Book Description
In Dancing with Your Dark Horse, Chris Irwin, world-renowned as one of the most successful horse whisperers in North America, further explores the intriguing spiritual connection he has discovered between human and equine nature. Based on his more than twenty years of working with, training, and observing horses, Irwin explains how the characteristics necessary to building good relationships with horses can in turn be used to establish a positive balance between mind, body, and spirit in our own lives. Dancing with Your Dark Horse will help readers see that horses have a great deal to teach us about how to live happier, healthier, and more balanced lives.
Customer Reviews:
Good ideas and insights.......2007-09-25
Interesting ideas linked with inisghts into Chris Irwins personal life, trials & tribulations. Very readable.
Super-Natural Shaman.......2007-06-11
I can see how some might view this work as a book of Chris Irwin excuses. He bares his soul for the world to see, so when one only skims the surface and avoids going deeper, it appears shallow.
I was so impressed with this book that I immediately went on line to Chris's website and bought every single one of his traing DVD's (I train horses for living and I am always looking for ways to better communicate with them). It is so rare to find a person who connects to the horse the way he does. Yes, he's made mistakes, but I don't know anyone who hasn't. And, not once, did I read anywhere in the book, where he said that it was ok that he beat on Stella. He simply pointed out the events and his frame of mind that lead up to his unraveling.
This book touched my heart in ways I have never had a book do before. Chris is a "Super-Natural" Horseman (read the book and you'll understand the super-natural vs. natural horsemanship), who shares with the reader his path to hell and how he made it out. He's not a showman, or a salesman, he's a horseman on a shaman's path.
Namaste
Well written book of excuses.......2006-09-13
Chris Irwin wrote this book after beating a mare named Stella at a demonstration. He'd been working hard and shouldn't have accepted the invitation that day; he had been pushing himself too hard. The manager of the event set him up by sending three mares that didn't pasture together into the arena, and a fight broke out between the horses. Chris fueled the fire by reacting to the situation and beating Stella after getting the other two mares out of the ring. He nearly ruined his career as a result. And this book of excuses is his attempt at finding a silver lining in that situation.
If you want to hear about how Chris' life has unravelled... how a young man his age has been married four times in his attempts to overcome his dysfunctional childhood, then this story may peak your interest.
If you want to see a picture of Chris skiing, and a photo of Chris teaching his son to ride a bike, and a photo of Chris playing guitar and singing at a wedding, and a photo of Chris in his cowboy cocaine days in the 80's, and a photo of Chris when he was 15 on the rowing team in high school and won the championship -- then this is the dark horse book for you.
Every photo is "Chris this" or "Chris that" -- and most of the photos don't relate to the text. It felt egotistically motivated, and I began to realize that Chris' dark horse is his insecurity -- and he hasn't conquered it yet.
I'm very interested in learning about the spiritual connection between humans and horses; but this wasn't the book for me.
I respect everything that Chris Irwin has accomplished in his career, but he needs to forgive himself and stop making excuses, before he can stop dancing with his dark horse.
Be preprared for introspection and self-analysis.......2006-05-21
Well known clinician, Chris Irwin, met his match in Stella, a dark mare who refused to play games. She challenged Chris, forced him to decide what was most important to him, and then Chris, in the form of this book, shares his lessons with us.
Unlike most of the other books I've read, Mr. Irwin calls it as he sees it. He doesn't sugar coat the truth, that "natural horsemanship" is an oxymornon (there's nothing natural about putting saddle and bridle on the horse and forcing it to go counter to its natural instincts which tell it to flee), that somebody has to be the better horse, the boss, and that horses provide a mirror for our thoughts and fears. He provides food for the brain, stuff to think about, and in sharing his story, he brings the knowledge he's gained to others.
I found this book to be very thought-provoking. I find myself thinking about my relationship with my horse in a completely different light. Could it be my inner fears (of falling off, getting hurt again) are mirrored in her flighty nature? Perhaps by facing my own shadow self, my dark horse, that it will help our relationship? Mr. Irwin, through his prose, seems to think so.
I recommend this book for anyone seriously pursuing a relationship with their horse. From backyard ponies to professional trainers and riders, anyone can benefit from the information in this horse. And if you don't even own a horse, but am looking for a little soul searching, I'm going to recommend this book too. It is an amazing piece of work, and I am looking forward to reading Mr. Irwin's other titles.
