favorite CD-- is not listed.

The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music (NPR Curious Listener's Guide To...)

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Not recommended because of competing products
Guide for the curious listener
NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music

The NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music (NPR Curious Listener's Guide To...)
Tim Smith
Manufacturer: Perigee Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0399527958
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Book Description

* The major composers from Bach and Bartok to Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky
* Significant performers from Maurice Andre and Leornard Bernstein to Georg Solti and Yo Yo Ma
* The landmark works from Appalachian Spring to Don Juan
* A concise history of classical music
* A deconstruction of the art form
* The language of classical music
* Valuable resources for the Curious Listener

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2006-03-18

To say I was disappointed in this "guide" is an understatement. I expected so much more from NPR. I live in New Orleans and lost a lot of my books in the flood following Katrina, so I needed a new classical music reference. This one is not at all useful to me.

Not recommended because of competing products.......2004-08-02

This book reminds me of the old saying that "a camel is a horse built by a committee." This text isn't quite right for either beginners or intermediate lovers of classical music. It's not user-friendly or clever enough for beginners, and it's too thin and too passionless for intermediates. It's perfectly okay, but falls well short of the competition.

There are lots of really good classical-music guides on the market, however. Some fun, not-too-taxing ones are Marcus Weeks' "Music: A Crash Course" and Phil G. Golding's "Classical Music." Each of these is fun and fresh.

If you want something more substantive and brainy that will allow you to show off at your next embassy cocktail party, try Fred Plotkin's "Classical Music 101" or Jan Swafford's "The Vintage Guide to Classical Music." Plotkin's is better, but a bit stiff, and Swafford's has many more illustrations.

The very best is, believe it or not, is David Pogue's and Scott Speck's "Classical Music for Dummies." It comes with a good audio CD of sample classical tracks, and the two authors are both professional musicians and very bright people. It's a real and helpful treat.

Guide for the curious listener.......2003-02-28

I found this book to be a pleasent introduction to a greater understanding of the genre of classical music. It is helpful, but not necessary, to have some understanding of music theory. Knowing what such things as polyphony and monophony are about all that you need to know. The introduction nicley summarizes the book's theme. This is a much better and cheaper way to get introduced to classical music then through such other books as "Classical Music for Dummies," or the "Idiot's Guide to Classical Music." The only thing I found somewhat questionable about this book was the choice of cd's that have been selected for one to build a collection with; otherwise, this book is a valuble resource for liteners be they curious or even casual. For those serious about classical music this book will seem too elemental for their tastes.

NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Classical Music.......2002-12-16

I found this to be a very helpful, friendly over-all guide to classical music. It contains brief descriptions of major works, capsule bios of well-known composers, and lots of helpful information presented in an easy to understand, down to earth manner. As a novice to this type of music, I found the vast world of Classical repertoire a bit intimidating, but Mr. Smith is not the least bit pretentious, and I found his writings warm and welcoming. I'm sure that even seasoned classical music fans will find this book a handy reference.

Speakers, Listeners and Communication: Explorations in Discourse Analysis

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Speakers, Listeners and Communication: Explorations in Discourse Analysis
Gillian Brown
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Gillian Brown draws on a wide range of examples of discourse analysis to explore the ways in which speakers and listeners use language collaboratively to talk about what they can see in front of them and about a series of events. The focus of her attention is on the listener's role, as the listener tries to make sense of what the speaker says in a highly constrained context; and her cognitive/pragmatic approach to discourse analysis both complements and challenges current sociological/anthropological perspectives on the subject.

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Near perfect.
Subjective - conservative playlist - good for what it does cover - a tough review - started falling like a rock
Indispensable
Beginner's perspective
great, but with 20 pages more it would have been perfect

The Symphony: A Listener's Guide
Michael Steinberg
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195126653

Amazon.com

Anyone compiling a guide to the symphony faces two problems: impartiality versus personal enthusiasm and detailed musical analysis versus help for the newcomer. Michael Steinberg succeeds brilliantly at the task, as he has with his guide to the concerto. He has pared this vast repertory down to 118 entries (Franck and Bizet being the surprising omissions), thus keeping room for music by Schmidt, Hartmann, Harbison, Piston, and Tippett. Many of the chapters have helpful general introductions; the brief one on Mendelssohn and the longer one on Schubert are ideal. The Mahler chapter is superb, with consideration of the original version of the First Symphony and the unfinished Tenth Symphony framing a chronological discussion of the works. Steinberg includes all texts and translations of vocal movements and places even isolated works (such as Górecki's wholly atypical Third Symphony) in context. Absent is the clubby tone that infects classical music programming on public radio, and readers will not need to follow scores to understand Steinberg's points. There are some great but peripheral tidbits in the footnotes, as well as frequently trenchant quotations from various composers' letters. Best of all, Steinberg has clear concerns and enthusiasms: orchestral seating plans for the violins and the reasons that repeats in first movements are so often disregarded become refrains. The descriptions of William Schuman's Sixth Symphony and Bohuslav Martinu's Fantaisies Symphoniques may send readers rushing to listen, and the overly familiar Beethoven Eroica and Schubert "Unfinished" are once again fantastical, odd, and fresh in these pages. In Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony, we read, "the oboe is the sweetest and most seductive of tour guides." Steinberg might well have been describing himself. --William R. Braun

