Curmudgeon speaks !

I devoured this in one sitting and loved every page of it. It'll never be thought of as a brilliant opus, but I feel sure I'll read it again very soon. I find myself agreeing with much of what he has to say. Nice to see that he isn't as one-sided in his attitudes as I previously suspected. <br /><br />I could have read another couple of hundred words of it without trouble. Absorbing. Crucial. Significant.<br /><br />Can't wait to hear his new CD.<br />

Interesting insights into the mentalist's mind

I am a huge fan of Derren's TV shows. Being from Croydon too I feel a sort of bond (How sad is that!), so was delighted to get it for Christmas as asked for. The first half of the book covering Magic, Memory and Hypnotism was great fun reading, and I plan to go re-read, learn the tricks and build my own Memory Palace soon. I was also interested to find out more about NLP from his sceptical point of view.<br />The second half of the book covering anti-science, pseudo-science and bad thinking was harder going, especially as I've recently read Dawkins' book The God Delusion. However, Derren puts so much of himself and his beliefs into the text that it was never less than readable, and I cheered up hugely once this section got onto so-called 'psychics' and 'mediums'.<br />A fascinating, thought-provoking and entertaining read from an equally interesting guy although we don't find out much about him in real life.

great man = great book

Contrary to popular belief Russell didnt actually pen this book ( he is a very busy man ), however it reads as he dictates. This is a frank and honest book, narrating his life from birth right up to the beginning of his career growing. Many people say it that the book is just another angle for Russell to show the world that he loves himself. I dont actually believe this to be a negative thing, and the man himself will be the first to say his favourite topic is himself. The book is filled with highly entertaining witty banter, I particuarly love the incident with the pink umbrella. <br />Russell Brand is one of the most entertaining, interesting and intelligant comedians we have in England today, I believe those who slate him are either unintelligant themselves as they dont understand him, or are jealous of him. This book is brilliant I only wish he had written it himself as his guardian colomn is great. I think people who dont like Russell and then read his book and say how awful it is should think of something else to read (why read about someone you dont like !!!.) If you are a fan definetly read this book it is funny, sad, and yes at some points he does come across as narsicistic, but it also shows a moving side, and gives some glimpses into why he is the way he is. Great book, great entertainer I look forward to part two!

Get a lesson!

I bought this for my son who wanted to learn. What a waste pay for a few lessons with a teacher quite cheap for kids. Used for a couple of days then discarded. Anyone who has been playing more than a month will find this a waste of money.

A 'must read'.

One of the most complete and satisfying books of its genre. It is easy to read, and draws you through the Music and Musicians of the 20th century. The only problem is the expense, for one is always making notes as to which CD to order next!!

Biggest pile of bull on the market

I have never written a review on here before but make an exception in this case simply to say that this book is absolutely awful. It makes the man seem so shallow and pathetic. If he ever reads these reviews, which I am sure he won't because he'll be too busy thinking how wonderful he is, he would be very well advised to take seriously the negative comments before writing the sequel.<br />

A typical 'roadmap' book - first class.

There are several books in the 'Roadmap' series and they all share the same attributes. This one is no exception and is slightly better than most.<br /><br />They all cover pretty standard ground in terms of popular licks, phrases and 'boxes' within which to play and improvise.<br /><br />Despite brief introductions, they all assume at least some familiarity with the guitar fretboard and the reading of either notation or tablature. It is fair to say that to get the best out of these books, you do need SOME experience. Raw beginners might find this particular book a bit heavy going at first because it moves fairly rapidly from one technique or style to another and doesn't set out to teach you in an especially linear way. If you're that new to the guitar, think of this book as one to grow into once you have some basic knowledge and experience.<br /><br />All roadmap books cover a lot of ground in very little space in both great detail and in a well-developed style that is very easy to follow.<br /><br />In short - the 'Roadmap' series set out to provide you with a good repertoire of skills and licks and then show you how to develop them in your own playing.<br /><br />Briefly, the content of this book covers the following topics:<br /><br />the fretboad<br />the major scale and intervals<br />barre E and A chords, root notes and simple progressions<br />I -- IV -- V chord family, moveable chords and basic blues<br />D -- A -- F roadmap and inversions<br />chord fragments, families, licks, strums and arpeggios<br />circle-of-fifths progressions and how to use the whole fretboard<br />learning many differerent chord types<br />moveable major scales and playing melodies<br />moveable blues scales<br />major pentatonic scales<br />a moveable double-note lick for country, blues, rock and R&B (and that's the true 'Rhythm 'n' Blues' not the modern mish-mash of soul/hiphop and urbanised grumblings as chanted by groin-grabbing wailers).<br /><br />Of all the books in the 'Roadmap' series, this one sets out to do slightly more in that it lays down a foundation for all the other styles to be built upon. Thus many of the topics are looked at again in some of the specialised books (eg: bluegrass and folk). But this is not a weakness or an easy get-out.<br /><br />Highly recommended for anyone who wants a good introduction to ideas that they can learn, develop and tghen make their own.<br />