Irene Adler, Nicole Wallace and...Stella?.......2006-02-07
Some have called Chris Irwin the Dr. Phil of equines. I guess I have always kind of thought of him as an equine profiler. His tremendous instinct for and knowledge of horse psychology is what makes him such an observant trainer and teacher. His second book opens with a humbling tale of a mare that brought him to his knees so to speak. A mare named Stella that bedeviled this excellent horse whisperer and sent him scrambling out of the round pen without his composure. Now if Mr.Irwin were a fictional character I would imagine Stella the mare would occasionally turn up at future clinics when he least expects her. Appearing once or twice in his videos and books. Squaring off with him in the tradition of Sherlock Holme's Irene or Bobby Goren's Nicole. But Stella is real and she forced Irwin to look hard at himself as a person and a horseman. That introspection weaves in and out of the theme of this book. Irwin's personal stories are combined with valuable training and riding advice. Probably some of the best guidance out there for equestrians. What I appreciated most about this book was the fact that spirituality and personal development were never ignored in the pursuit of excellent horsemanship. In fact it's vital. Read this book and discover how horses can aid you on your journey toward being true to yourself,toward healing, toward personal and professional achievement and better relationships. Someday I hope to have the great good fortune and privilege to ride in one of Mr. Irwin's clinics. Until then I have his book on my shelf as I strive to become worthy of my horse.
Average customer rating:
- HUGE store of information
- A great resource book for physical educaion teachers
- A great book for dance teachers
|
Dance a While: Handbook for Folk, Square, Contra, and Social Dance (8th Edition)
Jane A. Harris ,
Anne M. Pittman ,
Marlys S. Waller , and
Cathy L. Dark
Manufacturer: Benjamin Cummings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
 General
| Dance
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Puzzles & Games
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Family Health
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Entertainment
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Parenting & Families
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Teaching Sport Concepts And Skills: A Tactical Games Approach
-
Adapted Physical Education And Sport (Book & DVD)
-
The Square Dance and Contra Dance Handbook: Calls, Dance Movements, Music Glossary, Bibliography, Discography and Directories
-
Teaching Basic Gymnastics: A Coeducational Approach (3rd Edition)
-
Keep Moving: Fitness Through Aerobics and Step
Accessories:
-
Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor
ASIN: 0205279368 |
Book Description
This is the basic book for recreational dance. It is the eighth edition of the best-selling introduction to dance, one whose unique combination of dance instruction, descriptions of major forms of dance, and directions for over 260 individual dances provides future dance instructors with the background needed to be successful teachers. The cultural background of dance for each country is presented along with specific suggestions for developing style. It reflects the most recent trends in dance, and includes a wealth of suggestions for dance resource materials. The methods teacher has an all-inclusive textbook for students, the teacher in training has a reference book that will last a lifetime. Coverage includes the Rumba, Cha Cha, Fox Trot, Waltz, Swing, Hustle, Tango, Salsa, and Country-Western dances. Detailed illustrations and diagrams clarify techniques throughout, making learning each dance as easy as 1-2-3.
For beginning and experienced teachers of dance, or for the dance enthusiast.
Customer Reviews:
HUGE store of information.......2007-09-04
This book has it all, from dance steps to instructions on how to successfully teach social dance. It has been a huge help and resource to me as I prepare my teaching curriculum for the year.
A great resource book for physical educaion teachers.......2000-03-20
If you want to teach your class something about partner, folk, social, contra, and ballroom dance, it is here. This book covers everything from A to Z. It even gives you a glossary just in case you did not know some of those square dance calls. And, its many indexes and other additions at the back of the book are fabulous to help you plan and find all kind of relevant material. I wonder what happened to Ms. Pitman and Ms. Walker, co-authors of earlier editons. Yes, I have used Dance A While for years. It was recommended to me in college during the 60's. I lost it and am so happy to see it is still in print. Because, what ever other books I looked at when I needed information never came close to providing what I needed to find out. Thank you Jane Harris for updating and improving a great book.
A great book for dance teachers.......1999-02-05
This is the best book I used for learning how to teach dancing. It contains a good selection of simple dances which are suitable for novice dancers, and provides detailed dance descriptions and good advice for the teacher. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with music, so you have to track down a suitable recording for each dance. I have used this book for teaching recreational folk dance groups and school classes, and find it to be an excellent resource.
Book Description
A direct, good humored, non-threatening reference guide for living in a frightening situation. It is for people affected personally as well as professionally. Dancing in the Dark includes a resource directory and primer to understand the language of visual impairment.
Customer Reviews:
This is a great book.......2003-05-29
I work with an agency serving visually impaired persons. For years, we have read excerpts aloud from this book to our independent living training classes for persons with vision loss. We have received nothing but rave reviews about this book and numerous complaints that it could not be obtained on cassette tape. It is a very worthwhile and realistic book about one woman's experience of vision loss, which resounds with many visually impaired persons.
Save Your Time.......2002-12-31
While there are a few useful suggestions, most of the material in this book is dicouraging and false. Blind people can and do all things sight persons do, without many of the issues discussed in this book. People navigate restrooms without help, eat in restaurants without making a mess of themselves or the table without extra plates and napkins, and so much more. "Touch the Top of the World" by Erik Weihenmayer, is a much more accurate description of blindness.
Average customer rating:
- a heavenly escape for the soul
- This book is inspiring! Recapture the romance of living!
- A must read!
|
Dancing in the Dark: Romance, Yearning, and the Search for the Sublime
Barbara Lazear Ascher
Manufacturer: Cliff Street Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Applied Psychology
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Social Psychology & Interactions
| Psychology & Counseling
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0060174420 |
Book Description
"Romance is structured yearning. In the romantic moment, we gather and focus that yearning in order to connect with something outside ourselves, believing against all odds that such connection is possible, knowing paradoxically that romance is born in the space between our reach and our grasp."