Book Description

Enriched by biographical detail, historical background, musical examples, and many finely nuanced observations, this volume is a treasury of insight and information. Readers will find illuminating discussion of the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Sibelius, and Mahler, as well as of the most loved symphonic works of Schubert, Bruckner, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and others. We learn how to listen more sharply for Haydn's humor, to Mozart's singular combination of pathos with grace, and to the evolution of Beethoven's musical ideas in his nine symphonies. This remarkable range and variety of composers are illuminated by Steinberg's deft, inviting, and intensely personal essays, which give such a vivid portrait of each composer's personality that the reader gets an immediate sense of how the work is a direct expression of the person from whose soul and brain it has sprung. Tracing the ways in which composers have dealt with the musical challenges that have engaged them throughout the centuries, Steinberg takes us through the revolutions of expression, sound, and form that have shaped the symphony's remarkable history. Whether beginners or veterans, music lovers will listen to the symphony with enlivened interest and deeper understanding with Steinberg's masterful guide in hand.

Customer Reviews:

Near perfect........2007-03-02

Since the glories of this book have already been trumpeted enough, I'll just suggest some great works that I think merit inclusion when Mr.Steinberg gets around to revising.

As has been pointed out: Copland's Third, Saint-Saens' Third, Franck D minor...

but also Chausson's B minor, and even D'Indy's "French Mountain Air" symphony.
Symphonies by Bax, Arnold, Rubbra, Simpson, and Bliss.

Not to mention Liszt's "Faust Symphony"!

And for a good read-about at the very least: Havergal Brian's "Gothic", which is a great work.

Subjective - conservative playlist - good for what it does cover - a tough review - started falling like a rock.......2006-01-22

I got this book nearly a decade ago, and valued it a lot at the time. I hadn't seriously used it in quite some time, then, while reviewing some books I had just read, decided to post one about it.

When I got online, I first noticed the comments in the line of "It's too bad that 'Composer X' gets omitted."

But, this is a book about music, I was thinking, and "de gustibus non disputandum" will always be the rule in the arts.

Then, I started looking through my current collection of nearly 500 classical CDs and said, "Whooah, there."

First, Steinberg appears to operate with a narrow definition of what is a symphony, perhaps. Why else is Rachmaninov's "Symphonic Dances" omitted, for example? Or Hindemith's "Four Temperaments" or "Symphonic Variations"?

On symphonies themselves, where is Stravinsky's "Symphony of Psalms"? Or anything by Schnittke, the best symphonist of the last third of the 20th century? Or Malcolm Arnold? Or Nicolai Myaskovsky, a great contemporary of Prokofiev? Or Ernst Krenek? Or Szymanowski? Or Hovhaness, as "pop" as he may be to some?

And why so much Haydn?

In other words -- and this is why Steinberg's book started falling like a rock for me -- his "playlist" is quite conservative. I don't think either Boston or San Francisco (he served as orchestra program annotator in both places) are that conservative musically, so why is he?

I mean, someone could do a separate volume just out of all the 20th century composers he omitted.

As my title notes, this is an in-depth book for what it covers, but it fails in what could have been a great didactive exercise. I moved my classical music boundaries beyond 1900 through dint of my own open-mindedness, but sure would have loved the help of a book like Steinberg's that analyzed more 20th century symphonic works.

If your "playlist" is stuck where many heartland American classical listeners' may be, then this book could be just for you. But, if you want to learn a lot about modern symphonies, skip it.

Indispensable.......2001-09-17

A wonderful book. Michael Steinberg is probably the premier writer of program notes for symphony orchestra concerts in the English-speaking world, and his two books, The Symphony: A Listener's Guide (Oxford University Press, 1995, 678 pages), and its companion volume The Concerto: A Listener's Guide (Oxford UP, 1998, 506 pages), are probably the two best collections of program notes on the symphony and the concerto that have ever been published in English. Steinberg formerly wrote the program notes for the Boston Symphony Orchestra and currently writes them for the New York Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. He was music critic of the Boston Globe for twelve years. These two books come with glowing recommendations from such distinguished musical figures as Seiji Ozawa, Michael Tilson Thomas, Andre Previn, Herbert Blomstedt, Roger Norrington, and John Adams. Speaking as one who has attended countless symphony orchestra concerts on the East Coast, West Coast, and in Dallas for more than forty years, and has always read the program notes, I can say that I've never read any as good as these. They are readable, learned, witty, accessible, and delightful, full of important biographical and historical information, and of course musical description, evaluation, and analysis that is genuinely illuminating and enlightening, without being so technical you need to be a musicologist or seated at a piano to understand it. (Inevitably, there are some musical examples, but these are relatively few, usually fairly simple, and you don't have to understand them to grasp the meaning of the text.) I would recommend these two books strongly to any lover of classical music, anyone who attends symphony orchestra concerts.

