Product Description
Now completely revised, this bestselling historical atlas includes a chronological series of more than fifty maps and accompanying text tracing the movements of peoples in Europe, the Mediterranean area, and the Near East from 5000 b.c. to the fourth century a.d. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

A Retired Classic
A classic that looses a star only because it's dated and has been replaced by a new edition that updates some of the (embarrassing) background discussion of "races" and "sub-races". This version is in other regards superior to the new version, especially in graphical clarity, though much of the content is (presumably) also out of date, judging from the significant changes to many maps in the new version.

Not Reader Friendly
This book is hard on the eyes.

I read part of it and gave up.All the graphs are printed in blue and uses different types of shading to show different regions.The font size is about 8 or 10.The size of the book is ackward more like what is suited towards an advertising pamphlet.Quite clearly, Penguin is being super cheap about printing this book.It was published in the last few years so I'm totally confused what's the issue here.I mean come on.I can print full color pages on my laser printer for about 3 cents a page.Why can't a big fancy publisher like Penguin do a decent job printing a book?

Buy a different book, your eyes will thank you!

Ancient History Atlas.
This is a great little book.Unfortunately it covers the peroid just prior to the peroid that I was concerned with.It is concise and clear and would be of value to any one studing that peroid of time.Sue Coon

My purchase
You want a review?I'll give you a review!It has been over a month and I still haven't received my purchase!Well, I guess that means it sucks like a black hole and I'll bet nobody ever sees this message.I will never use Amazon again.If I feel like wasting money, next time I'll just throw it down the sewer.Since I can't leave a review without selecting at least one star, consider it a minus one!

Stunning scope.
I just love the way everyone criticises this book and still gives it 5 stars. Yes , the maps do not even show the major rivers which were often the tribal frontiers; and yes many important early sites are not shown on the map at all - so you can not use the atlas to plan your vacation!

I note that knowledgeable historians nit-pick the accuracy from time to time but, for myself,the ordinary punter, the book is simply stunning. Firstly the scope covers a mere 40,000 years of mainly European and Middle Eastern history. From the stone age to Byzantium. Secondly you get a swift and understandable summary of all those peoples you should know about but don't; the Medes, the Cimmarians, the Ostrogoths and hundreds of others. Thirdly, as well as the military and political history which helped create the world of today, for just a few quid you get a history of population developement, a history of trade and the story of the development and spread of both language and literacy. Wow!

On top of all this, the book is written in witty and self-depreciating style, explaining carefully where the evidence may be contradictory or simply absent. The book is even updated to include some DNA evidence and doubtless there will be a lot more in future editions.

So 5 stars plus it is. ... Read more

Product Description
The latest installment of this trusted literary companion covers all aspects of literary theory, from definitions of technical terms to characterizations of literary movements. Geared toward students, teachers, readers, and writers alike, The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory explains critical jargon (intertextuality, aporia), schools of literary theory (structuralism, feminist criticism), literary forms (sonnet, ottava rima), and genres (elegy, pastoral) and examines artifacts, historic locales, archetypes, origins of well-known phrases, and much, much more. Scholarly, straightforward, comprehensive, and even entertaining, this is a resource that no word lover should be without.

"Some entries accomplish cameo wonders of literary history. Others are funny . . . generously and urbanely compiled." --The New York Times ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Best Teacher's Reference Guide for Teaching Literature
I purchased this book in order to better understand literary terms and theory.It turned out to be not just a "dictionary" but a thematic reader that changed my way of thinking and teaching literary analysis semester after semester in my college classes.One can actually read this dictionary as a fast paced best seller...it is succinct, pithy, hysterical in places, intellectually serious in other places, but it does serve not only the teacher well, but anyone who has the desire to understand the nuances of writing.This 4th Edition has expanded the definition of why and how the most popular forms of fiction (ghost/horror, detective, gothic, and thriller) stories have so much appeal.Cuddon's (the primary author) work surpasses Magill's "Critical Survey of Long Fiction" by far and can be used to reawaken an intense interest and better understanding about what goes into writing a novel.An excellent dictionary in every respect.

Crucial terms inexplicably missing
I am a first year PhD student in comparative literature and I was hoping that this book would illuminate some of the often obscure terms used in my field of study. However, the two times I consulted the book trying to find a concise definition of a rather common term (the first one being simulacrum and the second one being metaphysics), I was disappointed by absence. There is a definition of "metaphysical," but it only refers to a British literary movement, and not to the term used in philosophy. I am sorry to be the first reviewer to give this dictionary less than three stars, but a so-called dictionary of literary theory that doesn't contain terms that aren't exactly uncommon in the field deserves no more.

take better care
While our item arrived in a timely manner, the shrink wrapped book was tattered on the edges. I selected and purchased a new book, not one chewed up and torn.

Excellent Reference
Long ago and far away, I majored in English--and I wish I'd had this book!

If your kid is struggling with a course in literature, this is an excellent book to have on hand. It's easy to read and easy to understand.
Mine is tattered from 8 years of kids writing papers in prep school English, and also from my own meanderings through its pages.

It not only defines a literary term (such as 'comedy of manners,'or 'Proustian')it provides examples from literature (including extensive quotes from time to time) to complete the explanation. When there is disagreement or ambiguity about a term, the text contains both points of view.

I found that it was of tremendous use when the kids were studying (the especially hated) poetry, or had to write what amounted to lit crit.

I'd buy this again, no doubt about it.

Very helpful!
Literary terms can get a bit tricky after a while. This was very useful. Discriptive but concise. ... Read more

Product Description
Club Penguin is a safe, virtual world for kids. With their friends, penguins can get pizza at the Pizza Shop, put on shows at The Stage, have snowball fights, and more. This book describes many of the role-playing activities, encouraging kids to use their imaginations to maximize fun! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book for a Club Penguin Fan
My son sat down with this book and read it as soon as it arrived. He loved it. ... Read more

Product Description
Collected here are 32 stories featuring the frightening creature--the vampire. Just in time for Halloween, this character will be shown in all its forms--male, female, alive, undead, on the prowl, in the bedroom, hungry and hedonistic, doomed and daring. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Love this collection!
My dad gave me this book when I was a teenager and I loaned it to someone who never returned it. I finally replaced it and with the original cover too! There are some really unusual stories and a few common ones. If you like vamp stuff you will love this book!

