My Favorite Things
by Atlantic
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Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

This 1960 recording was a landmark album in John Coltrane's career, the first to introduce his quartet with pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones and the first release on which he played soprano saxophone. It also provided him with a signature hit, as his new group conception came together wonderfully on the title track. It's an extended modal reworking in 6/4 time that brought the hypnotic pulsating quality of Indian music into jazz for the first time, with Coltrane's soprano wailing over the oscillating piano chords and pulsing drums. The unusual up-tempo version of Gershwin's "Summertime" is a heated example of Coltrane's "sheets of sound" approach to conventional changes, while "But Not for Me" receives a radical harmonic makeover. This is an excellent introduction to Coltrane's work. --Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Reviews (30)

My favorite thing
Coltrane was God. Only he could take a show tune and fill it with sonic hurricanes and the kind musical dexterity on display here. Drummer Elvin Jones is a revelation and would be one of the most influential in jazz or rock.

This album also introduced the world to one of Jazz musics' greatest quartets. And one of the 3 greatest 60s jazz bands(the other 2 - Miles great mid 60s quintet with Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams..., and Ornette Coleman's early 60s quartet with Don Cherry)

This is essential to any jazz collection.

A landmark in jazz, but...
Compared to the other Coltrane recordings I have, this one seems to fall short of the mark.While the title cut is adventurous, has some impassioned sax playing, and has a beautiful rhythmic flow, it seems that McCoy Tyner (who, incidentally, is one of my favorites) spends his entire solo section trying to figure out what to play, killing time by plinking some octaves, or vamping while waiting for Coltrane to come back in, which doesn't happen for too long a time. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye is a beautiful first-rate rendition of a standard ballad, and Summertime and But Not For Me are very enjoyable uptempo pieces.Try as I might, I still feel like I'm waiting for something to happen when listening to the title cut.Maybe I'll get it a few months down the road.

One of my favorite things
Some of the jazz snobs on this page seem somewhat underwhelmed by this classic, enduring recording.I come down firmly on the side of those who absolutely love it.Perhaps it's not quite as innovative or complex as Coltrane's free-form output, but it is lovely to hear.I find that the melody of a well-known tune imposes a discipline on the musician and one of the pleasures of this recording is hearing how Trane and company expand these very familiar tunes, how they stray away from them and come back again ... Read more

Asin: B000002I53
Subjects:  1. Cool    2. Hard Bop    3. Jazz    4. Modal Music    5. Pop    6. Post-Bop    7. Standards    8. United States of America   

Kind of Blue
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 March, 1997)
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Editorial Review

This is the one jazz record owned by people who don't listen to jazz, and with good reason. The band itself is extraordinary (proof of Miles Davis's masterful casting skills, if not of God's existence), listing John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley on saxophones, Bill Evans (or, on "Freddie Freeloader," Wynton Kelly) on piano, and the crack rhythm unit of Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Coltrane's astringency on tenor is counterpoised to Adderley's funky self on alto, with Davis moderating between them as Bill Evans conjures up a still lake of sound on which they walk. Meanwhile, the rhythm partnership of Cobb and Chambers is prepared to click off time until eternity. It was the key recording of what became modal jazz, a music free of the fixed harmonies and forms of pop songs. In Davis's men's hands it was a weightless music, but one that refused to fade into the background. In retrospect every note seems perfect, and each piece moves inexorably towards its destiny. --John Szwed ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (536)

The Rembrandt of Music
This isn't just the greatest jazz music of all time, it just may be the best music ever recorded of any genre.Period.

Absolute Perfection!
This is quite simply one of the best jazz albums ever created. Over the years I have collected several hundred albums by all different artists. I have a particular affection for trumpet, and especially for Miles.

This album was the first ever given to me, and is the gold standard by which all other music I have ever heard or owned is judged. My collection started with this and since has turned into a runaway train.

If I had to give up the rest of my music, I could survive for eternity with this album. There is nothing more to say, just listen.