Having said this, I can't help noting a few unfortunate omissions. The Symphony is a thick book and perhaps one is ungenerous to cavil at such a generous and generally inclusive and comprehensive volume. All the Beethoven symphonies are included, of course, as are all the symphonies of Brahms and Schumann, and all the major symphonies of Haydn (only two symphonies before No. 86), Mozart (no Mozart symphonies earlier than No. 35, "Haffner"), Tchaikovsky (three symphonies), Dvorak (four symphonies), and Bruckner (six symphonies). The two greatest twentieth-century symphonists, Mahler and Sibelius, are covered in full, including all of their published symphonies and the unfinished Mahler Tenth (but not the early Sibelius "Kullervo" symphony). The third great twentieth-century symphonist, Shostakovich, is represented by seven of his fifteen symphonies. Both Elgar symphonies are included. The most striking lapses are in the French repertoire: the Franck D minor symphony and the Saint-Saens Third ("Organ") are unaccountably omitted, and these are serious omissions. The Schubert Fifth is omitted. Copland is represented by his Second ("Short Symphony"), not his much better known and more frequently performed Third. The same can be said of Hanson, who is represented by his Fourth ("Requiem"), not his Second ("Romantic"). Among the moderns, there are some strangely arbitrary (and, one suspects, personal) choices and omissions: for example, Roy Harris' Third is omitted, although symphonies by Harbison and Hartmann are included; the Harris is surely better established in the standard repertoire than either of these composers. For Vaughan Williams, two of his most popular and accessible symphonies, the First ("Sea") and Second ("London"), are omitted in favor three later symphonies (only 4, 5, and 6 are covered).

Despite these omissions, I recommend this book and its companion volume warmly and wouldn't be without them. Now I wish Mr. Steinberg and Oxford University Press would give us a third volume, covering the large body of orchestral music that is neither symphony nor concerto (such as tone poems and symphonic suites and dances, ballets and ballet suites, incidental music to plays and pageants, major overtures and preludes, et al.).

Beginner's perspective.......2001-07-26

The other reviewers here have given you the perspective of die-hard classical music fans. I am not really expert enough to comment on ommisions and such. But I would like to present another possible reason to purchase this book. Classical music can seem kind of inscrutable to the outsider, but this book sort of walks the reader (and listener) through each piece. I've used it to pick what piece to track down next. This book will enrich the listening experience and the listening skills of the musically minded amateur i think. It did for me.

great, but with 20 pages more it would have been perfect.......1999-09-20

I greatly enjoyed this book: Steinberg's style is lively and full of wit, but authoritative nonetheless, which is rare. As a reference book, this is an invaluable "tool" for the music lover and the scholar alike. As a fan of British and American music I found the Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Schuman chapters really praiseworthy. So, why not 5 stars? I think that, if you write such a kind of book (a "guide"), you should try to find a balance between the objective and the subjective, Steinberg tends decidedly to the subjective, which is good when he gives us so many insights about composers or conductors he met, much less so when this affects the selection criteria. For example, talking about American music, he spends pages talking about the Steinberg-dedicated Harbison Second (I bought the CD after I read the book and I found it very empty and rambling) and just a few (denigratory) lines about the Copland Third, which is a a classic , like it or not. And what about the almost total omission of the French symphonies? You won't find Franck and Bizet, as Amazon points, but also Saint-Saens is missing , and I don't think a book about symphonies can be without his Third. All in all, an indispensable issue, but with some flaws.

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Good for Listening Basics
good little book
An excellent little book

The Good Listener
James E. Sullivan
Manufacturer: Ave Maria Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0877939438

Customer Reviews:

Good for Listening Basics.......2006-06-30

Initially I was disappointed when I realized how small the book was, but I discovered that this book contained a lot of good nuggets of help for acquiring basic listening skills. This actually would be a great gift book for educators and people in religious work who want to learn how to connect better with others. One tragic reality of 21st century life is that we fail to learn how to get outside ourselves and connect with others. Good listening skills is an essential step toward learning how to communicate to others that they matter.

good little book.......2001-09-13

Very sincere and clear view on a humanistic approach to listening. Author seems to practicwe what he preaches and this book should be helpful to people looking to be more empathetic with others. Only downside is over generalization of peoples problems which may require more care than flippant analysis.

An excellent little book.......2000-09-15

Writers and editors may be familiar with an old standby in the editing world, The Elements of Style, a slim little volume that has served as a precious help to anyone seeking to work with the English language. Well, James Sullivan and Ave Maria press have written and published a similar little guide to interpersonal communications called The Good Listener. This small book covers succinctly the measures many of us need to take to really become better, more effective listeners. Reading this book will not make you a better listener, only practice can do that, but it will definitely teach you about the foundations of good listening so you will know what to practice.

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