The Sincerest Form Review

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(More customer reviews)Delbanco takes us into unpopular waters with "The Sincerest Form," but it is very much worth the voyage. Imitation is one of the most effective ways to learn, and this book can guide you where many, perhaps rightly fearful of [...], would be unlikely to take you. In a progression of exercises of imitation and revision, Delbanco shows how much you can learn from, well, from copying others. Incidentally, this is the only required text from one of my college classes that I have actually found useful. I guess that tells you something.

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Nicolas Delbanco explores the stories and techniques of twelve stylists, from Ernest Hemingway to Jamaica Kincaid, and encourages students to imitate the craft of these master storytellers as they hone their own fiction writing skills.

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An Introduction To Music Therapy: Theory and Practice Review

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(More customer reviews)My first (and probably only) music therapy course used this book as it's text. I am a musician, so I'm coming from that perspective. However, there is surprisingly little information on here as far as music skills. The assumption is that those skills are developed outside of this particular class.
The author gets into the specifics of a wide range of disabilities, disorders and conditions. The way the brain processed music is presented in a thorough, yet (relatively) simplistic way. It's a detailed study, and not just a bunch of fun facts, so you have to be ready to take the time to research.
The questions at the end of the chapters provided an excellent review for each class, and the book was well organized. I would certainly recommend both the book, as well as a Music Therapy class to anyone with any interest.

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Available for the first time in paperback, this low-cost, high-quality guide to music therapy thought, research, and practice is the ideal text for a one semester overview and the perfect handbook for the practicing professional.You'll find that Davis, Gfeller, and Thaut's detailed descriptions of the populations most likely to receive music therapy are strongly supported by background material and extensive references, helping students build a firm base from which to explore the range of current healing modalities.

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Music First Review

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(More customer reviews)I've tried a few texts for teaching music fundamentals to non-music majors and this is one of the better books. I really like that the book starts with the keyboard as a visual representation of music theory. The book could use updated music excerpts/examples. Also- the fact that students tear out workbook pages renders the book invalid for buyback programs. A separate workbook would be a much better option for college use.

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Based on tested methods used by the author during many years of teaching, "Music First!" takes a step-by-step approach to the fundamentals of music theory and basic composition, engaging students through a combination of explanation and interaction. Students learn cumulatively as they progress through the book. This popular 'learn-by-doing' approach reinforces theoretical principles through practice and enlivens any Fundamentals course.

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Music: An Appreciation, 6th Brief Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I've seen the unabridged version of this book and it's as big as an encyclopedia. The Brief Edition does well to summarize the important points in music history; though the meat of the book is centered in the classical (Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic, Classical, Opera) and merely touches on the more modern componets like jazz and rock. Still, the book and accompanying CD are excellent for those wanting to get a light but informative immersion in the classic music world and learn a little bit about its most famous composers.

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Whether from a concert stage or at the front of a classroom, Roger Kamien knows how to reach an audience--blending intelligence and passion to lift music from the page and bring it to life. His unique combination of artistic and teaching skills makes Music: An Appreciation, Brief Edition an invaluable tool for students wanting to learn more about music.
This best-selling textbook introduces students to perceptive listening and provides an engaging introduction to musical elements, forms, and stylistic periods. It is organized chronologically, but individual sections can be addressed in any order, for a variety of teaching approaches. Musical notation is included but is not required to understand the popular listening guides featured in the text, which focus students' attention on musical events as they unfold.
The Online Learning Center for this text provides open access for all students to many activities and video instrument demonstrations in addition to quiz and study materials for each chapter..

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Jazz Review

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(More customer reviews)Who would have the "chops" to write the definitive textbook on Jazz? How about a musician/composer/arranger who played with just about every Jazz great, with some notables being Glenn Miller and Tex Beneke? How about a man who has arranged, composed, and performed with everyone from A (Arturo Toscanini) to Z (Zubin Mehta)? Want more chops? How about the guy who invented (and played) a musical instrument (the electro-theremin or "Tannerin") that creates those wonderful weird glides you hear on the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" or the them song to My Favorite Martian? Experience not enough? How about academics: an author with both Masters and Doctorate degrees who became a Distinguished Professor at UCLA teaching about Jazz for over 20 years? The person with that experience, who definitely has the chops, is Paul Tanner, the lead author of this book.
I had the good fortune to be one of Dr. Tanner's students eons ago at UCLA. Beyond his ability to entertain was his ability to teach the principles, theory, and practice of Jazz, especially to non-musically inclined students. In his 90's today, according to IMDB, he still lectures writes.
Yes, Dr. Tanner and colleagues have the chops, and you can count on this book being the most definitive of its kind. The book is a textbook, to be sure -- meant to be used in conjunction with study, and priced as textbooks are priced, which ain't cheap. But because the online media lets you hear the topics not just read about them, I would recommend it for anyone with disposable income who is interested in the history of Jazz, understanding the different flavors of Jazz, and appreciating the musical tricks of the trade.
NOTE: While not necessary, I would recommend that you have a little knowledge of music to best enjoy the book. You don't need to be a music major, and you do NOT have to play an instrument or know how to read musical notation, but you will get a bit more out of the book if you are familiar with terms like 4/4, 2/4 and chord progressions.

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The eleventh edition of this trusted text takes students on an extraordinary musical journey through the changing styles and the fascinating history of jazz. With a strong emphasis on listening and an outstanding photo program, Jazz offers an insider's view of the most important music, artists, clubs, and precursors in jazz history. Personal accounts by major players ("Witness to Jazz") take students inside sessions, giving them a firsthand view of the lively context surrounding the growth of this uniquely American art form.

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Writing Better English : An ESL Workbook Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great book to help you teach or review proper English writing skills.

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Taking a developmental approach to improving writing skills, Writing Better English helps you increase your level of proficiency in both grammar and vocabulary. The author draws on his extensive teaching experience to provide:
..
Tools nonnative English speakers need to become better writers .
A series of exercises and practical-writing activities .
Tests for comprehension of basic grammatical structures, such as verb tenses and pronouns .
A practical section on writing personal and business letters .
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Introduction To Music Review

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(More customer reviews)Your music intelligence is greatly expanded by having read this historical development of music. That is how I learned about Early Music, my favourite now for several reasons. It puts music into perspective as you see its development over time, the reasons for the different kinds of music, plus what you may think of as technical information is applicable to every type of music today.
A fascinating study, if you love music, you will really enjoy reading the history of it.

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This work presents a comprehensive review of the material covered in "Introduction to Music" courses in colleges and universities. Such music appreciation courses are intended primarily for non-majors. In keeping with the courses' content, this review book covers the "elements" of music and provides a historical survey of music. The book is formatted in such a way as to provide college students with the essentials of the subject, and to supplement the regular assigned reading.

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