If you could only own one album for the rest of your life
If I was limited to five albums on a desert island, I would also take along "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd, "Siamese Dream," by the Smashing Pumpkins, "Revolver," by the Beatles, "A Love Supreme," by John Coltrane, and "Strangeways, Here We Come," by The Smiths, but if I could only take one, it would be "Kind of Blue."

Simply put, "Kind of Blue" is the best record ever made, by any artist, in any genre of music, ever.It will survive any amount of playing; it is impossible to tire of this wonderful album.It is unlikely it will ever be surpassed. ... Read more

Asin: B000002ADT
Subjects:  1. Hard Bop    2. Jazz    3. Modal Music    4. Pop    5. Trumpet    6. United States of America   

Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories)
by Polygram Records
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 February, 1997)
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Editorial Review

This subtle, sublime collaboration finds bassist Charlie Haden and guitarist Pat Metheny crafting bejeweled chamber duets that transcend genre. With their shared Missouri lineage as a thematic touchstone, Haden and Metheny forge a lyrical, mostly acoustic style at once intimate and expansive. Both pare their playing to a Zen-like economy, focusing on a purity of tone, clarity of harmony, and counterpoint to achieve a tender lyricism.

Metheny's acoustic steel-string and classical guitars predominate, but he also applies discreet overdubs (including some delicate synthesizer and keyboard textures) to sculpt orchestral detail. Haden, as always, is both a generous foil and a deft melodist on his own, moving easily into his instrument's upper register as he twines through Metheny's lines. The set's emotional coherence is particularly satisfying in light of the material, which spans Ennio Morricone ("Cinema Paradiso"), Henry Mancini ("Two for the Road"), Jim Webb ("The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress"), and Roy Acuff ("The Precious Jewel") as well as affecting originals by both leaders. And giving the project a sense of closure, while commenting obliquely on the generational dialogue it represents, is the luminous "Spiritual" (composed by Haden's son, Josh), an instrumental prayer that exemplifies the balance of concision and deep emotion at the heart of this exquisite triumph. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (53)

A Yawn Amongst the Raves
I'm reluctant to say this about such talented musicians, but sadly, I've listened to this one three times and it still doesn't do anything except make me want to shut it off.This album is to Metheny's more upbeat albums as Tomato Soup is to Minestrone.Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the debut album `Pat Metheny Group' as well as `Secret Story', and `Still Life (Talking)' - all of these I would heartily recommend for newcomers. I also have and enjoy Charlie Haden's 'Haunted Heart'.

From the first overly biting acoustic tones to the last tune which I listen to thinking how it could be a great if it wasn't arranged so repetitively and blandly.

Even Haden's liner comments state, "Pat wanted to do a completely acoustic duet album.My feeling was that this would limit the possibilities of what a true collaboration between the two of us could be..."However, just because an album is acoustic doesn't mean it has to be tedious.

I am surprised to see the overwhelming positive reviews.Therefore, my recommendation is - be sure and listen to excerpts before buying to see whether your sentiments lie with the raves or the yawns.

An Extra Hour Between the Sheets
Although it's from 1997, "Beyond the Missouri Sky" sounds as freshly dreamy today as it did upon its release.Pat Metheny grew up in Lee's Summit, Missouri and Charlie Haden in Forsyth; therefore, the title of this set.No, this is not the CD that you want to put on to wake up in the morning to get you out of bed.This is the weekend CD you want when you want to linger an extra hour between the sheets.However, the mix between Metheny's guitar & Hayden's bass applied to some lovely melodies does create a variety of beautiful moods.Metheny's "Tears of Rain" has dark elements and a good energy, much like the force of a good rainstorm."The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" by Jimmy Webb is the melody I'm most familiar with and has a such a lovely contemplative feel compared with Linda Rondstadt's or Joe Cocker's pop versions, both of which I enjoy.The opener "Waltz for Ruth" is a pretty tune with Hayden's bass exploring sonic space.On Henry Mancini's "Two for the Road," Hayden & Metheny produce a lovely sense of theatre as the song seems to embody the emotions of travel, an anticipation of what's to come & wistful sense for that left behind.The CD closer "Spiritual" by Hayden's son Josh is a delicate melody that trickles a peaceful close to the set.This is a lovely recording, one that is sure to find a cherished place for decades to come.Enjoy!