Not Free SF Reader
This book is an attempt to give a chronological overview, with examples, by way of stories, as opposed to a best stories or new stories type anthology. There is little editorial content about this, other than a small introduction, and some comment on each author before their story.

There is also a small list of vampire novels and vampire films in an appendix, with comments.


Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Fragment of a Novel - Lord George Gordon Byron
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Vampyre - Dr. John William Polidori
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Varney the Vampyre or The Feast of Blood - James Malcolm Rymer
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Mysterious Stranger - Anon
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Carmilla - Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Good Lady Ducayne - Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Dracula's Guest - Bram Stoker
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Luella Miller - Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : For the Blood Is the Life - F. Marion Crawford
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Transfer - Algernon Blackwood
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Room in the Tower - E. F. Benson
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : An Episode of Cathedral History - M. R. James
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : A Rendezvous in Averoigne - Clark Ashton Smith
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Shambleau - C. L. Moore
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Revelations in Black - Carl Jacobi
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : School for the Unspeakable - Manly Wade Wellman
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Drifting Snow - August Derleth
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Over the River - P. Schuyler Miller
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Girl with the Hungry Eyes - Fritz Leiber
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Mindworm - C. M. Kornbluth
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Drink My Blood - Richard Matheson
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Place of Meeting - Charles Beaumont
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Living Dead - Robert Bloch
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Pages from a Young Girl's Journal - Robert Aickman
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Werewolf and the Vampire - R. Chetwynd-Hayes
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Love-Starved - Charles L. Grant
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Cabin 33 - Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Unicorn Tapestry - Suzy McKee Charnas
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Following the Way - Alan Ryan
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Sunshine Club - Ramsey Campbell
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : The Men and Women of Rivendale - Steve Rasnic Tem
Penguin Book of Vampire Stories : Bite-Me-Not or Fleur de Feu - Tanith Lee


Exhumation surprise.

3 out of 5


This is very ordinary, there are many vampire stories you should read before this one. If you are seriously into vampire books, or the history in vampire literature, then give it a shot, even if only for research purposes, no real reason to bother with it otherwise.

2.5 out of 5


A compilation of a serial vampire story from the Penny Dreadful era. It is not that good, although Varney could perhaps be an ancestor of Spike's, from Buffy. It is worth a look for historical interest, and how it was done then, but modern angsty vampire fans aren't going to find much of interest here, I would think.

2 out of 5


Have at thee, vampire!

3.5 out of 5


Geez, that vampire chick's pretty hot.

4 out of 5


Servant sucking.

3 out of 5


Dracula's guest employs some of the creep local folk tales and legends. The significance of a blue flame from the ground, the howling of wolves, that sort of thing.

Here, a coachman in a coach drawn by midnight black horses, picks up a traveller. He is growing increasingly freaked out all the time.

4 out of 5


Local dying.

2 out of 5


Treasure and a draining woman.

3.5 out of 5


Dead earth man.

3.5 out of 5


Prefer accomodation without women rising from the grave, please.

4 out of 5


Scaredy dog from altar tomb terror.

3 out of 5


A wandering minstrel has finally organised a tryst. He doesn't expect
to get lost on the way there through a forest of ill repute. Nor does
he expect do do any vampire slaying in a sorcerous castle.

3.5 out of 5



Shoot vampire gorgon women, don't ask them in for dinner.

4.5 out of 5


Bad book, loony author, and a bloodsucker.

3.5 out of 5


A guy named Felcher, singing Satanist songs to people, in duet. And he's a lackey. I kid you not.

3 out of 5


Cold weather sucks. So do vampire girls. Stay inside.

4.5 out of 5


Revenant thirst.

3.5 out of 5


Supermodels possibly creepier than vampires.

3 out of 5


Vampire forgets he is not unique, meets Mr. Pointy and Mr. Reaper.

3.5 out of 5


Vampiric entreaty answered.

3 out of 5


When you run out of people it is bloodsucker sleepytime.

3.5 out of 5


Wartime castle holding vampire impersonation carried off entirely too well for continued good health of actor.

3.5 out of 5


Italian holiday ends in undead fashion.

3 out of 5


Dog people more at risk of lycanthropy. Priest bitten by werevamp, vampire and werewolf more at risk of who the hell knows?

3.5 out of 5


Shagging desperation.

3 out of 5


St. Germain's camping conversations turn up an exsanguinary suitor to stop.

3.5 out of 5


Vampire shrink session.

4 out of 5


Jesuit juice.

2.5 out of 5


Strange diet.

3 out of 5


Vampire family revelation.

3.5 out of 5


Lion bashing and bloodsucking.

3 out of 5

The Essential Book of Vampires
With stories dating from 1816 (Lord Byron's "Fragment of a Novel") to 1984 (Tanith Lee's "Bite-Me-Not..."), this anthology has everything a vampire lover could want. Not only are the stories all top-notch, but the introductory notes for each story by Alan Ryan are fascinating glimpses into the ever-changing mythos of vampire lore. There are too many highlights to mention, but the sublime thrills of "The Drifting Snow" by August Derleth and "Drink My Blood" by horror master Richard Matheson are guaranteed to give you shivers.

Wow, Vampires Used To Be Scary!
In the last couple of decades, vampires have been emasculated and neutered. Modern sensationalist authors have turned vampires into forbidden lust objects and sensitive outcasts, rather than the embodiments of pure evil that they're supposed to be. If you're unhappy with the insufficient horror of current vampire tales, track down this collection or one like it. (At least some editions of this volume, originally from 1987, will be difficult to find, but you could also try to locate a different collection that features the old stories I will discuss here.) Enthusiasts will know that vampires were significant in medieval folklore, especially in Eastern Europe, and the earliest of the stories here reflect these true robust traditions. We get "The Vampyre" by John Polidori (1819) and "Varney the Vampyre" by James Malcolm Rhymer (1845), both of which were incredibly influential for all subsequent horror writing. Another early treasure in this book is a lost chapter from Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897).