So begins Barbara Lazear Ascher's Dancing in the Dark. Offering enchantment to a disenchanted age, this mesmerizing new book explores our instinctual, ageless romantic impulse and the essential role of romance in our lives, in nature, and in the arts.
Barbara Ascher's lyrical and provocative prose expands the idea of romance and reveals its powers to redeem passion in our everyday lives. Ascher seeks out the romantic and explores the connections among sex, religion, family, nature, travel, food, music, art, and architecture, offering unforgettable insights that engage the soul and mind.
In her quest for what is transcendent in life, she joins intrepid birders in Central Park, who brave winter cold for a glimpse of the long-eared owl--and for a connection between man and nature. She visits Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house, and Le Cirque's kitchen to witness sensuous pastrymaking. She travels to great museums to view extraordinary paintings and to discuss romance with Sydney Pollack. She attends a Barbara Cook master class and buys a manual typewriter on which to write. Every page of this book draws us into our deepest humanity.
Dancing in the Dark elevates this vital sentiment to a passion-suffused life force, available to all, composed of hope, reverence for the unattainable, and the desire for more. Friendly, humorous, informative, Dancing in the Dark connects life to art, fact to fiction, and present to past.
Customer Reviews:
a heavenly escape for the soul.......1999-12-30
when i read ascher's lyrical, poetic and passionate prose, i can almost feel the words come alive as i run my fingers across the pages - as if to grasp them. these pages of prose are a divine haven from the often cold and unrelenting lives that we exist in when we can be much, much more if we desired to yearn and to search for it.
This book is inspiring! Recapture the romance of living!.......1999-07-24
Dancing in the Dark shows us how to live the inspired life, to embrace life and breathe every moment into and out of it. Whether it is something as simple as a walk in the park or as special as a visit to the Prado Museum, Barbara Lazear Ascher puts a spring back in our step and gives us that little push we so often need to get back on track and be thankful we're alive! Here's to life and to Barbara!
A must read!.......1999-05-20
This is one of those books where the blurb on the back is absolutely right. Pat Conroy said of this book, ..."You read it and wonder aloud why you have not asked more for yourself. You want to tear yourself away from your own sleepwalking life and shout, 'Now!' What a wonderful book!" Indeed.
Book Description
The authors offer an insightful analysis of the symbiotic relationship between the popular entertainment industry and America's youth, suggest principles for evaluating popular art and entertainment, and propose strategies for rebuilding strong local cultures in the face of global media giants.
Customer Reviews:
EXCELLENT BOOK ON YOUTH CULTURE AND MINISTRY.......2007-03-28
If there's ever a time when this book and its message need to get out to youth ministers, it's today, with the "emergence" of emerging churches.
It's time for Eerdmans to update and print a second edition of this book reflecting more recent trends.
This is must-reading for everyone involved in ministering to and educating adolescents.
the "stuff" on the youth side of the generation gap.......2001-02-21
"To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization." - Bertrand Russell
This book was written by five professors from Calvin College who teach in the following disciplines: communication arts and sciences, English, history, music, and philosophy. I picked it up after listening to a tape by Howard Hendricks from Dallas Theological Seminary, who gave it a fabulous recommendation. After reading it, I would have to do the same. This book gives it's own statement of purpose better than I would be able to - "In short, our thesis is that youth and the electronic media today are dependent upon each other. The media need the youth market, as it is called, for their own economic survival. Youth, in turn, need the media for guidance and nurture in a society where other social institutions, such as the family and the school, do not shape the youth culture as powerfully as they once did" (11,12). This book is now ten years old and it is outdated by some standards, but it's only ignorant in naming the newest forms of the influence it speaks so perceptively about.
The focus of this book is on the critical evaluation of the music industry, the music television industry (MTV), the film industry and the impact they have on the teen population. It's chapters plod much deeper into these issues than I'm able to do here without opening a can of worms, but their insight is invaluable. Being twenty-five years old, I learned as much about myself and the influence of the media on my own life as I did about the media itself.
This book suggests that we have today is a "generation gap" that has been created by the media. Youth have been isolated from the more traditional worlds of previous generations, their parents included. The promise of the media is that of intimacy, identity, meaning and guidance, but the teens pay a price. Today's youth have a greater feeling of disillusionment, boredom, fatigue, addiction, abuse, narcissism and suicide than ever before. Cultural distinctions have been blurred and distant images have taken the place of intimate relationships. The youth today have a culture all their own. The media tells them what music rocks, what clothes look good, what to say to their girlfriend/boyfriend and what are good goals to shoot for in life. However, the media must evolve at a breakneck pace to keep up with teenagers because teens are fickle. The media must constantly reflect the youth culture in order to continue upholding it. It is a reciprocal relationship that pours gasoline on the fire of our consumer driven culture. Teens buy more music and watch more movies than the rest of the population combined even though they only comprise about one-fifth of the population. Why? Largely because their emotions are unstable on the journey from childhood to adulthood and our consumerist society has thought it good to capitalize on the opportunity to make a buck.