His most introspective album!

Pat Metheny could make it perhaps the best smooth guitar album in the year. In this time we find to Pat under the midnight spell with an impressive selection of slender melodies and the remarkable supporting of Charlie Haden in the bass.
From the first track to the last one you will amaze and engage immediately. Metheny decide to pay his personal tribute to the lyric guitar under the candlelight.
Thanks to a very missed girl who gave me her last present, I found myself extremely and powerful amazed from the first time I listened it. And since that moment I became a profound fan of this album, enjoying with avidity and immense pleasure.
Do not doubt for a moment. This album is great and I recommend you without reserves.
... Read more

Asin: B0000047EC
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Modern Creative    3. Pop   

Rolling Stone
by Wenner Publishing
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Magazine
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Editorial Review

Founder and publisher Jann S. Wenner's brainchild remains the standard by which rock & roll magazines are measured, though even its most fervent boosters would concede there've been some growing pains for RS as it's strived to remain relevant through the decades. The erstwhile baby-boomer bible mixes fleshy covers of today's alluring celebs with coverage of graying rockers from the magazine's heyday. In addition to celebrity interviews, stalwart features such as CD reviews and Random Notes (the mag's long-running gossip section) provide familiar reading for older readers, as does the publication's superior political and cultural coverage. But the bulk of Rolling Stone's features are aimed at the younger pop-culture set. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

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Reviews (142)

Corporate magazines still suck
Rolling Stone hasn't been a credible music journal for at least 15 years, and that's being extremely kind.Rather they are a marketing outlet for the corporate sponsors of whatever music is being pushed at the moment.That's of course when they deign to write about music at all.There are far too many politically oriented articles from an upper middle class armchair liberal point of view to catagorize Rolling Stone as strictly a music magazine.And let's not mention the extremely annoying fashion layouts.RS is more of a lifestyle journal that panders to white and mostly liberal middle class tastes and culture.I don't care about the political bent of the magazine so much as I care about the pop garbage that Rolling Stone writes about.They almost without exception shill for the flavor of the month rather than write any responsible criticism.Occasionally the articles are informative, but for the most part Rolling Stone is an irrelevant device to generate advertising dollars.

You get what you pay for
Isn't it amazing that the cost of a Rolling Stone subscription is barely enough to cover the cost of postage?The magazine is mostly advertisements, and the rest of it isn't worth reading.I grew up on Rolling Stone, but have realized that if I want a decent music review about music I care about, I'll go to pitchforkmedia.com.Even SPIN is better than this crap.

RS: "Music Experts" who don't know CRAP about music.
Anyone who would consider putting a list of the 100 Greatest Artists ever without Pink Floyd, Queen, or Metallica has no knowledge of music whatsoever.

Also who the hell would put Kurt Cobain and Jack White on a list of the 100 greatest guitarists ever above Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads? Also not to mention that they didn't even include Slash or Malmsteem on the list.

This magazine makes me sick to the stomach. Basically all they do is praise artists who have good lyrics but crappy music, like Bob Dylan. They also need to get over their constant worship of U2, because even when they put out those 2 awful albums 'Zooropa' and 'Pop', they did nothing but praise them for their over-produced experimental crap.

And what can we say about their devotion towards 'The White Stripes' and 'The Strokes' and hail them as the BEST NEW THING, while we've been waiting for years for these people to make albums worth their praise. Yet, Rolling Stone rather ignores great new artists like Muse, Franz Ferdinand, and Keane.