After this, writers started to get creative with the vampire mythos, growing the literary tradition in fascinating and always frightening ways. This collection's greatest find is the stupendous "Shambleau" by C.L. Moore (1933), a terrifying early landmark for both horror and science fiction. Other old favorites include "Revelations in Black" by Carl Jacobi (1933) which explores the connections between vampires and insanity; and "Over the River" by P. Schuyler Miller (1941), a truly disturbing and upsetting tale of a man who has become a vampire against his will and is rejected by his loved ones. On the fun side, down miss the freaky supermodel vampire in Fritz Leiber's "The Girl with the Hungry Eyes" (1949) or Robert Bloch's actor who plays a vampire way too well in "The Living Dead" (1967). By the time we get to the 70s and 80s we get early goodies from excellent and still active authors such as Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Ramsey Campbell, and Tanith Lee. The emerging modern development of vampire literature can be seen in "Unicorn Tapestry" by Suzy McKee Charnas (1980), which is stronger than today's unscary schlock but is a chilling omen of the currently rampant vampire-as-forbidden-lover motif. Fans of real horror and real vampires must pick up this collection, or one with similar story selection, that compiles these important and truly scary old classics. [~doomsdayer520~]

This book has it all !
A very worth-while compilation of landmark short stories and excerpts from novels. This book is a note-worthy introduction to vampire fiction from its written origins. I can't recommend this book enough as the perfect "starter" book for the vampire fiction enthusiast. "The Penguin Book of Vampire Stories" will inspire any reader to build a vampire fiction library ! There is also an invaluable bonus, the back of the book lists notable vampire fiction and movies. Terrific for those who want to discover more. ... Read more

Product Description

This inventive pop-up, featuring the mischievous stars of Jean-Luc Fromental and Joëlle Jolivet’s 365 Penguins, starts with ten penguins on an icy shore. One by one, they playfully disappear from the scene as the text counts down from ten to zero. The flaps embedded in the book facilitate the story—readers can make the penguins disappear and reappear! It’s a stylish, humorous take on a counting book with winter-friendly, penguin-filled pop-ups.

Product Description
On Club Penguin, each penguin has its own igloo. In this book, kids will learn how to upgrade their igloos, how to visit other penguins’ igloos, how to invite friends over, and more! Then, readers can use the reusable stickers to decorate their igloos and create their own penguin parties. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Stocking Stuffer
Thank goodness for Disney and those crazy little penguins!! This is a cute little book.

Fun for the first day, then gets forgot about.
If your little one is new to club penguin then this would be a fun little book for them, however if your child has been on club penguin a while now and totally knows how to decorate their igloos, plus to add it to the map and invite friends, then don't buy this book. We had fun Christmas day decorating the igloos inside the book with reusable stickers. The book hasn't and probably wont be picked up again, ever. A bit boring, after you decorated once. I would of gave this book a 5 star, if it at least came with a code to unlock items on club penguin. I guess I was looking for that option and overlooked that this was one of the books that dont have it available. ... Read more

Product Description
They waddled into stardom in National Geographic’s March of the Penguins film. These guys are now nature’s ROCK STARS! If you’re age 5, you’re probably as tall as an Emperor. But why do they throw up so much? March this way, and find out all! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Non-fiction
I am very impressed with the National Geographic Readers.I think they are perfect for bringing information to young children at a level that is appropriate for them.They are very interested in the world around them and love non-fiction.These books have wonderful pictures and are well written. ... Read more

Product Description
An extremely accessible narrative of the world's history

A book of extraordinary ambition, scholarship and accessibility, The New Penguin History of the World covers the history of our planet from our origins on the African savannah to the state of the world six years after September 11, 2001. Tracing the development of different civilizations through the ages, J. M. Roberts examines the periods of turbulence and change, the international shifts in order and power, and the conflicts, divisions, and advances that have shaped the way we live.

A truly global and comprehensive chronicle of human experience-of ordinary people, as well as of those in power-across all continents and conditions, The New Penguin History of the World brilliantly conveys the staggering diversity of human life and achievement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A Tapestry of Recorded History
There are two ways to write history, one as a tapestry that follows the threads of social themes continuously through the ages, the other as a mosaic that jumps from major event and personality to major event and personality.The New Penguin History of the World is solidly in the first camp, more a social history tracing such things as economics, politics, and religion than a compendium of the events that resonate most loudly in our past.Each approach has its pros and cons.The mosaic can oversimplify as the author attempts to crystallize long term and continuous trends into discrete events but it also provides clear milestones of major changes and their consequences.The tapestry can weave a more continuous story of important topics one at a time but can veil as much as it reveals. Sadly this book veils and clouds a lot more than I think it has to.

For the positive I cannot give the book anything less than four stars because it is simply a breathtaking achievement, literally a history of the world from "cave-man" times (obviously analysis of anthropological evidence and not "events") to around 2007 (updated by a second author for the more recent years after Mr. Roberts' passing.)It also does an excellent job of filtering out the most important aspects of such a giant topic, and even at 1188 pages of densely packed text can only scratch the surface.In the end you will be put on an excellent footing for further reading on nearly any subject of history and to be able understand it in its comprehensive context by reading this book.It is thus eminently worth it.(Even though, it can literally take months to read.)

However some negatives did detract.Although a "tapestry" as explained above it doesn't really draw any sweeping conclusions of convincing or profound nature (it does make a small few attempts), something of a lost opportunity given its amazing scope.As a matter of fact he is rather open about tending to avoid such conclusions.Any judgement from history would be non-final and arguably biased but I would rather hear the author's best and most insightful stab at it and then think over whether I agree or disagree than be left with nothing to mull over.However this is not to say that he doesn't provide any attempts at explanation, he does sometimes, and it's a sad disappointment that the whole world appears a nail.Mr. Roberts wields the hammer of "overpopulation" and this becomes the reason for every ill almost any society throughout history has encountered.Demography is certainly one of the most powerful forces driving history on a scale such as this, but the author seems to lack any imagination or will to attempt other perhaps more plausible explanations for many world events.Near the more recent part of the book you can see more clearly that the author also brings a progressive bias.Although there were many small cases (far more praise for Democratic US presidents, backhanded compliments for the Republican ones, reform always being described as necessary and change always described as good, etc.) the thing that struck me most egregiously was that in his page or two on Mao Tze-Tung he spent more time on the fact that Mao wrote poetry than he did on the fact that Mao has the blood of more people on his hands than any other person who has lived in history.Mao is ultimately presented as a great modernizer who made some missteps along the way.A small example, but one that for some reason I felt particularly telling.