Random thoughts of Chairman Humph

The title says it all - this is a collection of thoughts and memories and definitely NOT an autobiography. On the first page Humph desribes it as"a hotchpotch of thought and memories and this is exactly what it is. <br />The book is a wonderful encapsulation of the wit and considerable wisdom of the inimitable Humph, with at least one laugh per page and frequently more as Humph seamlessly elides from the consideration of 3 a.m. transport caff meals to the subject of crimes against the decent pronunciation of English within the space of about 30 words. Devoting six hilarious pages to this, he moves, with his own brand of logic to school days at Eton and and thence to dispense a cornucopia of stories and anecdotes about eccentric relations, jazz greats and his own life.<br />In no particular order we are treated to a wondrous sequence of cameos from the very full and fully-lived life of a man whose humour never conceals his innate wisdom and humanity.<br />If you enjoy the lunatic humour of"I'm Sorry I haven't a Clue" or if you have an interest in jazz or if you just want a good read, this is it!<br />

Never sorry about this.

I loved this. I was stuck in a traffic jam, and have rarely enjoyed an hour-long journey to work so much.<br /><br />Too young (just!) to have listened to the programme from the start, it was good to hear how it evolved. From the very first episode you can spot all the familiar games, and you cannot imagine anyone other than Humph being allowed to chair it. Oh, and the points system used to work too, although nobody cared!<br /><br />I'm Sorry I Haven't a Desert Island is also a gem: there I was, listening to the great and good and Neil Kinnock describing their favourite rounds, nodding my head in agreement.<br /><br />The show has survived the loss of the incredibly funny Willie Rushton. Stephen Fry, Sandy Toksvig and Paul Merton have fitted in well but, for me, Jeremy Hardy will always take a lot of beating, particularly in the music rounds. I do worry for the future though - could they ever manage without Humph? Certainly Samantha would find it tough, sitting on someone else's right hand.<br /><br />Put this in a box and throw sugar at it if you like. Or better still, buy it and play it again and again until it wears out. <br /><br />The only trouble with Clue is that now and again you find yourself unable to hum the original words to the original tune. Love me Tender can really only be sung properly to the tune of the Archers...

Excellent guide. 2008 promises to be one of the best Prom seasons ever

Here is the guide to the 2008 Proms concert season running from July 18th to the `Last Night' on September 13th.<br /><br />This year's Proms season promises to be one of the best ever. <br /><br />There are five featured composers. Ralph Vaughan Williams - on the 50th anniversary of his death. Messiaen on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Stockhausen, who died last year but would have been 80 this year. Rachmaninov - no anniversary - but he is being featured. Elliot Carter - the 100 year old American composer who is still composing!<br /><br />There is still plenty of room for a wide selection of other music from the middle ages to today. As well as the standard concerts there are special events like a Folk Music Day and a Dr Who Prom including 40 minutes of music from the series.<br /><br />The Guide has all the details and articles introducing the featured composers. It is well worth getting whether you will be going to the Albert Hall to hear the concerts, listening on Radio 3 , or listening on the web (all concerts can be listened to for 7 days after live broadcast).<br /><br />The book version of the guide is attractively presented on good paper in colour. It is a lot nicer to navigate around than the Proms website. Get your copy and start planning your summer listening now.<br />

One of the best books I've ever read

He's always been one of the most honest lyricists and his writing here is no different. Unflinchingly blunt about the personal tragedies in his life and the seemingly countless misfortunes he has witnessed, he somehow weaves them all into a life-affirming and at times, blackly comic memoir. I love his music, his live shows are mesmerising and now I'm a fan of his book.

A Victorian Dream!!

This famous play is bursting with dramatic irony, rhetoric strategies and humorous witticisms. Oscar Wilde produces a great play with subtle sentiment and an underlying theme regarding paternity. A great read for eng lit students and members of the public alike. I personally recommend this play to anyone in need of a good laugh. One must particularly pay attention to the character’s mannerisms and use of language. And at a penny a book- bargain!!

'HOME is were the heart is'

This book was written with real heart!Reading about Julie Andrews home/work life was really interesting.Loved every minute detail of it.There wasn't any wasted moments,only wished there was more of it(plus photos).Really can't wait for the next instalment(hope it's not too long!!!)

Upon Reflection...