I know you guys are probably potheads, but perhaps you should consider putting the hash pipe to the side and think about what you write because it's hurting the REAL ARTISTS. ... Read more

Asin: B00005N7SJ
Subjects:  1. Entertainment    2. Music   

The New Yorker
by Conde Nast Publications Inc.
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Magazine
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Editorial Review

Founded in 1925, The New Yorker hardly changed for its first 60 years, both in its dry, type-heavy design and in its reputation as a writer's and reader's haven. In 1987 it was on only its second editor when management decided to shake things up. A rocky decade ensued, but The New Yorker is now back at the top of its game under David Remnick's editorship. Each issue offers commentaries and reporting on politics, culture, and events, with a focus that's both national and international; humor and cartoons; fiction and poetry; and reviews of books, movies, theater, music, art, and fashion. Several times a year special issues focus on a theme--music, fashion, business. The writing is mostly first-rate, frequently coming from top literary and journalistic talents. The New Yorker's weekly issues can seem overwhelming--so much good stuff to read, piling up so fast!--but it's as easy to dip in for a small snack as it is to wade in for a substantial meal. --Nicholas H. Allison ... Read more

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Reviews (58)

good magazine with sensible left of center views
New Yorker is one of the best magazines available in the US. It has a good mixture of articles on current events, culture, fiction, humor. And one shouln't forget those notorious cartoons. The lengths of the articles range from the very long to the very short, and should amply sustain one's weekly need for reading material.
Please be aware that all articles have a coat of liberal paint. But the New Yorker is probably the most sensible left of center media source in this country.

The Magazine to Impress Others that You'll Actually Like
I have been subscribing to the New Yorker for five years now, and it has been a very enlightening experience.The New Yorker does its part in covering big news stories, but it's not really a news magazine.The perspectives are unique (and admittedly lean to the left), and the kind you're not likely to get elsewhere.The authors use the first person because they tend to be part of the stories they're covering.Take Jon Lee Anderson, probably the most credible reporter covering the Middle East today.His "Letters From" various cities involve accounts of his meetings with locals and leaders.

Other segments are more like NPR stories--unique perspectives on largely uncovered topics that aren't time-sensitive.You'll get in-depth looks into developments in medicine, law, architecture, etc., that otherwise wouldn't get on your radar unless you were in that profession.And, the writers incorporate the "larger questions" in stories focused on recent events.Like Malcolm Gladwell's recent account of a playwright who plagiarized material from a former article written by him.He parlayed his personal struggle into a good summary of legal and ethical positions on the use or development of one person's idea by another.

I have grown to look forward to reading the Fiction selection each week.Sometimes I don't like the piece, but I enjoy getting the chance to read writers that I normally wouldn't and those that I normally would.

Additionally, the magazine has added more dedicated issues--most recently the "Food" issue, in addition to standbys like the "Style" and "Fiction" issues.I loved the "Food" issue, especially one writer's account of the search for truly authentic pasta that involved a work night in Mario Batali's kitchen and a trip to Italy.

I enjoy the balance of hard news, balanced interest stories, and arts that the New Yorker provides.I began my subscription to get a different perspective than what I got from local Southern news, and I keep it for the same reasons and many more.

This magazine is extremely left wing
I am a physician and purchased this to have a few magazines in my waiting room.I will not renew my subscription because this magazine has become so left wing.The covers and articles are too contriversial and one sided.I will continue with Smithsonian, Scientific American and People as my waiting room magazines.I was a bit surprised by how extremely left wing this magazine has become. ... Read more

Asin: B00005N7T5
Subjects:  1. Literary    2. News & Politics    3. Regional   

National Geographic Magazine
by National Geographic Society
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Magazine
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Reviews (57)

Photographs with the added bonus of good writing
I received National Geographic as a gift because I was getting too old for Ranger Rick. (Quite the jump, I must add).I read my first issue and immediately wanted more.

The pictures, as many have said, are always stunning, and the writing is spectacular.Obviously, such a world-renowned magazine must be spectacular.

My only complaint is that it takes so long to read that, with my busy schedule, I don't ever have time to read anything else.They tend to pile up, but I read them all eventually- I can't bear the thought of just putting an unread issue straight into the rack with the read ones.It really is fantastic and makes a great Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift.

A fantastic publication despite its liberal slant
Now now!Before you get mad at me for my "liberal slant" comment in the title of this review, let me remind you that I also said it's "a fantastic publication.":-) No matter what your political stance on hot button issues such as global warming and oil, you have to admit that National Geographic takes a liberal stance.Is that good or bad?Entirely up to you to decide.But to their credit, they do a VERY fair job, within the articles, of explaining and examining ALL aspects and points of view.