Nonetheless the drawbacks do not approach undoing the value of reading the book.A great, solid foundation for learning world history, one that I am glad to have read and makes me interested in further detail reading.

great condition
This book was in great shape and received in a timely manner.Would by from this seller again!Thanks.

Perfect for autodidacts
I've been a reading a lot of history in the last few years, each book an in-depth study of a particular period or country or a recurring theme. Quite often I realized that I didn't understand the offstage action, so I went looking for a broad-brush world history to provide some context for my *other* reading. If that's what you are looking for, this book is ideal.

It is Euro-centric. But if you are interested in how events in one part of the world affected another, for long stretches of world history what happened in, say, Japan had no bearing on anyone but the Japanese.

First rate
Roberts is a master of the broad brush, managing to make world history a page-turner and 1200 pages seem like 300 (or so). Because the subject's so large, it always feels like you're moving at high speed and observing from high above. There's little room for detail, but that's the nature of world history. The beauty of it is that Roberts makes connections and observations of patterns, and we're able to do the same, which wouldn't be possible in a history of smaller scope with more detail (of course, we need both).

One particularly valuable example is the context in which he places the American Revolution and subsequent US expansion. At the time, the revolution was a relatively small matter and Europe was focused on more important things. After the war, Britain controlled the seas and also controlled the territory north of the new nation. With a weak power (Spain) controlling much of the areas south and west, and with France checked by Britain in North America, the US was able to expand in an essentially invisible bubble of protection created by Britain. It was in Britain's interests to let this weak little English-speaking upstart expand rather than allowing another European power to fill the relative void of North America (it doesn't make it right, but one of the European powers would have done it if the US hadn't). A little deflating for our national mythology, but isn't that one of the purposes of history done well?

A good purchase
The book is helping me reviewing my knowledge on world history, with vivid approaches in simple language. It is specially advisable to people whose mother-tongue is not english as is my case. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a revised edition of "The Penguin Atlas of Medieval History". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Medieval Atlas
#I think that the other reviewers have covered this one pretty thoroughly, so I am here mostly just to agree with them-though it is pretty dated, the Atlas of Medieval History is an indispensible source covering trade routes, political maps, and history itself from 363 to 1478. I too appreciate how it focuses primarily on Europe, though not to the point of ignoring or unfairly portraying the rest of the world. For a beginner to medieval history, this book can really put things in perspective for you, covering all the duchies, states, and emirates spanning Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa in this period. A handy reference for a student or amateur historian.

Another superb historical atlas from Penguin
This entire series is superb and is absolutely essential for any lover of historical atlases. I have been an owner of virtually all of them for at ten years and I can honestly say that they are most read books of all that I own.

The reason is their unique portability and scope. Most historical atlas are huge, heavy and expensive. They are difficult to read unless you are sitting at a table and very difficult to carry. This limits their utility (even though I still love them). Most history books have lots of dense detail about one nation or one period. Virtually none cover the broad sweep of an entire region over centuries.

This atlas cover Europe, North Africa, and parts of western Russia, Iran and Arabia. It starts in 362 AD and 1478 and has a total of 40 maps. It is spaced approximately 50 years apart, although the exact date used varies.

Like all Penguin Historical Atlases, it is small, light, reasonably priced and incredibly broad in scope. These atlases offer a unique perspective on history than is otherwise impossible to achieve. Their size and weight make them perfect for travelling. Whenever I go on a trip, I take the most relevant ones with me. That way I can brush up on my history of the region.

The format is extremely useful. Each two-page layout represents a specific time period. On the right is a historical map. On the left is a very brief overview of the important events that happened since the previous map. Each event usually consists of one paragraph or at most a few paragraphs, just enough to peak the interest. Most of the maps document boundaries and note a few key cities or battlegrounds. Occasionally, the maps focus on population, religion or economics.

What is most fun for me is to trace the history or one nation, province or sub-region through the entire atlas. In just a few minutes I can learn as much as spending days reading an entire book. You can also see how individual nations interact with each other, a subject often left out of typical history books.

Excellent way to get an overview of Europe in the Middle Ages
This new edition of a classic overview of Medieval Europe is well worth the small price. It makes clear that the Middle Ages was a period of tremendous change and flux. Empires rose and fell almost overnight. Recommended for anyone who wants to more fully appreciate this period. (The maps and the text are all much better than in the previous edition, which was excellent.)

Great
If you want to learn about the who, what, when, and where [emphasis on the last two] of Europe/the Near East during the Middle Ages, then this is the book for you.

The maps are highly detailed; the text is informative and easy to read.You won't get lost in a labyrinth of meaningless jibberish.Buy this book--you will not be sorry.I promise.

Fascinating and wonderful book!
I read the old edition, from the library, and it is completely one of the most fascinating books I've ever read. It was recommended as background reading for a history of Western Christianity course I took. This book is perhaps not as furnished with specific details as some would prefer, but as a comprehensive overview of the Mediterranean world in the middle ages it is extremely successful. It is true that the book focuses only on Europe and the world specifically surrounding it (North Africa, the near East, Scandinavia and some of Russia) but I think it is also arguable that we consider "the medieval world" to be specifically that area in light of the social and cultural history associated with the Middle Ages. Using the same map over again is extremely useful and makes the book easy to understand (producing an enjoyable flip-book effect, as another reviewer said). The text is wonderful: though dense, it is extremely easy to understand and McEvedy brings an enjoyable personal flavor to his narration. The absence of most significant landmarks on the map is sometimes inconvenient; I found myself turning to the full map in the index quite frequently. However, I feel that not cluttering the maps with excess print is probably worth the inconvenience. Throughout the book, specific people are identified by an elaborate shading-and-bordering system that, once one has adjusted to it, makes reading the maps very easy. If you are looking for an informative and fantastically compelling broad history of the middle ages, this is a most desirable book.
... Read more

Product Description
The most up-to-date global perspective on how women are living today across continents and cultures

In this completely revised and updated fourth edition of her groundbreaking atlas, Joni Seager provides comprehensive and accessible analysis of up-to-the-minute global data on the key issues facing women today: equality, motherhood, feminism, the culture of beauty, women at work, women in the global economy, changing households, domestic violence, lesbian rights, women in government, and more. The result is an invaluable resource on the status of women around the world today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Visual Kick-Start for Important Discussions
I have always loved maps.I have never particularly cared for "women's issues."This book is a bridge.