I found this book to be a great level-headed approach toward the media from a Christian perspective. Obviously film, music and other forms of electronic media have value if used correctly and intelligently. We must make the effort to separate the wheat from the chaff using discernment and analyze the content, form and function of popular art so we can truly benefit from it in it's rightful context. Instead of bashing what teens place great value in, this book suggests asking the question, "What is it in the media that tries to meet the legitimate needs in teens?". Kids have real needs, and the better we understand them and the better we understand how the media tries to meet those needs, the better we will be able to reach and serve the teens.
For Christians with brains only.......2000-04-11
These five profs from Calvin College address the complex web of youth culture and the electronic media from a Christian perspective laced with compassion, intelligence, and thought-provoking perception. They are not going to stand up -- like so many other evangelicals -- and lambaste youth culture for its excesses, bad taste, foul language, etc. (though they don't look kindly at these things, either); instead, they seek to see WHY such things appeal to youth, honing in particuarly on our culture's institutional SEPARATION of youth from adults. Very provocative and level-headed. Highly recommended for Biblical thinkers who want to grapple with what is going on in the heads of young rockers and video-philes.
Book Description
In this searing novel, Caryl Phillips reimagines the life of the first black entertainer in the U.S. to reach the highest levels of fame and fortune.
After years of struggling for success on the stage, Bert Williams (1874—1922), the child of recent immigrants from the Bahamas, made the radical decision to don blackface makeup and play the “coon.” Behind this mask he became a Broadway headliner–as influential a comedian as Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, and W. C. Fields, who called him “the funniest man I ever saw, and the saddest man I ever knew.” It is this dichotomy at Williams’ core that Phillips explores in this richly nuanced, brilliantly written novel, unblinking in its attention to the sinister compromises that make up an identity.
Customer Reviews:
Trite and unoriginal.......2006-11-11
I was looking for Mary Higgins Clark and came up upon this Mary Jane Clark book and thought I'ld give it a try. What a mistake! I found the book unbelievably trite and unoriginal. The story features quite a few girls in one small town who all have eating disorders and cut themselves. After meeting the rest of the characters in the town, I wanted to cut my own wrists! The protagonist was entirely one dimensional. The parents of the teen who was first kidnapped were pathetically weak rendering the whole relationship with the daughter impossibly plodding and unrealistic. The woman one of the kidnap victims babysits for is so boring and selfish that I found myself rooting for the husband to leave her! The author writes as if she is trying to tell us how much she knows about the news business without making it interesting or integrating it into the story therefore sounding altogether preachy without an ounce of vitality. The red herrings were obvious, the ending unsatisfying and the book was altogether an unpleasant read. I would definetely not recommend this book.
well done but one dimensional.......2006-08-06
Stylistically, this novelization of the life of comedian Bert Williams is a tour de force with its daring use of internal dialog and the mutliple points of view. The language is precise and intimate, although it occasionally lapses into the purple zone.
This book opens up the old discussion that is always debated in historical fiction: how true does it need to be? Phillips does an excellent job in describing the passive nature of Williams, and the fear he (and other Blacks) must have had about whites in that era.
Phillips, however, does a poor job in explaining Williams' need to perform, as well as other aspects of his personality that made him the most successful Black performer of his era.
Additionally, Phillips makes several errors in fact. He makes a theme through the novel on how Williams' proper father disapproved of his career. In reality, his father, a pool hall owner, was very impressed by his successful son. Another theme of the novel, of Williams drinking alone in solitude, is also wrong. Williams was a heavy drinker but always drank with friends and colleagues.
I enjoyed it with some reservations.......2005-12-01
I'm a Bert Williams fanatic. I have all of the current cds of his 80 surviving recordings and DVDs of his surviving films "Fish" and "Natural Born Gambler", as well as having read all three of his other biographies. So I eagerly awaited this fictionalization of his life.
Caryl Philips did a lot of research on Bert Williams and his partner George Walker and it shows. A lot of this stuff is close to the fact. I especially loved the sololoquies that he has some of the major characters exhorting in the book, such as Bert's wife Lottie's expression of her love for Bert, George Walker's feelings on his partner's thoughts, and Betr's final meditation on his father. Phillips has a beautiful way with the King's English and wonderfully articulates the innermost feelings of his characters.
However, while I'm aware that this is somewhat fictionalized and some artistic license is inevitable, some things are too far off the mark. First of all, Bert and Lottie DID adopt the latter's three neices as their own children, contrary to the book (one of them spoke fondly of Bert in a 1946 interview in Negro Digest), and the scene where Aida Overton Walker (George Walker's Widow) makes an explicit, drunken pass to Bert and suggests that her husband was sleepign with Berty's wife is a bit off the mark. Yeah, it spices up the story, but considering that these were real people, it gives me some pause.