I subscribed because like most of us, I've always been a fan of their photographs, but as they began to arrive in the mail I found myself poring over each and every page, reading every issue from cover to cover.I've learned so many wonderful things about cultures and people I will never get a chance to see in real life, and I've educated myself on issues that otherwise would remain a mystery.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of having a subscription is the inserts that come in almost every issue.My all time favorite thus far has been a composite map of the entire world at night, showing natural gas vents, wild fires, and city lights across the globe.Fascinating!

For the almost embarrassingly low price of $49.00 a year I am more educated, informed, and inspired then I was before I subscribed.

It does not get better
This is the best ever magazine in all fields....though they are getting mean nowadays and reducing the number of pages per issue!!! It is really a great reading from cover to cover...everybody must get it!!! ... Read more

Asin: B00005NIOH
Sales Rank: 12
Subjects:  1. Nature & Wildlife   

Onion - National Ed
by Onion Inc
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Magazine
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Reviews (3)

One Of The Best Things Out There!!!
the onion is really great. i've never read an issue that didn't crack me up. it's the news with a comical twist. i could always pick up a free copy in nyc but i just subscribe to it because it's totally worth it.

Funny and More
The Onion is famous for its current-events and popular culture satires, which are consistently spot-on.The brash sense of humor and subtle insights into the personalities and issues being addressed makes this magazine worth its admittedly hefty subscription rate.The magazine contains more material than the website, so you definitely want to get your hot little hands on the paper edition.

But the humor isn't even the largest part of the magazine, just the front.The Onion A.V. Club takes up most of each issue, with in-depth articles on current movies, music, books, personalities, and more.It has a distinctly New York-oriented bent, as given away by things like concert listings for NYC, but most of it is applicable to the avant-garde and the hip-n-happening nationwide.

This magazine is an emblem of its age.Get it, read it, study it, and inject it directly into your bloodstream.Then you'll never wonder what's REALLY going on in the world around you again.

The Best Journalistic Satire Ever Put To Paper
When the satire in MAD Magazine™ ain't quite doin' the trick, I turn to The Onion™'s unbelievably hilarious write-ups that take shots at just about everything & everybody you can imagine. From the complex intricacies of geek culture (Nate Orenstam's Op-Ed "Who Says Java Programmers Don't Have A Sense of Humor?"), "local" stories ("Church Group Offers Homosexual New Life In Closet"), and world events ("India's Top Physicists Develop Plan To Get The Hell Out of India"), no one is safe from the satirical wrath and wit of this weekly publication! Offtimes, just the titles of the articles alone (like "Adam Sandler Fans Disappointed By Intelligent, Nuanced Performance") send me into fits of barely-controllable laughter (My personal fave: "Special Olympics Tee-Ball Stand Pitches Perfect Game")! And funnier still is the fact that some folks and governmental agencies from around the world have read some of these fine little bits of journalistic parody and mistook them for actual news pieces!

If you wish to see a preview of what you can expect from "America's Finest News Source"™, check out the online edition at TheOnion.com. But just so you know, the web site features only part of the content that's available in the corresponding print edition. If you wanna get it all, you're gonna hafta subscribe...

Fair warning: the content of most Onion articles tend to be of an adult nature in content and language. Strongly recommended for mature readers only!

`Late ... Read more

Asin: B00006KREC
Sales Rank: 660
Subjects:  1. Periodicals    2. Entertainment   

Leaves of Grass (Bantam Classics)
by Bantam Classics
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (01 June, 1983)
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Reviews (51)

Good for beginners
While for those more into Whitman's work would probably want to invest in the Library of America's edition, this one is a good start for those who are just starting to read Whitman. So many people proclaim Whitman as the essential American Poet because of his lines showing the beauty of Democracy. Personally, I could have cared less whether he loved Democracy or not. He wrote about life. He wrote about the mundane world, and made it look so beautiful. He admired the human form, and praised the wonderful design of the body. His comments on life in America during the middle of the 19th century really carry a romantic outlook. He was passionate about himself, life, and the world around him. The fact that he inspired many poets around the world in the 20th century gives testimony to him being a poet with worldwide appeal. He was not just a voice for America; he was a voice for lovers of life.