One of my friends had to use this book for a women's studies course, and I happened to take a peek at it, having sensed the presence of maps.I decided to get my own copy to further study the deliciously colored curves of the continents and the cute little charts and graphs protruding from them.While it is obvious that a portion of the information contained within this book is either biased or presented in a misleading fashion, going through the pages will make people think about the state of women around the world.

As other reviewers have stated, there is very little to "read" in this book--that is because it is an atlas.The maps are political and discuss (in their maptastic key-wielding way) topics ranging from women in government to violence against women to the beauty industry.For the little I spent on this book, and for the relative brevity of it, it has inspired an outstanding number of conversations about culture and the sexes.If you are looking for a way to get both men and women talking about related issues, without digressing into "men are evil, women are dumb," this may be it.

Great source material!
I used this atlas in an Intro to Women's Studies and a Feminist Theory course.It is a great source of material for paper-writing, with very up-to date statistics, and fascinating maps.Of course, it does not always have as much indepth information as I'd like, but the maps would have to be significantly larger to incorporate 'everything'.

highly recommend
I absolutely love this book.For anybody who is interested in gender issues, geography, politics, or sociology, it is a must read. It's not actually much of a "read" at all. It is a very visual book, with lots of colorful maps and graphs with very interesting statistics that you might not have otherwise thought about. ... Read more

Product Description
Translated with an Introduction by Andrew George.Amazon.com Review
This edition provides a prose rendering of The Epic of Gilgamesh, the cycle of poems preserved on clay tablets surviving from ancient Mesopotamia of the third mi llennium B.C. One of the best and most important pieces of epic poetry from human history, predating even Homer's Iliad by roughly 1,500 years, the Gilgamesh epic tellsof the various adventures of that hero-king, including his quest for immortality, and an account of a great flood similar in many details to the Old Testament's story ofNoah. The translator also provides an interesting and useful introduction explaining much about the historical context of the poem and the archeological discovery of th e tablets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (67)

Excellent Translation
I am an Honors student at Boston College, this text was chosen for one of my classes. Excellent modern compilation of the various tablets depicting the epic. Introduction is very well written and helpfull. Includes both renown versions: The standard Babylonian Gilgamesh epic and the Sumerian Bilgames/Gilgamesh. This is most current edition available. Do not buy an older edition as breakthroughs/interpretations of the tablets are constantly being updated!

The oldest written story known to man, remains one of the greatest stories ever told - everyone should read this!
Before the Bible and long before Beowulf, before Hesiod and Homer, more than 4500 years ago, in ancient Mesopotamia, in a place called Uruk (and in a region now known as Iraq) they told the story of a great and powerful king.Gilgamesh, created by the gods and more powerful than any man, was once an unstoppable force.He took what he wanted, and the people feared him.They pleaded with the gods to control him and so the gods created another man, Enkidu, who was his match in wisdom and cunning and was yet different than him in many ways.Whereas Gilgamesh was a ruler over men, Enkidu roamed freely with the beasts of the fields.Where Gilgamesh lived to conquer, and took advantage of his people, Enkidu protected the beasts from their enemies the hunters.Somehow, though, opposites attract, and these men became fast friends - and Enkidu helped to soften his friend, redirecting his ambitions and channeling his strength, helping him to become a protector and shepherd of his people who would eventually be heralded as a great and heroic king who had established the foundations of a great nation.

It's a wonderful story, that can be read on a number of levels.It is a heroic story, that can be read like the heroic stories from various mythical cultures.It is a parable that explores what it is to be human, and how one can accept one's fate and that one will die.It is a story with many intriguing parallels to other great stories, that have defined cultures and beliefs - there are parallels here, for example, to the creation story of the Bible, to the story of the Fall, and to the story of Noah and the great flood.It is the story of a journey, through which a number of themes can be explored: the nature of man, the significance of gender, death and immortality, friendship, memories, and the character of the hero.Finally, it can be read as a kind of anthropological document in which the peoples who wrote it are coming to grips with the importance and meaning of the shift from a hunter-gatherer type people to an agricultural-based civilization.Enkidu can be thought of as a nomadic group that joined forces with, or was assimilated into an agriculturally based community, and then this is the story of how they, together, conquered or destroyed a forest-dwelling people, but came to see as a result that their own civilization could some day be lost as well.From that perspective the epic can be seen to carry a kind of unwitting ecological message about the impact and costs of civilization: that in order to maintain itself, an agricultural-based, military civilization must constantly be in search of resources outside of itself, and destroy those who claim those resources.Then, of course, we'd have to ask questions about a culture (not so far from our own) that tells just this story about itself and treats its own founders, the plunderers of other nations, as heroic and godlike.

A rich book, and rewards re-reading and reflection.It's short and you could read it in a couple of hours - but it rewards study.This translation reads well and feels fresh, not like some old dead book.The historical introduction is useful, too, for after you've read the actual book a few times, even if it's a bit dry in comparison to the liveliness of the text itself.

An Epic all should read.
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a classic that all people should read regardless of age, language, or regional location. The Narrative provides an insight into the culture and story telling ability of early man, and should be held in great regard. Complaints about this epic are frequently about the omissions of certain parts of the text and the content being difficult to grasp. These arguments with clever thought do not stand the test of time it is truely a wonder that this work has survived as long as it has and that the content is still an epic that produces excitement and wonder.

Enjoyable
i didn't realize how fragmented different parts of the story were.However, the story was enjoyable to read and the translation read well.Remarkable parallels to different bible stories.