But that aside, I would suggest the reader familiarize themselves with Bert Williams via his nonfiction bios and his recordings as it would help in fully understanding this story. That said, be prepared for an interesting read.
Dancing in a Dark, Dark World.......2005-11-25
"Dancing in the Dark" is a biographical novel of Bert Williams, the black entertainer who performed in vaudeville in the early part of the 20th century. He was one of the finest dancers and comedians of all times and eventually became the first black person to perform with the Ziegfield Follies. In his act, Williams played the slouching Jonah man, the careless, unlucky black for which everything goes wrong - a sort of "sad sack" character. To be acceptable to white audiences he has to play the shiftless, coon. Unfortunately, it was one of the only ways that white Americans would accpet a black on stage at the time. When Williams tried other roles, he failed. To perform his act, Williams had to blacken his face with burnt cork to cover his his light complexion and his racial pride.
Caryl Phillips uses a style of writing that allows several voices to speak: Williams, his wife Lotties, his long time partner George Walker and also Walker's wife, Ada who eventually becomes Aida. (And one wonders if the change of names is a play on the opera of the same name that is alleged to be an improper characterization of a black woman.) Although the style allows the reader to get the perspective of various characters, there were times that I was confused and had to take a second look to make sure that I knew who was speaking. While this style of writing may be pleasing to some readers, I felt it distracted from the story. Williams story is one that should be told, but Phillips makes it difficult to hear.
The subplot regarding George Walker, Williams long time partner, and the relationship between the two makes for interesting analysis. Walker is the more business oriented partner and demonstrates more apparent racial pride, but is also a womanizer, often risking his career and that of Williams with his frequent liasons, espcially with a white female. But all the while his loyal wife stays with him.
Lottie has conflicts over her hair and it is not until Madam C. J. Walker develops hair products for women that she is able to deal with it. Like her husband, who uses burnt cork to cover his face, she uses hats to cover her hair. Is Phillips trying to say that like her husband, Lotties is unable to accept her image as a black woman? Is she in conflict because she does not have "good hair" like her sister, a sister who comes to a tragic end.
Willliams conflict is over his desire to be an entertainer. But his only option is to appear in black face. He desperately wants to entertain and he is excellent at his trade, however, society forces him to perform a role that demeans the image of black Americans. Was it his obligation to give up his trade for the greater good of the image of African Americans? That is what he is faced with when black leaders confront him. It is interesting that Williams is a native of the Bahamas who does not experience realy racism untl he comes to America at age ll. One also wonders if Williams would have had a better life if he had folowed his dreams and stayed in Europe, where he has major successes, like many black expatriates have done over the years. Phillips uses the symbolism of ocean voyages, on which Phillips suffers, as an analogy of this crossing over.
One also wonders if Phillips is trying to say that all of the characters are subconsciously unable to accept their blackness but spend their life trying to accept the world as best they can. Is there an analogy here between Williams performing in black face and the resulting conficts and tradegies in his life and Michael Jackson who had changed his image to appear in white face?
Philllips innuendoes about Willaims sexaulity is also interesting. While Walker's sexaul promiscuity leads to his death from syphilis, Williams life of non sexual relaltions with his wife, leads to a tragic life for both of them. Or does Williams have syphillis also and does not want to infect his wife? The reader does not know. This is just one of the dark sides of this very dark novel. Is it his conflict over color or his conflicts over homosexuality that causes Williams to spend most of his off stage life in dark bars with a bottle?
While I enjoyed the book, I felt that there could have been additional character development, especialy about Williams' youth. Also his relationship with his father, a proud black man who only goes to see his son perform one time. He is so replused that he can never undertake it again.
The subject of Bert Williams is ripe for further investigation and analysis. While Phillips scratches the surface and raise interesting issues he merely perks the readers interest. It many ways he fails to get at the real character of Bert Williams. He portrayal of the dark side of Williams life is so dark, that perhaps we miss the real man.
Enriching.......2005-11-10
"Dancing in the Dark" is a fictionalize portrayal of the life of Bert Williams, an early twentieth century vaudeville and Broadway performer. Mr. Williams immigrates to America from the West Indies at an early age and takes to the stage in an effort to sharpen his talents and support himself. It isn't long before Mr. Williams learns that there is only role that the American audience is interested in seeing a black man play - ragged, dumb, high-stepping comedic "darkie". Early in Mr. Williams' performance career he meets George Walker, a starving street performer, and the two decide to team up and perform with medicine shows. Soon the two form their own company producing and staring in shows that play on Broadway and in Europe. As the success of Williams & Walker builds, the partners differ on the direction in which their performance company should move. Walker is forward thinking and would like for their shows to portray blacks, accurately, as the multifaceted, dignified people he knows them to be. Williams can't seem to move from the blackened faced idiot character that the white audience revels in observing.