An utterly worthless book
There are many other places where readers can buy the first and last editions of "Leaves of Grass."After all, this poetry is in the public domain.One obvious example of a book which provides more Whitman, in a superior binding, would be the volume from the Library of America.

The only thing which makes this book different is the introduction by professor Karen Karbiener, and that introduction is a really curious piece of work.It manages to be both a disgrace to Karen Karbiener and her profession, and to stand forth as a shining example of the deadly rot that has taken over the departments of literature in American universities.

Where to begin?Well, we might start with the fact that Karbiener is a political activist, not a scholar.She can't get through two pages of her "Introduction" without claiming Walt Whitman as a politically correct feminist, and a socialist to boot!

The historical Walt Whitman was a man who loved only the members of his own sex -- who was completely indifferent to women -- a misogynist, in fact.He was always perfectly polite to women, and placed deliberately misleading statements in his poems (e.g. "Both the love of men and the love of women enrapture my soul") -- but women played no part in his life and were never admitted to his intimate circle.To claim this man as a feminist is clearly to elevate political concerns over literary concerns -- which has been going on in literature departments ever since the radicals took over.

There is worse than this, much worse.Despite the fact that we know the names of Whitman's male lovers, and that we have tons of manuscript and love letters to and from those men, despite the fact that we know which nights he slept with them, and when he gave "wedding rings" to them -- despite Walt's penchant for male love being a historical certaintly (though Walt made attempts to conceal some of it in his old age), Karen Karbiener demotes it to a "maybe!"This stunning misrepresentation, alas, just continues the grand old tradition of stuffing Walt Whitman into the closet -- a tradition which has blackened the name of Whitman "scholarship" from its inception.

Could there be worse?Well, actually, there could be worse, and is.If you have studied Whitman and his poems, it is pretty clear that Whitman burst upon the world in 1855 as a poet of eroticism and sensuality."I Sing the Body Electric" was the least of it.For the next five or ten years, Whitman did his best to create a sexual revolution in an America which was NOT ready for it.People began to accuse him of being a sodomite, and Whitman suffered a debilitating stroke.His nerve failed, and he began "cleaning up his act," slowly transforming himself into "The Good Gray Poet" and deleting telltale clues from his later editions of "The Leaves of Grass."He also began churning out utterly second-rate poems in favor of "American democracy" and other such political abstractions.

What's the problem here?Karen Karbiener thinks that the later, "political" stuff and nonsense represents what is really valuable about Walt Whitman!One could adduce this as further evidence that she is simply a political activist, but how can anyone explain this appalling lack of literary taste?

In sum, Karbiener's "literary commentary" is about as helpful as the "literary commentary" of the King of Zembla in Nabokov's "Pale Fire!"

I am totally sorry that I spent my money on this book.My copy is going right in the trash.

By the way, the best edition of "Leaves of Grass" is the 1860 edition.That edition, of course, is not in this book.

Not recommended at all!!

The great poet ofAmerica and the greatAmerican poet
Whitman is the great poet of America and the great American poet. His song is not only of himself but of the American realities he meets and catalogues in his long cadenced lines. Whitman sings the song of America as yes in a way no one had before and no one will since. He is the American poet who captured the most of American reality in his lines . And he is the one who too speaks of it at the moment of its great outward expansion and hope, as a historical progress of ever rising ever more sweepingly inclusive cosmic concentricalcircles. He is a writer who touches the stars, and above all reaches thesense of the light within us (When I heard the learned Astronomer) He touches upon American tragedy ( O Captain my Captain) and most deeply expresses it ( Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking) He is the one who takes all America as an adventure and feast for his eyes and lines. And his poem howeverironically his own life and end comments on it symbolizes for America its great new dawn always opening toward new light and greater worlds westward and within. ... Read more

Isbn: 0553211161
Sales Rank: 6261
Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Classics    3. Literature: Classics    4. Poetry    5. Fiction / Classics   

Blue Highways : A Journey into America
by Back Bay Books
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (19 October, 1999)
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Editorial Review

First published in 1982, William Least Heat-Moon's account of his journey along the back roads of the United States (marked with the color blue on old highway maps) has become something of a classic. When he loses his job and his wife on the same cold February day, he is struck by inspiration: "A man who couldn't make things go right could at least go. He could quit trying to get out of the way of life. Chuck routine. Live the real jeopardy of circumstance. It was a question of dignity."