THIS REVIEW IS ABOUT THE BOOK EDITIONS...BE CAREFUL!!!
There are two different versions of this book being sold by Amazon.
The one version is the more current and is translated by: Andrew George

You can get that one here:

http://www.amazon.com/Epic-Gilgamesh-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140449191/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263331576&sr=8-1

Then there is the older version translated by: N.K. Sanders

You can get that one here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014044100X/ref=oss_T15_product

I needed the one by N.K. Sanders for my college class and bought the wrong one at first because I didn't know the difference.

To make it nice and easy...
The Andrew George Version has a pegasus (horse with wings) on the front
The N.K. Sanders Version has (Stone people with Beards or monkeys) on the front.

Be careful which one you buy so that you don't have to ship it back like I did. ... Read more

Product Description
HOW DO PENGUINS survive in frigid conditions? What happens at a research station in Antarctica? How long can an emperor penguin go without food? What other creatures live in the Antarctic? Find out the answers to these questions and more in the Magic Tree House Research Guide: Penguins and Antarctica. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

AWESOME BOOK!!!!
What a delightful experience you get with the Magic Tree House Books.
Go on a magic adventure with your kids and there imaginations.
Hands down winning by an easy victory for our Family!!!!!!!

magic tree house rocks
My son is 6 and a half in first grade. He loooooves the Magic Tree House series. This book we got specifically because he had a report on Emperor Penguins. He loved it and is now quite knowledgable on the subject. Ordering was quick and easy and the price was great.

Great book from Magic Tree House, as usual
My 11 yrs old boy loves Magic Tree House.We haven't been missing any of the Magic Tree House books.Everytime we have to wait for the next book to come out! ... Read more

Product Description
"The Bhagavad Gita", a scintillating jewel embedded in the great Sanskrit epic "Mahabharata", is a dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna set against the background of war. At the beginning of the poem, we learn that there is going to be a great war for the rule of a kingdom. On the battlefield, with armies of the Kuru clan ranged against each other, Arjuna and Krishna explore the necessity of war and the nature of the human soul. The eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita encompass the whole spiritual struggle of a human soul, and the central themes of this immortal poem arise from the symphonic vision of God in all things and of all things in God. ... Read more

Product Description
The Stage is Club Penguin’s virtual theater, where penguins can put on plays replete with elaborate sets and costumes. This book highlights all of the plays featured on the site, including scripts and ideas for making sets and costumes so kids can perform plays on the site, or at home! ... Read more

Product Description
Tacky the Penguin is back, this time trying to compete with Goodly, Lovely, Angel, Neatly, and Perfect in the iceberg-wide Penguin Cheering Contest. But will Tacky ever be able to learn the synchronized moves and win the contest? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Flop down!
Roll over!
Say what's for supper!

Everyone in our family knows this cheer and it is most certainly beloved.Both my sons laugh so hard they cry when we read this.It's true - Tacky is an odd bird, but he's a nice bird to have around.

We love the Tacky books :)
This is great. All the penguin schools are competing in a cheering contest, and the WINNERS get big blue RIBBONS. (There's a great image of all the penguins imagining themselves wearing blue ribbons. Tacky pictures his around his feet!)

So after they firmly explain to Tacky that, on a TEAM everybody is the SAME, they practice their routine. Repeatedly. One, two, three - LEFT! One, two, three - RIGHT! Stand up, sit down, say good night!

Tacky has a few... problems with it. Naturally. But he finally gets it right... and they find out that the non-penguin judges think all the other contestants are boring as heck! Luckily, Tacky can't get it right forever, and by being weird and cool at the same time, he Saves the Day!

The other penguins never are shown mocking Tacky for being different, which is a nice change of pace for this type of book.

Celebrates the wonder of being one's self
We [as in preschooler and I] are new to the Tacky series of books, and this was our first purchase. I must say I was rather impressed by the wonderful message contained within this cute story about the little misfit penguin Tacky who wins the day by being himself. Tacky and his group of friends are working on a cheer routine for a contest, and Tacky doesn't seem to get the hang of the routine. His other cheermates have the routine down pat, but the routine itself seems to be rather monotonous. When the contest starts, all the other groups' routines fail to impress the judges, and it is left to Tacky and co. to present a winning routine. Will Tacky go with the flow, or does the misfit penguin actually have something up his sleeve to win the day? The illustrations are cute, but what I liked most about the book was the effective manner in which the message of celebrating being one's self is brought across. Recommended!

Five Stars for Tacky
Tacky is just adorable.Kids love these books.It's great to see a book that applauds individuality!Tacky is one of a kind, and kids find his antics amusing, and so will the adults reading these delightful stories to their kids.All the Tacky books are worth the read.

Another cheer for Helen Lester
I have been a fan of the Tacky books for years.This is one of a charming series of books about a misfit penguin and the way his "differences" make him special.In this book, Tacky joins a group of type A penguins and teaches them that you don't have to be perfect to be great.Unlike a lot of children's books, Tacky books are not preachy or too-sweet, just quirky and fun.Now that my own kids have outgrown them, I always buy Tacky books as gifts for other people's kids. ... Read more

Product Description
The most up-to-date and authoritative introduction to critical theory available, this acclaimed dictionary provides an ideal overview of the full range of theories, schools of thought, and theorists. Whether it's Arendt or Woolf, object relations or orientalism, postcolonial theory or postmodernism, readers will find incisive entries on the work of key figures, powerful summaries of the crucial debates, and clear explanations of both the links and differences between the various thinkers and schools.

"Remarkable for its comprehensiveness. . . . It is certainly a reference work I will want to have on my own shelves." (David Lodge) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Incredibly Useful
I bought this book for my graduate-level course at college named Practical Criticism (renamed to Critical Theory this year actually) and it has been so useful.

It has everything in it! Or almost.i could just sit down and read some of the things in this book just for fun. It is fascinating stuff.

Purchase this book now! Used or New. W/e is cheaper.

Great, But Could Be More Comprehensive
The entries in this dictionary are great and informative, but it just seems like it could have had even more in it (plus, there are a few entries that probably didn't need to be in there such as Karl Popper, a great philosopher of science and all, but how much does he really affect critical theory?). Still, the smaller size does make it even more portable, which is kind of a plus, and for the amount of information that is in here it's totally worth the price.