Phillips does an admirable job with "Dancing in the Dark" which for this reader serves as a cautionary tale of sorts, warning of the dangers inherent in allowing others to define you. Both Williams and Walker are fully realized characters struggling with internal conflicts frustrations that must certainly have plagued black performers during the vaudevillian era. Phillips explores the affects of Williams' corked face buffoonery on his relationships with others, especially his wife and father, while at the same time examining the slow destruction of a soul trapped by the limitations that others have placed upon it. Williams' success definitely came at a price. How can you maintain a healthy self image when you earn a living that propagates the most negative and humiliating stereotypes of your own race; entertaining the very people who insist on keeping those stereotypes and daft images at the forefront of American minds?
For me, the atmosphere of the novel is somewhat melancholy, although Phillips' prose deftly renders the professional and emotional conflicts central to the novel. The narrative approach, used to deliver the story did create a bit of distance for this reader (third person unknown to first person, was there an interviewer narrating at one point?). However; the author's use of newspaper and magazine reviews drafted in the language and style of the era contributed greatly to the novel's setting. Including song lyrics and playbill text also added to the feel of the period. Most importantly, I learned a little about a period that until this novel I've only had a surface understanding of. I recall a few years back actually seeing some old footage of a corked faced performance and being very embarrassed by it. After this read, I can fully appreciate the embarrassment that the performer might have felt as well. A very enriching read. Enjoy!
Average customer rating:
|
Dancing In The Dark
Winston Lavallee
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1413493629 |
Book Description
Pride, Prejudice and Passion in Vermont. A young man, Paul Boivert, joins a motley bunch of characters thrown together in a 1930s Vermont Civilian Conservation Corps camp. Clueless city slickers, rural rubes and their leaders complete forest conservation projects amid human failings of bullying, ethnic conflict and racism, made raw by the effects of the Great Depression. Despite ugly confrontations, deception and violence, humor, self-confidence and bonds of friendship prevail. Complicated love affairs emerge as Paul, the camp commander and an aging professor find themselves in an odd quadrangle with a sensitive young teacher who joins the camp to study gypsy moths. A murder throws the camp into chaos. Simultaneously, WW II breaks out and sweeps Paul and others into violence dwarfing all earlier experiences. Drawing on every strength he has, Paul perseveres and survives as innocence dissolves in a tumbling surreal world of love, hate and persistent contradiction. Despite wounds and confusion, he learns that humans must continue to dance through their allotted time bound by links of human affection and forgiveness. Cover: The Quabbin Wilderness. Photo by author.
Average customer rating:
- impressed
- Entertaining Thriller
- Almost as good as her mother-in-law!
- Enjoyable Beach Read
- Good Read
|
Dancing in the Dark
Mary Jane Clark
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Suspense
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Lights Out Tonight
-
Hide Yourself Away
-
Let Me Whisper in Your Ear
-
Do You Want to Know a Secret?: A Novel
-
Nowhere to Run
ASIN: 0312994214
Release Date: 2006-05-30 |
Book Description
Trying to mix business with pleasure, KEY News correspondent Diane Mayfield has brought her children and her sister to the New Jersey Shore town of Ocean Grove to investigate a story on "girls who cry wolf" for the season premiere of "Hourglass," television's highly rated news magazine.Diane lands an exclusive interview with a troubled young woman whose tale of being abducted and held against her will for three terrifying days had been disbelieved by the authorities. No sooner does Diane finish taping the interview, though, than a second victim disappears.The small community, already in the grip of a record heat wave, is now wracked by fear and terror-no one knows who could be next. With only the first victim as eyewitness, Diane and the police turn to her for clues. But it may already be too late to save Diane and her loved ones from the mortal danger that lurks in Ocean Grove.
Customer Reviews:
impressed.......2007-05-30
Seeing "Higgins Clark" on the cover I accidently picked this up thinking it was her former mother-in law. Being an avid Mary Higgins Clark reader I was pleasantly surprised with the results of this book. I found it as good, if not better, than some of the more recent elder Clark's books. A fresh new edge for "clean" mystery readers.
Entertaining Thriller.......2007-05-14
For Diane Mayfield, the last few months of her life have been spent trying to keep her children, Michelle and Anthony, on an even keel. After her husband was sentenced to prison for his part in the financial upheaval of a company who cooked its books, she's been the sole parent and money-maker in a family that once had it all. Her position with KEY News as a correspondent for its Hourglass newsmagazine forces her to give up the family's vacation to the Grand Canyon and instead haul her kids and her 17-years younger sister, Emily, to the New Jersey seashore town of Ocean Grove. Her assignment? Interview Leslie Patterson, a woman who police believe "cried wolf" about her recent disappearance.
Leslie has a past that includes therapies for anorexia and harming herself physically, and the police are reluctant to take her claims seriously. Leslie states that she was abducted by an unknown attacker, and although not raped, was forced to dance with the man over a period of days before a security guard found her, bound and gagged, on the grounds of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. Orignally a religion-based commune type establishment, the Association meets every year on Ocean Grove's shore to spen the summer in their tents.
But as another girl disappears, both the local police and Diane start to believe that something more sinister is at work than a trouble young woman staging her own disappearance. As Diane delves deeper and deeper into the mystery, her own family becomes a target for the disturbed individuals that are harassing the tranquility of this once calm sea-side town.