Driving cross-country in a van named Ghost Dancing, Heat-Moon (the name the Sioux give to the moon of midsummer nights) meets up with all manner of folk, from a man in Grayville, Illinois, "whose cap told me what fertilizer he used" to Scott Chisholm, "a Canadian citizen ... [who] had lived in this country longer than in Canada and liked the United States but wouldn't admit it for fear of having to pay off bets he made years earlier when he first 'came over' that the U.S. is a place no Canadian could ever love." Accompanied by his photographs, Heat-Moon's literary portraits of ordinary Americans should not be merely read, but savored. ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Out in the Middle of Nowhere
Critics have called it "a trip that must be taken", "a splendid book", and "a true delight on every page". Adjectives, verbs, nouns: these are the parts of speech and the speech of parts that Least Heat-Moon has shaped into the most exciting and widely read travel log of our time: Blue Highways. What are blue highways exactly? As explained on page one of the book that bears their name, blue highways are those little roads on a map, colored in blue, that are only there "because some cartographer had a blank space to fill". You can find them all over America, each one more interesting than the next, each one with its own little story to tell.
The fact that Least Heat-Moon has done this: completed a whole year of adventure traveling these roads, roads forgotten by everyone else in the known universe except by those who live there, is in itself a remarkable thing. The wonder goes further, however, because not only did Least Heat-Moon travel these roads, he wrote about them, and more specifically, he wrote about the people who lived on them. The idea of grabbing at the wind like this, and allowing it and your instinct alone to tell you where to go is a somehow satisfying concept. Isn't it though? Don't all humans, at some point in their lives, have the urge to get up and get away; to travel; to let the road less traveled pull them into the distance; to seek out the blue highways of the world? I think so, which is what makes Blue Highways such an intriguing book.

People are always hungry for new ideas, new observations, a new sense of direction in our sometimes senseless and oftentimes rather directionless society. They want to read about how people live in Nameless, Tennessee, what they do for a living in Whynot, Mississippi, and how the folks in Why, Arizona ever got the notion to name their town "Why". The allure of Blue Highways is strong, and the highways themselves will never lose their enchantment as long as there are people like William Least Heat-Moon who care enough to go looking for them.

Why I dropped a star: The best parts of the novel are when Least Heat-Moon is coversing with and meeting new people in his travels. He is always searching for cafes, bars, taverns: whatever he can find where the natives might hang out. But in the sometimes long stretches between towns and accquantainces, the story's tone takes on a very lonely edge to it. Not that it's depressing, just slightly slow as far as "plot" goes. I loved the book; it was interesting- every bit- but some of those transition chapters were a bit difficult to traverse.

Another book to consider
If you liked Blue Highways, check out Zero 3 Bravo by Mariana Gosnell.Similar, travel across America theme, but by small plane.

A Nice exploration of Americana
I first read this book in 1984 and found it "slowly captivating".It is not a book that will suck you in with wild wit, amazing narrative, or dramatic prose. Its beauty is kind of an everyman's beauty.

It is a likeable book because so many of us have thought about just pulling out of the driveway and never looking back.Finding those backroads and driving 'til they end - just to see what's out there. Well the author did that and I think many readers are a little envious that he did it, and curious about what he found.