An essential companion
For anyone interested in recent intellectual traditions Macey's book is worth keeping on the desktop. Spare minutes can profitably be spent browsing, or the history of a particular line of thought can be traced through multiple entries. Clearly written and wonderfully informative.

More an Encyclopedia than a Dictionary
A DICTIONARY OF CRITICAL THEORY by David Macey is one of those books that ought to be held in one hand while the other holds another text on literary theory.It is no easy task to succinctly summarize let alone analyze an imposingly long list of terms, writers, movements, and schools of critical thought, but Macey has come close.Assume that a reader is about to try to plow his way through the denseness that is the thought of Lacan. As a preliminary, that reader would be wise first to read the general background to Lacanian thought before navigating a way between Lacan's distinctions between the Real and the Imaginary stages of infantile growth.Or perhaps that reader feels a lack of understanding of Freud's oedipal issues.Macey is where to begin.

Macey's text is arranged alphabetically, as any proper dictionary should be, but this text is more encyclopedia than dictionary.Part of the not-so-obvious problem I have with Macey is the same that I have with any author who seeks to encapsulate all the knowledge of the world on one issue in one book.The question of authorial bias manifests itself not only in what is included or excluded, but also in the even-handedness of its treatment.Macey tends to smooth over any areas of political controversy that arise all too often in a discourse that is fraught with potential conflict.For example, as I was reading the entry on Noam Chomsky, the MIT linguist who has for years been an outspoken critic of both the United States and Israel, hardly anything was written that might cast an aspersion on Chomsky's own biases.What was presented was a rather technical explanation of Chomsky's linguistic theories, a matter of concern only to other linguists. I was surprised by Macey's omission of Frederick Jameson, one of the most outspoken Marxist critics of this century.Still, Macey's text is an indispensable tool for those who wish to learn how words affect ideas.

Strengths and Weaknesses
Yes and no.For some time, I have referred to the Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy.This I have found to be particularly helpful.I thought I might find the same with the Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory.But first, what is critical theory?While there are several possible definitions, perhaps the following would make most sense.Scientific theory, in whatever field, uses "instrumental reason" for the purpose of "manipulating the external world".Critical theory might be said to be theory which examines the instrumental reason itself.

The Dictionary of Critical Theory is strong from the point of view that it is broad in the information it provides.It sketches e.g. both the origins and the outcomes of metaphysics, or both the early and the late work of Jacques Derrida -- and it gives one a good feel for the mood among academics, and for caveats one should be aware of.It is strong from the point of view that it succeeds in reducing vast and complex subject matter to concise and manageable entries -- and it is generally up to date.It also has a very useful bibliography at the back (80 pages).

I would consider it weak from the point of view that it is not as comprehensive as it might be.I looked up "systems theory".Nothing.I looked up "axioms", "coherentism", "Michael Polanyi".There was nothing -- where there might have been, at least, a single-line cross-reference.I would also consider it weak from the point of view that it sometimes seems too technical to be useful.For instance, I looked up "metalanguage".This, it says, is "a technical or second-order language used to describe and analyse a natural or first-order language".A dictionary, surely, is intended to be more explicatory than that.

The book is useful -- and I would rather have it than not.This is the first impression in paperback, and hopefully future editions would overcome some of the present shortcomings. ... Read more

Product Description
The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Civilizations explores the world’s earliest cultures, from the farming settlements of Mesopotamia to the foundation of Rome. Examining the development of civilizations around the globe, it covers such subjects as the roots of the Egyptian pharaohs, China’s long-lived dynasties, and the great cities of the Incas and Aztecs. Richly illustrated with photographs, artwork re-creations, and full-color maps, this is an illuminating and multifaceted one-volume introduction to early peoples and the world they created. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Start here.....
Wonderful overview and introduction to the cultures of ancient civilization. Of note is the inclusion of the "ancient" mesoamerican cultures from the 13th-14th centuries. (...some books fore go these cultures due entirely to European chronology.) Split into 5 parts each distinct culture receives a couple of paragraphs explaining their origins and high points. The author mostly focuses on the geographic and military realities while acknowledging intellectual and agricultural breakthroughs. As noted in other reviews the maps and presentation are outstanding! I love the color, cover, size, paper quality, text, and font of this book. You can't go wrong for $13. This is the best place to start before reading whole texts dedicated to the Sumerians, et al.

Excellent introduction to ancient civilizations
As an atlas, maps feature prominently in this slim overview, and they are very good -- interesting, informative, and well-designed. Ancient Mesopotamia gets the most attention, deservedly so, though ancient civilizations on all continents (except Australia) receive good introductory treatment. This is a slim volume, and lacks depth, but for what it is -- an atlas and an introduction -- it is first-rate. The maps really make the book. My only quibble, a minor one, is that a more extensive bibliography would have been helpful. Highly recommended.

Not bad, but I did find a frustrating error.
Okay,

I got this book as a gift. It covers quite a bit of history in a small book. More of a starting off point for further research with other books. The photos and maps are very nice however. Most of the other books on history I looked at lacked such nice colorful images and maps.

I did find one error so far, page 102, the Greek City States chapter. I was all into reading the story of the Spartan-Athens victory over the Persians in 480-479 but at the very bottom of the page the sentence does not finish.

"""Their victory is generally recognized as marking the beginning of the Classical age of """"

I figured it would continue on the opposite page, however that page starts a new chapter. Kind of a dissapointment. Age of what????!!!! Now I'll never know. Haha!

I'll still look into buying The Penguin Historical Atlas of Rome and Greece only because of the nice pictures and maps.

Penguin Historical Atlas - Ancient Civilizations
Adequate. Interesting and clear illustrations. (No one, of course, is going to agree with materials which had to be excluded in order to fit the estqablished perimeters.) Not as brilliant as Colin Neat book, size and great maps

Very neat historical atlas. Excellent maps and interesting pictures on the sides. Civilizations are dealt with in brief 2-page summaries. This book obviously only intends to be an introduction to larger studies by other authors, and it accomplishes its objective well enough.

The reader will surely feel inclined to further his or her research into one of the many early civilizations discussed here.