Mary Jane Clark has deftly penned another entertaining thriller. Her characters are all true-to-life and believable, and will have you turning pages until you figure out the mystery.
Almost as good as her mother-in-law!.......2007-03-30
In Dancing in the Dark, news correspondent Diane Mayfield is forced by her boss to cancel her vacation to the Grand Canyon to cover a story unfolding in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. Leslie, a young woman suffering from aneroxia had been missing for 3 days and while she claimed she was abducted and held captive the police believe that she cried wolf and faked her own disappearance. That is until a 2nd girl from Ocean Grove goes missing....
As a fan of Mary Higgins Clark I was hesitant to pick this up but I was pleasantly surprised at how well it flowed and how MJC introduces numerous suspects so that you truly are guessing until the end! A very similar writing style to MHC I enjoyed this quick read, mystery and will pick up another MJC mystery in the future.
Enjoyable Beach Read.......2007-02-02
DANCING IN THE DARK is my first book by Mary Jane Clark. I found this book to be an enjoyable, albeit lightweight, read. This is a fun, fast-paced whodunit, written in the tradition of Mary Higgins Clark or Agatha Christie. Essentially, the reader gets a great deal of suspense and mystery without any graphic language, violence, or sex.
My major problem with DANCING IN THE DARK was the sheer volume of characters, which made it difficult to keep track of who was doing what. There are some supporting characters in this story who play no meaningful role, and they should have been eliminated for the sake of simplicity. Also, like some of the other reviewers, I found it relatively easy to guess who the murderer was, which led me to be slightly disappointed by the ending.
Still, this book is smoothly written and has an exciting climax. If you're looking for a decent page-turner without any graphic sex or violence, DANCING IN THE DARK should meet your requirements. It is a relatively short novel that can be read in a single afternoon.
Three and a half stars.
Good Read.......2006-08-20
This was a good, quick read, although the ending is a bit disappointing.
I also thought there were an awful lot of characters to keep track of -- particularly since so many of them were suffering from anorexia and cutting. That made it seem a bit contrived.
However, if you're going to read a relative of Mary Higgins Clark, this is the one to go with -- unlike her daughter, who stinks.
Book Description
She was hiding from the future.
Now she’ll do anything to live until tomorrow.
Two years after the accidental death of her husband and son, Sara Martin is still wearing her wedding band, using it as a shield against a future without love. Then a persistent prank caller shatters her fragile peace of mind and brings detective Eric D’Angelo into her life. Eric reminds her of the passion she never thought she’d feel again—and the idea of surrendering to it scares her. But Sara will soon discover that she never knew the meaning of the word fear . . . until now.
Even for a seasoned detective like Eric D’Angelo, the rash of murders haunting the city of Austin seems unbelievably grisly. Still, he’s worked enough of these cases to know that eventually, even a killer as meticulous as the Sinatra killer make a mistake. Then Sara becomes the madman’s target. Between fighting off the ghosts in her past and the monster in her present, Eric is forced to wonder if their hopes of a future together will ever see the light of day. . . .
Customer Reviews:
Awesome Book..........2004-08-04
I didn't think I'd find a Dee Davis book better then After Twilight but Dancing In The Dark is going to be really hard to beat. I can usually figure out the killer/mystery in books pretty quickly but I didn't have a clue in this book. Everybody appears to be a suspect so it really drew me in & I honestly didn't have a clue until right before the cops figured it out. I will admit that a time or 2 it seemed a little to graphic but that was the story line & it played in great. The romance & people in this book are just awesome. I highly recommend this book.
Thrilling and Romantic.......2004-07-28
Sara Martin has been through a lot. Two years ago, her husband and son were both killed in a car accident, and Sara's still mourning their loss. Her nights are troubled by disturbing dreams and crank calls, the latter of which sends her to detective Eric D'Angelo for help. His sexy looks and protective demeanor penetrate Sarah's defenses, but is she ready to loose her heart again?
To make things worse, there's a killer on the loose, and Detective D'Angelo has been assigned to the case. Not only are the murders as grizzly as they come, but they're getting closer and closer to home, and to Sara. Is she the target of a madman? And can she trust her life, and her heart, to Eric?
If you're looking for a fast read, with enthralling, well developed characters, look no further than DANCING IN THE DARK. The suspense thread is wonderfully woven into the story, and it kept me guessing right until the very end. Every time I thought I had the killer figured out, Ms. Davis would expertly throw in another plot twist or minor detail to throw me off track.
The chemistry between Sara and Eric leaps off the pages. They're fantastic together, in part due to wonderful dialogue and great descriptions by Ms. Davis. The romance is believable and realistic, as is their fear and the thread of suspense that flows through that romance. Secondary characters are depth to the plot, and help relieve the tension with the humor and support they offer.
Dee Davis has written a real winner in DANCING IN THE DARK. Just a word of caution: some of the descriptions of the murders are very gory, so if you're easily disturbed by such scenes, you might want to skip this one.