And what he found was as much about himself as the rest of America. I re-read the book in 2004 as sort of a 20th anniversary tribute of my first reading.The book still speaks to me. It still tells a quietly great story. ... Read more

Isbn: 0316353299
Subjects:  1. Description    2. Description and travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. Heat Moon, William Least    5. Travel    6. Travel - United States    7. United States    8. United States - General    9. Journeys    10. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life
by Berkley Trade
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (04 September, 2001)
list price: $14.00 -- our price: $11.20
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Editorial Review

People around the world have found inspiration in the story of Lance Armstrong--a world-class athlete nearly struck down by cancer, only to recover and win the Tour de France, the multiday bicycle race famous for its grueling intensity. Armstrong is a thoroughgoing Texan jock, and the changes brought to his life by his illness are startling and powerful, but he's just not interested in wearing a hero suit. While his vocabulary is a bit on the he-man side (highest compliment to his wife: "she's a stud"), his actions will melt the most hard-bitten souls: a cancer foundation and benefit bike ride, his astonishing commitment to training that got him past countless hurdles, loyalty to the people and corporations that never gave up on him. There's serious medical detail here, which may not be for the faint of heart; from chemo to surgical procedures to his wife's in vitro fertilization, you won't be spared a single x-ray, IV drip, or unfortunate side effect. Athletes and coaches everywhere will benefit from the same extraordinary detail provided about his training sessions--every aching tendon, every rainy afternoon, and every small triumph during his long recovery is here in living color. It's Not About the Bike is the perfect title for this book about life, death, illness, family, setbacks, and triumphs, but not especially about the bike. --Jill Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (582)

It's Not About the Bike:My Journey Back to Life
This book was incredible to read and inspired me in many ways.It was recommended to me by a co-worker.I've read many books in my lifetime, but this one tops them all.It's because of this book that I took up cycling, which I now love.Aside from what he has accomplished on the bike, his fight against cancer simply floored me.For anyone to come back from those odds is just incredible.This is an absolute must read, and not just for cyclists or Armstrong fans.It is a story of courage and determination.And don't forget his follow-up book as well.I cannot wait to read his mother Linda's book.

REANYONE WHO WANTS TO READ A GOOD BOOK SHOULD READ THIS
I heard about Lance Armstrong in health class; and because my english teacher has a picture of him in his room. Both my english teacher and I love riding bikes; however, I don't chain my bike to my desk. This is a fanastic book which I think everyone, even if you don't like sports, should read. If you read this title, you can tell it is about Lance Armstrong the 6-time Tour de France winner. Many people who have heard about Lance Armstong from his Livestrong foundation, his wins, and his girlfriend Sheryll Crow (accoring to magazines they broke up).
Here is what the book is about. It is Lance Armstrong's memior about his life from when he was little to the birth of his son Luke. In 1996, Lance found out he had a very advanced form of testicular cancer, which left him sterile. When I say advanced I mean that it spread to his lungs and brain. In this story, Lance explains why he became the way he is. He talks about how after experiences with his first stepfather and how he don't really have a religion. He talks about how great and wonderful his mother is. He talks about his start in Austin, Texas, to birth of son by in-virto. he talks about being the youngest Tour de France winner. He also mentions that after his horrible battle with cancer, how he won the Tour again; however, people thought he used drugs to get that way. In my opinion, it is very sweet about how he talks about his wife Kristin aka Kik (they are now divorced) and his mother. Anyone who wants to read a good book should read this. There are only two books I can say are as good as this one; they are EVERY SECOND COUNTS BY LANCE ARMSTRONG and the RYAN WHITE BOOK. Every Second Counts is what takes place after this book.

Enjoyable, honest and inspiring
This autobiography from Lance Armstrong gives one a good sense of who he is (amazing cylcist, cancer survivor, somewhat-spoiled superstar athlete, etc.) and what drives him.The book focuses on his struggle with cancer and comeback to cycling.It's really quite amazing what he did and what he keeps doing.The story is told in a very conversational manner which is very easy to listen to (I was listening to the Audio CD).I imagine it is a very quick read too.

AUDIO CD WARNING - Be forewarned if you listen to the Audio CD - it is very poorly formatted.There is only one track per CD and it will immediately start repeating as you finish the CD - so you find yourself thinking "Hmm, this sounds familiar" and then notice you have started over.Most Audio CDs are savvy enough to put music or at least a pause in.

... Read more

Isbn: 0425179613
Subjects:  1. Armstrong, Lance    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Cancer    7. Cycling - General    8. Cyclists    9. Diseases - Cancer    10. Patients    11. Specific Groups - Special Needs    12. Sports - General    13. United States    14. Biography & Autobiography / General