Broad in scope, limited in depth, but pays off with the illustrations. A little setback, though, is its inclination to pay service to political correctness is -unfortunately- present in the text.

I would have preferred a little more text-space on European and Near Eastern civilizations and less on the Asian ones, too foreign to my cares (should I be sorry for being honest? I don't think so).
... Read more

Product Description

If you were a penguin . . .

Customer Reviews (1)

Love it!
My daughter loves penguins and this has been a great book to add to her collections.She is 3 years old and really enjoyed this book, her siblings (ages, 8, 1, and 4) do as well!I love the storyline and the illustrations! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

If you need the help
This book has been really helpful for me in my writing classes because it's small, easy to pack, and is full of easy-to-find information about how to write.

Cozy fleece
Everything as described. Bought one for my son, who loves curling up on the couch to watch TV and wants warmth!Not too heavy, a perfect fit- College student son came home and saw it and I ordered it a second time!

Amazon is terrible
Using amazon is a waste of time and money. I would not recommend this site for anyone because they take too long to ship and i still have not received most of my textbooks and have had to double purchase them. DO NOT PURCHASE FROM AMAZON.COM DO NOT PURCHASE FROM AMAZON.COM DO NOT PURCHASE FROM AMAZON.COM

I am satisfied
I am very satisfied with the book. It arrived on time and in good condition.

Quick and easy
I recieved the book as promised.It wasn't the book I needed, but that was my mistake.I returned the book just as easy as I purchased it. ... Read more

Product Description
The essential guide to recorded jazz, now in its ninth edition

Firmly established as the world’s leading guide to jazz, this celebrated reference book is a mine of fascinating information and insightful—often wittily trenchant—criticism. For this completely revised edition, Richard Cook and Brian Morton have reassessed each artist’s entry and updated the text to incorporate thousands of additional CDs and artists. The result is an endlessly browsable companion for jazz aficionados and novices alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

This is not a real review; just a suggestion
I gave the book 5 stars. Is there anything better on paper? If yes, please let me know.
My only complain/recommendation to publisher is: Please give us downloadable index to the book. The index is already available on Amazon and guys smarter than me can download it anyway.

JAZZ KNOWLEDGE YES!LABEL INFO NO!
Anyone who is a serious collector of Jazz on CD knows about those "public domain" import reissues which have been released all over the EU in recent years.Some are wonderful,informed,intelligent remasters of classic and obscure jazz performances which the collector loves to lay his or her hands on.There are also crap reissues of Jazz clearly issued to pick up a quick Euro or two.There are individual CDs and sets: some good, some bad.All the tracks on these resissues have fallen out of copyright in the EU.In others words, the recordings are over 50 years old.We do not have this loophole in the sound copyright laws here in the US.So it is very exciting to lay your hands on some favorite obscure recording on an import CD that you used to have on an old 78 or LP or have recordings from several different labels all on the same CD or in a box set.(Soon the public domain copyright law loophole in the EU is changing to allow only recordings 70 years old to be issued legally.)
The reason for this introduction about import Public Domain reissues on CD is this:
When one is reading this latest edition of The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings it is informative to see the reviews of all these PD reissues that are available in the UK and Europe.However, here in the US these titles are not readily available unless you track them down as imports on Amazon.I for one would like to see reviews of "legitimate" label CD reissues which are available worldwide from the original record companies.These releases are many times totally ignored by the writers and reviewers in this publication.This is a major problem for me which is why I no longer purchase the new editions this guide any longer.

REALLY A GREAT BOOK, BUT FELA KUTI IS MISSING. WHY?
This is really a great book for people who wants to start to know jazz music. This is the best starting point. But - why Fela Anikulapo Kuti and some other foreign great jazz players are missing (for example, another one: Tenorinho/Tenorio Jr)? Someone could say - Fela Anikulapo Kuti doesn't play jazz, he's playing Afrobeat. Are Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever really playing jazz music? They are included in this book because their genre is "fusion", and some members of these bands are very famous (and American), but which is one of the best "fusion" music ever? Afrobeat. And - like Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock - Fela Anikulapo Kuti started as traditional jazz player (see "L. A. Sessions" or "Koola Lobitos") to evolve then in a fusion player, giving a new name ("Afrobeat") to his music just to highlight his african roots. Even Ginger Baker is inside this book. He's a rock drummer (not jazz) and even he worked in at least five Fela Kuti albums (but he is here, while Fela Kuti isn't). So - in my opinion - the authors can't cancel (as they do) one of the greatest keyboardists ever (Fela Anikulapo Kuti), one of the greatest jazz drummers ever (Tony Allen), as well as a trumpet player like Babatunde Williams. When the authors will put these jazz musicians on these pages this book will be 5/5.

out of print music not reviewed.
Ever heard of the secondary market? used shops , thrift stores, people trade music all the time, almost half of my 3000 cd collection has been obtained through these means, yet because bluenote for instance lets a jackie mclean cd go put of print, they dont review it. i just dont understand the logic. ill just stick with google, then i can have more than enough info. if you can find this at your library , check it out before you buy.what about download only jazz reissues? verve does this as of this post.

Beg to differ
OK, I'll be the voice of dissent.Bear with me: I've been a dedicated jazzhead for 20+ years and have bought an ungodly number of CDs based on word-of-mouth, industry buzz and personal encounters.Today was the first time I've ever looked to the Penguin Jazz Guide for shopping advice.(I found a rare Bobby Hutcherson CD at Amoeba and consulted the store's 2008 Penguin Guide to determine the lineup.)Well, they didn't include it. So be it.

But then I started thumbing through it, looking up some of my recent favorites.Morton and Cook's smug, dismissive, snarky, often hostile reviews were appalling.Who are these guys and what are their musical credentials?If I'd been taking their advice these last twenty years, I would never have heard some of the best new jazz that's out there.(Kurt Rosenwinkel is "boring"?Please, that's as tonedeaf a statement as I've ever heard.)This guide does a tremendous disservice to jazz if it's dissuading buyers from taking chances on new artists.I'd advise jazz enthusiasts to trust their own ears, not the taste of these twits.

This "guide" is to jazz as "toilet paper" is to bathroom reading. ... Read more