Too Gruesome.......2004-02-15
I'd like my money back. I'd like the time I spent reading this back( I didn't finish)This is one of the few books which does not get passed along to another reader or to the library for resale; it goes into the garbage. The book has too much gruesome details of raped & butchered women. Surely good suspense can be written without this kind of dreadful gore. Yuck!
Good, not great.......2003-09-24
I have been reading all of Dee Davis' releases since "Just Breathe". So far, nothing is as good. Just breathe had great suspense, fabulous romance and a good dose of humor. I hope that Dee Davis can produce another story just like it - unfortunately, Dancing in the Dark isn't it!
A Fast Thrilling Read!!!.......2003-09-22
This was a fast read with great characters and plot! There are so many twists and turns that you are kept guess as to who the "Sinatra Killer" is. Women are being killed and at the scene of the crime is a CD player playing Sinatra songs. No clues are being left behind and the police are puzzeled as to who the killer is and why he's killing.
Sara has been receiving crank calls and her friend and co-worker suggest that she speak with her husband who just so happens to be a police detective. Sara goes to talk to Bess's husband but talks to his partner instead. Detective Eric D'Angelo. The attraction is immediate and for the first time Sara is willing to start letting go of the past and look toward the future. But at the same time that Eric and Sara start falling for each other, Eric finds out that there is a connection between the "Sinatra Killer" and Sara. Could she be his next victim?
As stated previously this was a fast paced read and the romance between Eric and Sara is great! You can really feel the chemistry beetween these two people. You can also feel the fear that is presented due to the killer. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Ms. Davis is an author that you must add to you MUST READ list!
Download Description
The Japanese are bombing Guadalcanal, Montgomery squares off against Rommel in North Africa, and in Hollywood, Toby Peters fights his own private war. Real estate prince and ex-mob king Arthur Forbes, a.k.a. Fingers Intaglia, wants dancing lessons for Luna Martin, his vainglorious, lead-footed moll, and he wants America's most famous tap shoes to teach her. Fred Astaire wants Toby to get Forbes and the alarmingly loose Luna off his back--and every other part of his anatomy. In a case choreographed for trouble, Toby will hoof it with Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth in front of several thousand witnesses--while desperately trying to unmask a fast-stepping killer, stop Astaire from waltzing into a pair of cement galoshes, and keep his own flat feet from doing a Last Tango in Tinseltown.
Customer Reviews:
A NEW TOBY PETERS FAN!.......2000-06-13
I found this book and series while doing an auction "online" search for movie star memorabilia. Typing in "Rita Hayworth" and "Betty Grable" brought up a list of all kinds of "goodies," among them a book called, "Dancing In The Dark." The auction write-up mentioned that Toby Peters, a 1940's Los Angeles Private Investigator for the stars, hoofs it onstage with these two Hollywood lovelies after taking dancing lessons from Fred Astaire. Well, that hooked me, so I bought this book! What a hoot! Toby is modeled after such classic hard-boiled gumshoes as Sam Spade & Philip Marlowe, but he has a heart of gold and his narratives are witty and funny. Fred Astaire turns out to be a "crime aficionado' and sounds like, uh - Fred Astaire! Mr. Kaminsky does such a marvelous job of bringing Astarie to life that you feel like you are "watching" him in the movies! The action takes place in 1943 during WW II and the descriptions of the place and times are very authentic and interesting. Any fan of the old "classic" movies of the 1940's will thoroughly enjoy this book - and the Toby Peters series!
Books:
- Dark Celebration: A Carpathian Reunion (The Carpathians (Dark) Series, Book 14)
- Diary of a South Beach Party Girl
- Empress Orchid
- Eventide
- Final Exam: A Surgeon's Reflections on Mortality
- Fishermen's Sweaters: Twenty Exclusive Knitwear Designs for All Generations
- Four to Score (Stephanie Plum Novels)
- From Panic to Power: Proven Techniques to Calm Your Anxieties, Conquer Your Fears, and Put You in Control of Your Life
- Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 5th Edition
- Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God's Deliverance
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Return on Customer: Creating Maximum Value From Your Scarcest Resource
- Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith
- Cost Accounting: A Comprehensive Guide
- Directory of Business Information Resources 2001: Associations, Newsletters, Magazines & Journal
- Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data
- How to Read a Nautical Chart : A Complete Guide to the Symbols, Abbreviations, and Data Displayed on
- How to Get Into the Bible
- Mehrzielorientiertes strategisches Controlling: Methodische Grundlagen und Fallstudien zum führ
- Fantasy Production: Sexual Economies and Other Philippine Consequences for the New World Order
- The Ventriloquist's Tale
Horses Don't Lie: What Horses Teach Us About Our Natural Capacity for Awareness, Confidence, Courage, and Trust
It's Not About the Horse
Riding Between the Worlds: Expanding Our Potential Through the Way of the Horse
The Tao of Equus: A Woman's Journey of Healing and Transformation through the Way of the Horse
Horse Sense and the Human Heart