"Martha In The Mirror", as a short novel/book (Only 244 pages) makes for a quick read. Which isn't that bad.<br /><br />Justin Richard's depiction of the Doctor and Martha are spot on and move the plot along at a suitable pace. He really seems to capture the essence of their relationship together and shows this through the comedic banter between them. Clearly utilizing the fact that the reader knows who the Doctor and Martha are and have experienced their adventures before.<br />The at times 'Bouncy' story plays on some simple themes; The need and fear of War & Peace, the differences in cultures and the struggle of the young coming to turns with loss. But perhaps bogging down one over the other, as i felt the plight of the young girl Jana was more memorable because of the mystery surrounding her and her heartwarming resolution.<br />The use of the mirror as a dramatic device, often over-utilized in Sci-fi/Horror genres, seems to take a back seat to the actions of the supporting characters. Who in themselves seem under-described and lacking detail compared to other works in the Doctor Who series. But the mixture of description and narrative seems just right to let the imagination of the reader fill in the blanks. A lot of the important back story is covered when the Doctor finds and reads a diary written by another character, allowing the reader to form a fuller mental picture.<br />The few moments where the story takes on more confusing twists, is where Richards tries to describe the 'Mirror World". Having to re-read several sections myself, like this, to be sure as to who and whose reflection is doing what, was slightly distracting but really didn't detract from the page turner it turned into.<br />All in All, 'Martha In The Mirror' was a wonderful way to spend a long weekend, in-between cups of tea and other distractions.<br />In my opinion, as I was expecting a story of doppelgangers and ,the albeit cliche, 'Evil twins' (Another Sci-fi classic), This was a pleasant surprise to be pleasantly surprised.<br />If this was 100 pages longer, by adding more descriptive detail and extending the basic plot of the peace conference, this might not have been such an enjoyable read.

Slash - cutting a short story long

I bought this book based on the other recommended reviews but fail to see what the fuss is all about? The early chapters on Slash's childhood and how he started plating Guirar are interesting but frankly it all gets a bit repetitive and quite boring after that. I think the whole thing is purely to (a) have a rant over Guns'n'Roses and (b) plug how good 'Velvet Revolver' are. The main part of the book is endless stories of places in LA that most of us would not know and people in LA that most of us would not know. It is all cleverly written to avoid anything that could be libellous and is just a series of opinions and one-sided views. To save you all the money, the reason Slash left G'N'R was because (a) he did not like the way the band were always late, (b) the whole legal thing between Axl and other other members and (c) Izzy and Steven left so the essence of the band was gone. That's really all there is in it. Spend your money on some G'N'R CDs instead as they were a truly great band. Listen to them, don't read about them!<br />

Excellent

The book contains everything you need to know and you can flick though it to read only the things you wish to know about. For GCSE it goes into more detail than you need to know but if you learn it, an A* is yours. The best notes I could find on it.

Splendid Stuff

In this era of downloads and digital music comes along Chris Rea with this splendid release for the true music fan - the packaging is a joy for the eyes and the music is fab. Totally agree with the other comments made before me. Mr.Rea is a rare musician that cares about his craft and its audience. I do recall seeing him on his first tour with Lindisfarne some 30 years and have followed him since although he hasn't been in Japan for along time I do hope this may bring him sometime in the future! If you have not bought the previous release 'Blue Guitars' it is essential. A simple thank-you to everyone involved in this a beautiful project.

Brilliant

This has to be one of the funniest and honest books I have ever read. At first i was slightly dubious as to what Stephen Fry had to tell us about his life, but after the first page i was hooked. The anecdotes are side-splittingly funny. The honesty is honourable. I can't wait to read anything else Fry has written. I strongly recommend anyone to read this book.

A little clunky

I got quite excited when I read articles about this book. It has not really lived up to my expectations.<br /><br />It tells you about people who hear music in their heads, people with perfect pitch who lose it and vice versa, people with tinnitus and so on. The trouble for me was that in the end it becomes just a big long list of notes on the patients Sachs has treated. I could have used a bit more context, or even philosophical speculation and wonder. But the author is a medical man so he confines himself pretty much to the facts. And he reams them out - the patient experienced this, the patient reacted like that....<br /><br />Its fascinating material but in all honesty the book is not well written. It is more academic than I had expected. Of course some people will prefer that. I didn't.<br /><br />Some of the snippets I read in reviews and magazine articles were quite intriguing, but when I got to the full book I found that many of them remained snippets - a footnote about a piece of shrapnel in Shostakovich's head is a good example. Its just a couple of sentences and you want to know more about it but you are left unfulfilled. <br /><br />Maybe I had too high expectations of this book. I don't want to be too negative as its a perfectly OK book. Its just not anything like as interesting as it appears.